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Need of a Mentor

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Need of a Mentor

Hello! I recently joined this forum in word of advice from one of my animation professors. I attend the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and I'm in my 5th quarter. My professor advised I should find a mentor that would work with me and look at my work- someone of expertise and knowledge in the field. I would be very grateful if anyone could advise on how to work about this or point me in the right direction.

Hello! I recently joined this forum in word of advice from one of my animation professors. I attend the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and I'm in my 5th quarter. My professor advised I should find a mentor that would work with me and look at my work- someone of expertise and knowledge in the field. I would be very grateful if anyone could advise on how to work about this or point me in the right direction.

I think this might be a good thing for the AWN forums to look into. I was in a similar situation and I asked a very nice gentleman from these forums to offer his opinion on some details of my property.

While I think networking here is great, I think a 1-on-1 Mentoring program would be stellar.

Take offers for mentors in different fields, then take requests for apprentices.

I don't live in California or New York, and it's not free, but Animation Mentor offers 1-1 and small-group-on-1 interaction with a first-class professional. I've only done it for six weeks and already my 2D and 3D skills have improved.

Lots of pieces coming together, things finally making sense.

I've been teaching myself up until now, and I know a whole heck of a lot, but it rarely showed in my work.

Now with the experience I've been getting dealing directly with someone in the trenches along on a continual basis, and with pretty nice lectures to boot, I've outclassed myself in a noticeable way.

66 more weeks to go =)

I had seen a website about animation mentors and it's a little bit costly for the courses but it sounds similar to what you're having right now. I think I'll look into that a bit more. Thanks for your input, it's highly appreciated.

It is a LOAD of money (166 bucks a week -- that's rent some places) but what you've got to consider is what you're getting. It's the closest thing you'd find nowadays to an actual apprenticeship without hiring someone and in essence that's what you're doing. That said, for the benefits that the course has provided, the majority of the students have the mentality now that it almost feels like it's being given away. That's pretty impressive cost-benefit analysis in my book =)

When you consider most private schools fill all your credits and round you out, they're also the price of a house in the Midwest and have you "jack of all trades" it to help their placement percentages. If you're in the position that you've already -got- school out of the way and feel rounded out (because that is important from a -person- standpoint), consider it as a very concentrated character-animation-only Master's Degree, except in certified diploma form hehe This is all I want to do with my live, all I ever have, so in my mind it's worth it. I can't think of a better way to spend that same money in your situation for as far as it might take you toward your goals. It's a decision you have to make though, based on what's in your heart.

Oh no! I've only just completed my first year in college! I'm still going to school and I really can't afford the time or the money for those courses right now; but you're right about the costs of tuitions and such. I guess I'll just keep looking and hopefully I'll find someone.

What field of animation are you looking for mentoring in? 2D, 3D, 2D digital, stop motion?

Flash Character Packs, Video Tutorials and more: www.CartoonSolutions.com

I apologize =) Silly me. I read 5th quarter and I "read" 5th year instead. Kind of a difference. My bad.

Preferably 2D animation, I've only just begun with 3D modelling classes, and I think I should have a strong 2D foundation for 3D. At least, that's what I've been lead to believe. I'd like to be involved with character design or something like that.

Hey, cool beans. Check this page out (I'd give you a direct link but this has bandwidth options)...at the bottom under Animation Presentation.

In case you haven't seen it, it's a very cool couple-hour streaming video with Chen Yi Chang, a character designer from Disney. He lectures for a while and at the very end critiques a few student submissions. Very enlightening, at least if you're like me and couldn't find hardly any specific information on the subject.

http://video.csupomona.edu/streaming/asc/asc_index.html

Hey thanks alot! =D

This might sound a little ignorant but couldn't you go to a professor in your school for advisement like that? I mean that's what you're paying them for, right? I would start talking to a trusted professor, first.

I did, and this was what she advised to me... she told me to reach people not at school that can provide me with another type of knowledge. School can only teach so much, she firmly believes I should find my mentor elsewhere, a fellow student or someone already out in the field.

I did, and this was what she advised to me... she told me to reach people not at school that can provide me with another type of knowledge. School can only teach so much, she firmly believes I should find my mentor elsewhere, a fellow student or someone already out in the field.

Okay, I guess that makes sense. For me that would be next to impossible because I live in the middle of nowhere but I bet that wouldn't be difficult if you had a good location like the Bay area or something.

I dunno how great Pittsburgh is with contacts and the like... I'm trying to slowly establish friendly relations with people all over... and not act like I'm stalking them. XD