This topic had a lot of good info in one thread but it wasn’t on topic of it. So I decided to make a thread for this. I want to be a freelance Artist. Ive taken everything from 2d art to film and I’ve been doing really bad modeling in blender for the last 3 years. I just don’t know how to step up my art. and I’m looking into going to college and i don’t really know what to take. I have to stay instate because my father is military and I get 60% of my tuition paid for. (which is great). so any suggestions?
My Art Career
DarkCity
#4
Have you taken live workshops (not just recorded tutorials) which provide some mentorship?
Also, Alex Alverez at Gnomon has said that the biggest ingredient in successful artists is that they ask a lot of questions.
Tad
#5
Think REAL SERIOUS about what you want to do, and then focus on that.
It’s good to have experience in blender modeling, or film, or whatever.
But if you want to do concept art, then you need to practice concept art every day.
That’s the only way to get to a professional level of ability.
School is good too.
But you have to practice. All the pretty pictures you see come from practice.
Draw every day, or at least 4 days a week. And push yourself to do the best drawings you can do.
culverjds
#6
I have not done live workshops. and I’m working on getting a drawing tablet. but for right now im doing pencil and paper. but once I get a tablet I’ll work on doing actual concept art. I also don’t know what major to do in college
Tad
#7
Yeah you definitely need to get into digital if you want to do concept art.
Look up shadi safady. That guy has some really in depth talks explaining what the concept art industry is like these days.
It’s becoming more and more of a mix up of using photos clipped up mixed with quick painting and some 3d elements.
It’s all about getting the most descriptive look as fast as possible.
Apparently people rarely just draw a concept art piece with nothing but drawing anymore.
culverjds
#8
I feel like its kinda sad how people just don’t draw or paint from their head. I feel like everyone just has to use a picture. it honestly upsets me. because I do a lot of studies and then I sketch and I build up my visual library. and then I just put drawings down on paper. I try to be original.
Imhotep397
#9
“Concept art” as a heading is quite open and generally vague. I almost want to say you should go to art school to be put through a gamut of of art development to actually figure out what you want to do specifically (Character, Costume, Environment, Mech, Creature, Creature character.) The reason why people ask is because you simply won’t be able to gather the energy/motivation to push through all the shit you’re going to have to push through to become exceptional until you know exactly what you want to do and what you naturally excel in, which may not be the same things unfortunately. It’s fine to want to learn everything and mimic some artist who’s work inspired you, but ultimately that aint gonna help you one bit. You want to learn everything to be able to utilize a broad array of techniques, but keep one focus to practice enough to become exceptional doing it.
culverjds
#10
I’ll take that to heart when looking at college. I either want to go into Creature or environment if I had a choice. Also. do you have any tips on making a portfolio? Because I don’t have a whole lot of decent art beside some sketches and photography and some film I entered and won in a high competition. But I feel like I can’t include everything because I feel like my portfolio needs a focus and I don’t have enough of ONE particular art to make a portfolio out of it. If that makes sense.
Tad
#11
well about drawing in head vs pictures.
Art is a creative endeavor, and you need to remember that all the different forms of art all have their own weird interests.
Drawing from imagery is one of the foundations of art.
It’s what Davinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, all of the masters did.
So in a way, your feelings are actually on the odd side of things (no offense intended).
But conversely, lots of artists do stuff entirely from their head, and that’s their style.
there’s even artists doing super weird stuff that’s neither from their head or from imagery…
Heck go look at a modern art museum, that stuff is super strange.
Really it’s up to the individual.
BUT one thing you do NOT have a choice about, is art careers.
Once you get a job your art WILL be directed by someone else, and actually one of the most important skills you will have to learn is how to get someone else’s ideas made into art.
OuterDrake
#13
Download as many 3d models as you can and remake them exactly the same. Sculpt one as you look at the original model on the other screen, copy the texture, uv maps, etc etc, Also a good way to learn photoshop is to find original psd drawings of concepts and seeing how the artist uses their layers. Much faster way of learning. Lastly is practicing penmanship exercises for smooth strokes.
lala123
#14
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Imhotep397
#15
Yeah, it’s pretty normal when you’re trying to figure things out to have an incomplete gaggle of mishmosh.
I would suggest focusing on four creature bust portraits and then four full body portraits of those same four creatures/characters that you just drew portraits for. After that try four action poses of those same characters. You’ll learn a lot pushing yourself though the same characters in different compositions.
After that I would focus on making pages of creature thumbnails (google it if you don’t know what it is.). After that I would suggest you start with construction line art A LOT to nail down your fundamental proportions of posed characters, which you can use to help you with your next set of creature portraits.
After that I would suggest you practice a lot of vanishing point/perspective drawing and depending on the types of environments you’re interested in building trees/water or buildings.