ALAshbaugh wrote:Unfortunately, that is the number one reason I do it - to disguise the fact that I am female. As much as art directors and other officials will deny it, sexism is a rampant problem in the illustration industry, particularly in the fantasy/sci-fi market. The core of the problem is that there is a commonly held misconception that female illustrators are only good for the "pretty stuff": fairies, angels, mermaids and other high-fantasy cliches.
You Females, as a species, have no one to blame for this except yourselves (I've seen far far far too many of your Unicorns and Unicorn-horned Whales and Pena-style Dragons and Naked Fairies taking a bath inside a flower petal to count easily).
There is actually a large number of quite popular female artists whose bodies of work could reasonably back up this claim. (Not that I haven't done my share of those things, I'm not bashing those artists.)
I was just about say -if you'd NEVER drawn those types of things I would have suggested that you get your head checked.
I am much more at home with the horror and darker styles of art.
"Amy's Artwork is....disturbing."-Stephen King"That Amy...she's disgusting!!"-Stan Winston"There oughtta be a Law against making up horrifying images like that."-H.R. Giger"She gives me nightmares."-H.P. Lovecraft"Make the scary lady go away, Mommy."-Clive Barker (curled up in a corner in the fetal position)"That woman just ain't right in the head."-Ed Gein But, the good part of this story is that I haven't actually had it happen to me (hopefully it never will). I have heard horror stories from other artists, though.
Yes...let us hope.
Also, I have a history of working in sexist industries - I have worked in auto parts stores for the past 8 years of my life.
You should have figured out what was going to happen when you went into the Interview and your potential Employer was dressed more casually than you were......and he was scratching himself in inappropriate places and burping all throughout the interview.
I have always been a bit of a tomboy, but I learned the hard way that by subverting my femininity, customers take me more seriously. Stupid, but tragically very, very true. It made sense to me then to carry that over into my artistic career.
The secondary reason, and this is really a derivative of the first, is that my first name, "Amy", has a cutesy, girly sound to it.
Quite true.
Nobody named "Amy" should be making things anywhere near what you create -hell, nobody named Kali-ma should be drawing what you do (J/K)
Which wouldn't really make sense to associate with the style of work I do, nor does it say "competent professional". This is only my opinion, and probably just my own self confidence issues talking, though.
No, it's not just you.
I just got through seeing "Star Trek" a day or two ago, and if I were a Redshirt on that ship and I suddenly heard over the conn, "My name is Amy, and I am assuming command of the Enterprise," I'd probably have to jettison an escape pod into a nearby star.
Now on the other hand, "Captain
Ashbaugh" has QUITE the ring to it.
So, yes, it does suck that I feel its necessary, but I always need work, and I will do what it takes to get it.
I hope this answers your question
Why yes, yes it does.
Thank you.
Something tells me if Allen and I brought buttons next year, we'd still struggle against your horde of groupies. 
