I am an artist.

I’m pretty official I guess, however official an 18-year-old can at being an artist. I took the AP 2D Design test in high school, I’m going to art school right now, and I’m planning on being a professional illustrator.

Now with my credentials out of the way, let me tell you a story.

Growing up as someone who loved to make art, I was met with some repercussions, mostly from other people. Art was always something that people felt entitled to criticize me on. Not just on my dumb little anime cat drawings, but on what I did as an artist as well.

I went to Catholic school from late elementary to middle school, where people obviously weren’t the most mature. For example, I once tried to practice figure drawing and was soon stopped by a girl who asked me why I was drawing naked people. Embarrassed and annoyed, I hurriedly put away my sketchbook while sputtering out that they weren’t actually naked.

To this day, strangers sneaking up on me and watching me draw is still one of my biggest pet peeves.

Like, can I have some privacy please? My sketch is still in the ugly stage and I really don’t need your judgement. Check out some other common artist pet peeves down below:

1. Being asked to draw or design something for free…

2. ...Even if you’re a friend.

If you’re not gonna pay me (or unless I explicitly say so), it’s not cool!

3. Being a digital artist and not saving your file before closing it.

UGH WHY.

4. Drawing on the wrong layer.

Well, I guess those last 30 minutes of my life were an absolute waste of time.

5. Mixing a color and forgetting why you mixed it in the first place.

This can be especially frustrating for acrylic artists because by the time you remember, the paint’s dry!

6. Barnett Newman, Mondrian’s “Compositions”, Jackson Pollock, etc.

Ok, if I try really hard, I could probably be able to understand why these paintings go for millions of dollars. But still.

7. When people lose it at critiques.

It’s really not an attack on you, please get over yourself.

8. Not being able to show your best work because you were rushing to finish a project.

I promise I’m better than this.

9. People who say that being creative and organized are exclusively opposite.

Literally look at this bullet journal. Are you kidding me?

10. “Did you draw that?”

Oh, this thing that’s literally in my sketchbook that I just stopped shading two seconds ago? Yes, yes I did.

11. “Can you draw me?”

Ah yes, the quintessential test to prove that you’re actually an artist, drawing someone’s ugly, entitled face.

Befriend an artist, and you’ll have this amazing, creative companion to inspire you every day. Piss one off, and you’ll probably end up being stabbed with a paint brush or slapped in the face with a sketchbook.