Understand that if you were of a pre-internet teen generation (like me), THAT was the normal reaction to creative endeavors. If you were lucky there'd be some positive energy from your friends, who may or may not be worth a damn artistically. There was no internet to reinforce the idea of 'skill x practice x time'. There was just negativity from parents, and pressure to go flip burgers or wash dishes...and the smallest, most valuable spark from within to push you to keep going. I've now worked as an illustrator for over ten years, fuck the hater grownups, and FSM bless the web.