Commercial vs. Fine Artists — Actors vs. Real People

The difference between being a fine artists and a commercial artist is very much like the difference between being an interesting character yourself and being an actor who portrays an interesting character. For instance, Robert De Niro played Al Capone in The Untouchables, and Kevin Costner, Eliot Ness. Saying that a fine artist should be able to do commercial art to make a living is like saying Al Capone should be able to make a living as an actor. And, saying a commercial artist should try harder to become a fine artist, is like saying Robert De Niro and Kevin Costner should become interesting humans in real life like Capone and Ness. In reality, being an actor is fundamentally different from being an interesting person yourself. The same goes for commercial artists and fine artists, even though there are many similarities on the facade.