How do i get my parents to let me be a comic book artist?

[pwii]

Try your best to get as good as you can so you can get a job in comics. But also have some sort of skill for a different job so that you can keep working on being awesome until you are awesome enough at comics to quit the alternate job.

[Seven Rain]

Spoiler! :

I'm... I'm sorry, I know this section is sensitive and this is off-topic but could Randumbz or a mod please edit the first post and spell the word "parents" properly before my brain implodes? D:

[Randumbz]

Spoiler! :

I'm... I'm sorry, I know this section is sensitive and this is off-topic but could Randumbz or a mod please edit the first post and spell the word "parents" properly before my brain implodes? D:

Your brain is now safe from implosion lol

[ColeDX]

(If you don't read the whole thing, it sounds like I'm talking about myself when I'm trying to prove a point )

I can feel you. I'm about your age, 15, and I want to become a Comic Artist when I get older, a Manga Artist. It's one of the things I like.
And just like you, I've never told my parents I wanted to become one either.

I can kind of relate to you.
And I don't think my parents would support me if I wanted to become one. He wants me to become a Doctor or something like that, and I'm against him. And my mom just wants me to have a job that pays you a lot.
They both want me to get a job that pays you a lot.

But in my opinion, just tell them" you aren't ready to decide just yet, you're only 14 (Only a year younger than me lol) and you still have 5 years to decided."
In short, tell them "you'll say you're decision in 10th grade, when you've taken enough classes and know more about the world, then you can officially decide more clearly."
But really, its just an excuse to buy yourself some more time XD

It'll be hard living off being a Comic Artist I will agree, but your parents are wrong too. Only the Comic Artist with no knowledge for a good plot and skill for drawing will fail at it. You need those both to become a successful Comic Artist, you make you're living off your comic's popularity. So it's possible to become one if you try hard enough.

But just in case, try to work for another good job that makes decent money, no not in the bad way, this is most likely your back up plan, just in case you can't do it.
Plus you can have both Jobs as a Comic Artist and a Money Making Job, who said you can only have one? Just as long as you have time for both.
But, if you're really looking into becoming a Comic Artist, you should at least test yourself first.

I'm testing myself too (I did say I want to become a Comic Artist too lol)

I think you should at least try testing yourself too by doing this one thing,
Making a Web Comic.

It's simple enough, make your webcomic on SmackJeeves and try to get yourself 100 fans. Seems kind of high, but thats the rule I made (I made the test XD)
Just to explain, this'll prove you can make an interesting enough comic that people would want to read. If you can't do this, you most likely can't as a real Comic Artist.

I've been testing myself for a year now. I've been working on 60 pages for a sprite comic for Pokemon at the beginning of my FreshMan year, around the beginning of Freshman year anyways. By the 60th Page I stopped making it, only got 13 Fans.
But then I asked for a Tablet for my Birthday that was coming up (Yes, thats how it works in the family, we just ask for our presents lol) I wasn't about to give up on being a Comic Artist, I'm not about to give it up there. So once I got my Tablet, I began making a redo on the Sprite Comic and turned it into a Manga, which is known as Pokemon Nano
[Proof- On my account, you'll find the Web Comic 'Pokemon Nano'. The First page was uploaded a few days after my BirthDay, January 25 (4 Months ago). The first pages after the BETA Chapters were drawn really horribly, thats because I began working on the WebComic without any drawing experiences with the Tablet XD]
After about 29 Pages, I got 18 Fans, doing better XD. But then, I got this new idea for a web comic. I didn't let it go. I drew my ideas on scratch notes on my Computer. Mainly, they were just characters for if I was going to really make the webcomic. Then after a few weeks have passed, this was my new main idea, I'm going to make a new webcomic that was going to be made entirely by me, not based off some other stuff like Pokemon. I'm going to make this with my own imagination, my own ideas.
I worked my ass off making a good plot for this, making pre-sketches, making the characters. Then I made my characters for the WebComic into a final draft. Here's an example-

So, after I made my characters and stuff, I finally updated my Comic Website, Gang Wars, and finally uploaded the first page of Chapter 1, the title XD And this is like around a months since I've gt the idea and started working on pre-skecthes of it. And I uploaded this just today, so yeah, 1 months ago XD Really hoping this'll be big.

So yeah, it's been almost 1 year now. I've had my doubts at first, but with some practice and experience, I've worked on being better

Here's the page I uploaded to Gang Wars, just to show my current progress over a year-

Spoiler! :

I'm planning on being a Non-Profit Comic Artist though, meaning I won't be doing this for the money. I might be a Comic Artist as a job, but most likely I'll get a different job, since my dad won't pay me to go to any art collages, no collages either, just pay for a straight on University. Yeah, he won't pay for collage either, he doesn't want to be a fail like the others that go to a Collage, so yeah, you can see why I can't be a full on Comic Artist, my dad won't pay for me to go to get some training on this kind of stuff If your parents would let you become one, try to work on it hard and be proud of it.

But the main point I'm try to say, at least test yourself to see if you can really handle making a WebComic.

PSS- If you're going to make a WebComic, mind telling me if you make one? I'd like to fave and see how you do with it, and I can give some advice with Tablets and Drawing with one and stuff, I have nothing better to do lol. Just message me

And sorry if this doesn't help or you don't get what I'm saying. I just wrote this because I just feel you

[Randumbz]

(If you don't read the whole thing, it sounds like I'm talking about myself when I'm trying to prove a point )

I can feel you. I'm about your age, 15, and I want to become a Comic Artist when I get older, a Manga Artist. It's one of the things I like.
And just like you, I've never told my parents I wanted to become one either.

I can kind of relate to you.
And I don't think my parents would support me if I wanted to become one. He wants me to become a Doctor or something like that, and I'm against him. And my mom just wants me to have a job that pays you a lot.
They both want me to get a job that pays you a lot.

But in my opinion, just tell them" you aren't ready to decide just yet, you're only 14 (Only a year younger than me lol) and you still have 5 years to decided."
In short, tell them "you'll say you're decision in 10th grade, when you've taken enough classes and know more about the world, then you can officially decide more clearly."
But really, its just an excuse to buy yourself some more time XD

It'll be hard living off being a Comic Artist I will agree, but your parents are wrong too. Only the Comic Artist with no knowledge for a good plot and skill for drawing will fail at it. You need those both to become a successful Comic Artist, you make you're living off your comic's popularity. So it's possible to become one if you try hard enough.

But just in case, try to work for another good job that makes decent money, no not in the bad way, this is most likely your back up plan, just in case you can't do it.
Plus you can have both Jobs as a Comic Artist and a Money Making Job, who said you can only have one? Just as long as you have time for both.
But, if you're really looking into becoming a Comic Artist, you should at least test yourself first.

I'm testing myself too (I did say I want to become a Comic Artist too lol)

I think you should at least try testing yourself too by doing this one thing,
Making a Web Comic.

It's simple enough, make your webcomic on SmackJeeves and try to get yourself 100 fans. Seems kind of high, but thats the rule I made (I made the test XD)
Just to explain, this'll prove you can make an interesting enough comic that people would want to read. If you can't do this, you most likely can't as a real Comic Artist.

I've been testing myself for a year now. I've been working on 60 pages for a sprite comic for Pokemon at the beginning of my FreshMan year, around the beginning of Freshman year anyways. By the 60th Page I stopped making it, only got 13 Fans.
But then I asked for a Tablet for my Birthday that was coming up (Yes, thats how it works in the family, we just ask for our presents lol) I wasn't about to give up on being a Comic Artist, I'm not about to give it up there. So once I got my Tablet, I began making a redo on the Sprite Comic and turned it into a Manga, which is known as Pokemon Nano
[Proof- On my account, you'll find the Web Comic 'Pokemon Nano'. The First page was uploaded a few days after my BirthDay, January 25 (4 Months ago). The first pages after the BETA Chapters were drawn really horribly, thats because I began working on the WebComic without any drawing experiences with the Tablet XD]
After about 29 Pages, I got 18 Fans, doing better XD. But then, I got this new idea for a web comic. I didn't let it go. I drew my ideas on scratch notes on my Computer. Mainly, they were just characters for if I was going to really make the webcomic. Then after a few weeks have passed, this was my new main idea, I'm going to make a new webcomic that was going to be made entirely by me, not based off some other stuff like Pokemon. I'm going to make this with my own imagination, my own ideas.
I worked my ass off making a good plot for this, making pre-sketches, making the characters. Then I made my characters for the WebComic into a final draft. Here's an example-

So, after I made my characters and stuff, I finally updated my Comic Website, Gang Wars, and finally uploaded the first page of Chapter 1, the title XD And this is like around a months since I've gt the idea and started working on pre-skecthes of it. And I uploaded this just today, so yeah, 1 months ago XD Really hoping this'll be big.

So yeah, it's been almost 1 year now. I've had my doubts at first, but with some practice and experience, I've worked on being better

Here's the page I uploaded to Gang Wars, just to show my current progress over a year-

Spoiler! :

I'm planning on being a Non-Profit Comic Artist though, meaning I won't be doing this for the money. I might be a Comic Artist as a job, but most likely I'll get a different job, since my dad won't pay me to go to any art collages, no collages either, just pay for a straight on University. Yeah, he won't pay for collage either, he doesn't want to be a fail like the others that go to a Collage, so yeah, you can see why I can't be a full on Comic Artist, my dad won't pay for me to go to get some training on this kind of stuff If your parents would let you become one, try to work on it hard and be proud of it.

But the main point I'm try to say, at least test yourself to see if you can really handle making a WebComic.

PSS- If you're going to make a WebComic, mind telling me if you make one? I'd like to fave and see how you do with it, and I can give some advice with Tablets and Drawing with one and stuff, I have nothing better to do lol. Just message me

And sorry if this doesn't help or you don't get what I'm saying. I just wrote this because I just feel you

thanks dude, you're pretty good at this haha. I've had my tablet for over a year now, but I'm still not that good at using it. I started thinking recently that I should pay for art college by myself and I'm going to start saving up for it. I thought that's should practice making stories because comics need good plots, so I'm going to write one novels and try to get them published. That way I can practice storytelling and also earn some money at the same time. I can't really tel my parents that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up anymore because my sister just came back from her first year of college and she flunked. My mom keeps saying stuff like "don't fail like your sister. You have to work hard so you can become ich and be somebody and blah blah blah" . I uses to have a webcomic on this site, but I had no clue what I was doing and quit lol. So yeah

[ColeDX]

thanks dude, you're pretty good at this haha. I've had my tablet for over a year now, but I'm still not that good at using it. I started thinking recently that I should pay for art college by myself and I'm going to start saving up for it. I thought that's should practice making stories because comics need good plots, so I'm going to write one novels and try to get them published. That way I can practice storytelling and also earn some money at the same time. I can't really tel my parents that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up anymore because my sister just came back from her first year of college and she flunked. My mom keeps saying stuff like "don't fail like your sister. You have to work hard so you can become ich and be somebody and blah blah blah" . I uses to have a webcomic on this site, but I had no clue what I was doing and quit lol. So yeah

Good luck with the novel. It's best to just not tell your parents if you're serious about becoming a Comic Artist BTW, if your parents say you should do this to get rich, I think its best you rather do what you love, just as long as you're happy with your life, that's my opinion, being rich has nothing to do with it. And if you're going to re-open a WebComic or need help plotting, message me. Been doing comics a little from 5th Grade, and about a year since the beginning of 9th Grade, and been plotting stories pretty much my whole life, from a kid til now, so I'm kind of experienced with these kind of things (To be honest I'm just bored and want to help lol) But best of luck becoming a Comic Artist

And just wondering, what kind of style of Comic are you planning to make? Cartoony comics or Manga?

[Randumbz]

thanks dude, you're pretty good at this haha. I've had my tablet for over a year now, but I'm still not that good at using it. I started thinking recently that I should pay for art college by myself and I'm going to start saving up for it. I thought that's should practice making stories because comics need good plots, so I'm going to write one novels and try to get them published. That way I can practice storytelling and also earn some money at the same time. I can't really tel my parents that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up anymore because my sister just came back from her first year of college and she flunked. My mom keeps saying stuff like "don't fail like your sister. You have to work hard so you can become ich and be somebody and blah blah blah" . I uses to have a webcomic on this site, but I had no clue what I was doing and quit lol. So yeah

Good luck with the novel. It's best to just not tell your parents if you're serious about becoming a Comic Artist BTW, if your parents say you should do this to get rich, I think its best you rather do what you love, just as long as you're happy with your life, that's my opinion, being rich has nothing to do with it. And if you're going to re-open a WebComic or need help plotting, message me. Been doing comics a little from 5th Grade, and about a year since the beginning of 9th Grade, and been plotting stories pretty much my whole life, from a kid til now, so I'm kind of experienced with these kind of things (To be honest I'm just bored and want to help lol) But best of luck becoming a Comic Artist

And just wondering, what kind of style of Comic are you planning to make? Cartoony comics or Manga?

I'm most going to draw American comic book style stuff and do manga sometimes. I'm not sure if I should restart my webcomic though (I don't think I'm ready yet)

[RTSSH21]

you are way too young to start deciding what you "want to do for the rest of your life".

This is true. I'm 20, and even though I'm sure I wanna do comics, I still think about maybe writing novels too or something.

Graduating college will not immediately land you a 50k/year job. Not even a 20k/year job. But that doesn't mean you can't make it on your own.

Also usually true.

That being said.... comics are a horrible way to make money. People here have said it in nicer ways, but that is the harsh reality. Very few people are able to make a living off of doing comics. Just because you chose a path for yourself in college, does not mean you will be living that path for the rest of your life.
Your parents really shouldn't be forcing you this early about your future.

I shoulda just quoted your whole post and said true.

Now, I'm currently I'm working almost full-time at a bookstore that offers benefits that will cover most of my health needs, including 80% off on dental and prescriptions and a lot of other awesome stuff.

Man, that is extremely lucky. At my job, there aren't any benefits... and my fiance just keeps refusing to look into the health care at his job because it's "too expensive" (he's never been able to give me a clear number on the actual cost though). e_e

I, in fact, have no intention of going to art schools unless they can teach me something new, which, I haven't been able to find. Art school is a waste of money if it isn't filled with things that are more advanced than basics.

Not necessarily. I learned a lot, improved a lot, met a lot of amazing people and was able to advance my own comic work even though I was in graphic design. You'll get resume and portfolio building, but most importantly hardcore critiques that are vital.

I do suppose it depends on what you go into though because my graduating class, I went to all the exhibitions and the fine arts were almost embarrassingly bad. The graphic design, where we got hardcore critiques every morning, were really good though.

I know I'm VERY lucky with the benefits thing. Sure, I had to be there a while to get those benefits, but man, it just goes to show how sticking with a job can pay off. I'm a key-holder, shift leader, and awarded benefits for being around so long. No boss will dislike that on a resume, art or not. XD
I haven't found a place that critiques very well yet, and everything I find tells me to draw with those circles, which I refuse to do. If I ever find an art school that looks like it can teach me something I don't already know and just need to practice, or something that has better tools than I have, I'll go. I just haven't found one yet. Looked at only about 100 schools though, so I haven't pokes around all that much haha.

I decided that the best way to convince them would be to actually make a comic book lol

This is my favourite thing that's been said here. XD

I've wanted to be a comicbook artist when i get older for the past 2 years (i'm 14). But i never told my parents or anyone else because they think that art is stupid and pointless and that all artists are poor. They think that pretty much every job other than doctor or lawyer is a dumb job (ironically, they aren't doctors or lawyers :/. Also, i hate science and law sounds boring). Whenever they ask me what i wanna be, i tell them idk. So my mom bought me a huge book filled with careers and told me that she wants me to pick 2 by the end of the week. What do i do? (i was thinking that maybe i should make a powerpoint showing how great being a comic book artist can be)

Get a degree in Marketing, it will help you with selling comics and yourself. As far as your art, just train yourself and take a few art courses. Don't abandon your dreams, but know that making comics won't put food on the table. Some people have to get second jobs to support their comic making habit. Marketing will help you out more than you will know.

It puts food on the table if you work for image comics or marvel...

And that last comment made me sadface. You realize its ridiculously hard to sell new ideas there, right? My friend is still trying and it's been 6 years - his ideas would have been published by now if he'd just self published and he regrets trying to work for image and marvel. Some people can do it, but it's far from a guarantee too.

I thought that's should practice making stories because comics need good plots, so I'm going to write one novels and try to get them published. That way I can practice storytelling and also earn some money at the same time.

I've been considering this approach myself, lol. its an easy, quick way to get all of my ideas down so i can draw them out later, plus, most people can agree with their kids becoming novelists, even if you are just doing it to cover. XD

I'm most going to draw American comic book style stuff and do manga sometimes. I'm not sure if I should restart my webcomic though (I don't think I'm ready yet)

My suggestion is do a series of one-shots, like... i don't know, 20-50 pages or so each. just for fun. im pretty sure if you do that and ask for feedback, we'd be happy to give you just that. I'll definitely watch out for your works and give you my thoughts, I'd love to help however I can.

**sighs in relief** and with that, ive caught up on this topic. my goodness, i should have remembered to click that i wanted notifications...

[Randumbz]

I didnt realize that people found this thread interesting lol. Thanks for the idea to make one shots

[RTSSH21]

I didnt realize that people found this thread interesting lol. Thanks for the idea to make one shots

lol you're welcome ^^~
If you think about it, it's covering a lot of doubts that many people would have. That's probably why it's so interesting, i guess.

[Randumbz]

I didnt realize that people found this thread interesting lol. Thanks for the idea to make one shots

lol you're welcome ^^~
If you think about it, it's covering a lot of doubts that many people would have. That's probably why it's so interesting, i guess.

Oh ok haha

[Randumbz]

I can't think of any ideas for my one shot that aren't too dark (my parents hate dark stuff) :/

[RTSSH21]

Hm...


/LittleKidGoesOnAnAdventureByChasingACatWhileTheParentsFranticallyLookForHimUntilHeFinalyEndsUpBackHomeWithTheKittyInHisArmsWhichHeAsksIf
TheyCanKeep?

Ffff I have no idea but maybe something cute that you just normally wouldn't do. It's still practice, haha

[Randumbz]

Hm...


/LittleKidGoesOnAnAdventureByChasingACatWhileTheParentsFranticallyLookForHimUntilHeFinalyEndsUpBackHomeWithTheKittyInHisArmsWhichHeAsksIf
TheyCanKeep?

Ffff I have no idea but maybe something cute that you just normally wouldn't do. It's still practice, haha

Yeah, but can't think of anything like that lol. Uh... Oh! I just thought of one

[RTSSH21]

Yeah, but can't think of anything like that lol. Uh... Oh! I just thought of one

lol whatever it is, put in on SJ for us to read when you make it XD