[pixualize]

Without wanting to seem nosy, how many of the other artists here are "full time professionals", meaning deriving 50%+ of your annual income from artwork?

I still bill myself as a "professional" artist even though I have a "day" job (which ironically enough is at night ), much like a "professional musician" would, because I still charge a considerable amount for commission work like a full-time freelance artist.

[Frost]

I work in graphics, but I'm no freelance artist. I mainly do 3D and texture work for advanced real-time stuff.

[BlackPool]

I'm working on an animated movie. So I guess I am working as a professional...for at least another month or two. Hopefully longer though.

[Steven Stahlberg]

Yes, I'm one of those... thingys, too.

Steven

[S4Sb]

How come you never post 3d stuff here, Frost? If I remember right there isn't even 3d on your webpage.

[quaternius]

Yeah, I'm one too. Say...what happened to that list Dhabih used to have here on the Forum? That was a pretty good reference...

[nickmarksdotcom]

I work full time at it but haven't collected a pay check in a while. Hopefully that will change once my comic is done.

[Dan3d]

I also work as a full-time 3D modeller and web site designer as well as do some freelance stuff on the side.

[mk]

Iam a FT 2d/3d Artist. I do anything from concept sketches to finished models. But i dont make manythings at home anymore...hmmm

Greetz MK

[waylon]

Oy oy! Video game artist.

[Frost]

(S4SB: I don't do 3D at home cause I'm sick of it by the end of the day. The stuff I do/did at work will eventually be made public and then I will be able to show some stuff, but, I really prefer photoshop "painting".)

[Felaxx]

right now 100% of my income comes from my crappy freelance jobs. =(

[Socar MYLES]

Hm...as I mentioned in another thread, I get about 75% of my income from commissions, 25% from print sales. But I've just started accepting credit cards, so I expect the prints'll start doing better soon. (Now, if only people would buy the LARGE ones, dammit! I need to engineer some sort of...Internet Jedi mind trick. 'Buuuuy the laaaarge version! You know you want to!')

Anyway, yeah, I've recently gone into freelance illustration full-time, having quit the day-job from hell. It's not bad, so far!

[pixualize]

Thanks for all the great response on this. I've always wanted to know how lucrative a freelance art carreer could be.

I've sent out samples to publishers but never gotten any bites. All of my published commissions have come from the internet but there hasn't been enough of them be able to ditch my tec support gig. Most folks I've heard from said the place to contact art directors is at shows.

I'm planning on submitting some iris prints to a couple of upcoming shows to increase the visibility of my work.

Did those of you who work for game companies get your position through cold submissions or did you meet someone on the "inside" to show your work to?

[cybertoker2001]

I'm in the same boat as Felaxx. I've been freelancing for the past 2 years or so. At first it was real slow going, but thingz are finaly starting to pick up. My problem is that I'm not satisfied with much of my work, I feel as though I'm not neerly as good as I should be or can be. (Luckily my clients don't feel the same way. ) Back in the day when I was a chef, all I wanted to do was paint constantly, but since then I've had a few cases of "Artists Block". For now, I feel as though I'm still strugling with my life.
Anyway.
Take 'em easy.

[smalls]

i WANT to be a pro... man that would be fun...
i want to work for ILM as a concept artist or 3D animator!!!!!!

w00t w00t

[rdgraffix]

My 'day job' is working as a Studio Artist in an advertising agency. I basically sit at my Mac all day, stuff my face with KFC and handle any aesthetic-based jobs that come through the studio. Illustration, design, photoshop work, logos or whatever they need.

Variety is the spice of life.

[pixualize]

Hmmmm....the original intent in posting this was to get me motivated!

Reading everyone else's posts is just getting me depressed now

That's what I get for reading this at work.

[BlackPool]

I can sure relate, Frost. That's why I don't post 3D stuff either.

[NukleoN]

Pro video game dude here, been doing it 12 years (starting at 20) and I'm in between jobs now..working on reel.



[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: NukleoN ]

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: NukleoN ]

[Francis]

Full time concept artist. Freelance work on top of that can be anywhere from 0% (a lot of the time) to 75% (in a really good month) of my regular salary. During those "good months" I don't get a lot of sleep or free time.

[Scourvensen]

I work as 2D/3D artist in post-production and vfx house here in poland. And doing some non-commercial stuff at home in free time...
At work I'm doing TV commercials mostly, but commisions are getting better and better last months ( no more washing powders ), we are doing more 35mm stuff now, so I like it.

[Etict]

I work as 3d/2d -artist in Germany, game industry.

[eli_wolff]

I've worked for the last 3 years as a full-time Flash animator. I'm unemployed now cause of lay-offs so I'm working on learning 3D stuff all day...
www.eliwolff.com

[Motorfish]

Used to be the lead character designer for the now defunct Looking Glass Studios Redmond WA branch. It was a blast. I still don't know if I'd bill myself as a professional artist. (I sure don't FEEL professional, in contrast to all of the excellent people out there now)

I once had the opportunity to design a Dreamcast version of of the "Shinobi" ninja character while at LG, which I felt incredibly fortunate to do, even thought the project was ultimately canceled.

Right now, I'm toying with the idea of moving to NY to pursue a career in the incredibly low paying comics industry. The game industry was certainly educational, but I need a change......

[faustgfx]

full time here too..

[Blitz]

Im looking to be a Professional Artist Fulltime..