Heey @reddragonfly ! 

I think your aticle is spot on. I think whatever we do, you must be ready for some trade-offs at some point.
I love concepting stuff and characters but I know at some point I will have to render them and make them beautiful and I really. Don't like it. But it's part of the job and part of what translate them from an idea to an actual "living" character in a game, and the feeling in the end is definitely worth it.

Also as @Shello points out it is a balance between the things you like and what you have to do. It also depends of your end vision I reckon as it will drive you out from the difficult part. And at the end, we can learn to love these parts as they can give all the magic to other people (the client, the gamer etc.) like your 4$ stones, they can bring joy and emotions to the person purchasing it and I think as artists, we can strive from doing some good here while managing to pay our bills. 

Last point, I think as well, by doing the things we want to do, a bit everyday, in the end we will manage to limit the tradeoff and find the niche of people liking our work. Internet teaches us there is a market for everything, so everyone can do more of "what they want' and less of 'what they have to' (Sorry I am rambling a bit, i hope it makes sense ^^")

Have a good day ! Cheers

I know this from personal experience as well. Worked in IT for 5 years, was making good money but my creativity was just determent to get out. Quit my job and now I am trying to start something of my own. If you are interested you can check out my site <a href="http://gabchik.com">gabchik.com</a> to see my idea. I will try to do what I want instead of what I have to by passing on inspiring information through art. I am also doing tattoos and even if the idea behind the site does not allow me to make a living, at least I would have made a name for myself before I start working in a tattoo studio. Hopefully then people will come for things that inspire me, instead of the usual scull, clock, rose tatto. Wish me luck!

Good evening @reddragongly,

This is really good thoughts, I was always told that in order to get to do what we want to do, we first do the things we have to do. I like to try to find a balance, but lean more towards responsibility. I have school that I prioritize over everything else, I repair laptops, and I blog. 

My finances are not the best, but I don't have to go to a 9-5, so there are trades. When I work on anything creative, I have to be prepared to lose days, sometimes weeks in the process if it's something I really want to do. Most of the time I can't do that, so I try to work on smaller things to still be able to enjoy although I can't go all out. 

I don't really think it's selling out as much as it is filling the demand. As long as you eventually get to do the things you want, I don't think there's too much harm in it.

<3 shello

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Oh gosh this is a hot button.
Yes.
I have attempted to find some sort of balance for the last 30 years of my own art business, sometimes finding it, and other times not. I am a glass and stone sculptor, so I prefer to do the highly meaningful personal creative work that is large and expensive. It may resonate with a buyer, and then it may tour around for a while through various galleries. Or sit in inventory. For cash flow I have been doing custom projects for clients for years, and yes, giftwear. Last year I officially axed giftwear off the list for my own sanity. It will cost me financially, but the upshot is that I am deliberately choosing to do work that is more important to me. And it will be seen and sold, too. Otherwise I was not able to get the time to create and produce the really good stuff, and I felt the inner compromise was costing me something else somehow. Aside from that, I also run a gallery that gets scores of tourists through it wanting the cheap stuff. So annoying. We pay the rent by offering classes and workshops, as well as art sales... not as much by selling small things. It's such a typical juggling act!