Search form

Sometimes you just feel like saying it...

9 posts / 0 new
Last post
Sometimes you just feel like saying it...

Hello, my name is Ray. I'm kind of new to the forum. I been lurking around the "So you want to be an Animator? Here's what to expect" thread for a while and a couple of other threads.

I'm peruvian. (So pardon me for any grammar mistake) I want to be an animator. (That's original right?) 2D, 3D, I just... feel very intrigued towards every animated long or short film, tv show or whatever, comic books, graphic novels also. Watching and/or creating stories and characters with 3D animation or drawing, or stop motion (you choose it) it's mesmerizing for me.

I just want to do it. I know the risks, but I just feel like doing it. I can't imagine myself doing anything else and that I will feel this passionate about.

I have a plan (sort of). I'm going to start taking classes on Human Figure Drawing, learn to draw perspective and the basics of drawing. Really put all my effort into enhancing that skill.

Then taking a class about Animation. I believe Animation Mentor, since that is one were you can take online classes, and got positive feedback by a lot of users. After all that it's finding the job if the world it's not over by then.

I'm not here because I want tips (although some would be nice). But I just feel like talking about this with somebody, and my parents certainly don't understand this and any of my friends either. So, I would love to get some responses about what I plan to do.

Thanks.

Courage's picture
Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it. - Salvador Dali

Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it.
- Salvador Dali

Hi Ray--

Your plan is nuts. It's insane. Crazy.

Your parents and friends certainly must think so, because they don't understand any of it.

And that's all okay.

Crazy plans are often the worthwhile ones. They stretch you and take you places you think you might never get to. Doing animation professionally is to "do crazy".
I don't know much about Peru, I don't know if there's an animation industry down there.
That does not really matter much though, because the tool you are using to read this is the same tool you can use to make your animation available to the rest of Peru, or the rest of the world if you like.

I think you've realized something about this plan of your though--two obstacles.
One being family and friends and a lack of support.
I have often said that doing animation is like........trying to build a flying saucer. People don't understand that either. Its alien to them because even though they see what a flying saucer is, they don't understand how it works, or how it is made.
Animation is the same thing. Your friends and family may see a cartoon, but its a complete mystery to them as to how they get made.......and they probably dismiss it all because they don't understand it.

And here you come along wanting to do this very mysterious thing.
So, yes, they are going to be VERY wary of this plan you have--they are going to try to dissuade you, they are going to just not understand it, no matter how many times you explain what it is and what the process is.
They will suggest something "safer" to do as a career--something THEY understand.
Its not because they are being cruel, but because they care about you a great deal and they simply go with that they know and understand.

That's okay too.

So, here's what you can do:
Learn something sensible.....like say, learn about money/investing or say, real estate. save up some money and then in a few years, buy a piece of property and manage it effectively.
This will do a few things--it'll convince your family and friends that you have a smart head on your shoulders, and that you can look after yourself well. They won't care then, if you want to take up something "silly" like animation, because you clearly show that you can do "something" they understand.
If they don't understand animation as a career, they don't understand how one can make a living doing it professionally. If you show you can make a good living at something else, they will not be bothered if you can do animation--you've proven you can take care of yourself.

The second thing is related to the first, and its about your measure as a talent and as a person.
Drawing and art is often seen as a frivolous pursuit. Most people..........don't do it very well. In the modern world, a lot of people have an association to drawing through childhood play, and so the emotional/intellectual myths about drawing professionally are that its easy and simple--and that anyone SHOULD be able to do it.
But that is far from being the case, because very few people have the talent to draw professionally.

So here's the question to ask yourself: how is your drawing? Is it approaching professional level, or do you have a long way to go?? I suspect the latter, given what aspects you said you need to learn about in your post above.

This is the part where what you have to bring to this really matters most.
And it is also the part where you need to take stock of your own feelings about this.

Is this an affectation? Just a pleasant dream you have about a career that seems like it would be "fun to do"?
Or is this a irresistible compulsion, a do-or-die feeling that you HAVE TO express, or you'll explode.

You need to be completely honest with yourself at this point.

How much do you draw RIGHT NOW? How much time do you devote to drawing in a day, in a week, in a month?
What kinds of drawings are you doing?
How complex or involved are they?
How close to professional are they?

If you are 'just drawing a little bit now"....
If you are just drawing every couple of days......
If you are just doing little doodles, or faces, or simply cartoons.....
If you are not drawing any perspective shots, realistic human figures, comic-book type drawings, accurate ( on model) cartoon type drawings--funny stuff, dramatic stuff.....
If your stuff looks a LONG way from professional and you are just dabbling with a pencil........

If that is what you are doing, you might want to reconsider your plan, because its not enough and you'll have a very difficult time.

On the other hand, if you are drawing all the time, almost every spare moment you have....
If you draw every day, as much as you can during the day, you are looking for things to draw all the time....
If you are drawing cartoon/comic book characters you love and you are a fanatic about making them look just like on the cartoons and comics....
If you are tackling all kinds of aspects of drawing......even if you are not that good at it right now......you try perspective and human anatomy, and things like light and shadow on a form....
If you are intensely curious about ALL aspects of the animation business. How cameras work, how to stage shots, how other artists solve drawing problems, what the working environment in a studio is like, storytelling, cinematic rules, drama, comedy.....music, voices.....scripts......everything, and how it all comes together to mean something....

If that is what you are doing......then your crazy, insane plan might just succeed.

Doing this kind of thing in an climate of little emotional support means you have to become stubborn about doing it. You never give up, never ever take "no" for an answer, and you maintain your intelligence and look for ways to get you ther answers and resources you need.

So, your plan is nuts. Its crazy, but if you go about it the right way, you can do it.
Good luck.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Drawing and art is often seen as a frivolous pursuit. Most people..........don't do it very well.In the modern world, a lot of people have an association to drawing through childhood play, and so the emotional/intellectual myths about drawing professionally are that its easy and simple--and that anyone SHOULD be able to do it.

A few years ago (sarcasm) someone drew some stuff on a rock and one of the greatest distinctions between man and animal was made.

In the modern world, theres alot of people out there who know there is this thing they cannot do to any degree, not even shitty little stickmen. And they are envious, and resentful! Something so monumental to being human, and they are completely in the dark about it. Relating it to 'childhood play' is just a defense mechanism.

..well thats my theory anyway.

Ive never met anyone who ever held the belief about 'easy and simple' though.

cool

step one:

Draw a lot. All the time. Every single day.

http://ben-reynolds.com
Animation and Design

Ive never met anyone who ever held the belief about 'easy and simple' though.

Probably never come across anyone that thought artists should work for free because they "love what they do" either, eh? ;-)
( I speak in jest)

Over my years, I've encountered about............oh, maybe half a dozen ignoramuses that openly held the above contentions. They didn't want to pay the rates asked for, got huffy and swore that their nephew could do the art for them for $25, or less.
To the last, they all uttered aloud to me " that the image they wanted was "so simple and easy to do" that they didn't need some jackass professional to charge them $250 (or whatever the fee was).
I had no problem letting them continue to think that way. I know a couple of them never got any art done by anyone.

I've had numerous people proclaim that ALL animation is done by computers these days, and that no actual artists are in the loop anymore.
Sure.

The others that feel that way tend to be people around the artist; family and friends that mistakenly believe that being a professional freelance artist means that person doesn't have a real job.
Because they work at home, the myth is that they can handle all the home-chores the "real" workers can't do while at their jobs.
I've gotten that rib myself, and I know many other artists that have as well.
Mow the lawn, walk the dog, shop for the groceries...........sorry, got art to do.

I've also seen people with more ego than talent churn out..........well.....shit, and believe it to be just as good as the genuinely talented artists' work. definitely distorted perceptions at work there.

Its such an odd, deeply personal and self-expressive craft cum business that there's bound to be all kinds of unusual feelings associated to it.

"We all grow older, we do not have to grow up"--Archie Goodwin ( 1937-1998)

Yeah,we just need someone who understand us,or some places where we could speak out or even cry out....It is really sad when we are alone.But you are not lonely anymore,because you are here, with lots of animators who can discuss,talk and laugh with you!;)
So, cheers!!!!

A sure fire way to get strange looks from your non-artist peers is to tell them you like to watch animation in slow motion, frame by frame.

Try it and watch the looks on their faces:confused:

http://ben-reynolds.com
Animation and Design

The others that feel that way tend to be people around the artist; family and friends that mistakenly believe that being a professional freelance artist means that person doesn't have a real job.
Because they work at home, the myth is that they can handle all the home-chores the "real" workers can't do while at their jobs.

I am definitely going to have to have a talk with a certain girl about that one... :)

i don't feel alone in here. its great to have such people around here. this is great

Dashquid
fatlossprofessional.co.uk
fatlossprofessional
mobilehelper
securetrip
whichpetcover
google
abc
facebook
craigslist