How does a poor candian boy go about moving to the states and pay like 20,000$ for school when he has pretty much nothing... any suggestions? i'm screwed aren't i?
why move to the states for schooling? if you're looking to get an education for working in the industry as an artist, just find a place in canada where you can get a good traditional art education. that way you can really buckle down and get to know your fundamentals, and in your own time you can develop more industry-specific skills you'll need.
all the pros will tell you they'd rather have an artist who has strong fundamentals and the ability to pick up anything they throw at them, rather than a narrow aptitude with a specific set of programs.
Vancouver Film school ha been pumping out some of the game industries next top talents from what ive seen at CgTalk . That school looks very high quality based on the students coming out of it . I'd say by far and away the best reels that I have seen coming out of any school .
VFS has a rate of about 3% in terms of graduates who know wtf they're doing and don't have JUST a pretty portfolio. I work and live in Vancouver and our office gets a LOT of applicants from there.
It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
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It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
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Isn't that anywhere though ?? I mean who can teach you how to be an artist ?? I really don't know which school is best for what I have just been impressed with a lot of people posting there reels from that school ...also from Ringling but more for animation .
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VFS has a rate of about 3% in terms of graduates who know wtf they're doing and don't have JUST a pretty portfolio. I work and live in Vancouver and our office gets a LOT of applicants from there.
It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
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i dunno about that man. i went there, and managed to see a lot of stuff come out of there. yes, there are a lot of idiots that don't get their shit together. however, you can lead a horse to water.....
in VFS you have to make a finished product. if you're an animator, it's a short film. if you're a modeler, it's a modeling real. you get 3 terms, or 6 months to work on it, with another 6 months previous to that for schooling. while working on your project, twice durring a term, you have to get up in front of everyone and show your work, and get torn appart by the mentors.
they try their damndest to fit in with a real-industry feel as much as possible.. of course, no school is going to do that well, unless they have you doing small stuff for a larger final group project that you just dont want to do, and that would be lame hehe.
when i went, i had the very good fortune to get a kick ass modeling teacher before he quit. now.. i dont know what i can say about it.
this is hearsay:
i heard from a few of the teachers that they just upped their tuition to, so the only people who can afford it, are rich asian kids and the majority of them don't give a flying fuck if they succeed or not because they're so rich. a few of the teachers have quit because of this, they feel that there's no point.
long story short, when i went there, it was a lot better than adam suggests. currently however? hmm.. he could be right.
it's really hard to say. i had a hell of a time understanding proper lineflow and proportion before vfs, and when we started doing human models, i just kinda got it, and i got like 3 times better in like.. haha a fuckin day. it was really weird. i think it's the work environment more than anything
as far as your current situation.. hm.. most people take out student loans. most people i work with have massive debt on their shoulders. what a shame. i was SOOOOOOOOOOO lucky in that reguard. but we wont get into that or a great number of people will mail-bomb me.
in my experience stay away from fullsail. And any traditional learning is a plus, but id say do what you can on your own. Its not hopeless but i dont necessarily think you need a school to teach you how to make quality game or visual pieces.
the way im looking at it, you gotta put the effort in either way, would you wanna take out a loan and have to pay for it for the next 30 sum odd years? on the other hand its nice to have real live people to crit and encourage you.
Find a community college and learn some traditional art skills. When youre not in school, teach yourself some 3d programs and play with them. Emulate people on forums like this.
Why you want to go to art school anyways?
I mean take a year off and build your portfolio.
The knowledge you would get from teachers you can get from tutorials.
And the crits you can get from boards.
Doctors, lawyers, engineers etc. absolutely HAVE to have a paper from school to do their work but artist dont.
ok, good stuff. i jus didnt know how much i could learn from tutorials. i have a strong natural art talent already so it was more or less wanting to take schooling for learning the tools of the trade. but sounds like i can find everything i need online
actually, i was wondering. can i really get by in the gaming industry if all i do is draw? cause i need to know if i can just focus on my drawing and improving my coloring and shading or if i have to start to learn modeling and skinning. it would save me alot of time if i could mainly focus on my true love of 2D art
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actually, i was wondering. can i really get by in the gaming industry if all i do is draw?
[/ QUOTE ]
The short answer is "No."
The long answer is "There are opportunities for fabulously talented 2D artists to find work as conceptual artists. Most of these artists are typically older, mid-to late career artists with extremely strong drawing and or industrial design skills. Most will be competent painters also.
People who want to work as game artists need to develop real art skills (such as drawing, drafting, industrial design, painting, cartooning, etc.) and then translate those skills in appropriate digital art skills (modeling, painting, character design, environment construction, etc.).
There are numerous paths to this including game-oriented schooling, non-game oriented schooling, and self-taught hobbyists. All are valid if the would-be game artist has the self motivation and discipline to stay the course.
Regardless of the path one chooses, no one gets into the business simply by being enthusiastic about the idea of making games and hoping some game company will take them on raw and untrained.
Im not yet a pro artist,far from it in my honest opinion.
However im in a similar situation as you,.just without the trad art skills which is something I gotta try and sort out.
That said im almost totally self-taught,I can't go to a school that does a game art course becuase im in the UK and this industry is still very specialised here and teh courses are few and far between....you either need to be an A-grade student or an amazing 2d/traditonal artists,both of which i most definatily am not and I have been refused before I even managed to put pen to paper on the admission slip.
So as far as I can see there is no way I can get this fabled peice of paper everyone talks about.
To compensate I spend 3 days a week doing shelf stacking work at the local store,boring as hell and the rest of the time I try to work on my art.
I also beleive contacts is the answer and making friends in the industry.I recently met a sack load of artists in a recent visit to Dallas and got a whole load of contacts and information about the industry.But I also happen to know a few guys here in the UK who I can occasionally meet up with and socilise with,then when needed,use to crit and get feedback of my work.
Having Money + Contacts/drinking buddies in the industry means I can get one over on people from colleges and universities anyway
Thought ya might like to here from someone in a similar kinda situation.
Replies
all the pros will tell you they'd rather have an artist who has strong fundamentals and the ability to pick up anything they throw at them, rather than a narrow aptitude with a specific set of programs.
Scott
It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't that anywhere though ?? I mean who can teach you how to be an artist ?? I really don't know which school is best for what I have just been impressed with a lot of people posting there reels from that school ...also from Ringling but more for animation .
VFS has a rate of about 3% in terms of graduates who know wtf they're doing and don't have JUST a pretty portfolio. I work and live in Vancouver and our office gets a LOT of applicants from there.
It's a good school. sure, but from what I've seen it's teaching the tools and not teaching the experience.
[/ QUOTE ]
i dunno about that man. i went there, and managed to see a lot of stuff come out of there. yes, there are a lot of idiots that don't get their shit together. however, you can lead a horse to water.....
in VFS you have to make a finished product. if you're an animator, it's a short film. if you're a modeler, it's a modeling real. you get 3 terms, or 6 months to work on it, with another 6 months previous to that for schooling. while working on your project, twice durring a term, you have to get up in front of everyone and show your work, and get torn appart by the mentors.
they try their damndest to fit in with a real-industry feel as much as possible.. of course, no school is going to do that well, unless they have you doing small stuff for a larger final group project that you just dont want to do, and that would be lame hehe.
when i went, i had the very good fortune to get a kick ass modeling teacher before he quit. now.. i dont know what i can say about it.
this is hearsay:
i heard from a few of the teachers that they just upped their tuition to, so the only people who can afford it, are rich asian kids and the majority of them don't give a flying fuck if they succeed or not because they're so rich. a few of the teachers have quit because of this, they feel that there's no point.
long story short, when i went there, it was a lot better than adam suggests. currently however? hmm.. he could be right.
it's really hard to say. i had a hell of a time understanding proper lineflow and proportion before vfs, and when we started doing human models, i just kinda got it, and i got like 3 times better in like.. haha a fuckin day. it was really weird. i think it's the work environment more than anything
as far as your current situation.. hm.. most people take out student loans. most people i work with have massive debt on their shoulders. what a shame. i was SOOOOOOOOOOO lucky in that reguard. but we wont get into that or a great number of people will mail-bomb me.
the way im looking at it, you gotta put the effort in either way, would you wanna take out a loan and have to pay for it for the next 30 sum odd years? on the other hand its nice to have real live people to crit and encourage you.
Also, get a job.
I mean take a year off and build your portfolio.
The knowledge you would get from teachers you can get from tutorials.
And the crits you can get from boards.
Doctors, lawyers, engineers etc. absolutely HAVE to have a paper from school to do their work but artist dont.
actually, i was wondering. can i really get by in the gaming industry if all i do is draw?
[/ QUOTE ]
The short answer is "No."
The long answer is "There are opportunities for fabulously talented 2D artists to find work as conceptual artists. Most of these artists are typically older, mid-to late career artists with extremely strong drawing and or industrial design skills. Most will be competent painters also.
People who want to work as game artists need to develop real art skills (such as drawing, drafting, industrial design, painting, cartooning, etc.) and then translate those skills in appropriate digital art skills (modeling, painting, character design, environment construction, etc.).
There are numerous paths to this including game-oriented schooling, non-game oriented schooling, and self-taught hobbyists. All are valid if the would-be game artist has the self motivation and discipline to stay the course.
Regardless of the path one chooses, no one gets into the business simply by being enthusiastic about the idea of making games and hoping some game company will take them on raw and untrained.
welcome to polycount!
Im not yet a pro artist,far from it in my honest opinion.
However im in a similar situation as you,.just without the trad art skills which is something I gotta try and sort out.
That said im almost totally self-taught,I can't go to a school that does a game art course becuase im in the UK and this industry is still very specialised here and teh courses are few and far between....you either need to be an A-grade student or an amazing 2d/traditonal artists,both of which i most definatily am not and I have been refused before I even managed to put pen to paper on the admission slip.
So as far as I can see there is no way I can get this fabled peice of paper everyone talks about.
To compensate I spend 3 days a week doing shelf stacking work at the local store,boring as hell and the rest of the time I try to work on my art.
I also beleive contacts is the answer and making friends in the industry.I recently met a sack load of artists in a recent visit to Dallas and got a whole load of contacts and information about the industry.But I also happen to know a few guys here in the UK who I can occasionally meet up with and socilise with,then when needed,use to crit and get feedback of my work.
Having Money + Contacts/drinking buddies in the industry means I can get one over on people from colleges and universities anyway
Thought ya might like to here from someone in a similar kinda situation.
Good luck!
John
Don't go to the US. Waste of money when you can stay here.