I think this is THE most important thing when doing a comic.
A readership is nice and feedback is great, but you really have to do your comic for yourself, not for other people.

I got really bored of doing Pinky TA for quite a long time and I'd move on to doing other creative projects, like sewing and sword collecting, which didn't help maintain my art skills.
The subject matter in the current story of Pinky TA wasn't exciting or interesting to draw for me (people in meetings etc). I'd forgotten what as fun about drawing… And the drawing technique I'd been using with Photoshop was really bad too- Something as simple as the default brush style I used for sketching really messed me up.

Now I've found joy in it again.
This is due to a lot of things: talking to Banes, Tantz and Pitface on the Quackcast about art, drawing and comicing all the time has helped enthuse me, especially talking about the technical stuff, like drawing hands and expressions.
I started using the old brush style again in Photoshop and stopped being so lazy about backgrounds- going BACK to what worked.

Have you got any stories about getting your mojo back, tips on how to do it, or do you need some help getting there?
If so, let's talk about art maybe?

my main problem it's to find “free time” to draw/ink/whatever rather than mantain enthusiasm… i mean, get back from work and keep working to my comic doesnt fit very well for me.

A person I met in a creative writing class described his enthusiasm for writing as “masturbation by pen.” Without a reader or audience you do it by yourself and for yourself. And it often leaves you feeling very empty.

I have a love/hate relationship with this whole comic creating thing. I hate it but get that occasional rush of joy when something comes together and that keeps me going. When I took time off this past year it was calling to me the whole time and even though I wasn't posting pages I was writing scripts. At times there is enthusiasm when working on a new idea. But all so often it's lonely drudgery. Dress up it up any way you want and I'm still just playing with myself and it is ultimately a futile diversion.

But it always reels me back in.

That's ultimately wrong in my experience- work created for yourself if often the best, most interesting stuff that people make. -Especially true with musicians. That's why the earliest and very late albums tend to be the better ones.

Caring about an audience is harmful. You get addicted to feedback and praise and without that fuel you peter out and fail. You have to be self sustaining.
Whatever you end up creating- you still end up with an interest body of work which is a valuable record of your time. You could have been reading books, watching TV, socialising in bars, playing computer games or whatever in that time and what would you have to show for it?

With a creative pursuit like comic making or art you have a lasting legacy. - like a diary but better.

And if you really care about people looking at it, well someone WILL in the future. If it's out there that's a guarantee.

ozoneocean wrote:
That's ultimately wrong in my experience- work created for yourself if often the best, most interesting stuff that people make. -Especially true with musicians. That's why the earliest and very late albums tend to be the better ones.

I don't think it's a case of being right or wrong. This is an observation about perceptions and feelings. It can be a harmful viewpoint but it is a metaphor describing the emptiness and loneliness that can accompany the creative process.

Caring about an audience is harmful. You get addicted to feedback and praise and without that fuel you peter out and fail. You have to be self sustaining.

It's even a pathology. Even if you win a Nobel prize for your work and had a million daily page views you still wouldn't be satisfied. The satisfaction is putting up the finished page and being amazed that you created that. Because a lot of times you don't see the inherent beauty or skill it took to put it together while creating it. Once it's finished (or as they say a work of art is never finished merely abandoned ;) you can sit back and appreciate what you've done. I often step outside myself and just look at it with amazement. Then I look back at the whole body of work I've amassed and it is an incredible feat.

And in the end I am satisfied and enthusiastic to do more. I ask “What else can I do?” and I set out to try it.

I start out creating for myself, but I end up feeling like I keep going not for me or an audience but for the characters. They live in my head. They torment me. -_-

ozoneocean wrote:
…You have to be self sustaining.
Whatever you end up creating- you still end up with an interest body of work which is a valuable record of your time. You could have been reading books, watching TV, socialising in bars, playing computer games or whatever in that time and what would you have to show for it?…

I've taken this to heart. I decided that more of my ‘idle time’ would be used to myself more personally creative…! Yes, I love listening to music, but taking the time to play music can be more fulfilling, plus you're enhancing a skill. Same with art and writing. I love viewing and reading both, but to create your own is a whole different animal. I do wish I'd developed this attitude at a younger age… I don't want to say I wasted so much time. There's nothing wrong with being part of the audience (remember the ‘does art need an audience to art? thread), but there’s something else in creating your own stuff! It's like putting an ‘ WAS HERE!’ on the universe!!

My health is shot and though I've have many more cartoons in mind…a few sketched..I'm ending now…but it was fun while it lasted..

@ Kim and Bravo- exactly! Creation is its own end.
@Usedbooks- that's a whole 'nother animal :D

Zaptoid56 wrote:
My health is shot and though I've have many more cartoons in mind…a few sketched..I'm ending now…but it was fun while it lasted..

Whaat? What's happing man?

usedbooks wrote:
I start out creating for myself, but I end up feeling like I keep going not for me or an audience but for the characters. They live in my head. They torment me. -_-

Same! Like they're your babies and you want to give them a life to grow and develop and, even though you're the one doing the creating, you want to see it all happen. You just can't abandon them.

I honestly find this to be a major problem for me. Since I make a living from art, it becomes really hard to get myself interested in hanging around after work to do more work. What I have to do is get away and get really bored. Then I can drive myself to make art for me. Otherwise, it just feels like I'm abusing myself and staying after hours for no reason; like I'm giving up my life for the sake of my job. So anymore, I often find that what will get me to do it is creating something for a cause, or something new and novel to me. It's making something for other people, but giving them an insight into my world and thoughts, and that's the stuff I think makes the best art.

I actually just ended up making a strip for the paper about this feeling I have that when you make a living from your hobby, it kind of strips you of everything that is you outside of your job and makes it hard to live a life away from work.

edit: the images function apparently isn't working for me, so here's the link.
http://fist-fighting-robot.tumblr.com/image/159876596144

Remember that Bugs Bunny cartoon where Bugs and Daffy were in Vaudeville? And no matter what Daffy did he couldn't get any applause and all Bugs had to do was step out on the stage and everyone would throw roses at him and scream and yell?

That's how it can feel at times.

I read a lot of superhero comics, and of course Sonichu. Oh and listening to epic music such as the one I am listening to now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YNg3m5WwD4

KimLuster wrote:

ozoneocean wrote:
…You have to be self sustaining.
Whatever you end up creating- you still end up with an interest body of work which is a valuable record of your time. You could have been reading books, watching TV, socialising in bars, playing computer games or whatever in that time and what would you have to show for it?…

I've taken this to heart. I decided that more of my ‘idle time’ would be used to myself more personally creative…! Yes, I love listening to music, but taking the time to play music can be more fulfilling, plus you're enhancing a skill. Same with art and writing. I love viewing and reading both, but to create your own is a whole different animal. I do wish I'd developed this attitude at a younger age… I don't want to say I wasted so much time. There's nothing wrong with being part of the audience (remember the ‘does art need an audience to art? thread), but there’s something else in creating your own stuff! It's like putting an ‘ WAS HERE!’ on the universe!!

So true! :)