need advice, like my job but pay right now sucks (Industry: house, unemployment)

[juanitorogelio]

I have been working for a decent company for almost 4 years now. I get a monthly salary plus a good sized commission, in addition to tip wages. I make caricatures at a theme park. I also do freelance work.

Its pretty decent when its busy, but lately it has really sucked! We're a vendor, and pretty much on the bottom of the totem-pole for the Theme park. I should probably feel lucky I have a job, since I at least get to work more-or-less within my field, as an artist. But I'm trying to raise my expectations, and thinking about getting a better job (better pay, benefits,etc). However, not sure if thats gonna happen anytime soon, since the Entertainment Industry(where i wanna work) isn't really making it to well as far as i've heard.

Basically I aspire to do higher paying freelance art work and get published in comics ( i write/make my own comic-book material). Don't really want to have to dig for another job, because its not my focus career-wise, but I will do it if I have to.

It's also not the easiest thing to find an awesome job in my field to begin with, so I'm looking for suggestions.

[ConsideringLA]

Do you have any other skills / degree? You could start temping at a studio / production house as a second job to get some exposure. Entertainment in general is in the pits because of financing and the uncertainty around the actors...

[juanitorogelio]

I have a BFA in Illustration. Im still not sure I could handle a second job stress-wise. THats part of my problem is stressing out about it( i have an anxiety related disorder-but has much improved lately ).

I also thought of doing storyboard art, which i have some experience In as well (it also pays far better from what i heard-but very few agencies for this kind of work)

[Huckleberry3911948]

IMHO
i was "in my field" as a young artist too, but i did not like being broke. so i put that aside got some hard skills, and waited til i retired to resume art stuff.
you hear the expression "my chosen field" alot these days. you hear it alot at the unemployment office. like the wolf at the door is guna run away with his tail between his legs when you say that?

[juanitorogelio]

yeah, that last posting doesn't help me at all. I didn't say that I was a starving to death, i said I wasn't making what I want to be making.

[firetraq]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

IMHO
i was "in my field" as a young artist too, but i did not like being broke. so i put that aside got some hard skills, and waited til i retired to resume art stuff.
you hear the expression "my chosen field" alot these days. you hear it alot at the unemployment office. like the wolf at the door is guna run away with his tail between his legs when you say that?

Nope i thought this was exactly what you needed to hear, you only got defensive because you know huckleberry is right.

You will never have a good paying steady job as an artist unless you are at the top.... and it sounds like you never will be as you cannot handle stress. Please believe and understand i do not say this to be mean, on the contrary... i want you to succeed, but perhaps you need to get a well paying steady job that's just ok, and then do art stuff on the side or on weekends.

Its the reality of life, in some things people who do what they love do succeed, but you need drive, ambition and the ability to just push on through, if you truly do have all that inside you, then you need to deal with this anxiety thing and not use it as a lock to the doorway to the rest of your live... absolutely best of luck in all things.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I am a writer on the side and work at a hospital full time. ( Some will joke that I can't write because of my inability to use there, their, or theyre in the correct use. My thought is that I am doing that becasuse although it may not be correct you all get the point when you read what I write.)

[JTGJR]

Marketing staff and budgets are being slashed across the board in large and small companies these days. Much of the creative work is being outsourced small agencies and freelance artists. Have you considered that as a possibility? Not having any idea of your work product or range, I can't tell you if it's a good opportunity for you. But it's something you might consider. Individual projects pay quite well, but you'll not have benefits unless you were to join a firm. A possibility?

[juanitorogelio]

I dont think most you people have any knowledge of working in commercial art fields, I think you just assume that all artists slave away in some dark little alcove and peddle their wares on the street hoping to make a dime. There's a whole lot out there for artists with skills ( -Huckleberry and firetraq )
Commercial art is not like "Fine Art", your making stuff for other people, its just something of a paying gig. It requires a lot of training in computer programs, etc, which i have.

Im probably not going to pay much attention to most of the responses I hear from people here, unless you are a working professional in commercial art or design (graphic designer, storyboard artist, animator, etc ...something)

I have still decided to pursue getting a better job in my field and I have confidence I will find a change.

[firetraq]

Originally Posted by juanitorogelio

I dont think most you people have any knowledge of working in commercial art fields, I think you just assume that all artists slave away in some dark little alcove and peddle their wares on the street hoping to make a dime. There's a whole lot out there for artists with skills ( -Huckleberry and firetraq )
Commercial art is not like "Fine Art", your making stuff for other people, its just something of a paying gig. It requires a lot of training in computer programs, etc, which i have.

Im probably not going to pay much attention to most of the responses I hear from people here, unless you are a working professional in commercial art or design (graphic designer, storyboard artist, animator, etc ...something)

I have still decided to pursue getting a better job in my field and I have confidence I will find a change.

Don't bother posting then, and oh and i work in a similar field, so i know what i am talking about....

.... but make sure you close your eyes when the cliff comes rushing up.