Feeling hopeless.
I'm feeling extremely hopeless, and don't think i'll ever make it in the industry. Someone said there are only like 5000 jobs if that...
After talking to some professionals and watching this video [ame]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owYaZ_cxNzI[/ame]
I sort of am in a panic. I don't know what to do or think to move ahead. All my motivation to move forward has just ceased.
do I stop while I'm ahead or do I just accept that I'll never work in the industry?
Portfolio is here www.robertjsage.com. please tell me it's terrible before beating around the bush and saying it's not lol.
that said, at 25 I think I'm way too old to "start" anything so Idk...
Please help...
After talking to some professionals and watching this video [ame]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owYaZ_cxNzI[/ame]I sort of am in a panic. I don't know what to do or think to move ahead. All my motivation to move forward has just ceased.
do I stop while I'm ahead or do I just accept that I'll never work in the industry?
Portfolio is here www.robertjsage.com. please tell me it's terrible before beating around the bush and saying it's not lol.
that said, at 25 I think I'm way too old to "start" anything so Idk...
Please help...
Replies
you're not too old to "start" anything.
it's a competitive industry and sometimes forces a semi-nomadic lifestyle...but if you're good enough and keep trying you'll get a job.
i would be seriously skeptical of anybody tossing statistics around like "there are maybe only 1000 in-house jobs in the world". there's just nothing backing those kind of statements up..and it's true that schools are currently cranking out a lot of students - but a lot of them just aren't going to have the motivation to keep at the difficult job search for as long as it takes. most will drop off because it's just. not. easy.
and at the end of the day it's a job. a real job - that requires real work and if your heart isn't really in it you just won't really last.
if you really want to do it don't let anybody discourage you. but don't be dishonest with yourself and chase a dream you don't really want.
Putting that aside for a second though, there's one thing that is almost a universal truth: working in this industry is a thing of passion. almost every job you can find in our industry is higher paid in other areas, with better benefits, and more stability... To work in this industry, you have to WANT it. You have to want it bad.
And if you do want it bad, you'll get there eventually, there are many avenues... it doesn't matter if you've not been to school for art or game design. I don't even have a high school equivalent grade in art, and i've been an artist in the industry for almost a decade. I've been programming for a year professionally for an amazing company, but that's a skill i never had previously... I taught myself the basics and they were willing to help me learn the rest. Now i'll grant that my current situation is a little strange (the guys i work for are some of the most progressive and outside of the box thinkers i've ever met), but that doesn't mean it can't happen to you! And more importantly, even if you don't get the same kind of break, if i can get work as an artist having no artistic qualifications outside of just knuckling down and getting it done, then so can you.
But you have to want it... And i think that's your current problem, not your skills, your drive and passion. Decide if you really want this, and if you do... Go get it!
But I stopped focusing on the "hard" part years ago. I only focus on making improvements.
I've never felt that doing art is hard, what is hard is life. Maintaining focus is quite challenging, especially as we get older and have more responsibilities and difficult experiences.
The reality is, if you continue to keep at it, you will get better at managing the feelings you are having right now.
Having the right mentor will speed up your learning so keep that in mind.
Check the Unpaid or Royalty sections of Polycount.
Check r/gamedevclassifieds
Literally make a game. Nothing is stopping you. This helps solve the catch 22 of needing experience to get an entry level job.
Also, what better way to prove you like making games by making a game?
I just fear that yes, I will get better, but you're wrong about the job part.
needless to say thanks for the encouragement.
only way to get better is to work at it.
I'm working on one with some friends if that counts as experience?
can I put that on a resume?
very much noted. Still crippled with anxiety haha. I'm going to say for now that won't stop. but i'm at that point where I can just put it asside reading some of your comments.
That sounds exactly like my situation. 24 "I should become an illustrator" 25 start taking online classes for it.
is that common in the industry? quarterlife crisis deal?
true.
Where might I find a good mentor?
is animation bigger? (i.e. is the film industry 'easier' to get into) I say this because i'd be just as happy doing both for the rest of my life.
Really my thing is just doing concept art for stories. if animation is bigger I might* just do side projects that involve games.
If it's the same size I might have another panic attack lol
Where do you work? lol I might apply there...(half serious)
I want it bad enough to do mastercopies at 3 AM despite having work at 6 and that's recent. doing the same thing tonight and drawing and painting with a friend on my day off tomorrow. - just an example.
regardless I'm really hoping you're right. I need that break somewhere.
For sure.
Rejection letters suck. what sucks more is waiting for something and never hearing back.
I think that is what sparked my current anxiety, got rejection letter, let my mood get the better of me.
I'm calmer now. mostly because I'm drawing. just need to weigh my options, get more feedback and keep applying everywhere I can.
also I will hold you to this. This time next year, if I'm not still on this forum asking for feedback and improving you can yell at me lol
No, it's not. If anything, it's the opposite, especially for modeling/texturing roles.
There are fields like commercials, arch vis, legal animation, and other non-entertainment things that are a bit less competitive.
Still not in the industry yet. But I'm working on it
It's not too late to start doing arts. When you get good at it, you get good at it. Period.
I went back to uni to learn this stuff at 32, got my first gig at nearly 34, age is not a barrier to entry and you are still a pup so dont let that hold you back!
I can only echo all the other sentiments here, immerse yourself in your chosen trade and work like a bastard at it.
....now get the fuck off my lawn.
I work for Marmoset.
One thing to be mindful of is how quickly/easily you can burn out. If you already have a full-time or even a part-time job, then you may find that limiting the amount of time you practice your artwork actually yields better results. If you're already working 8 hours a day, you might be more productive only doing 2 hours of art in the evening, and then resting. It's a proven fact that prolonged periods of crunch are ineffective and destroy motivation.
I'm working with 3 guys in their 30's and it's their first job.
All art is good, but making kickbutt art that sells is a whole other story (cant say from personal experience yet
Lastly, enjoy making strong art and progress more that not being an artistic success. This has nothing to do with age. I think it is about being in tune with a vibe, and I think that vibe can be learned just like an instrument, but you can only learn to play well if you enjoy playing more than you enjoy being a master musician.
You make a very good point. Age, or the responsibilities that age brings certainly make it tough. I have three kids a wife and a rather demanding cat to look after:D
I'm not saying its easy by any means (changing career at any point is pretty bloody hard) but if you really want it you will find a way.
What you feel is normal, most of us have encountered a phase where we feel we should be having a job, but have trouble knowing what to do to get that job...which makes us panic. But you are on the right track asking for help here.
Here's some tips :
-Breathe, relax, go run,
drink tea or workout, you need to feel good about yourself right now because feeling shitty is useless : P, trust me I know.
You need to have the right mindset to focus well on your art.
-After that think about a career plan, what job are you aiming at (you seem to aim for illustration job)
-Breakdown what you need to have to get an interesting portfolio (3 - 4 impressive illustration pieces)
-Ask for crits, study every day, turn your weaknesses into your strengths.
You will make it, just give yourself some time and practice steadily, to get a job in concept or illustration field at this time(EDIT: sry just realized justin had said this already), it takes at least a year of serious painting, that means 40 hrs + per week, just like a job. Thats why they have 3-4 years programs in art schools. Proper routine will make you feel like you already reached your goal. Making a plan and putting it work is a success and achievement you can reach in a few days.
Good luck and hang in there, it is worth it!
p.s: not one cares about age : )
I found this few weeks ago, didn't had the chance to say thanks to his owner
Man you just might have convinced me to go back to school.
If you want 2D there is a lot online courses. 2d.masteracademy is a good one.
I think you're right, and it's many lightbulbs that should go off.
I think if I think of it as just one moment and everything clicks that's what gets me panicked. because I've had many little ones, which is good.
got to thinking about that today.
thank you sir for making that page.
lots of great stuff to think about.
yes! been taking those.
though only took one class so far.
i hope.
I've come to the conclusion that giving up is guaranteed failure, by sticking with it and being persistent regardless of how long it takes, it's impossible to fail.
I guess one bit of advice I can give is to try and be open to taking other jobs that still uses your skill sets (at least part of them) that you're focusing on developing when the times are slow. Getting to know something like the adobe creative suite could be beneficial for multiple jobs (photoshop, illustrator, InDesign, etc.)
IE concept artists might do illustrations, editorials, children's books, book covers, see if they can sell some of their paintings, do art shows, freelance client work etc. which is a bit more broader than just games or film but can help out. I think I even read somewhere of an artist who worked during the day at a place like Irrational Games, but still was able to keep doing freelance illustrations for his clients at night too, which is something to keep in mind. If you want to talk about being hard-headed about getting the job you want, I knew a guy who graduated the same year I did in Illustration and he reaaally wanted to get into the New Yorker. So his senior year and I think so far every year after that he would draw like 10 or more editorial drawings each day, and send his best on a daily basis to them. (And yes, he eventually did get at least two cartoons in the year after he graduated
There's also things like creating graphics for business materials, advertisements, videos, etc. Sure it might not seem as glamorous as working in games, but someone has to design and make all of those logos, graphics, layout the font in InDesign so it's not a hideous word document, etc.
So yup, basically I feel like it helps to have an open mind about the possibilities of potential jobs when working in the creative field.
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this in this thread, but networking can go a long way too. Make some friends, join an online community (like polycount
All that said, if you follow everyone else's advice you should get somewhere. Mine was more towards what you might be able to do on the side to make ends meet.
Best of luck!
I found this advice to be much more constructive, from Maciej Kuciara, just the first half hour or so i think. If art doesn't work out, try not to get into the mental trap that art was the only thing going to provide you with happiness, because that is utter bullshit and easy to see when you look at how the brain works. Decide...to be happy. And why not, your sorrow isn't going to feed any mouths in Africa.
[ame]
Also this: [ame]
Don't sit still for too long, get up and do a few pushups and stretch, i swear on my life i sometimes have "whats the point" feelings when sitting for long periods of time that go away when i get up and stretch and do a few pushups and squats and get the blood flowing.
yes.
Both really. haha
Sorry for the rant, but in the end only do it if your heart is in it. If it's not then that's okay, move on to what you do enjoy, but be honest to yourself.
Man I don’t think there’s an artist on here who hasn't felt what you’re feeling. Art is hard, it takes a lot of practice, love, care, and sacrifice to really start getting good and mastering things. Truthfully I was expecting a lot worse work when I checked out your portfolio! And that Bamboo walker is seriously rad! ;D
As everyone’s said keeping working on your fundamentals and just painting in general and you will see improvement. There’s plenty of great artists on Youtube such as Cube Brush and a bunch of other talented artists who have great video and techniques! I strongly encourage if you haven’t check out Ctrl Paint or Chris Oatleys stuff to do so! Really good information and inspiring stuff!
http://www.ctrlpaint.com/
http://chrisoatley.com/
Also, others here have expressed exercise helps and I definitely believe it does! I work 8 hours at a computer sitting, go home and workout for a half hour, and then continue sitting for another 6-7 hours. And just having that half hour of constant movement helps clear your head and helps your body just feel better.
Just stay focused and keep pushing forward with what you want to do. Though the game art industry is small, many artists are usually willing to help others improve if they can spare the time to help! Lastly surround yourself with other creatives, having a circle of trust to get honest real critiques from will make a world of difference when it comes to improving.
Good luck on your art journey! And definitely hoped you got some good information out of my spiel!