I have been feeling bad and discouraged lately because I have been listening to people pretty much saying that it is bad to be a commercial artist, that it is better to be a fine artist. Since I do alot of commercial art, which I define as getting hired to do art for some specific reason, it has basically made me feel crappy. I paint pictures for myself and for other people and it has always made me pretty glad, but now I am doubting myself. Maybe the fact that it is rainy and cold and I am tired has made me gloomy. I am sure I'll get over it.
Is it different to make money from art you sell to a client or to make money from art you sell in a gallery? Do people take you less seriously if you have been an illustrator? Why? Should I care? I am mad that this is an issue in my head right now because I really just like to make art. I like selling it in galleries and I like getting hired to do jobs. I like getting paid to do it and for it. It doesn't feel any different. Why are people ashamed of it? Am I screwed?
Sometimes I think it is better for me to sell my art myself so it can stay reasonbly priced and get into the hands of regular people who don't normally buy original art. Once you get in the bigger fancy galleries the people who can afford your art gets smaller. Why should rich people be the only ones to own art? But if some big gallery wanted to sell my work for lots of money I would probably do it.
I don't like elitism.
Yikes.
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3 comments:
....----> If you probably do it, I'll probably never be able to buy some of your art ! So sad ! Because I like it too much. ('m studying graphic design and illustration in Paris and I can say that you are my favourite illustrator.)Don't be ashamed to be a commercial artiste...Ascendancist artists have no future here ^^
Waiting to have the means to offer me your illustrations, I print them and stick them on the walls of my studio. And walls live !
Thanks !
you posed a lot of the same questions I've been asking myself the last couple of years. Should I change my major from commerical art to Fine art or even graphic art? It seem whenever I am asked what my major is I endup having to explain what a commercial artist "does". It's getting old real fast, and it seem like everyone has an alterative major they think I should be studing insted. Even after explaining what I do they look confused.
I have come to the realization that I have worked to hard and for to long turn back now and it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks it matter what makes me happy; otherwise I would be studing computer sciene right now.
I feel its great to make a living as a commercial artist than be a fine artist and wait tables for a living.
Its a very easy choice in my book. I say so maybe because I am going to start studying commercial art after more than a decade working in corporate america. To me, not able to work for a living doing what you studied is failure in itself.
If you are lucky to be a working fine artist, more power to you. But I think the attitude of doing something elevated is frankly sickening - your work is very personal and intimate and genuine. Keep doing it. I like your idea of a painting a day. in the past, I would think that soem great idea would just strike me like lightning. Now, eeven doing crappy stuff, I feel more inspired. its in the perspiration and several artists, including you, are such a good example. Keep up the good work and dont feel bad.
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