WELL, after months of delays and hesitancy, I took a regular job. At a retail auto parts chain store. I had vowed to "
never work retail" again, but had to take the job because I can't make any decent
regular money as an artist. Everyone either wants a '
donation' or doesn't want to pay what the work is worth. Since I am pretty fast, most folks presume it should be pretty cheap.
Well, they can kiss my ass. People who say "Well, it shouldn't cost that much, since it didn't take you that long to do it...." have
NO idea just how difficult getting a likeness can actually
be!
(Just for shits and giggles, YOU try it sometime, Michelangelo!)Listen up, morons. You're not paying for the short time it takes me to draw your picture, portrait, or caricature. You're paying for the 30+ years of experience to be able to
get a likeness in such a short time!
And I can't make as much money at any kind of print shop or in any low-rung graphics position to make it worth my while, so in lieu of chasing people down for pennies, I have taken a position in a field I
despise in order to make a living. I
don't necessarily
enjoy dealing with slack-jawed droolers, trying to avoid arguing with them over what type of car they have, or what part they mistakenly requested. (
I meant the part that attachesTO this one.....!) I had forgotten what a joy it
is to install a battery in someone's car who is perfectly physically able, but just lazy or ignorant. But it's a regular paycheck. It enables me to help meet my financial obligations and takes stress off of my lovely and patient wife. And it will allow me the small allotment of time to chip away at the details of a project proposal I am attempting to complete.
Please pray for me that I don't blow my brains out before I can finish my cartoon designs.
Thank you and
ROLL TIDE.
