I will probably sound like a downer, so don't take it too much at heart or anything... Now with that said... I have done an art school (not in the US though, so the market and the schools might differ). Several actually, one for the first three years and then a master's degree. I can honestly say that if I found a job is also because I got lucky at one point or another. Not that i'm bad or don't deserve it, but I consider myself lucky eventually considering the amount of artists that just don't end up doing what they wanted to do in the first place...
The thing with art is that you will encounter many, many, many hurdles.Â
The market is overcrowded. There, you have it. Way too many artists. Truckloads of artists and art schools sprouting like mushrooms because it's the cool thing the young want to do for their studies. Drawing and getting paid for it? Awesome! That's what ignorant people tell you when you tell them what you do for a living... Well, that's not what you do, no. It's not just drawing (depending on the art job you get), it's an exhausting process that can be draining like anything else. It has codes to follow, an industry, and rules, like any job. Each subjob in art having its own specificity (animation? video game? illustration? comics? freelance? web or digital design? etc). So, the market is overcrowded, and most artists don't have the actual necessary skills to get hired or get a job proper. Internships at best. Which of course leaves opportunities if you actually are really good at it, but even then... Still many people very good at it. It's to say how many artists on the market there is.
Pay? It pays shit. It used to pay a decent amount of money in the past, but now that everyone wants to be artist, that young students sell their art for naugh, which makes the prices drop like nothing else... And with all those artists, well, you will get paid bread crumbs. Unless you get into comm and advertisement, but that's... maybe not what you want to do... I mean, what pays the less is exactly what you will find the most draining, skill intensive: drawing, painting, etc. And finding steady jobs involving that is just... A nightmare. Most of the time, just little commissions here and there. You will basically have to live like a freelance. It's possible of course! Just have to have the right mindset for it, and the good contacts. And don't tell me that pay doesn't matter... That's just a kid's dream, unless you have someone else to pay for your living I guess. Money is important, so it has to be weighted properly.
The industry also asks for a lot of skills. Art is like music. It takes entire lives to perfect. Your skills when getting a degree are just... the basics. Even as a junior, it's not always easy. Sometimes the level to reach just looks unreachable. Well, you have to work a lot for it. Especially in traditional/digital concept art, where the concurrence is huge, and the skill requirements, drastic. And the market... tiny.
Also, depending on the country you live in, you might get exploited a lot. You don't mind doing overtime, right? 'Cause you love your job and it's just drawing nice little things right? Could do that all day I bet!' Just think about the video games crunch time scandal in the US. Not saying that's always going to be the case, but it's a possibility.Â
So, if you are really willing to do that for a living, then... brace yourself, and be aware of what's ahead. Then... good luck!
So yes, I almost forgot. I feel kinda lucky because I work where I wanted to work eventually, as an artist in the video game industry. But also... I wanted to work if possible in what most want to work in, like concept art, or that kind of stuff. Well, I ended up in level build. Not too far away I suppose, it's still a job that asks for clearly art skills, it also involves 2D and 3D art stuff besides. But... i'm actually happy not to have ended in concept art. I don't have the backbone for that. The skills? I could have them. I just don't have the motivation for it anymore. I am already thinking to move up to producer and stuff like that if the opportunities arise...
So yeah. I used to love art. But now that I do 8+ hours of it everyday, I guess I don't see it the same way anymore at all. And that's what's the most vicious thing for me. I don't do art for a hobby anymore. And I know I would if I had another, unrelated job.
Hope my little experience helps...
The thing with art is that you will encounter many, many, many hurdles.Â
The market is overcrowded. There, you have it. Way too many artists. Truckloads of artists and art schools sprouting like mushrooms because it's the cool thing the young want to do for their studies. Drawing and getting paid for it? Awesome! That's what ignorant people tell you when you tell them what you do for a living... Well, that's not what you do, no. It's not just drawing (depending on the art job you get), it's an exhausting process that can be draining like anything else. It has codes to follow, an industry, and rules, like any job. Each subjob in art having its own specificity (animation? video game? illustration? comics? freelance? web or digital design? etc). So, the market is overcrowded, and most artists don't have the actual necessary skills to get hired or get a job proper. Internships at best. Which of course leaves opportunities if you actually are really good at it, but even then... Still many people very good at it. It's to say how many artists on the market there is.
Pay? It pays shit. It used to pay a decent amount of money in the past, but now that everyone wants to be artist, that young students sell their art for naugh, which makes the prices drop like nothing else... And with all those artists, well, you will get paid bread crumbs. Unless you get into comm and advertisement, but that's... maybe not what you want to do... I mean, what pays the less is exactly what you will find the most draining, skill intensive: drawing, painting, etc. And finding steady jobs involving that is just... A nightmare. Most of the time, just little commissions here and there. You will basically have to live like a freelance. It's possible of course! Just have to have the right mindset for it, and the good contacts. And don't tell me that pay doesn't matter... That's just a kid's dream, unless you have someone else to pay for your living I guess. Money is important, so it has to be weighted properly.
The industry also asks for a lot of skills. Art is like music. It takes entire lives to perfect. Your skills when getting a degree are just... the basics. Even as a junior, it's not always easy. Sometimes the level to reach just looks unreachable. Well, you have to work a lot for it. Especially in traditional/digital concept art, where the concurrence is huge, and the skill requirements, drastic. And the market... tiny.
Also, depending on the country you live in, you might get exploited a lot. You don't mind doing overtime, right? 'Cause you love your job and it's just drawing nice little things right? Could do that all day I bet!' Just think about the video games crunch time scandal in the US. Not saying that's always going to be the case, but it's a possibility.Â
So, if you are really willing to do that for a living, then... brace yourself, and be aware of what's ahead. Then... good luck!
So yes, I almost forgot. I feel kinda lucky because I work where I wanted to work eventually, as an artist in the video game industry. But also... I wanted to work if possible in what most want to work in, like concept art, or that kind of stuff. Well, I ended up in level build. Not too far away I suppose, it's still a job that asks for clearly art skills, it also involves 2D and 3D art stuff besides. But... i'm actually happy not to have ended in concept art. I don't have the backbone for that. The skills? I could have them. I just don't have the motivation for it anymore. I am already thinking to move up to producer and stuff like that if the opportunities arise...
So yeah. I used to love art. But now that I do 8+ hours of it everyday, I guess I don't see it the same way anymore at all. And that's what's the most vicious thing for me. I don't do art for a hobby anymore. And I know I would if I had another, unrelated job.
Hope my little experience helps...
Balmung:Â Suen Shyu