That is certainly the hard part, but technology like kickstarter is still helping to make it easier. I don't think it's really fair to judge by extremes- they show what is possible, but not what is typical- but there are artists who are happy to make a livable salary to continue making their art and growing their fanbase. The thing that's exciting about this new technology isn't it's potential for getting rich quick (which really isn't likely for most people) but how it cuts out middle men like publishers and record execs who have not been adding much value for their cost lately.