Duke
Duke
Occupation: Erotic Artist and Illustrator
Location: New Jersey, United States
The Sex in My Business: Sex is the main focus of my work. Since my mediums are drawn art and animation, I can make stories that push many limits, ranging from sci-fi stories set in outer space, to more grounded plotlines about soccer moms in the suburbs. But what I love to do in all cases is infuse sexual scenarios that make sense within those stories.
A Typical Day: Most days I wake up, drop my daughter off at school, and then head over to my art studio. Depending on the project I am working on, I might spend the day illustrating comics or storyboards, directing voice actresses for my cartoons, or editing some of my videos. It sounds rather boring, but when you can literally create anything, such as making characters look however you want, it gets incredibly entertaining!
The Best Part: The thing I like most about this job is fan feedback. I started this venture as a hobby I simply enjoyed doing during my free time. After all these years, I am still amazed when someone expresses appreciation for my work at a convention, or when a couple tells me that my content spices up their relationship.
The Worst Part: Juggling my family life with my professional life is the hardest part of my job. Additionally, many people still do not understand how someone can make money off of the internet, and dismiss what I do by saying it is not a "real job".
How I Got Here: It all started as a hobby. Since high school, I have enjoyed drawing erotic illustrations. I began to gain a following after posting my work online, and eventually, a fellow artist convinced me to create a subscription-based website. Every year, as my artistic skills improved and I began to add adult games and animated stories, the number of members grew. After some time, a member requested a love doll of one of my characters which sparked me to create my love doll company "Duke’s Dolls and Toys".
What Society Thinks: The difference in attitudes toward my job between the people in my personal life and those I do not know personally is like night and day, although maybe not in the way you might think. My fans motivate me to work harder and step up my level of quality with every new project or series. As for my friends and family, some have found it difficult to embrace what I do, but the more successful I become, the more they warm up to and accept it. I think this is because they have started to see that my work is no longer just a time-consuming hobby, but has grown into a thriving business that I own.
When I’m Not At Work: I like to travel, watch movies, and think of new unique concepts. I also enjoy spending time with my daughter.
Published in Issue V: Taboos