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renstrapp · 29 days

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Basic Money Guide for Comic Artists and Other Freelancers

Do you know the difference between a traditional and a roth IRA? No? Ok, sit down and read this zine. Basic Money Guide for Comic Artists and Other Freelancers is a 12 page risograph zine designed for print in blue and red ink.

If you're a comics person, an artist, a writer, any kind of creative or any kind of self-employed person trying to make it work in the US and you don't know how to save money or pay your quarterly taxes... well, I can try to help!

Disclaimer: I'm not a money professional. This guide is extremely basic and serves as an introduction to some terms and concepts that will start you on the right path towards financial literacy. I'm just a dumbass who has been doing this for a couple years, sharing what I've learned.

Read it for free here: https://www.renstrapp.com/basic-money-guide

Options to buy and download the PDF ($2):

Patreon

itch.io

Gumroad

#zine #comic #self employed #freelance #risograph

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maaikeatthefullmoon · 4 months

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Someone asked about places where they could find my creative works & how I make a living.

I’ve been a self-employed artist since 2017. The current economic climate is making that *very* difficult and I may well be giving up my beautiful business soon, but for now, I’m still clinging on by my fingernails. I’ve survived a lot longer than many of my colleagues and I’ve been VERY grateful and fortunate. (Yes, my profile photo is actually me, very cold, in my freezing workshop, in my ok-to-get-covered-in-paint-ugly-clothes 😂)

You can find me/support me here:

Etsy: lioncubcreations.etsy.com I make fan art and children's home decor, all hand painted on high quality medite wood.

Ko-fi: please buy me a coffee to keep me warm in my freezing cold workshop!

AO3: I write Good Omens fanfic under the username imposterssyndrome, I’ve been writing since November after my trauma therapist recommended it and it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done (especially after my mother told 8yo me that my writing was shit and I literally never wrote another piece of fiction). I skew angsty, love historical stuff and researching stuff. Did I mention Here Be Angst?

Current project: Free - a human AU, which begins with them meeting in an acute mental health ward, where they have both recently been admitted. Initially distrustful of one another, they slowly realise how much they have in common. It is VITAL to read the content warnings as there are many mental health themes. This is a WIP, but I update frequently as this is a passion piece for me, built from lived experience & extra research.

Epistolary Series - Aziraphale's diaries, read by Crowley, a romp through history, the series includes an Aziraphale POV and more, rated E, currently made of 3 completed works.

Ineffable Inspirations Series - Individual oneshots, all based on songs. Currently 2 fics, based on Fiona Apple’s Shadowboxer (set in 1941) & Finger Eleven’s Paralyzer (set in 2021)

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mayakern · 2 years

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most of your favorite self employed artists are making 20-30k a year

#freelance artist #self employed #self employment #artists on tumblr #not art #the real life of maya kittenpoots kern

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kaotic-krochet · 18 days

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These pigs have been one of the most popular things I've made by far. Definitely a conversation starter that everyone loves.

Pattern by Laura Loves Crochet

#crochet #small buisness #crafts #amigurumi #self employed #pig

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mcromwell · 3 months

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Ayo! New follower here. I love your art and your mind set of just messing around to make cool stuff. but I’ve also seen you love been to at least one convention (I didn’t scroll far enough to see more about conventions) and I wanted to ask. How you did it? I really enjoy making art and I would love to make it a career so this boils down to :

how did you do it? And how can I do it too?

not just like first steps but what happens after that? I’m young enough that if this doesn’t work out I have plenty of time to look into other careers before worrying about paying for rent or necessities with money from my future occupation. I know that everyone’s experience is different but I still hoping you can give me a somewhat clear answer.

thank you for inspiring me

(sorry this ask was so long)

Hello there! Thank you for your message.

These questions are large and hard to answer. Being more specific in your questions helps. "How I did it" is very... large in scope. That question could be answered just by saying, "I did it by never wanting anything else and never losing sight of my goal." But that doesn't help you much. So I'll just try to touch on some key points and contexts.

I'm 32. Only in the last couple years has my practice been enough to make a living doing it. I've always wanted this and literally everything I've done in my life has been to get here. I've worked two jobs my entire working life (age 19-now): retail/customer service and art stuff on the side. Because of the pandemic, I got double unemployment and stimulus checks, which became my initial investment into merch and savings safety net to get started. I started therapy to address my fears of asking for help, my negative self-talk, and catastrophic thinking. (Therapy has helped me with my art so much.) Then I was laid off for real in 2020 and hit the ground running with art. I split rent with roommates, I live very very cheaply, and art is my passion. If art for a living is what you want to do and you're happy to make lots of concessions to get it, this career works. It takes a while to get momentum and regular sales/attention-- just don't quit. The more stuff you do the more people will recognize you and like your work.

It would be dishonest to not address my privilege here, too. My parents have always emotionally supported my practice, my friends too, and I got to go to art school with no debt. I did outside of school art mentorships. My art education experiences taught me a lot of art techniques and self-employed skills and that only happened due to the support of my folks. I had resources a lot of people don't. (Which is why I want to help new artists learn this stuff as much as I can; not everyone is as lucky as I am.)

My advice for you if you want to do what I do, which is being self-employed making and selling art and art merchandise for a living:

Get used to making concessions right at first. Your art career will probably not start out gangbusters, so get used to low sales and saving money and working hard. Make things within your means and grow from there.

Fuck around and find out. Try making merch, try making videos, try things you see other artists doing, try everything and see if it works for how you like to make stuff. I learn so much from YouTube, to be totally honest. Artists are good sharers.

Follow a shit ton of artists and see what works for them. Join artist groups and ask thoughtful, specific questions to learn from those already doing it.

Learn how to write about your art. Write about why you make it. It helps make it more compelling to others. "How to Sell Your Art Online" by Cory Huff is a good book to read for tips on this.

Develop a healthy relationship with art-making. If you sit down at a blank page and it terrifies you: address that first. Don't try to start a business if you're still struggling with making art regularly.

In fact, don't start a business until you're really ready. Art comes first. You can easily do art and build skills and do commissions and run an online shop along with working a job that pays bills reliably while you grow into the artist you're meant to be.

Don't pigeon-hole yourself into only one channel: don't JUST apply to cons, try street fairs too. Don't JUST sell online, get your work into cafes as well. You'll see which routes are more profitable/worth the time as you try them out. Eggs in many baskets, you know.

There's probably a whole essay I could write on this. And you're right--mileage varies between person to person vastly. The part of the world you live in, your access to transportation, education, your mental health, what type of work you like to make, etc. Art careers almost never look the same 1:1 even in fandom spaces like furry/anime. If you're self-made, it will reflect that.

I recommend the YouTube channels Rafi Was Here, Robin Sealark, Cat Graffam, and the website The Abundant Artist (again by Cory Huff) for more resources.

Don't be afraid to take leaps of faith. Try everything. Be true to what works for you and what doesn't feel sustainable. Be authentic with your art and stay true to your interests. And good luck.

#art career #freelance artist #independent artist #art job #self employed #art

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queenoffists · 10 days

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Just another day behind the chair ✨️💈✂️🔪

What does everyone do for a living?? 👀🌿

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artist-diaries · 2 months

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Hey guys, I know its been like 2 and half weeks since I've been active on here and sorey about that. I'll explain everything later but, I felt like this is too important not to share.

Did you guys know the IRS has a site for students with learning modules and assessments design to teach you the basics of understanding/filing taxes?

I don't know how good it is but I plan on going through EVERYTHING today so I'll let you know. As someone without really a foundational understanding of how taxes work, this feels like a good resource to share.

Designed for students but it doesn't seem like there's anything stopping ANYONE from just going on here and learning. It look approachable and easy to understand, with links to explain tax jargon and 14 learning modules.

Is it weird to be excited about this? I am genuinely happy to have found this tbh- here I was prepared for a day of slogging through different websites explaining complicated financial terms and this is just here.

I really hope you guys take a look, because I am kind of amazed this just exists in the world and I- at 24 have never come across it or heard any of those dumb financial gurus talk about this.

https://apps.irs.gov/app/understandingTaxes/student/

Let me know if the link doesn't work, and please please pass this knowledge along. I feel like I've stumbled on a goldmine here.

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craycraybluejay · 2 months

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I know I'm always a weird pervert on main, but I SWEAR I am good as hell at writing/editing things and NOT JUST PERVERTED THINGS. I can write you a poem or song! A horror story! High fantasy! Slice of life! Just ask, whatever you're looking for I am sure I can provide. DM me or hit me on Discord at anouther to ask about commissions!

I do:

-creative writing comms

-technical writing comms

-poetry comms

-editing comms

-beta comms (ONLY FOR FINISHED, ALREADY EDITED MANUSCRIPTS)

I do have standard rates mostly figured out but am happy to negotiate as long as I'm not lowballed. If you're looking for writing-related commissions, I'm your guy!

#writing commissions #self promo #self promotion #advertising #please boost #please reblog #writerblr #writers on tumblr #self employed #editing services #writing services #not good at seo but i sure as hell am trying #also not good at pr note the swearing #but i am here and queer and i write somethin fierce

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mapsontheweb · 1 year

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What percentage of employed people in Europe is self-employed?

Full article >>

#maps #twittersourced #landgeist #europe #self employed

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rebeccathenaturalist · 7 months

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It’s Tell a Friend Friday!

Please enjoy this photo I took of my food dehydrator, which is full of sliced king bolete (Boletus edulis). I don't like the texture of the pores/gills, so I slice them as thin as I can, run them through the dehydrator til they're cracker-dry, and then through a coffee grinder to make a powder. It makes a great savory/umami base for soups and more!

Then tell someone you know about my work–you can reblog this post, or send it to someone you think may be interested in my natural history writing, classes, and tours. Here’s where I can be found online:

Website - http://www.rebeccalexa.com Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalexanaturalist Tumblr Profile – http://rebeccathenaturalist.tumblr.com Twitter Profile – http://www.twitter.com/rebecca_lexa Instagram Profile – https://www.instagram.com/rebeccathenaturalist/ LinkedIn Profile – http://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccalexanaturalist iNaturalist Profile – https://www.inaturalist.org/people/rebeccalexa

Finally, if you like what I’m doing here, you can buy me a “coffee” at http://ko-fi.com/rebeccathenaturalist

#Tell a Friend Friday #mushrooms #food #food dehydrator #king boletes #boletes #mushroom hunting #mushroom foraging #foraging #fungus #fungi #self employed

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renstrapp · 22 days

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Just formatted this zine for print! I'm hoping to have it for C2E2 (will you be there? will I see you in Chicago?), definitely will have it at VanCAF, and later on my shop.

Until then, you can read the whole 12 page zine for free on my portfolio site, which also has the download links for PDF 🎓🤓

#budgeting tips #freelancing #comic #risograph #self employed

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toyastales · 7 months

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I would enjoy working from home more with an office like this!

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dk-thrive · 6 months

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like a spider yanking thread out of its own guts, or wherever the hell they pull it from

I crash into appalling bouts of self-doubt, revulsion at my past behaviour, loathing for my emotional habits and the fact that I still feel the need to expose, thinly disguised or barely metamorphosed, my own experience. In the metro this morning, on my way to the library, I felt grey and shrivelled, watching the tunnel lights slip past in their rhythm, wishing that I spoke French twice as well as I do and had a real job with people I didn't particularly like, so I wouldn't have to produce my own raison d'être every day, like a spider yanking thread out of its own guts, or wherever the hell they pull it from.

— Helen Garner, One Day I'll Remember This: Diaries 1987–1995 (Text Publishing Company, October 12, 2021)

#Helen Garner #doubt #self-doubt #write #writer #spider #create #self employed

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trick-nicolas · 7 months

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I love how he turned out

#illustration #halloween #inktober #werewolf by night #marvel #self employed #werewolf

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kaotic-krochet · 14 days

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Here's a close up of the teacher Hippo from the last post. I just love how this guy came out. ❤️

Pattern by Tarturumies

#crochet #small buisness #crafts #amigurumi #self employed #hippo

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burningaceofspades · 1 year

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Petition to protect Net Neutrality, which is your freedom of speech on the internet. Directly this has actively censored queer people and has on the Internet since 2018, ban visual displays of sexual and showing your sexuality. On top of that, even if you are a person who does not like prostitution, this also makes prostitution and conversation around prostitution censored. Which is directly dangerous for the prostitutes and makes it where they and people advocating for them can't properly fight for their rights (you can't if you can't even talk about the injustices you face). Sex workers deserve rights, spaces to talk, and opportunity.

Sex work will never be gone, it is a valid means of income and supporting yourself, the very least we can make it safer for them to work. As it is a job, and even dare call a self-employed business if someone is going through themselves (or working with people close to them) and not a pimp. (Pimps/Traditional Pimps can be really dangerous and we don't support them at all. Pimps do/can protect their workers in the dangerous cities, but a lot of pimps aren't pimps to protect prostitutes and a lot of prostitutes get hurt or in worse situations because of them.)

https://chng.it/KZTgDswFLQ

#queer stuff #net neutrality #human rights #civil rights #petition #united states #self employed #censorship #anti censorship #the backrooms #lgbtq #lgbtqplus #lgbt nsft #lgbt advice

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