Got any words of motivation for an art student?

[Mocha]

So I just finished my first year of college in an art program. I honestly expected to enjoy it a lot more, but because of a mix of my declining mental health, a shitty condescending teacher, and failing some classes that I now have to retake (which will probably set me back by a year) I'm honestly feeling pretty shitty about myself and my art in general. After being so consumed with projects and not having any time for my own personal art and writing a billion boring essays I'm honestly feeling pretty burned out and unmotivated. Doesn't help that the only thing anyone ever wants to talk to me about is school and art, so I feel like I never get a break from the subjects that are stressing me out the most.

So.... any advice?

[heterodont]

my first year was the worst. I had bad priorities and barely made the gpa requirement to not be put on academic probation by the skin of my teeth, and the following year I had to focus like hell on getting it back up so I would not lose my scholarship.

Basically, the first two years are gonna be bad. All the professionals (alumni) that have come back to my school have stated the first 3 semesters were the WOOORST for them. Usually by your second year you're gonna start finding the groove of things and eventually figure out when you can sneak in some personal work or whatever else you need to destress! idk how your classes function but usually by the second year you can also start taking classes you want to take.

Don't beat yourself up too much over failing some classes either, it's your first year - people would be lying if they said they were completely prepared for the first year of an art program. I know a majority of my friends were all scrambling after the first year because one had failed two classes (and has yet to pass one of them and we're all moving onto our third year) and another nearly failed another class which I also BARELY passed.

As for shitty condescending teacher, that's unfortunately a common factor in many schools. My perspective teacher was shitty, he one time came in and told us "I had a bad week so I'm going to be hard on you guys." and almost made one of my classmates cry because he would constantly rag on his work throughout the semester. A design teacher I had in second year gave a friend of mine a B on an intricate, multi-layered laser cut piece that got put into the student gallery. You're gonna run into crotchety people in the art industry, so its best to just learn whats the best way for you to deal with them.

When it comes to personal art, I always try to doodle in my class notes. It gets frustrating not being able to do personal art but it definitely helps to try to manage your time. Setting aside certain time periods where you do homework for one class, then for another, or doing as much homework as you can during those times does wonders for freeing up your schedule. The sooner you start on stuff the better, basically.

and if you need to take a break from art, then just take a break! If it's not making you happy at the moment then there's no use in pushing it. Try experimenting with other stuff like writing, playing video games, or whatever else you can think of.

[scarlet_wings_kaili]

First year is hard! It's a huge transition and lots of people mess up so you're not alone.
Some things that I found helped me:
1) Marks aren't going to matter in the long run. While, you need to at least pass, what you get now isn't an indicator of your future art making. Plus some teachers are totally biased so whatever mark they give out is only their opinion and not actually an indication of "good" or "bad"
2) Focus on what'll improve your art and not the marks. There's this great movie called "the three idiots" and the main lesson of the story is that success follows passion.
3) Self care: Your mental health comes before your art. If you aren't feeling great, it will hinder you from your art. Also, food and sleep are pretty important too. Don't be my roommate who started hallucinating cause of her pulling 3 all nighters in a row..
4) Taking an extra year isn't "bad". You'll spend more money, but you'll also need to take less classes per year which is less stressful. Plus, you'll get more time to work on your projects.
5) You are not your art.

[Mocha]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all this, it means a lot to me!

[Mocha]

Thank you for the advice!

[LCT_m_a_d]

This is more words of motivation for your future self but it's good to start early. Most people who are unsuccessful in art fail for reasons nothing to do with talent or skill. They're pretty much all really good at something artistically. There are just some things pretty much every professional needs to develop. These are a few things that helped me turn around in my programming and art career.

1 - Art is a necessary commodity
I truly believe art is a necessity, not a luxury. Not every sketch or painting is a vital for human existence, but the ability to influence, demonstrate and record culture has always been a necessity even throughout history. Don't take yourself seriously as an artist. Have fun and be a normal person, but take your skill very seriously because it has serious potential.

2 - Success is built on calculated risks not just skill or talent
ANYONE can learn how to do the "fundamentals" of art. If you grind a technique over and over again eventually you'll get it. The thing is, people don't pay to see technique. They pay for the experience. Many artists are skilled but never learned how to leverage the unknown experience. But why would anyone pay for something they already have or don't want... right? It's simple, just not easy. On the other hand, we're talking calculated risks and not gambling. Gambling is blindly throwing yourself at a situation with no preparation (no learning or practice). Calculated risks are all about forging a new path using your preparations, skills, and knowledge to tilt some bad odds heavily in your favor. Don't try to be different, be yourself and people will eventually buy your unique perspective. Alternatively, start searching for things people say "I wish..." and provide in the form of art. You won't hit the ball out of the park every time but you are guaranteed to at least get on the scoreboard enough to stay in business.

3 - Preparation
When people buy your artwork, they are also buying your brand. Being a good or genuine person goes a really long way even in business. People want a sure thing and admire loyalty and honor more than . You need to build the person you wish you were. Develop a healthy lifestyle that supports your career. Health, habits, environment. Start making easy small changes that makes it easier for you to be who you want to be. Start with small easy changes. Make a summer reading list for yourself, eat a healthy snack everyday, find some interesting ways to get some cardio in. If you don't fully invest in yourself you will have to make some compromises. Not that compromises are always bad, but too many will make you wonder why you chose a path to begin with.

4 - Build a team
It could be a couple coffee friends to causally keep you supported. Maybe a personal assistant to just manage your career. Maybe find local talent and combine resources to start a ministudio. No matter what, don't try to do it alone. It's not about determination, it's about basic need.

[anitacomics]

Art school (college) was the worst for me as well, for similar reasons. I wasn't good enough compared to my classmates. My teachers weren't supportive as comics and illustrations didn't fall under the "art" section for them.

Always remember that you're going to school to learn. Learn your basics, and take as much as you can from art classes, even if they don't seem to pay off right now. You're basically setting fundaments; you're not required nor supposed to produce "good" or "relevant" work while in school. You'll benefit later, when you're less stressed and can actually make art as it's supposed to be.

You're also learning how to deal with your art. Some people are fine talking about it and drawing in every single minute of their life, some need breaks. If you can, take up a new hobby that has nothing to do with art, and meet new people who don't give a sh*t about art. It will benefit your art as well, having new inputs. If you don't have time for it...well, I used to lie about what I was doing with my life, when I was in the same situation. I introduced myself as a waitress without any specific ambition, so I could avoid the art conversation. It helped.

[mariusthered]

im now in my 40's and i have been around art since i could pick up a crayon, my advice to you is don't fall into the trap of trends and technology. Enjoy your art and express it in as many ways as you can with oil and paint and an explosion of color. if you are down try some new area of art, clay is always good for beating stress away!
I made the mistake of becoming a digital artist and while is was learning all the cheats with buttons and fancy brushes and software, my traditional art skills fell to the side. Draw everyday with real pencil and paper!

[Mocha]

Everything in the program that I'm doing is traditional art with the exception of animation, so I think I'm actually falling behind a bit with digital art practice. I know that this is completely different for each person, but I personally don't see digital art as "cheating" or being any easier than traditional art, it's just another tool to me. But in doing digital painting I find I've actually improved in traditional painting especially when it comes to colour theory and layering things for certain effects. I think it's important to have a balance of the two mediums.

[mariusthered]

Agreed , that's what i'm saying if you just turn to digital you can loose you drawing skills with traditional, not only that but i have found that with digital art you just seem to master a bit of software and something else comes along and you have to start learning that, unlike traditional , once you know how to use oil paint or water color it's with you for life as long as you practice .

[Luminosophy]

Honestly don't mean to take away from the topic but I got curious reading through this.

Have you (art students) found that art school was worth it? I've heard and understand all the cons to attending art school. What are the pros? Did your course help with job seeking in art related fields or did you just take it for higher education/ personal improvement?

[NickRowler]

Anything you study, be it art or other field, is going to have you do stuff that feels like "busy work".

My advice is...
-if you feel overloaded, then take fewer classes per semester. Some people can handle maxing out on classes, some can't. If that means you have to stay another year or take summer classes, then do it. Don't worry about finishing perfectly within 4 years.

-Take advantage of campus resources, be it the writing center or counseling.

-And above all, make friends. Having other people there can help keep you motivated. Having connections is helpful. And once you are out of school, there are not going to be people around to just chit chat like how it is in school. (The major thing I regret is not creating a strong social group in college, and now I notice I don't really have close friends...shit)

[kyupol]

Get out of art program. Get into something like welding or plumbing or any other trade where you use your hands. It is similar to art. And would make you at least $50k a year with a few years of experience. To start, youre looking at about $35k a year... And majority of people in these jobs have gray hair. Close to retirement. Not enough young blood to replace them. So you're looking at a ton of job openings and overtime to make even more money.

Still better than most art school graduates who end up working at fastfood or retail and have a big ass debt to pay.

If you really love art, do it as a hobby and not something you dedicate your life to. Cuz making a living from your art... you might as well try to be a famous actor or athlete.

Good luck.

[kyupol]

... don't make the same mistake I made...

Cuz if I only went into a trade instead of art school, I'd be a made man by now making probably $80k a year... I'd have a nearly paid off mortgage, paid off brand new car, etc.

None of this going into warehouse jobs where you mostly get disrespect from management and paired up with ex-cons... I had to bust my ass and prove my worth... that I'm not a druggie... that I'm not lazy... that I am respectful to the supervisors and managers... etc...

An uphill battle before I got somewhat semi-established at this point driving a forklift. The forklift driver gets a little more respect than the rank and file worker as reflected in his paycheck and benefits and more hours given.

It pays the bills... somewhat decent pay but nowhere near the salaries I have mentioned... I wish I could turn back the clock and just did art as a hobby. /sigh

[heterodont]

^ a little negative no lmao?

Art school is definitely not for everyone, but it's not a definitive dead-end like you're making it come across as. People at my school have been picked up by studios like Pixar and Dreamworks before they even graduated, and most others usually find jobs after 6 months.

Some people don't have the luxury of waiting that long, but there's always things like doing artist alley, commissions, or freelance work. Art isn't like any other job where you can stay with one thing for the rest of your life, you're constantly moving around as projects end - but the thing is, the more you work the more your reputation is built. The more people know about you and the demand for you grows.

It's also a piece of advice I'd been given, that you should never judge yourself on how successful you are in the first 5 years. You're still a novice in art, so of course people aren't going to be falling over each other just to kiss your shoes.

Much like any other business, art is HEAVILY reliant on marketing yourself and your skills. This of course, also implies that your skills have to be desirable to other people. Making investments, making sure what jobs are worth your time and effort and not just picking up any rando that offers you $100 for a bunch of assets they need drawn within That Week. It's also another reason why you can't say you want to be One thing and One Thing Only, you have to learn how to adapt and accomplish what other people want you to do. If you have a wide array of skills, it's easier to find jobs that you can qualify for.

Honestly don't mean to take away from the topic but I got curious reading through this.

Have you (art students) found that art school was worth it? I've heard and understand all the cons to attending art school. What are the pros? Did your course help with job seeking in art related fields or did you just take it for higher education/ personal improvement?

Personally it helped me tons in focusing my attention and managing my time. Not to mention I definitely feel a lot more knowledable on art as a subject and the fundamentals - for example I had no idea what a cast or form shadow was. Do I necessarily have a portfolio atm that I could use to apply to studios? Not really, but I definitely feel like I'm capable of doing so and have the confidence to achieve a studio job if I wanted to.

It also helps because you make connections with teachers and other classmates, and you never know who those people are gonna be. My acrylic painting teacher from last semester was classmates with Scott Robertson, Craig Mullins, etc. for example. Not to mention these are people who often have had experience in any industry you can think of, so it helps to have someone who's already experienced things first hand help you figure out what you want to do with your art.

Not to mention, colleges usually bring in employers during graduation or even prior to graduation - so some people get picked up before they even graduate.

[Mocha]

No offence to you personally but that is the absolute worst advice I have ever heard on the subject. Also where I live there are plenty of well paying jobs for commercial artists so I'm not too concerned about not finding a job I can live off of.

[kyupol]

No offense taken. Just sharing my opinion and experience on the matter. Didn't work out for me but it may work out for you

Have a nice day

[Luminosophy]

I ask because the only thing I often hear from students online is bemoaning how the art teacher didn't like them drawing from imagination rather than just doing the life study assignment asked of them, and/ or how they didn't get picked up by any big name companies like their peers did. But I also assume you're only going to get out of it what you put in. If you're wasting time ignoring course material you're not going to get very far.

Talking about Pixar and Dreamworks though, isn't that for 3D animation ? Or are there jobs for concept and storyboarding work that is 2D? I just figured those positions wouldn't exactly be plentiful. It seems what you're saying is that you'd need a clear idea of what kind of artist you want be, even within a general freelance/ gallery world. Like Graphic design is very commercial but the work is also soul destroying for different artists. I'm just wondering if it's of any benefit to comic artists, whether they do it for hobby or (intended) career. Or maybe they're better off taking something like night classes for life study and other segmented study.

[LCT_m_a_d]

Artschool is worth it depending on how you approach it.

I went to art school with a very specific set of things I wanted to make for a living. I wanted to make logos, CD covers, and designs for T-shirts. Every class I attended from art-history to 2d design I thought and journaled "what is one thing I learned in this class that will make me a bit better at making those things?". While doing that, I constantly bid on design projects and crowdsource contests.

My classmates who treated their art ideas like "products" and focused on refining thier perspective seemed to figure it out by either making it big or successfully pivoted to a career.

Forget about being an artist for a second and think about what products you want to make everyday and how can you make them so others would want to buy them. Ask yourself this everyday in artschool and odds are things will start to come together. Art school isn't going to teach you how to be a successful artist, but it will create the perfect environment for experimenting.

[heterodont]

Honestly yeah, if people ignore the course material because they want to draw what they want to draw - they're better off not attending any sort of rigorous art program. At my school teachers give a certain leeway to how much you can put your interests into the assignments. My friend somehow always manages to make her assignments revolve around her characters - but only when applicable like doing face studies for emotions, but she usually asks the teacher prior to doing so. It is just you get what you put into, no school is going to be a guarantee shoe-in into any industry.

And pixar, dreamworks, whatever other company still need 2d artists for concept art, color scripting, etc. 3d modeling can be expensive and these studios want to keep costs down as much as possible just in case the initial concept of the movie turns out to be a flop. Not to mention, in 2d its easy to hammer out concepts for character designs while 3d models would take longer to develop. Much like you wouldn't immediately jump into drawing a page without at least a thumbnail of some sort, 3D is basically the final rendition of a 2D ''thumbnail''.

I say if someone was interested in doing comics as a hobby or intended career, they may be better off taking night classes or other segmented study? I don't know many colleges, asides from SCAD which gets mixed reviews, that do comics or sequential art as a 'major' so to say. I'm in illustration so I'm developing a wide variety of skills that just so happen to aid me in comic making - which is just a hobby of mine. It's just otherwise where the person knows they want to do art as a career but aren't sure what where art school may be helpful (as long as its not any for-profit college or puts them in the hole)