How do your parents, friends & entourage see your art?

[The Bearded Man]

I'm very lucky to have parents who support my desire to be an artist. I am more grateful and indebted to my parents than to anyone or anything else in the world. When I told my mother I definitely wanted to go to art school, she signed me up for figure drawing immediately-- so I drew my first nude figure at 14. I think that was the exact moment that I started to really improve and think about art in a new way. They encouraged me to take as many art classes as I wanted in and out of school, and didn't sweat my mediocre grades in math as long as I was maintaining a GPA good enough to get into my school of choice. They sent me to pre-college at an art school and they now pay most of my tuition so I can go to the art school of my choice. They were supportive when I took a year off to live, work, and intern across the country in California all alone. Not to mention all the sacrifices they've made in all the other areas of my life-- but speaking just in terms of how they see my art, my parents are beyond 100% supportive of what I do. I honestly think that has been crucial to my artistic development. They are seriously the best.

I have no doubt you had to make sacrifices yourself but I'd say you are a lucky person! I never considered taking art-classes outside of school perhaps would've helped me allot... Now it's much about me trying to make up for what I missed through what I call my "artistic dead years" (Years I was in highschool and did nothing but go to school and play videogames without drawing for a long time). It's tough because I'm not always in the mood to draw amazing bodies following a perfect anatomy. But I'll have to at some point and it's not that bad I guess.

Even so in a year and abit I'm *fingers crossesd* leaving home for a design school so I guess my support netwrok will change drastically then XD

You're like me, I hope my support network will grow and I hope making friends in the same fields of interest as me for once when I'll get in my animation program. I always wanted to talk seriously about art stuff with people but the people around me tend to listen very respectfully but don't add much to the conversation which I guess is normal but bothering at the same time.

[Applekai13]

My parents support me pursuing art as a carreer, and paid for art lessons for 4 years or so, but somehow I feel like they don't really care about my creations. My dad is a little better, and will usually give me some words of praise. Generic things, like "really good" or "looks great". My mom definetly doesn;t give a crap. I attempt to show her any art, and she is automatically busy or about to busy, and just looks at it for half a second. Even worse is when she comes out with crap like "is that supposed to be..." fill in the blank. I'm no Dali, but im good enough to tell that a fish is a fish. XD

I don't show them any of my naked drawings because they wouldn't care/not get it.

My friends are all very supportive and think I'm the best thing since sliced bread. X3 I love them, and they definetly help me through hard esteem times. I'm glad I have this forum to give me some real art critiques and understand the lingo

Sooo. My family couldn't care less about the actual art, but support me, and my friends are great

[Moblin]

My mom likes watching me draw, shes artsy herself so shes fully supportive and is always eager to comment or critique whatever I'm working on. But she likes to make fun of me by saying that because I choose to do art for a living I'll probably end up living at home with her for the rest of my life. My brother supports me as well but I don't think hes as into it as my mom. He likes looking at my stuff, he'll walk up and say its cool or sweet, maybe ask a few questions but then his mind will be else where.
My friends are used to seeing me draw, but they still enjoy watching. Some times we'll all draw together, one of my friends likes to watch and he'll ask for my pencil and add a small mark to an already done area and go "okay I've contributed" grinning.
Only two of my friends actually read my comics though, and not very much, I'm too embarrassed to show them to my other friends. My mom knows I make them cause she'll watch me draw the pages, but she has no clue on what they're about. Which I'm okay with.

[mosama]

ENTOURAGE? I don't got an entourage. Fuck i look like, Madonna?

[The Bearded Man]

My brother supports me as well but I don't think hes as into it as my mom. He likes looking at my stuff, he'll walk up and say its cool or sweet, maybe ask a few questions but then his mind will be else where.

Mine doesn't show much interest either. But I think in my bro's case it's because he'd find it to awkward to actually compliment my stuff. We just don't have that kind of relationship.

[itsjustaar]

For me, as far as friends go, I think my two main supporters are my girl friend and her friend. We live far apart and have to keep contact on IM, but we've known each other for years, and she's one of the main reasons I took up doing my comic full-swing.

I've gotten encouragement, though I think from most of my online acquaintances, probably not so much. This has as much to do with the comic I do along with the art I do that's unrelated. It varies from time to time, and can be a mixed bag. I've had, on the other hand, unintentionally lured myself into a lot of spat with people online over various decisions I've made regarding fan art. But that's another story, I'll leave that be.

I guess in general most people dig it. I don't hear from a lot of people beyond those I do know IRL, but it's okay.

[darkenergy]

They don't. Iwell...my mom found one of my paintings and stuck it on the wall until I hid it.

[C_You]

Most of my friends have some kind of art they do (be it visual, music, etc.), so to them, I'm just another person who can draw. They aren't by any means unsupportive, they just don't really see it as anything special.

I'm the only one in my family with any artistic ability, so my family thinks it's pretty cool, which can be a nice ego boost when I need it. They do have that habit of thinking that I just do it naturally and ignoring all of the work that goes into developing skills. That can be depressing, but I'll take the good with the bad.

[magnetic-porcupine]

My parents don't approve of me doing art at all. They think it's a huge waste of time. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that the art scene in Singapore is still in its early stages of development
I showed my mum some of my more personal pieces when I was first starting out and she thought I was being a melodramatic loser so I stopped showing my artwork to my family.

[Nymine]

My family is weird. They've always been encouraging in the fact that I draw(good stress relief/healthy way of coping/good imagination ect). My mom even has a box of everything I've ever drawn. I mean EVERYTHING. There's even a plate in that box with a crayon scrawl of our basset hound from when I was itty bitty on there(for some reason, she's flying IDK). She's always trying to make helpful suggestions, though she doesn't understand my want to be a comic artist. It makes more sense to her if I did children's books or political cartoons(I'm allergic to politics and have politely told her no thank you; kid's books I've thought about but I'm afraid of what my twisted mind will do to children). My dad is impossible to talk to about it; he has no use for drawing. If I ever show him a comic or a character he says one of two things: 'Yup, that's a drawing' or 'Why do you always draw everyone with their hair in their face?' And then the conversation inevitably shifts to 'actual work'. But they're not derogatory, just normal parents who want their daughter to be successful.

My friends say I draw rabbits too much, and are always making suggestions of what I should draw instead/show me artists I should draw like more. Which is nice to have a bunch of new references.

[Digidraw]

With me, my mom shows support while my dad is a bit too busy looking for jobs to take notice. I usually hang my favorite works I did in my art class in high school on my wall above my bed, to show how much I improved, and that's how they both take notice. My uncle and his girlfriend show full support, giving me concept art books for christmas and always giving me tips on how to improve more in drawing. I haven't talked to them much since my uncle is up at the NASA base working on a set for a movie he's doing concept art for and his girlfriend is busy with collage once more. When my brother was living with me and my parents before he moved away for collage, he always made me work on art instead of playing Minecraft or something, but not as much as my uncle.

My friends - or should I say everyone in my band class - show some support for my art. But its mainly when I start drawing something for them, or if I have my sketch book out. Other than that, they have little support... Except for my oldest friend, who knows what I want to be when I graduate, so he shows support.

[erica-kun]

This is a very interesting topic! (Like a creep, I read like pretty much every comment)

Well I would say my parents support it, my dad more so than my mom. He even hung the (horrid) paintings I did in high school in our living room. My dad's probably my biggest fan. My mom however is the one that gives me the best critiques. She doesn't hesitate to tell my drawing is off or crap. Haha I love it though. My sister is pretty artsy like me so I would say she supports my dreams too. Even my cat would snuggle up next to me while I'm drawing.

My extended family doesn't though. But I could give five shits about their opinion.

I went to an art high school so most of my friends have pretty much the same interests We're like a support group ^^

Anywho that's my two cents! I thought I'd share that with you guys

[SoupCandy]

My family hates that I draw and write.

Some of my old buddies laugh at it--they think I'm retarded.

My closest friends, and they may be lying, seem to enjoy it.

i no tragic rite

[The Bearded Man]

My family hates that I draw and write.

Some of my old buddies laugh at it--they think I'm retarded.

My closest friends, and they may be lying, seem to enjoy it.

i no tragic rite

That is really weird. Do they have a bad past with artists? Otherwise they must have a problem. I feel like I'm missing on some key elements to understand what is up with that.

[RTSSH21]

Hm... My mom thinks my art I so good I should give up comics and paint. My dad doesn't care. My grandparents want me to give up this 'childish hobby' before I 'outgrow' it. My friends figure it's cool, but they don't do anything to really support the thought.


...wait a minute.

o.o; Nobody supports me drawing comics? well. huh.
I guess the only reason that no one is stepping on me about it is because I told my grandparents off and my dad's side is just happy someone in their family actually managed to graduate. **shrugs** I guess that could be supporting, maybe. They aren't stopping me, so that means I can do it. lol

What a moment this has been. I'm gonna go draw more for my comic now XD