Left Corporate America to Pursue a Career in Illustration

ArtistErin

Welcome and kudos for moving toward makes you happy!!! What a great photo as well! And you chose the best forum and place to get going, this is a great community here with SVS.

MarcRobinson

@Mewie what an amazing thing to do. Wishing you all the luck in the world with your new venture. It really is exciting times. Oh, and welcome!

Anaid J.

Hi! firstly, welcome to the forum. That's such an inspiring move. My work is not exaaactly the same, but I work in an industry that doesn't fulfill me, so I think you did a courageous decision. I really hope your art career goes well. You took a leap of faith, so I'm sure it will work out in the end.

The best of the vibes for this future illustrator, I'm thrilled to see your work from now on!

KatrinaF

@Mewie Hey Mewie!

I also left my 20+ corp job last year to pursue comics (webcomics for me but really any platform that gets my art/story out there.) 6 months is a great start. I recommend listening to SVS most recent video about independent artists. It's a long haul endeavor to be independent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlFJ47P6czU

Jake and the gang also say to give yourself a project. For me it was creating my comic. I jumped in head first and nearly drown but a year later I'm slowly building my niche audience, I have a decent Patreon following, making an Art book for 2023, plans for so much Merch and a Kids book I want to create in 30 days.

I wish you the best of luck! It's tough!
If ya wanna chat more reach out. BTW I also have twins! 15 yrs old now.

Katrina

Video of my storyboarding (https://youtube.com/shorts/_G2jVJPOTgc)...ugh!

www.katrinacomics.carrd.co

This post is deleted!

Chantal Goetheer

@Mewie haha yes it is a struggle to find time to actually draw. But as you say it gets easier. I'm glad we are well out of baby phase. Sleeping is now pretty good.
Can imagine it will be a big change in income although what I hear in 3pp money can be made in illustration, that's hopeful. There were also some episodes where they talked about changing things in you life so you need less income. I think coming from corporate is a benefit in finding ways to monetize your illustration business.

Mewie

@ArtistErin thank you, Erin! Feeling lots of love here... I feel at home

Mewie

@MarcRobinson thank you, Marc! Excited to be here

Mewie

@Anaid-J thank you, Anaid! I'm cheering for you to have a plan, the means, and the opportunities to transition away from the things that don't make you come alive so you can focus on what you're meant to do! May 2023 be an awesome growing year for all of us

Mewie

@KatrinaF omg... you are my inspirational FUTURE ME haha - the parent of 15 year old twins, a former corporate employee, web comics creator, and an upcoming Art book!? #TakeMyMoney

So cool - I'll be reaching out to you soon thank you for the warm welcome!

P.S. I don't think your website URL is correct or it's not working for me - but I'll be checking out more of your work soon! Great YT storyboarding video...I get giddy thinking I can say / replicate that video someday

Mewie

@Stephanie-H Thank you! Thrilled to join this community

Mewie

@Chantal-Goetheer Yes, I think my business background and marketing communications experience will accelerate this transition... now I just need to catch up and learn how to draw lol (no big deal )

KatrinaF

@Mewie

Hummm... what link was it? The www.katrinacomics.carrd.co? That has links to all my stuff so I need to know if it's not working. Ugh!

Just go to my instagram:

Kids Illustration: Kjf.illustration. (don't currently post much there)
Comics: KatrinaComics I post most of my stuff there. Everything else is either Twitter, which I'm not fond of, or my Patreon which you need to be a supporter.

I look forward to chatting! How old are your twins? Identical? My girls are identical and was had to tell them apart when younger. Now it's not an issue.

Mewie

@KatrinaF Yes, www.katrinacomics.carrd.co doesn't seem to work for me

Followed you on IG!

My twins are 10 years old. One boy and one girl. It's very easy to tell them apart - my daughter is also 4-5 inches taller than my son... they're mini-versions of their parents, since my wife is also 4-5 inches taller than me haha

I'm scared of the teenage years - I absolutely love this golden age (age 4 to present) - don't want them to get older anytime soon... other than to watch specific PG-13 and Rated R films with me

Chantal Goetheer

@KatrinaF your website (first link you shared) also doesn't work for me.

KatrinaF

@Mewie

IG - the link is on there too. If it doesn't work it may be your privacy settings or a browers thing. I asked my family to check the link and all say it works for them. On IG is where I most of my comic stuff is. Thx for the follow.

Regarding kids: I thought this 'raising kid' thing was a breeze until 13 hit and now, tbh, the whole family is in therapy. No joke. Pandemic and antisocial issues and cultural changes with our move hit hard. Love them little's while you can cause there ain't enough 'box O wine' to get ya thru!

Have a great holiday.

ArtistErin

@Mewie Awesome! This is such a great community

Mewie

@KatrinaF about your website - it works now... I didn't change any settings either - the Internet is funky lol Glad I can see it finally!

You're scaring me about 13... but we'll do our best

Jamie Seroogy

This is amazing and gives me hope at 38 years old. I just switched to a new career in graphic design and have the stable corporate job, so now I want to focus on growing my art style and skills in my spare time. I would LOVE to have art be my career - its hard to not feel like I am running out of time but seeing you make that jump really helps. I hope it's going well since this post is old! You should post an update!

Coreyartus

From one person leaving an unfulfilling job to another doing the same, I feel you.

I'm 54 and leaving teaching after 20+ years in higher ed and theatre-making to pursue an art/illustration career. I gave myself two years of prep, and this last summer between academic years was a good dunking in the growing pains I'm going to experience.

It scary, but I have a supportive partner and that makes all the difference. He went through a similar career transition when the bottom fell out of journalism and small periodical publication. So he knows it takes time. But the two years notice I gave my work has really helped me (and them) and everyone else I know come to an understanding that the end is nigh. And that has generated a bit of optimisim and lots of expressions of hope and interest in what I'm doing.

The biggest challenge I'm experiencing is having the patience with myself to understand just how slow the development of a career in the art field can be. What was an appropriate window of lead time to buckle down and make something new of yourself is much longer now--significantly longer than even 10 or 15 years ago. Every step forward is in constant flux... For example, 10 years ago book editors might have received 1000 queries a month--now some say they sometimes get 10,000! Big Social media has not only changed the game but is also changing itself. Covid also changed everything.

So just be prepared... Have your plan and follow through, but be prepared for growth to take much longer than it used to. There are many many exceptions to this, to be sure, but be prepared to ultimately need to make your own path. Examine where the advice you are listening to comes from with a critical eye, as their experience will rarely be yours. Take what you can and forge what's right for you, and be willing to try to play the game especially at the beginning.

We're all finding our way. And each step can feel hard-won and not enough at the same time. I'm still getting used to that ironic duality myself.