Hey everyone, just wanted to make a new journal about some stuff that's goin on in my head, and to those who care feel free to read.
So I've just graduated with a BA in the Arts (WOW SOOOOO HARDCORE) in late April. Aside from handling small freelance and commission stuff between my spare time, I also started working full time at a local mobile game studio as a concept artist and animator.
Now thinking back on my journey so far, I've met a lot of obstacles and obviously overcame many of them, and the ones I didn't overcome I keep on trying. For the longest time, while being in this online art community filled with countless talents of various degrees, I have sought knowledge amongst the community here, and in turn people have also came asking for knowledge in return. While I specialize in the entertainment industry as a visual production and sometimes pre-production artist, there have been many learning curves that I had to tackle by myself, because lets face it, if school was the end all point for knowledge seekers then EVERYONE who comes out should be industry rock stars.
But my main concern I want to put out there in this journal is that people on this art community often ask the wrong questions when it comes to finding out how to be a better artist. Now I don't wish to personally describe any examples, but there are already memes made by other people who share my concern.
First and foremost. A pen does not make the poet, just as a brush does not make the painter. I had a crappy $50 Grapphire tablet for over 4 years when I first started digital painting, and then I bought my Intuos4.
Learning more things never hurt. In fact, being a one-trick horse is what kills you. If you are aiming for the gaming or animation field, and you are amazing at drawing only in 2D Japanese anime style... If you're a pokemon trainer and you only have 1 uber amazing plant type monster that's lv 55, and the rest are a bunch of lv 6 Pidgeys. Then you go to the Elites at the end of the game, you're FUCKED!!!
This one is thee most asked question I get. The truth is my custom brushes are all made from the standard brushes that come with Photoshop. Again, it's not the brush that makes the artist. Never mind how I do that chromatic shift thing in Photoshop. Actually I will tell you how to do it. Flatten the image and just go offset some channels, but it certainly won't make you a better artist. (well it might if you already know what you're doing instead of fucking around in MS Paint and telling yourself that you're the next Craig Mullins)
Now I know what you're thinking, oh this guy is such a hypocrit bla bla bla what an ego prick. Firstly I do not want to give off the impression that I am here to give
AMAZING advice. I'm not, I am still very early in this adventure and I'm certainly in no position to say that I am a great artist.
What I can say in truth on how to be a competent craftsman is TO PRACTICE RIGHT, PRACTICE A LOT, AND NEVER EVER STOP LEARNING!!! There are no shortcuts in life, as there are no diamonds without the initial pressure. Sure some people may get lucky and get early recognition and then get their life put on the fast track, but not everyone can be an instant rockstars. Do what you love for the sake of your passion, and money will follow, and never set your eyes only on money.
Keep drawing, enjoy life, and laugh till it hurts
