I'm just wondering

[Keith]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

Spoken from someone who doesn't know what it actually takes to be a successful artist. It's manual labor, It is physically and mentally exhausting when you actually have to produce your best work day in and out, and it takes many years of work and study for most anyone to get proficient with their craft. The only "fun" I get from art is when I'm actually done with a piece, and that's very short lived.

I'm not mad at your ignorance on the subject, I'll forgive it because you honestly don't know any better. It's an attitude I'm all too familiar with.

[scmarooney]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

I'm with Keith, your comment doesn't make me mad, just a bit sad. Drawing is the same sort of work that playing a musical instrument is. It takes years and years of practice just to become somewhat proficient and a real passion to become excellent at it or do it for a living. As one who has worked in the hot sun or at a factory on one of my many and varied "day jobs" I can honestly say that there are many times that drawing for many hours on end can leave me feeling more wrung out and tired than a physical labor job or one done out in the elements does. Its the difference between pouring yourself into something body and soul and just showing up to do what is minimally required to earn a paycheck.

[g0b1in]

I've worked in the sun growing up digging trenches, planting trees, and working on my family's vegetable farm. I went to college and got an engineering degree and worked as an engineer for years! I'm now just beginning to get noticed as an artist and starting to get paid for what I love to do.

Each one of these is work. The hardships are different.

As an engineer, my brain had to work at peak efficiency under high stress for long hours often 6 days a week. How I missed swinging a pick axe. As an artist, I will never have the security that I would as an engineer. No retirement plan. No benefits. I could never rest. Projects aren't given to you. You have to make your own work and then do it well. How I miss my cubicle.

When I was younger (and naive), I thought that once I got good, it would be easy going from there. But the work is just begun and work begets more work. An artists life is not easy.

[Jcatlett76]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

Just when I thought ignorance was almost a thing of the past, you come along and give me hope that it's still alive and well!! Thanks!

Seriously though, to make that statement, you have no idea what you are talking about. You obviously don't draw or if you do, you haven't gotten very good at it since you seem to lack the understanding of the dedication commitment and hard work involved. First you come in and insult every artist here by implying that their time and effort isn't worth the money they would charge for it then you say it's not really work at all.

Now that's trolling on a Donstarr level!!!!

I really hope this is some sort of satire.

[Wassy]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAA! I was like, making that up when I said that comment about art not being work. I didn't think someone here would ACTUALLY say it! I've only heard it second hand. How quaint.

All people have natural inclinations to different things, and if they're very very lucky, they can make that desire into a career. But it still means it's work.

Hate to bust your bubble, but there's a hell of a lot of effort, years of training, and likely very high tuition that goes into being an actual artist, and then the career development part on it's own is just as bad and stressful as any other career.

Damn, I have a day job and my art is WAAAAAAAAAY harder.

[dfbovey]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

I don't usually like to insult people. But this is probably the most idiotic post I've ever seen on this forum.

[WarriorSmurf]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

So, you think this is going to make any of the artists that post on this site want to work on your project? Not to mention, you insult them (us) with that sweat shop page rate? Can you say ignoramus, boys and girls?

[Inkthinker]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

Do it yourself, then. Have fun with it.

You're not just paying someone for a service, but also for their experience and expertise, which they have to earned through personal investment of time and effort. Thousands upon thousands of hours spent in study, practice, and revision are required to gain professional-quality skills as an illustrator. If someone is capable of reaching that level, then they have a reasonable expectation of earning a return on the investment they've already made.

If you're not capable or willing to invest in a professional, then you can't expect professional services. You'll need to provide that service yourself, and if you can hack it then perhaps you'll come out of it with a sense of respect for the craft.

[amadarwin]

I know this is going to make a few people mad. but drawing is not real work....
it's something that people do for fun. and yes it can be hard sometimes. but it's not the
same as working in the hot sun. or Factory job.

That's a very ignorant thing to say, but don't feel bad. As a famous guy with a high tech Speak 'n Spell once said: “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” (Stephen Hawking)

It's true - Drawing is not the same as working in the hot sun, or a factory job. It's possibly due to the fact that it's in a completely different industry. Apples and oranges, as they say. A lot of the 'glamorous' jobs in the entertainment industry - musician, artist, actor, etc... - don't always equate to hard physical labor. While those 'jobs' can make an obscene amount of money by comparison, the main difference is it takes a lot of dedication to, and refinement of, craft to really start earning a decent living. The rest of the time odds are high they are making LESS than a menial worker. More likely, they ARE menial workers on the side in order to pay the bills.

Another big difference is you can usually grab anyone off the street and have them able to do 'real work' with less than a week of training. The glut of that surplus (menial workers) is almost always overflowing with candidates. You can't just pick anyone off the street to draw that kick-ass comic of yours, and that's where we get into the laws of supply and demand and why artists everywhere cry foul at 'portfolio builders' and 'back-end pay.'

Enjoyment for what you do does not proportionately reduce how much work it is, or even if it's 'real.' It just means you picked a satisfying career. And if you're one of the lucky ones, the REAL fun comes AFTER the fun work.

[Guru_George]

If your fast and your client is having you do many pages then 50$ per page can work in a 5 hour work window. If both party's are willing to agree on a fast and cheap deal at the very start and the client is willing to be an ongoing customer then 50$ is good if your fast.

Long term work is better on average then short term work even if the pay is a bit lower, be shore to do your math. You can cut this deal with returning clients because they are a reliable revenue. Very important in the freelance world.