This is the key. If one is after a character artist job, they should be doing character work. Character jobs are fewer sure, but then again so is the number of people capable of getting those jobs and also because its difficult to do, many people drop out before getting to the finish line so thats all the less people…
What I mean is, it's a crutch if you use a shortcut to bypass doing something you don't know how to. If you can do it just fine yourself, it's a time saver. If you can't do without, it's a crutch. That's how I tend to look at it. Which is basically in line with what you're saying about the fundamentals. I think what I'll…
I'd definitely look into creating some work samples to the best of your ability with whatever approach you feel most comfortable with and then seek out critique and mentorship from a senior artist (preferably in the studio you want to join) The resources from Amir Satvat in this topic,…