My experience: Moving out on art only income. (Fulltime art)

let me start with a disclaimer as always. First of all this journal will probably be long. This is also just MY EXPERIENCE. I'm sharing in hopes that -maybe- it will help someone else find their way. And to the few people that won't read this all the way. AT LEAST READ THIS. Through all the dumbasses and stupidity. Despite bumps in the road here and there. I cannot be more grateful and thankful to this community, my supporters, for getting me here. You made this possible. Even those of you unable to commission me but faithfully faving and commenting. I draw for hours every day not just for the money but because I want to keep improving. I want to keep being worth your watch. I want to continue to inspire. Hearing those things touches me. they wake me up in the morning. And they glitter my dreams at night. No I can't thank each one of you but that's what these journals and streams are for. These are the easiest ways i can reach out to as many of you at once and just hope you see it. Important things to know: -I'm single (not interested) -I have no pets -I have no small demons...i mean children -I do have college debt -I take art very seriously and it is what i LOVE to do. Why is that important? Because you need to understand my money situation to an extent because people without financial burdens ("mates", kids, pets, etc) have more wiggle room. And I -consciously- choose to not deal with those hassles to be able to live a more comfortable life. So those with 'kids' or multiple pets to feed, probably can't compare their situation. I finally moved out "on my own". by on my own I mean I no longer live bills free with family. I do have a room mate. And I have to be honest. Were it not for the fact that said family member is a complete fucking idiot I would have stayed. I would have dealt with her bullshit to be able to pay off my loans sooner/faster and then be able to pursue my dreams without college debt worrying me and constantly sitting on my shoulder trying to drag me into depression. It is by no means a small debt. and it wasn't even worth acquiring. art college will do nothing but drag you under. It taught me maybe 5% of my now gained art skills. But maybe i'll touch on that at a later time. However because she was such an idjit i wanted to leave the moment I GOT there. But I was just not in a position to do so 3, 2, or even a year ago. And that's what I really want to touch on in this journal. the big question. "Am I in a position to do this?" That should be a question that you ask yourself before making any big life changing decision. -If you can continue living with family bills free. and it isn't too stressful on your mental state or physical state. Do it. Until you have gained enough of a following and improved enough to COMFORTABLY move out. I don't mean struggling for rent every damn month. Do not be that person. -If you can't afford to feed yourself. You shouldn't have more pets than you can handle. even if it's just one. I'm not even going to elaborate on this. It's fucking common sense. I gave away my cat that i had for nearly all my life because i had to the first time i moved with a differnt family member. Yeah it fucking hurt. and there isn't a day i don't miss my baby. I carry his collar with me. Do not even question the amount of love i had for that cat. But in the end I gave him to someone who could love him just as well if not better. I couldn't afford his medication and god forbid he had needed another serious vet visit. It also made moving to an apartment WAY easier considering many cheap places have a NO PET POLICY. I know some places take cats but still. i'm currently in a no pet complex. and while i'd love another pet i have other responsibilities. it's called priorities. -children...are....expensive. i'm not even going to go into detail here. i'm 23(soon) and feel i have no business having kids anyway and i hate kids. if you have em. good luck. do you. i have no advice for you. -What does being single have to do with it? Well this goes hand and hand with taking my job very seriously. Before some fuckwad thinks i'm saying 'you cant take work seriously if you have a mate'. I'm not. But I am saying. They're time consuming. I even TRIED having a significant other while pushing my art. TWICE. One...took up my weekends and sometimes week days. it slowed me down. the other while totally understanding...i just felt super guilty i would go days/weeks without seeing or even talking to him because my life is and was 'wake up. do human things. post journal, promote myself. draw till i drop. go to sleep. do it all over again'. because it's what i LOVE to do. and though he was understanding. (he was also an artist too but he was doing it as side cash so not full time pushing.) i felt like i was neglecting him. so i set him free to be with someone who could give him their time. Cause i was/am married to my craft. -Your biggest leaps and bounds in improvement are going to be when you sit down for hours on end drawing. And that takes TIME. period. -This. Is. my. JOB. I don't think I would have as many repeat customers if i didn't take this shit seriously. And while i know there are some people who have climbed to the top with shit worth of work ethic. Don't be that person. You will get so much farther treating this like a job. Don't make people fucking wait 3+ months for art. Don't take more than you can finish. If you're doing that because your prices aren't high enough and you can't make rent if you don't take a huge batch then there's a problem. You weren't ready for that responsibility. I incremented my prices with my skill level. Detail on how i feel about pricing work can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10guPu0XtH3Ke7rzlWQzazF84GK0B5UBNJIwBtEfwW-Q/edit?usp=sharing You need a TOS. You need to be consistently working. You need to respond to questions. You need to promote yourself. Shit get an assistant if you need to. i did. ( Artemis <3 ) these are things you need to think about. Sometimes it can take me 2-3 hours just to respond to emails, website notes, comments, tweets, make journals....and just BE ACTIVE IN GENERAL. Attending cons and doing streams are also big. People want to talk to you, see how you work, etc. I didn't start doing cons till about a year ago but it's been great. I actually don't sell there. and still probably won't. I just go to meet people. literally i'm there to chill with you guys! But they are also fantastic for selling at. and none of this 'oh i've got 5 month art block. sorry'. ITS A FUCKING JOB. you can't not go to any other job cause 'oh i've got walmart block'. No. you drag your ass to work to get paid. Someone summed up how i feel about that here: http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/817082.html?thread=30327738#t30327738 also this: http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/817082.html?thread=30323642#t30323642 All of that to say. through a whole lot of decision making, trial and error, busting my ass, and gaining an AMAZING support base. I was able to do this even with college debt looming over me. And you can too if you want. Shit maybe you can even do it faster, sooner, better. who knows. it just comes down to how much you're willing to -give- in order to -get-.