163. KEVIN SMITH: It costs nothing to encourage an artist
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Kevin Smith is a filmmaker, writer, podcast mogul and professional babbler. I’ve been a fan of Smith pretty much his whole career. I missed the boat when Clerks came out, but went crazy for the comic book-reference-heavy Mallrats, and loved Chasing Amy, which featured Ben Affleck and Jason Lee playing a comic book artist and inker. It was like “OMG, a comic geek is making Hollywood films! One of us has made it to the big time!”
I was also in peak comic book-collecting form when Smith exploded onto the comics scene, writing the Marvel Knights Daredevil series. At the time, no big shot Hollywood filmmaker had stooped so low as to want to work in comics, and for fanboys like me, Smith deciding to write comics felt like Michael Jordan deciding to play in the local pick-up game. (Smith later admitted he had no idea what the hell he was doing and needed artist Joe Quesada to slowly train him how to write comics. Fake it till you make it, baby).
Smith was 24 when Clerks was released, which he funded himself for $27,000, using many of his friends as actors and filming it at the convenience store he worked at. The film was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, won the Filmmaker’s Trophy and was bought by Miramax. It launched Smith’s career and influenced the indie film boom of the 1990s. Although Smith focuses more on podcasting these days, he’s still in the arena, making movies. His latest film Tusk, about a podcaster who gets kidnapped by a crazy dude who then proceeds to grotesquely transform his captive into a walrus, was released last month.
The main thing I enjoy about Smith’s podcasts and gabfests is his encouragement to aspiring artists and creatives. He insists that if a fat, lazy nerd like him can make it, then anyone can. Smith draws his fair share of haters and critics, but his attitude is ‘Hey, if you don’t like what I do, then by all means, go make something better yourself.’ Smith has taken the recent poor performance of Tusk in stride and hopes people don’t take it as an excuse not to try weird shit:
“Don’t be afraid to do weird stuff, so long as you do it cheaply and cover everyone’s bets. Be bold. Be stupid, if you have to: so long as you don’t hurt anybody, what’s it matter how dopey your dream is? If I hadn’t made TUSK? If I’d let it die as a podcast? I wouldn’t have three other movies I’m now making within the span of a year. Some folks will try to shame you for trying something outside the norm; the only shame is in not trying to accomplish your dreams.”
The quote used in the comic is taken from Smith’s memoir/self-help book Tough Shit: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good. It’s from a chapter where Smith writes about his 2011 movie Red State, a 100% independent film he released and distributed. Sick of dealing with movie studios where the marketing budget for the film would have cost more than the actual film to make, Smith produced and screened the movie himself, touring America with the film and screening it to sold-out theatres across the country. At the end of the chapter, Smith thanks the small group of people who helped make the film possible, who he calls ‘Why Not?’ people:
“There are plenty of “Why?” people in the world. Whenever you hit them with an idea, they start in with their bullshit.
“Why bother?”
“Why try that?”
“Why do you think you’re better than everyone else?”
“Why?”
To counteract this, simply surround yourself with folks who ask only “Why not?” As in …
“Wanna make a movie?”
“Sure. Why not?”
Remember: It costs nothing to encourage an artist, and the potential benefits are staggering. A pat on the back to an artist now could one day result in your favorite film, or the cartoon you love to get stoned watching, or the song that saves your life. Discourage an artist, you get absolutely nothing in return, ever. I’ve spent the better part of my career getting up after movies and encouraging potential artists in the audience to give it a shot, pointing to myself as proof that anybody can make their dreams come true. I don’t do this altruistically: I’m selfishly insuring that I have cool shit to watch one day by encouraging anybody to follow passions like film or storytelling.”
– Follow Kevin Smith on Twitter.
– If you’re a comic book lover, then I highly recommend Smith’s Fatman on Batman podcast. Smith’s interviewed many comic book legends such as Grant Morrison, Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, Joe Quesada, Jeph Loeb, Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil. Although they’re Batman-centric, the in-depth interviews cover the creator’s whole careers and how they got into the business. Plus I’m pretty sure Smith is stoned during most of the interviews, so they’re hilarious (Warning: major potty language).
– This comic is a a follow-up to last weeks Full Body Education strip. I wanted to show that besides the education system, parents of course play a major role in realising a child’s potential.
– Last but not least, earlier this week I announced that I was giving away some of my original art to help promote my upcoming book. Here’s how you can win it.
Discussion (177) ¬
Altough this quote talks about artists, I can relate it to any kind of work. Teachers, cientists, astronauts, journalists, if you discourage someone of doing what this person loves to do, we might be missing out someone who would do amazing things to his/her field
of course, but people often encourage scientific or “serious” works, but not artistic ones, ’cause… “you can’t eat with art” or thought like this.
no one of my adult acquaintances thinks is good try in artistic field- but all are enthusiastic if you are good in math, science or other “real” field. sad but true.
sorry for my english, is not my first language..
Hey man, can you do another sports comic? Please
This website is truly incredible. I am really happy to find people that still think about important facts in our life. In spite of there being so many advantages to creating technology, people ought to learn an appropriate manner to used it. In that moment, we will be in the top of our evolution.
Sparkling display of good form and technique – exactly what I always expect from you, but not something I ever take for granted. 🙂
Smith seems great, like a normal guy who did what he loved (I guess that doesn’t really make him that normal). I feel like he’d be a guy would just fit into about any group though, because he seems like a fun friendly guy. His story is inspiring since he really did come from a low income to start!
Thank you for your amazing cartoons!
I’m a big fan of your art!
Cheers,
Janaina.
All of your comics are great. This one touches me personally. When I was a young girl, I liked to draw and paint. I was ridiculed at school and at home. I did not paint for forty years. Then I picked up a pencil again, and I love it. Am I a good artist? Not really. But the enjoyment I get from it is priceless.
From one Kevin Smith fan to another: THANK YOU! Also, I love the nod to the fact that Smith has an appearance somewhere in all of his films in the ‘stoner’ frame.
I love this so much!!!
I’m in awe of you Gavin!
Haha… me too. This comic almost made me cry… :’)
So this really spoke to me today. I am an artist, and I always have been. I have been getting awards in my art and writing since I was in elementary school (and I’m so thankful). And I’m good at all my subjects except math. I have NEVER been able to figure it out. It has plagued me. I am now a Junior in High school looking to apply for colleges and I am failing Algebra 2 REGULAR. So we had a parent teacher conference. And my parents are so supportive and understand my dilemma 108% but my teacher suggested that I take a special extra math class to help pass. And you know what class I had to drop to obtain this? Art. Because you HAVE to pass Algebra 2 to get into college. AND THIS IS THE PROBLEM with schools. They DO NOT care about the arts. Not every child should be forced to learn something that they know for a fact they will not use. So yeah, I am just very upset with the whole situation and wish that the schoolboard would encourage art more. Because art matters. I loved this comic, the tears were real.
Please, please, please get tested for dyscalculia before you become 18. If you can prove you have a learning disability in arithmetic and mathematics it will be a bonus to you. I didn’t find out until I was in my 30s that I had it and it made me so angry (although so happy that I wasn’t stupid or lazy and that it was a brain thing) that nobody knew about it and that nobody really cared that I was struggling. I barely graduated high school because of math classes. I know that if I could have proven that I had a learning disability, I probably would have gotten the correct help rather than just fudging my way through it without much help.
You may have to be very vocal and forceful about it, but again, it will only help you later on in life if you are found to have dyscalculia now.
You can apply to Columbia College of Chicago. They don’t don’t require good math grades. Well, at least they didn’t in 2002. It is worth a shot. Most arts colleges are willing to overlook math, if you excel elsewhere and explain that are trying your hardest.
…explain that you* are trying your hardest, that is.
Now I wanna see The Dinomites
Yeah, I ran a search, just on the off-chance this was based off of an upcoming movie or something.
I’m exactly that kind of DIScouraged artist mentioned here. I used to draw A LOT and impressively well as a kid, but every time I did, my parents were telling me I should be studying instead. So I stopped and studied. It got me absolutely nowhere. Now I have recently started drawing again, which also lead me somehow into learning animation and video game programming, but I have a lot of ground to cover. Thankfully, I don’t need anyone’s encouragement now but my own, and I get better at it every day. I’m 28 years old, and I only wish I never stopped drawing. Just imagine how good I would be by now. But better late than never.
There’s a lot of us out there, trust me, I’m one of them, too. Let our healing begin. Most sincerely, Thomas Cutler
I am just like you, Piggy. 28 and playing catch up. Although in my situation it wasn’t so much discouragement from family (though my step-dad was a jerk for that bit), but from myself. Even as a small child I beat myself up over my art, even when I was constantly told how good I was.
I now have an almost-two-year-old daughter and have realized that, for her sake as much as my own, I need to get over myself and start loving what I do, as well as myself. Kevin Smith has helped me with this sort of thinking. I am chasing my whimsy and writing a comic. Starting small, but I’m going to do it. If I ever want my daughter to learn she can do anything she’s personally passionate about, I need to be able to show her.
We got this!
I was right where you are. My family supported my creative writing in elementary school, but after that, I was told to get serious about my future. Being a “good kid,” I gave it up in favor of pursuing other stuff. I got a degree in chemistry. I worked in a lab and as a high school teacher.
I hadn’t written for YEARS when I did a sample paper for one of my classes and a student asked me why I wasn’t an author. It threw me harder than you can imagine, but it stuck with me. Ten years later (yes, it took a long time, and too much of that was me telling myself I couldn’t), my first book was published. I have a career I love now. Following your dreams isn’t easy, but it is the best feeling in the whole world.
I think this is brilliant, but should be for just encouraging kids in general.
I think parents should be encouraging their kids whatever they are doing or want to do, even if it changes week by week, or day by day, why whould you not?
Good choice Gav!
The key thing here is the encouraging part. Ignoring one’s accomplishments/art can be as harmful as discouraging it.
P.S. Gavin, I encourage you to keep making your work…even the stuff that may bring out the trolls.
I’d see that movie. 8)
What I find most impressive in this cartoon is that you found a Kevin Smith quote that’s not 15 minutes long with several digressions into Batman lore. 😛
Good stuff!
P.S. Can we try and get “The Dinomites” turned into an actual movie? Kinda want to see it now… #DinoYes
Another great take on another great quote. Thanks Gavin for that 🙂
I believe we should not only encourage artists but any other person. Encouraging each others would have immense benefits I believe.
Please keep up the good work. Each of the Zen Pencils new comic is a breath of fresh air.
Poster THIS!
Gav
Another winner! So, so, inspiring
One of the best!! Very true. Every person deserves appreciation. Even if it about something very small, a small pat in the back can make a huge difference.
Kudos Gavin 🙂 Well done once again..
Very accurate depiction of stoned Kevin Smith watching cartoons.
Grand slam. My favorite ZP yet. It made me tear up a little.
Beautifully conceived artwork with colors that pop right out of the screen. Job well done again!
This one almost made me cry…damn.
This is probably my favorite comic strip
This is great advice, but I also believe that if you’re really devoted to the arts, discouragement won’t drive you to quit. (I’m saying this from personal experience as the child of someone who really did not want me to be an artist.)
I don’t even know why I’m writing this, maybe because you seem like the kind of guy who would look at comments, or because this has changed me more than anything I’ve seen before. I just found your site after reading so many inspiring comics on Tumblr, and have been reading them backwards. It was until #92 that I finally broke down. It was building, but nothing came crashing down on me like that one. So many signs of being unremarkably average, and I’m only 22 and fill so many of those that I was literally paralyzed with emotion. I had to set everything out and just cry, and I still am five minutes later writing this. All I have to say is:
I hate you.
I hate you for reminding me what I really am at 3 in the morning; just a four time college failure, overweight, with dreams I’ll always say I have but will never happen. The stories I’ll never see someone else read. the dream aquarium shop I’ll never run. The water related opportunities I’ll never have because I could only get minimum wage in a desert town. The education I’ve miss because I’ll half-ass it like always, like I do with everything. I’m diagnosed with mild autism, but I know that’s just an excuse I found in High School. I’m really a weak willed idiot who wastes his time along with anyone who cares about him, so it’s a good thing he pushed away everyone he knew from middle school up to his last job to sit at home. Recreation, hobbies, even his pets, all just chores to the guy who couldn’t be bothered with anything but being worthless. And you know what? I’ll wake up tomorrow, and where most would be changed people like in your pictures, realizing they got to do something with their lives, I’ll still waste my life like yesterday and the day before, except I’ll always remember the comics that painted a picture of how useless I really am.
Your comics are full of emotion and inspiration, but I can’t change me. I would know, I’ve definitely tried more than four times, but nothing will ever sticks. There’s no lifelong commitment and pursuit for me, just more of where I am now. I don’t care if you see this, I’ll probably never look at this again. But I want you to know your comics have only made me weaker inside with added regret. You broke a man who can’t even fix himself.
Go to a doctor and check yourself for depression. If you have it, work over it with your doctor together and try to become a better person. Otherwise, you’re a complete asshole for insulting Gavin and I hope you die a horrible death.
I hope you’ve made it to #89 by now. That one is for you.
I dunno man, I’m not saying it’s easy or something to shrug off how you feel, but there’s no harm in trying to be something til your final breath is it?
There are people everywhere who discover their calling early, but there are also those who spend most of their lives wandering and lost only to find themselves truly happy. I mean this comic itself applies to that too doesn’t it?
In encouraging yourself and shamelessly trying to be happy no matter what destruction you’ve caused to yourself or others is behind you, you might make other people and yourself happy in the future. If you keep discouraging yourself though, nothing will change.
Again I don’t think it’s easy, but it’s not impossible, and it’s better to try than to give up.
Four or five times are nothing, brother. I’m talking from experience. Keep trying, as many of us did. It may take countless failures, but eventually you’ll get there if you keep going, also as many of us did. “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” 🙂
You know… You have reminded me why I want to do art: To try and give at least a speck of hope to those who really need it, as the art of others gave me hope when I had none. Thank you. 🙂
Wow. We got a lot in common, brother. 22y, failed three a badass university times.
Let me tell you something. You don’t need to check/cure for depression. That’s bs. Telling you this as a guy who’s had his soul torn out and apart. You can live through a lot as long as you don’t do yourself in. Make a rule out of that.
If you think you are useless or know you are, good. GOOD. You can only go up from absolute rock bottom you think you’re in.
You need to create two habits for yourself, one for body, another for soul. Simple physical exercise and a hobby(draw, write, watch TV series, something that makes you process your daily stuff creatively) will get you spirits up in a few weeks if you commit. Just learn to do so _habitually_. Once you learn you actually can do stuff for a length of time, you’ll be able to pick up anything.
Remember: you’re just 22 years old. Your life hasn’t even started yet in terms of awesome that you can achieve. Missed out on education? Screw it. If you really need it, you will educate yourself, internet’s vast and rich. Other than that – pave your way one step at a time. If you want to get somewhere – draw a map. Don’t dream. PLAN. Don’t fantasize. ACT. Break down that thing you want to do into small, simple tasks and cross them out one by one.
As long as you’re alive, you’re never defeated; you’re just regrouping. Don’t give up. Ever.
Gav, you really should work on that “edit” or at least “delete” button some time.
That long comment is mine.
Doxen, the first thing you need to do is to ignore the second half of that first reply from ‘James’ because he’s clearly a complete moron who doesn’t realise that telling someone whom one suspects has depression that they should die is insanely inappropriate and outright dangerous. I believe that nobody ‘deserves’ to die. Certainly, nobody deserves to die a horrible death. You don’t.
Second thing you need to do: keep moving.
Keep trudging onwards through the quagmire you consider your life to be. You don’t know what the future holds. You’ve convinced yourself that you do know. You think that you won’t amount to anything and that there’s nothing to look forward to. But you don’t know that – you can’t see the future.
Keep going because if you have nothing else, you have time. Given the time you CAN solve your problems. Let yourself have the time. Don’t think about changing your life at all, just keep living it. Let the change be a worry for the future.
I usually never comment on this site, even though I read it quite often. But I felt like I had to say something – perhaps just in defense of Gavin (an artist I admire) and his work. You are someone who has looked at something intended to be inspiring and uplifting and you’ve found it just the opposite. When something wonderful looks dull and pointless to you, you may just be suffering from depression. But here’s the thing…
Depression lies.
Always remember that.
No matter what encouragement or advice a person gives someone with depression, that person will either not believe it, or their depression will colour it dark and miserable. “They don’t know, they don’t understand, they don’t really care.”
But they do. Or at the least, they CAN.
If you tell them.
If you tell someone.
ANYONE. You’ve just told the internet, so don’t say that you can’t tell people.
You say you’ve tried and failed and you KNOW that you’ll never get to that point where you’ll turn your life around.
The way you describe the change you want is coloured by these quotes and comics you’ve been reading as a moment people reach where suddenly they turn themselves around and everything improves.
That’s bullshit.
There is no moment. There probably never will be.
You won’t wake up one day and start getting better. You wrote that “where most would be changed people like in your pictures…” This is where you’re wrong. Most people wouldn’t wake up the next day changed people. Those are just pictures. They’re pretty and nice to think about but they are a summary of the reality. These comics where people wake up changed are like a montage. They cut out the months and years of working towards that change for dramatic effect.
There isn’t an enlightening flash of light in your brain that makes you take up a pen and become an author, or pick up a brush and paint a painting, or pick up a phone and apply to yet another aquarium. There is no moment.
All of these comics and inspirational quotes are lying to you – not intentionally, it’s just that they read better this way. It doesn’t happen like they describe. You don’t wake up the day after realising that your life is shit and decide to turn it around (that only happens to the absolute minimum of people). Instead, you wallow in that shit. You wallow for months. Some people wallow for years.
It is a process. A long, painful process full of bullshit and you doubting that there’s a point. One day you’ll wake up and want to change your life, but you’ll do nothing about it. This will happen many times and in between those moments you’ll doubt yourself and you’ll stop trying. Months will pass between these self-aware moments where you want to change yourself. You’ll feel that you can’t change, that you never will. But you can, and you will.
You will because change is inevitable. You can’t help it. That’s why you need to keep trudging through that quagmire. Because it HAS to change. It will change because it HAS to.
And every time you wake up and feel like changing things – every time you feel inspired to try, you will. And those moments will accumulate. It’s a process. There is no moment, there is only a long, drawn-out process.
If you want practical advice. If what you really want is someone to tell you exactly what to do, well here’s my advice (for whatever it’s worth): Apply for a job in a pet store or an aquarium. Focus on the fish, if that’s your passion, and sell as many as you can. Eventually, you can work your way up.
You’re 22 years old and maybe, just maybe, you aren’t succeeding just because you haven’t had the time to become the person you need to be to succeed yet. As time passes, you will change (as I said, it’s inevitable). Maybe that gradual change will let you become the version of yourself who can succeed. But it will only happen if you keep moving.
I’m 29 and those years of wallowing in shit made me the man I have become – the man who can change himself. I’m still trying to get out of the shit. I still doubt that I can. But I can look back now and see how far I’ve come and it gives me the courage to keep going. You’re 22. You don’t have that much to look back at to see how far you’ve come. But you will, if you keep going.
****
This reply has gotten very, very long but what I’m trying to tell you can’t be said quickly. I know you probably will not read this, Doxen – you likely will never return to this site again.
I hope that you do. The commenters are generally very positive and supportive people unlike much of the internet.
I hope, also, that things improve for you.
Considering the length of this, I guess I’ve not really written it for you. Maybe it’s just a cathartic thing for me, but maybe if you do come back it might help you. It’s what I realised as I went through that years-long trudge through a quagmire of shit. I started turning my life around a little over two years ago. I’m still turning it around. It gets better. All you have is time. Take it.
Hi Doxen,
I haven’t had chance to really look at zen pencils in ages, and I never read the comments, so I don’t know why I did tonight, but I did and saw yours screaming out for help. You mention being diagnosed with mild autism – I’m assuming it’s Aspergers or what would’ve been called Aspergers before they got rid of that as a diagnosis in America in favour of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). My best school friend (from way back when because I’m 15 years older than you so could just about be your mother, which is making me feel like I’m very old and have achieved very little) and my partner both have Asperger’s syndrome. My partner wasn’t diagnosed until he was 30 as it was missed in school (& no one knows how because he’s not borderline -he’s quite obviously autistic but high functioning) and with both of them in my life, going through the diagnosis period with my other half and living with him, I know a fair bit about dealing with it. One thing that is more common in people with ASD is depression and anxiety, so if you are that low, I would go to a doctor about the depression and get some help, and tell them about the autism as it makes a difference as to which medications are likely to suit you best. Also ask for some support and guidance about coping with your condition. It isn’t something made up as an excuse: it’s a real thing that means your brain is effectively wired differently, which can making coping with some things incredibly difficult, stress and change being on that list along with non-verbal communication and social situations. It can also mean that thinking a little differently can produce great results as you tackle problems in a different way, whether it be talent in maths and computing or very creative things. You won’t be able to maximise that though if your brain chemistry isn’t right ie depression, so sorting that out is the first step to getting to an even, steady state of mind from where you can sort everything else out.
You’re 22. You have your entire life ahead of you. My mum had a great career in the end but it was only after she went back to college when she was 48. It’s never too late unless you want to be a gymnast or something. You don’t have to be rich and famous or top of your field to be successful or to have a worthwhile life. A career isn’t everything. I should know: mine was ripped away from me through illness and disability, just when things were going well. Becoming disabled in my 20s and unable to work by the time I was 34 really wasn’t in my life plan, but you know what? Life carries on and I’m finding out what I can do and looking at all the other directions I could go in.
Being able to look yourself in the eye in the mirror and know that you’re a decent person who is kind to others and doesn’t hate their job is a really good thing to aim for. Think about your passions, what you really like, what you’re good at (& don’t say nothing – everyone has strengths, even if it’s being on time and organised – you can use that talent to organise someone else as a PA; if you’re good with your pet fish, how about working at an aquatics shop, or in environment management, looking after waterways, or volunteer at an aquarium – there’s lots of ways you can go with something). Work out what sort of thing you’d like to do and work towards it in little manageable bits.
There are lots of books and online resources available about living with Asperger’s/ASD, providing explanations about the syndrome, advice on living with it, ideas for coping techniques etc. You could look into it but don’t just dismiss it. It would probably help you to talk to a counsellor as well, especially one who specialises in ASD. I don’t know what’s available near you or what charities there are in America that could help. A friend could help you search maybe.
One thing that does happen with most people with Asperger’s/ASD is that when their coping mechanisms fail, even if only one bit has gone wrong or it was something well out of their control or something that no one would easily cope with, they lose faith in their coping mechanisms and things will start to spiral downwards and they begin to struggle more and more, usually showing as anxiety and depression. It sounds like you could be in this cycle and if so, you’re going to need help to get out of it, so please go to a doctor. When things are steady, you can start sorting other things out. Remember that many well known people didn’t achieve success until much later in life, whether it be their first film or first gig or first novel, it doesn’t matter if you’re 20 or 50 or 80, it matters that you tried it, so you have a lot of time ahead to achieve all manner of things.
Finally, on this essay (sorry), please don’t tell someone you hate them, especially someone you don’t know, or blame them for breaking you: they didn’t. You didn’t have to read the comics. I suspect that you were struggling anyway and that the comic acted as a trigger. That’s not the author’s fault. It probably would’ve happened sooner or later anyway, and sometimes, having a good cry is cathartic and realising that you aren’t happy and need some help is the start of the journey to being content and well. So I think you owe an apology.
Beyond that, I hope you get the help that you need and go on to have happiness and success in whatever you end up doing, whether it be running a pet shop or changing the world, but do start the process and ask for that help.
Hi Gavin,
I really like your work, I’ve got a permalink to your archive from my blog, I’ve per-ordered your book…So with this in mind, I would like to say the following:
I think that over time, this website is increasingly gravitating predominantly towards quotes that a. Finding your vocational “true calling” and b. Unleashing the creative forces within for said vocational calling.
And given your own particular path – I get why these messages resonate so strongly with you.
But this irks me. Because increasingly, the message from the comics when you take out the fluff it boils down to:
YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT WORK. Creative work, inspiring work, fulfilling work, fine. But work.
And when I think about what I found so appealing about Zen Pencils to begin with, was the fact that in a culture that focuses so much on work, these comics reminded me that there was a world outside it.
That it’s important to be compassionate, to enjoy your family and friends before they are gone forever, to marvel at the world around us, to take the time, and care ,to be present.
And basically since the summer it’s become commencement speech central:
“Dear Graduates. Life is about work. Don’t waste it. Find work you love doing. And then do lots and lotsa of it. End of.”
So as a fan, I think this is regretful.
Yes! Finally, another comic! Love your work, Gavin, don’t ever stop.
I smell bull-bull-bull bullshiiiiit……
IF you have nothing useful or beneficial to comment, don’t comment at all.
Totoro poster on wall. Ryuko hair. Interesting.
Very inspiring, but the art path is very tricky and dark, only the minority will have real sucess despite of all the individual efforts, there is absolutely no guarantee. When a father tells his children to focus on regular education they do it because they know the odds of sucess are higher and tangible, many times as a “backup” from failures in case on the unsucessfull art path. That doesn`t mean they are bad parents or bad person that want to cut off all the artistic and creativity of the kid.
Inspiring, but I can’t stop wondering, wether or not the message would be better if told the other way round.
That means, if the “good” part would be the end, and the beginning the “wrong” part about discouraging.
Any opinions about this question?
Hello Gavin,
I admire your work and I’ve been following your comics for over a year now.
I wanted to give you a quote suggestion for you to consider.
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is coming to cinemas in a week.
He wisely used Michael Caine’s character to recite Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” in the trailer.
After seeing the trailer I have read the poem and I was captivated.
Maybe in a near future you will use his poem in your comic.
Thank you for your work; it is marvelous.
Well Mr. Smith. it’s all well and good but if an artist is financially hindered they can have all the pasts on the back in the world but without the equipment (that does cost something) then they are faced with a frustrating creative hindrance. At that point a pat on the back is useless.
This gives me the strength to keep going as an artist. Great job, amigo.
Being an Artist my self I have grown up in a small town were no body here believes that anyone can make it in the art industry. I’m still achieving my goals and for how young I am i’m actually working in small entertainment businesses and got my first professional job at the age 19. My entire life people said I suck, I have no future, and all my dreams will someday bring me nothing in return. Recently I have gotten my first positive complements and honestly these simple complements has made me cried. Negativity has broken me down but I’m still achieving this dream, people should really support people more often.
I love the sentiment and agree, but wish the comic artist hadn’t chosen to equate success so intertwined with capitalism. It’s the communication of ideas and being able to thrive based on your input in society as an artist that is important, not having your designs turned into toys most likely created through exploited child labor or a parade float or endorsed by a celebrity pop star.
By drawing it such, I think it conflates the two issues- That of continuing as an artist, and that only if you become famous and rich are you “successful” at what you do.
Interesting. All the more to be praised are those artists who continue in their work despite criticism and discouragement.
Although I agree with the letter of your comment, I think the spirit of it implies something that is, for the most part, unrealistic. There’s a big difference between mature artists who get lots of criticism and budding artists who do. Mature artists have already developed those coping mechanisms to handle negative feedback, and they have enough confidence in their own ability to push through whatever comes their way. Usually young, budding artists haven’t developed the means to handle it, and they usually need positive reinforcement to get to a point where they can become confident in themselves. You hear stories of people who have gotten ahead despite being told how pathetic they are, but the reason why those stories are noteworthy is because they’re very rare. In general, people who are successful as artists have been able to build self-respect from at least some period of reinforced self-esteem from people who matter to them.
That is so true!!! My father was full of all kinds of destructive criticism!!! He could’ve encouraged me, but instead chose to belittle and browbeat me because I draw skulls and gory things…now, I still do and he’s in a gutter or his grave. Don’t know, don’t care
why..oh why, is there a stoner/drug reference?? why does there have to be..? should there be?? and if there is…why not an alcohol reference? a heroine reference? an extasy or lsd reference??
You do know who Kevin Smith is, right?
Oh yes I remember this conversation with my dad when I was 15. The one where I got yelled at, and told that I would be a failure in life, dirt poor and begging at peoples front doors trying to sell my art. So I dropped art, did a science degree, and was miserable for 25 years. Eventually my partner, who is very supportive, unlikely my dad, encouraged me to go back and study art, and now here I am, 35 years later, not making much as a free lance illustrator, but much much happier. I only wish I had ignored my dad and done it all those years ago. My advice to all those parents out there, dont discourage your children from doing what they really love. There is no worse thing in the world to a child than having your dreams shattered by the one that you look up to the most, and might affect them for life, in all their future endeavours.
I’m glad I found your website, Gavin. There’s way too much negativity out here, and I suspect a lot of it comes from folks who don’t have one artistic bone in their bodies. They make it their mission in life to tear down anyone they see doing what they secretly wish they could do. I’ve written fanfiction since 2005 on FanFiction.net, and if I had a dollar for every time a reviewer threatened to stop reading my stories unless I included this character, or unless I wrote the story the way they wanted to, I’d have a big wad of money. I always tell them thanks for the review and don’t let the door hit them on the way out. It’s especially amusing to me when I check their profiles and my suspicions are confirmed: they’ve never written anything but a troll review. And so it goes.
Please, keep up the good work!
This article / cartoon makes an important point, but it’s very telling Kevin chooses a father/child relationship. To me this is about a child’s basic need for VALIDATION by their parents, without it we suffer the conquences throughout our lives.
So yes encourage and support the people around. Not only do you as a parent get nothing it return for discouragement but you also set your child up to search for validation in all the wrong places which can cause your family heartache in the future.
Oh man, great strip, great quote, but just this one time, will you alter the source’s words a bit? Just reverse the order, put the discouraging part at the beginning instead of the end. I want to end this with the good feel instead of the bad feel.
Bwah-hah-hah! My 12 year old drew this last month. You’re all nuts.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/tinamhrain/001_zps8ae0d80e.jpg
Doug Walker(Nostalgia Critic) wrote a facebook status about this one!
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=768331873233276&id=127127037353766
I read this and I started to cry. Uncontrollably. I am an aspiring writer and have always felt held back, a little voice in my head telling me that what I was trying to do was stupid, unoriginal and why bother. Then I saw the end where the father discourages the girl and realized that the little voice in my head was not mine, but my fathers from so long ago and once I realized that, I suddenly felt freer than I have ever felt in my life, so thank you… thank you so much for this.
This made me well up…I was never encouraged in my art when I was a child. ‘You’re too intelligent’ my mother said. I’m 41 now and just getting back into art again..you can bet your ass that when my toddler brings me his scribblings I make a big fuss of them 🙂 This is so true.
Worst case scenario it leads to a holocaust. I like the sentiment.
This is so important. There are so many hypocrites out there saying that children need music, art programs in schools and yet are crushing the creativity in their own home. My parents told me I had no musical talent, told me that all my interest in Japanese, Japanese culture was stupid….It destroyed my self-esteem, and I didn’t have my music and didn’t go on to pursue Japanese, I would have had nothing, and I probably wouldn’t be alive right now.
typo….IF I didn’t have my music.
love your comics, but the way this one expanded… wow, talk about inflated future value!
I want to be able to say that this alone was inspiring enough to make me cast aside my uncertainties, abandon all the ideas of ever settling for an occupation that isn’t what I always promised myself I would pursue…but the truth is, my struggle is not over.
I was born a writer, and an artist. I knew it since the beginning. My family knew it, my friends knew it, my classmates and teachers knew it.
In school, I took every art and creative writing class that was available. I was nominated to attend a state writer’s convention for children twice, at two different elemetary schools (my mom could never stay in one place for long), and competed in high school art competitions for 3 of my 4 years.
People were always complimenting me, aw-ing at my work and praising my individual style and vision. For a long time, the pride and motivation to use my art as the ticket to a meaningful, happy, fulfilling life kept me pressing on through all of the dysfunction and trauma in my unstable home.
All of that changed once I graduated high school. My mom left, and I was faced with bills and expenses that I couldn’t pay for. I got a job as a cashier, and spent 10 hours a day (two in transit) just working a job that drained me of everything I’d ever felt made me who I was, just to keep the bills paid.
My boyfriend began cheating on me, telling me I’d become boring, dull, a workaholic, and he had no interest in me anymore. My friends distanced themselves, not interested in getting involved. I became severely depressed, overworked, alone, and deprived of any necessary creative outlet.
Eventually, I lost my apartment.
Two years have passed since then, and I’ve spent them lost in a sea of insecurity, financial struggle, and change. I’ve recently picked up a second job, and have been able to maintain this apartment on my own for the past year with few problems.
I am standing delicately on the edge of a mountain, but at least I am standing. I have been able to pull myself partially out of what seems like an eternity of unending melancholy. I know, as I have known, that I need to take up art and writing again. It gave me purpose. It was my identity. And I lost touch, preoccupied with scraping by.
The few times I have drawn in recent weeks, my mind tells me it’s no good. How did I go from bring so confident to being so unsure of my abilities? I’m intimidated. Afraid that I simply don’t have “what it takes” to be the artist I want to be.
I’ve improved immensely compared to who — and what–I was a year ago. But I still have a long, thorny trail ahead of me… and some days, I just don’t know how, or where, to even begin.
Old habits die hard, but bad habits die even harder.
This is just so beautiful! I went to Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and met so many talented people during my time there. But since graduation, many have given up on their passions. People tell you that it’s too difficult or that you are not the right “type” to be an artist. The “real world” just isn’t filled with the artistic energy and creativity that you experienced at school and you become discouraged. I will admit, I’ve changed career paths too…but that’s because I found my true passion – which is helping other people realize their dreams. I just love this comic because it reminds everyone that with inspired creation, anything is possible. Thank you!
Best,
Brittany
I thikn I may have been guilty of discouraging myself… Now that life has shifted around all myresponsibilities and when/where I can have pockets of free time, I’ve been doing more artistic things as hobbies, since because of the technologies involved, I can now do from home without disturbing my family much, I think I see what I might’ve become if I walked down a different path, and maybe all it would’ve taken was a little bump in the right direction, and a little more belief in myself. Kevin Smith hit the nail on the head with this one.
Hi,
The article is well written with good intentions. However I disagree with the notion that you dont loose anything if arts is encouraged. The odds of a person doing very well in arts related area are tiny. However, if the same time is spent on STEM related areas the person and their family will do much better. The sooner a kid knows this the better.
I have seen too many aspiring singers, violin players, english majors all hoping to break into great success only to spend all their life struggling to make ends meet. At some point, theres no going back. It is better to focus on market driven learning first and arts second rather than the reverse.
If you have questions about this, just assume that you were born in Afganistan or some other place, you will notice that this whole item is a non-issue. We should remember what is the dinner of life and what is the condiment and use them both appropriately.
Not just the field of the arts…any one that grew up to demonstrate brilliance in any field, English, Mathematics, Science, etcetera…seems to have had their best ideas start when they were ‘little’. That is when their passion started and if not ‘squashed’ bloomed into their future passions and successes. ALL creative endeavors (art, music, science, literature) start really young in my opinion. Great cartoon. It should be hung above every cradle and on every teacher’s door.
Anybody else notice the Sun Cinema cameo from one of the earlier comics?
Where’s the damn Dinomites movie?!
PRODUCE THE MOVIE!
“Art is man´s rebellion against the stupidity of Daily life”
Alejandro Dolina
Never forget that you are encouraging one of the most meaningful rebellions in human life…
no self-respecting newspaper would miss such an occasion to make a “Dinomites dominate box office” headline pun.
tanck you for your effort
Kevin knows what he’s talking about. Good job on this strip.
If only my parents had ever even NOTICED my artwork. I would have been satisfied just to have gotten ANY sort of feedback, positive or negative. In fact I wish my parents had expected or hoped for ANYTHING from me, an art career or ANY sort of professional career. This comic strip doesn’t really get to the heart of what “lack of encouragement” means for some young artists. Not every budding artist has parents who even take time to notice what their kids are doing, much less praise them and encourage them. My parents were too tired, too overworked, too stressed to care much about what their kids were up to. I can’t have been the only kid who had great interest in art and put a lot of hard work into it, but not having any adult in their lives who valued art.
I thank so I thank I can thank. You thank? Oran Z
I would love to buy this poster!!!!! Please tell me how.
<3
This reminded me of being in art class in high school.i loved painting as a child and my mother always was encouraging. I remember painting a character not unlike the dinomites and my teacher being so negative that I dropped art as a subject.
I did follow the academic path and slowly my time for painting has dried up. I will always try and encourage my child. Thanks
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I love this comic, and I definitely agree about not discouraging aspiring artists. But please take into account that telling people their work is great is still judging their work. If you compliment kids’ work, by saying “oh that’s great, that’s beautiful” you are implying that some work is not great and not beautiful. It’s not bad to compliment people’s work, but if you do it all the time, you can set the kid up to be constantly seeking approval from others. Extrinsic motivators are generally short term. Intrinsic motivation lasts and lasts. So seek to foster intrinsic motivation in young artists. Compliment the kid in ways that are not judgmental of the product. Like, “You are so focused when you draw. I admire your artistic nature.” Or, “This is so cool. What inspired you?” Let the kid tell you what is great about their work, so that the compliments come from within, and as an adult you are just a witness to their artistic powers, not the arbiter of artistic success. “Wow, tell me how you made this.” “This cat is so funny. Can you imagine if that happened in real life?” I think engaging kids in conversations about their art is a lot more powerful than telling them their art is good. Food for thought…
Wonderful. I especially love it that you used the movie theater from “On Kindness.” (Glad to see the owner’s doing so well!)
Thanks 🙂
Wonderful. I especially love it that you used the movie theater from “On Kindness.” (Glad to see the owner’s doing so well!)
Like, like, like
Big liiiiike
I would love to buy this poster!!!!! Please tell me how.
Kevin knows what he’s talking about. Good job on this strip.
The Dinomites everywhere
i love, love, love this comic. so many people need to read it. it saddens me a lot that some people are actually saying negative things about it!!! to everyone who thinks that this comic sends a bad message, i hope you don’t read comics, watch movies, look at art, or listen to music. the people who made all that stuff made it because they ignored people like you who think that pursuing art as a serious career is not worth the time and should be done on the side. so yes, artists SHOULD be encouraged. even if an artist isn’t skilled and isn’t famous, they should be encouraged. people think that successful artists were born with a magic gift and only a few people have it. nonsense. a bad artist becomes a great artist with enough practice. but it’s a long, tough road. many people give up. so to everyone, you all need to encourage artists… we really, really need it!!!
No words mam 🙂 Priceless
WOW very good so funny
Yeah, It’s tough to become an artist, and it’s even harder when no one encourages you. True .. support an artist in their early stages, and you get your favorite song or favorite film one day.
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I like the cool kitsch. yes, it takes nothing to encourage people but encouragement will make people do more works. Recently I was reviewing a product called salehoo and when I am writing my salehoo review I tried to focus on how to encourage users to go with salehoo. so it is very important.
Nice comic I really love it.
I just realized that the cinema where the Dinomites is shown, is the favorite movie house of the old man in On Kindness Zenpencil 😀
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I am an artist too. I agree. We all need encouragement from time to time.
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they should be encouraged. people think that successful artists were born with a magic gift and only a few people have it. maybe 🙂
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Dear Gav,
As a long time fan, I was startled to be sent something that was attributed as being your work but with an ending panel that was totally out of character. I came back to this page to double check in case my memory was terrible, but sure enough: the last two panels have been deleted and replaced with a a schlock ending. I suppose it might be meant as a joke, but I think it only right that anything attributed directly to you should be composed of your work and only your work. Just thought you should know.
Here’s a link to the page:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154429440041840&id=21785951839
Good stuff, but you don’t have to work for Disney
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no self-respecting newspaper would miss such an occasion to make a “Dinomites dominate box office” headline pun.
There’s a lot of us out there, trust me, I’m one of them, too. Let our healing begin. Most sincerely, Thomas Cutler
they should be encouraged. people think that successful artists were born with a magic gift and only a few people have it. maybe
Artist only grow if we courage and appreciate his/her work. We all need encouragement from time to time.
All of your comics are good. It’s tough to become an artist. Defintely Artist need encouragement.
Keep it up and share more comics, i love to read this
Hey Gavin
I love your comics. 🙂
Comics are the best to read, and awesomeness is comics are from Zenpencils. <3
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I am an artist too. I agree. We all need encouragement from time to time.
Thank you Gavin for your “KEVIN SMITH: It costs nothing to encourage an artist” comic post
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Nice website and saw such a good comic type blog,I am very happy to find people that still think about important facts in our life. I really appreciate your work. Denomites is one of my favorite comic, Disney always make best.
Hope you share such nice post in future also,,, thanks once again….
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This comic is too good for me. 😀
Comics are great. What are the prices for custom story given poster?? Thanks in advance
Those are big heart artists that keep going albeit being critized many times.
Comics were our company childhood and by that we were entertained and motivated to learn how to read right.
You will motivate to expertise on how to paint pictures simply by reading comics and most people like comics.
Comics are the entertainers for all ages even senior like readng comics am I right guys all and of course hah?
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Gav, there’s no singular “animation department” at CalArts. There are “character” and “experimental” animation departments. They are two separate departments occupying different sections of the building, with different programs and different department heads.
Rather than “CalArts animation department”, it would be more accurate for the sign to read “CalArts character animation department”.
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