Views on doing Fur Porn

[Greycoat]

I met a guy who does Fur Porn. Not exclusively but he just accepts what people ask of him and most of it seems to be Fur Porn. I didn't see any of his work, but he assured me that he isn't that good and he seems to get attention for his subject matter more so than his skill. He has been able to get through college doing this and seems to be making a nice amount of money for his work although understands that Fur Porn isn't exactly something you would mention to most people.

He mentioned that there is some disappointment in that he seems to be praised for what he makes and not how well he makes it. Plus some disgust that doing this has made him more successful than anything else hes ever done in which hes actually talented in. But he enjoyed drawing and enjoyed making people happy with his work, despite the subject, and as long as he could continue doing this, making a few bucks along the way wasn't such a bad thing either.

I'm not free of blame on this. I've drawn NSFW images for money and have defiantly passed up artistically rendered works for mediocre porn. I'm guilty of doing the same thing as the viewer and artist. And I can't really be upset or surprised when a drawing of a cute puppy gets overshadowed by dicks and boobs. I do seem to get more attention and business when I go the more adult path although I personally like to stay SFW just because I don't feel ashamed showing friends/family what I've been doing then. However I'm still kinda on the fence about it because I realize all that I really want to do is draw and make people happy, and being paid for it would be helpful in buying tools and programs.

Now this is all up for me to decide and my opinion, and there might be something I over looked, but I'm more curious as to what everyone else thinks. I know there's been threads that touch up on this a bit, but I'd like to know more about your personal views on this subject. Maybe there's something I haven't took into consideration. So opinions, stories, or just words of wisdom.

 

[Taralack]

Well if he only focuses on the porn then that's what he's gonna get praised for. I can't really see any way around it.

As for myself, I don't turn them down, but I don't advertise that I do them either. I only put this into practice this year, and its worked fairly well, since most of the commissions I get now are clean couple digital paintings, or reference sheets. I don't count drawing genitals on ref sheets as porn.

 

[Tiamat]

Porn sells, money talks. I think its great that he's able to put himself through college by doing it.

 

[HipsterCoyote]

Money is personality .

"but he assured me that he isn't that good and he seems to get attention for his subject matter more so than his skill"

Then unless he's being some kind of Negative Nancy about his talent, that's why. If his skill isn't worth praising then nobody's going to praise it. If he draws interesting subject matter (doesn't have to be porn) he may be praised for a different kind of subject matter. If he becomes the next N.C. Wyeth, he will be priased for his illustrative talent...And if he becomes the N.C. Wyeth of horrible furry porn, then he will be praised for his talent as well as his propensity for drawing dicks. If he's disgusted at the situation then it is a situation he put himself into since nobody held a gun to his head and said "I NEED 50 RAINBOW COLORED SALSA DICKS RIGHT NOW" and he can take himself out of it. So, I wouldn't, myself, sympathize with him much but if he were interested in knowing how to improve in skill and subject matter, I'd help him out.

I feel awkward about drawing weird fetish porn but it's money and honestly, if I could make enough money off of drawing stupid vices and stay home and essentially be my own boss to not have to work, holy shit, I'd be a homebody faster than you can blink.

 

[Recel]

I would like some clarification. Doing fur porn, or... drawing fur porn?

Fun aside, of course they praise and ask for porn of him, if he draws porn. You don't go to a smith and ask for wet leather leggings, do you?
It's a vicious circle tho. Porn draws in a lot of people, who will also want porn. So he draws porn which brings in even more of these people. But at least he's getting paid for it.

 

[Tiamat]

Frank Frazetta drew a shitload of porn.

 

[Arshes Nei]

Frank Frazetta drew a shitload of porn.

Yeah and Ellie wouldn't let people see it anymore. Wonder if that will no longer be the case.

There were mutterings that Marko Djurdjević did so too. There's always someone claiming they have his old art somewhere.

 

[Rheumatism]

Now this is all up for me to decide and my opinion, and there might be something I over looked, but I'm more curious as to what everyone else thinks. I know there's been threads that touch up on this a bit, but I'd like to know more about your personal views on this subject. Maybe there's something I haven't took into consideration. So opinions, stories, or just words of wisdom.

Might as well. It's the only thing the furry fandom wants.

 

[UnburntDaenerys]

It's just dicks, I think you're overthinking it. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't draw it. If your only options are to starve or draw animal people fucking, you live in some kind of unlikely hypothetical hellhole.

Also my "this" button isn't working 100% of the time. The public deserves to know when I agree with another poster.

 

[herecomestrouble]

It's just dicks, I think you're overthinking it. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't draw it. If your only options are to starve or draw animal people fucking, you live in some kind of unlikely hypothetical hellhole.

If I could compress the essence of this statement into a sentence short enough to embroider on a pillow, I would learn how just to do so.

 

[tacticalsnake]

First, it's very hard to find clean art which is worth looking at since most people who post it aren't very experienced/skilled and so their images are not the least bit engaging. Porn is very easy to make interesting since it requires action and by its nature relates to the viewer. People forget to do these things with clean work and that's why their clean work fails. If they do not engage the viewer, if they don't create a dialogue or get them to think about it, don't make them feel something to keep their interest, then it will likely be overlooked. You'll notice that many fine artists who are widely remembered, studied, and praised today have more going on than simple technical skill. It's true for all artist types: no one escapes. So if it seems no one likes your clean work (which will always struggle to compete against porn, especially when porn is readily available next to it like here, but there are a lot of clean pieces and artists which cannot be described as unpopular), evaluate why outside of rating.

Second, I find that it's actually harder to sell at conventions if you openly advertise pornography, as opposed to online where you should have some easily accessed so those who want it will buy from you. At cons, people who want it will ask regardless of your display. I noticed in recent years that people seemed more reluctant to approach my table if there was the ADULT labeled folder on it. I tried a con with no adult folder, for the first time in years (or ever, actually), and suddenly I was getting quite a bit more business, with only slightly fewer porn commissions than usual. Interesting, though puzzling. I can only guess it's because the con people and the FA people aren't much the same people except for the artists.

Last, I don't really see anything wrong with drawing porn. Outside ill-conceived notions of careers in art, when it comes to fandom, I honestly don't see why one should be ashamed of it. It's fun, it's wonderful, it's safe and free from disease! It's an easy concept when you want to work but cannot think of what to draw. It's also a pretty basic interest in like, everyone. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In many arenas, the idea is there but not enforced so you still must censor, but in fandoms... That's just silly. If you want to draw it, do so. If you don't, then don't. If you're worried about showing your family, make sure you do a good balance of clean work so it doesn't look like you gave up on art (what my family assumes, and I am OK with this). I mean. Yeah, a lot of times you need to keep separate collections, and that's fine. Online it's easier since people can just turn off porn if they don't want to see it whatever their reasons.

 

[Ramses]

"I NEED 50 RAINBOW COLORED SALSA DICKS RIGHT NOW"

I must have this on a t-shirt.

 

[Tigercougar]

If you don't want to draw it, make a webcomic or very detailed artwork that people will pay attention to, as it does take more effort for a clean artist to be noticed.

If people belittle you for not wanting to draw porn, don't give in to them. You don't want those people as fans.

If you do want to draw it, still pay attention to detail and anatomy. The fanbase appreciates good artwork of all kinds, including erotic art.

If people hate on you or think you're less of a person for drawing porn...keep doing what makes you happy and let them think what they want.

 

[Thaily]

Frank Frazetta drew a shitload of porn.

Lots of artists drew porn, including Picasso and Rembrandt, people would be surprised really.
But it's not so shocking, artists are people too and sometimes to feel frisky, resulting in drawn porn.
I don't think it's a big deal if people wanna draw smut, I certainly don't think less of them.

Unless they get stuck on the subject matter and never really improve their skill because they figure they're getting asspats anyway.