Create Connection, NOT Content 

That's a great co-working wich reached an awesome goal! Congratulations to your community!

I've wanted to make animations for years. I finally have a small amount of the ability to do so and physical media DVD's, even blurays, are in meltdown because of streaming media. Even if I could make them only 1 in 7 people even know how to view them because they don't have disk drives or media players that don't have a Netflix button.

If you resonate more with people who do that then you can also try that, I think Jake is just talking about breaking that cycle of trying to compete with the instagram algorithm. And I disagree, everyone can make something physical, it can also be a tiny zine on an A4 sheet of paper that you distribute in your local coffee shops or something like that. Of course there are other ways, no one has to go that route but I feel the same way, I resonate way more with artists of whom I have something in my room

I went to art school for 10 years. Guess what, I have zero connection with any artists.

This video was originally 24 minutes long and I cut out a big part of how you actually connect with people. I'll share it here: Think about the friends you feel the most connected to. There’s 3 common qualities of those friendships. Authenticity Communication Consistency Whether you’re a writer, musician, or a comic artist you need to make something that’s authentic. You need to have open lines of communication. A way for your audience to tell you what they want and need and a way for you to respond (could be through social media, or it could be solely through your writing, music or comics) And you need to be consistently making new things. The first comic I made and sold online was a comic printed on copy paper and stapled together. I sold it through a paypal link for $5. And I think I sold 50 of them. You might not have the means to make a finished professionally printed book, but you can still make something authentic that connects.

I think when Jake says "physical", he means something tangible beyond just posting your art somewhere. Have a product you made that fans can use/display/read/interact with. And make it good so it is remembered, bringing you to their mind and eventually wondering when your next update or product will be released. Your digital paintings can be made into cards or prints to sell. Games and apps are "held" on the device you play or use them on. Depending on the video, that can be interactive depending on your call to action or how viewers respond to the content. I'm at a loss for web design, but I am sure you get paid to do that, yes? In this world now, you really have to think outside the box, but the great thing is there are so many opportunities for artists to flourish if they are willing to put in the time and effort. 👍

Ok, the problem might be that you have to disable or turn off your ad blocker. That seems to be the problem with not getting the confirmation page after submitting. Thanks for all the support over the years!

@@jakeparker44 Hey Jake, thanks for answering this - worked like a charm and I've signed up! Feels really cool to talk to you, even if it's just through a YT comment. Keep up the good work, always looking forward to watching your content 😌

The link should be emailed to you today or tomorrow.

Sorry, I thought playlist was public.

hahaha, I ONLY follow artists named Jake

It’s true, navigating the creative world today presents some unique challenges that many established artists didn’t face 10 years ago. But I believe each era brings its own opportunities for creativity and innovation. You alluded to how hard it would be today to launch a successful new drink because there’s already so many established brands like coca-cola. Yet, Liquid Death was started by an artist who had a unique take on packaging and branding water. Water! What started as a gag ad on Facebook a few years ago has grown to a multi-million dollar company today. Why was it so successful? Because it’s creator, Mike Cessario was a punk rock skater dude who understood how to connect with that particular group of people in an authentic way, and then he made a tangible product that his community could hold in their hands. That’s the thesis of this video: connect to people by making something authentic to you. I don’t care if people buy my course or figure out how to do it on their own, what I do care is that people go make something physical and share it with others. My course is just there to help them if they need it.

@@solarydays Interesting that you think the pursuit of a meaningful connection with a community of fans is "outdated". I think that we would see a significant improvement in the quality of production output from the general social media artist community, if less time and effort was put into satisfying the algorithm to gain followers, and more was put into producing sincere, risky, and personal projects / products. Comments like yours and @neggit2063's baffle me, with the unwillingness to adapt or hear to reason in this pivotal point in history for artists. Instead, you rather sit back with no agency and write a mean-spirited comment.

@@solarydaysthe ones who survive are the ones who are putting in the hard work, adapting to changing times/economy/environment. Just because they have a huge following doesn't make it easier. I would think it makes it more difficult, because as your audience grows, so do the demands on you as the maker of the product to stay connected with them. And it's not just about making art and then sitting back waiting for people to scoop up your art. There is so much more behind-the-scenes work that most don't see. And I think people do care, you just have to find the ones who care about what you make. It's not about becoming an influencer. Most of the artists I see succeeding didn't set out to be "influencers" per se, but over time, as their following has grown, they found it within their heart to share how they succeeded (thus becoming an "influencer", I guess). Some sell courses, others don't. We all have bills to pay. Take the course or don't. Put in the effort or don't. Adapt or don't. You, yourself, are in complete control of your success. It is up to you to believe it and do what it takes to get there. Do it or don't. 🤷‍♂

@@solarydays I am not working as an artist at the moment, but I still stand behind what I said above. I believe there are plenty of opportunities for me to become the working artist I long to be, irregardless of AI, or “people not caring” or the art world being saturated with other artists. And that is what I was speaking from, and what I believe Jake is trying to show others. You can either sit there and bemoan that you are not making any money, or you can take a step back and ask why, and figure out a plan of action to find the audience who will love you and whatever art you create. And I think we actually have it easier than Jake did since the web is so much larger now with so many more points of contact. But you still have to put in the work. I have been wanting to create children’s books for 15 years, but because I chose to prioritize other things, I did not put all the effort in to where I might by now have a few books on my shelf. But I am ok with that. That was my choice. But now the landscape of children’s publishing is much different than 15 years ago, and my desires to seek representation or publish traditionally have changed. A lot of that is the result of the information I have gleaned from Jake, Will and Lee over the years, and why I feel confident in expressing my opinions as I do now. I may not have experience, but I have eyes and ears and see what is happening with the art world. I never said, nor do I believe, it is easy to be a working artist. Nor is it going to be easy to navigate the ever changing industry. But that is where you lean on those who do have experience and are offering solid advice on how to get on the right path. That is what I am trying to do, and hopefully one day, I will have my 1000 true fans that allow me to be the working artist I want to be. All the best to you.👍😊

@@solarydaysSorry for the long reply. My wife says I talk too much as well, lol! Anyway, I will say this and then I will be done. I never once offered specific advice on what you should do to succeed. My whole point in both replies is that there are opportunities for artists to be successful, even today. Those are going to be different for each artist. What Jake is saying in this video is nothing new. Successful companies have for the most part always tried to connect with their audience, otherwise they would not still be in business. And I do believe that Jake would be just as successful if he started today, both from the quality of his work, and his ability to connect with an audience that enjoys his art. And it doesn't have to be a book that you make. He is not saying that either. Lee White has a video he just put out about how he maximizes the profit he gets from each painting he creates by developing multiple income streams from that one piece: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qyM7jwvsBsE.html I am not judging anyone, but I hate to see people just give up because what they are used is not working any more. "Can't" is not a word I allow my children to use, as it is completely self-defeating before they have even tried. I choose to see things half full, and hope that a better outcome is possible. Maybe that is a bit idealistic and naive, but it's what keeps me pushing toward my goal. Everyone has the same chance to be successful one way or another. Each artist just has to put in the necessary effort to find what works for them.