Sure they do.

like high school athletes

Look, guys.

the idea of the starving artist came from somewhere

It just depends on the jobs they manage to land with it.

Earlier at least one of you was mocking me for being unemployed with my art.

I don't remember which of you it was.

But it was EXACTLY the same.

If you drive down the busiest street in your city, I guarantee you'll see things that a visual artist was paid quite well to make.

You resent me for even *trying*

even famous artists didn't make most of their money until after death

Hell, just look at people's shirts.

and for every one of those artists, there is hundreds who didn't make it

Absolutely.

and have no skill set to get any good job

I work with independent musicians.

It IS a thing that happens.

far more frequently than you might expect

Art is one of the only skills you can keep training and training and training for free.

In a teeny tiny room.

The cruel fact of it all is that talent doesn't necessarily beget millions and millions in the artistic endeavours

It's all I have.

I've been doing it since I was a kid.

Any divergence from this, will be temporary.

The point I'd make, Scribb, is that you're doing it wrong.

It will always be geared at making ART the main thing.

If I have to permanently do something else, it will end in suicide.

That's not me pretending to be better than people.

The days of comissioned masterpieces, what brought about the great art of history, that's gone.

That's me being broken without what I've loved since I was a kid.

@RyeNorth its moved into furry porn

Not being able to do something for a living =! Being without it

Okay, well.

Who gives a shit.

I'll do it until I die of hunger. Happy?

Continuing to wait for society to change to one where Artists are able to thrive is reckless, though. That day's gone. You need a new strategy.

I don't think most people realize how draining something like retail is for an artist.

Coming home, having your own personality beaten out of you for the entire day. Limp arms and legs.

But 8 hours until you sleep.

No intention to spend that on art all of a sudden.

It happens.