…when you’re drawing and people are always peering over your shoulder and are in complete awe and love giving you praise and what not.
Then you get the question “what do you want to do with your life? How do you want to make a living?”
You: “I want to be an artist.”
Praises end.
Wrong response:
Them: “Ooooh, you’re being serious? What kind of job do you get as an artist?”
You: “I can be anything and everything around you was designed by an artist: the table, the graphic design on advertisement, packaging, envelopes, billboard signs, illustration on book covers, comic artist, storyboard artist, inker, penciler, letterer, fashion designer, fashion marketing, planning, vehicle design, culinary cake design, inventor, zoo director, an author, a publisher, sound design, production mixer, application designer, entertainment design director, interaction designer, web designer, service designer, character designer, children’s book artist, colorist, concept artist, illustrator, graphic novelist, production artist, 3D computer modeler, art director, character modeler, educator, architectural/site researcher, historic preservationist, etc.
I’ve known some people who were convinced to not pursue a career in art and if they were persuaded to tackle something else maybe art isn’t their greatest passion. I’ve personally discovered a passion for both illustrating, comic-making, travelling, and now thinking of developing visual novel games during/after acquiring my BFA I can’t imagine NOT doing art.
If you want to do art, but you feel obliged to satisfy some unsatisfied relative, go ahead and major in business/medical/law (because that’s what’s expected of you) and minor in art.
This is why I did not (could not) pursue those “upstanding” majors.
Business: Boring as all heck, I am a visual person, not a person of numbers and spoken words. However, things to take from this major are presentation skills (NO MATTER WHAT MAJOR YOU TAKE ON please learn how to present yourself//public speaking).
Medical: My parents thought I would be an ideal candidate for becoming a veterinarian…until we discovered I cannot handle blood or emotional conflict. I very much believe pursuing a career in the medical/psychological field is a CALLING. Don’t think “oh, well, surgeons make a lot of money, I’ll be a surgeon” then the first incision you make into a person’s skin makes you faint.
Law: Again, boring. You’ve gotta have this knack for reading A LOT and seeing in between the lines and on top of that, be intimidating and know when to say “objection!” And no, I doubt playing Ace Attorney can replace a degree.
Rant over.