I really can't believe the response to my last post. It has appeared all over the place. I thought a couple of dozen people would read it and take it to heart, and I pretty much knew who those people were. I figured they could ask me to clear up any points in person!
For the most part it has been taken in the spirit it was intended, though it's dispiriting to see it re-posted elsewhere without my proviso that there is always room for hobbyism and art for art's sake. People can do what the dickens they like! I spend my whole life telling people to draw for the joy of it.
I think I made one point badly. When I say "don't read comics", I mean "don't read comics to learn how to construct a story". And even then I'm being harsh, but I know a number of people who never crack open a prose book and it drives me up the wall. Being able to sit down and concentrate on reading something for an hour or two is extremely useful and good for your brainium in the modern media age.
My comics: Bad Machinery - Scary Go Round - Giant Days :: My Shop :: My Flickr Sketchblog :: My Last.fm
4 comments:
Honestly, when you said 'don't read comics' I took it as don't read them to learn how to write them which is pretty sound advice for people who have never written anything before, especially when people only read comics where it's all action and no development (character or otherwise)
When I linked to your post I added the stipulation of wanting to make money off your comics which is quite a different thing from just making comics and I'm sure most people realized that as well^^
Hi John,
I totally got what you were talking about - I think the whole "how do I take this hobby and make it my job?" conversation is one that most of us have had in our heads and your advice, although harsh and brutal, is refreshingly frank and honest.
I do autobiographical comics, so I should really be in the "you suck!" catagory of responses, but I can't deny a lot of what you said makes sense.
John! You put that print in the shop! Thank you!
I thought the point about hobby-drawing was well made. I've had the "if only I could get paid to do this!" feeling lots of times (not about drawing per se) but it's true - if you want to make your hobby your job, then you have to treat it as a job and be prepared to have a business plan and some follow-through...
Oops! I may have contributed to that reaction by having posted a link to it on the Drawn! blog. I felt you made some great points, but I knew they were more guidelines than The Only Way To Do Things Forever And Amen. I far too often forget that some people always take things too seriously and then feel the need to lash out. Anyway, I thought what you wrote was great and frankly quite inspiring because I keep (unsuccessfully) toying with the idea of doing a web comic too, and your words really rang true for me. :) Keep on keeping on!
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