I'm back on my Calarts BS

[idrawstuffx]

As the title suggests, I'm starting to second guess myself like I do ever other week now. Just today, I had a heated discussion with my parents about art school... specifically Calarts. It was and maybe still is my dream school, and they want me to go to college badly. I want to make connections and learn how to animate there (and yes I'm aware that there are alternatives, but I want to go to this school to ensure a job). I have 2 years until I become a legal adult, so... I gotta act quick. "Then what's the problem?", you may ask.

My problem is my skill. I'm not skilled enough for Calarts. At least I don't think I am. And I constantly, CONSTANTLY make every excuse not to practice what's expected of me in the sketchbooks and portfolios. I think , "Oh, I have to do observational work? Skeletal and figure studies of humans and animals? I can't, because of quarantine! I have to have multiple mediums? I can't, because I can't afford the supplies right now! Calarts is too expensive!!1!!1" I go back to my goofy cartoon characters, unable to add realism or change my style in any way. I stifle myself, and it feels like time is running out.

My plan is to do a few commissions to make enough money to buy supplies. As for the figure studies and observational work... I'll draw every square inch of my apartment, look out the window and draw that. I have no clue about the figure studies. I surely don't want to attend one at this time, and I certainly don't want my parents to model nude. I can draw my owns hands and feet, but that'll only last so long. I don't have a pet, and I'm not even sure if the zoos are open to start drawing. And no, our neighborhood ism't filled with dogs or even stray cats. Bugs come around ever so often.

Sorry if this was a long and boring read. I just had to vent, to get on my grind.

[Kelheor]

Yeah, I clearly remember giving you a link to the YouTube channel with figure studies and people giving you other links. You need them, to hell with life modeling if you cannot have it.
It's okay to not want things bad enough. Especially as a teenager.
If you think you want to do it and it's your dream school, make yourself a schedule on what you have to draw every day and follow it like your God and Saviour. Chop-chop, right now.

You can do it.

[rumpenstiltzkin]

First of all - CHILL - take a breath.

you are young! Life is only slowly starting, you have so much time! You dont have to be the very best before youre even 18. So many dont go to art schools at all, and many not until maybe 25-30s.
I went to study 2D animation at VFS when I was 25 I think.

"Oh, I have to do observational work? Skeletal and figure studies of humans and animals? I can't, because of quarantine!

Internet will supply you with everything you need There are plenty of websites and youtube channel that have models for figure drawing. Just google any animal and you can get great anatomy study material.

(and yes I'm aware that there are alternatives, but I want to go to this school to ensure a job)

what kind of job is it you want and think you can ensure by specifically going to calarts? the art and animation industry is full of talents of different levels and im not so sure its the easiest industry to get a job in even with connections. Now im not so sure how calarts works tho, do you get to do internships there?

Its good to have goals, but dont stress your way there it wont help you in the long run. Take your time and learn the things you say is needed for the portfolio, do proper figure studys, animal and observational studys, learn them, dont just rush thru them! And hope youre having fun learning it too

[CursedBeasts]

I went to an online art school, nowhere near as fancy as CalArts but I was met with the same problem, especially in the last few assignments that I have turned in at the beginning of the year. and the way I figured it out is do studies from photos, as well my own hands and feet.

I used this site for human anatomy studies. I know they don't exactly recommend doing those from photos, but they are good in a pinch, and there are lots of different face and body types to practice on.

http://reference.sketchdaily.net/en

You can also look up Senshistock on DeviantArt if you want to practice poses!

You can also try drawing yourself while looking in the mirror.

As for environments, yea, drawing your apartment or the view from the window are good ideas, but also you can use photos as well!

And yea, choosing a college is really difficult. I went to a university and studied programming, and only after graduating realized that it's not really my thing and I like doing arts and crafts more. (it's still a useful skillset to have and I kinda know my way around some types of code lmao, so I don't regret going to that university for that program).

[rajillustration]

If memory serves you can only apply to Calarts so many times--so don't waste an application before you're ready and had some art teachers take a peek at it! It's a little bit like the law school of art. Some kids get there straight out of high school, but they generally had some help by going to schools with really good art programs. That's not to say that you have no hope--but that you shouldn't assume that because of your age, you must go NOW. Like you want to go when you're ready. Not just skill wise, but also when it comes to knowing how to learn to draw, rather than just knowing how to draw.

A lot of people grab their education somewhere else before going to CalArts, just being real--it's a tough school to get into if you're fresh. If you do get in as a youngfaced freshman, it also means you're at a strong disadvantage because some people there are like 28 years old and they have a degree in art already. I took some Maya classes at a community college, and several people were there on a track to eventually go to CalArts (and like me, they already had a Bachelors degree)--so Community College is a great way to build a portfolio cheaper, and you don't have to be a high school grad to take them. You also get to use student licenses on very expensive art programs so you get them for like...free almost.

Many people work for 10+ years in another industry to save up enough to go to an expensive film college like CalArts (a guy I went to high school with just recently did that to study screenwriting. Another guy I knew recently gave up his marketing job to go to LA to pursue acting and he's 34. I know it sounds like a wild long time when you're a teen, but good things take time. It's never too late.)

But I would take the time now--assuming that you're 16, to learn what the animation industry even IS. It is art, but a lot of it is more like management and a lot of it is...work I personally hate a lot. We tend to glorify animation because of cartoons and movies aimed at kids--but it's actually a very different workplace once you're there.

[Hazumirein]

I can't speak to Calarts specifically, but as someone who pursued art school straight out of high school...don't, unless you're positive it's what you want. It's a lot of money to spend on something you're not absolutely sure about. Consider taking a year or two off after HS or go to community college for awhile, which gives you time to build your skills AND decide if you still want to pursue art as a career. But, yeah, don't feel pressured to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life at like 16, and also, just a heads up, it's totally okay to change your mind later if you do start into a college program and find out you don't like it (like I did 🤪). Just be prepared for student loans to haunt you for years ahaha.

[bakasama25]

Based on the many pros went there, "It's a waste of time and money". The only real value is forming connections to the art industry.

[DiegoPalacios]

I am not familiar with Calarts, so i can't say how good or bad it is.

One could argue that if it's only useful asset is the connections, is not worth going. Contacts in the art industry can be achieved in a cheaper way if you know where to find artists. For example, here in the forum i've met a lot of skilled people.

[SleepingPoppy]

If you're not ready for Calarts by the time you are graduating high school, you could do a year or two at a local college and focus on your art and building a portfolio without breaking the bank. There is no "I must be X successful by Y age"! It's better to be flexible and give yourself room to grow and find a few different paths.

Personally I was really happy I spent a year at my local college and then transferred. I had great teachers, and I got a lot of experience in the areas I needed to help me be more successful at the state school I went too after. And even know if I was doing it all over, I'd probably change so much! You just can't predict it all, and thats okay.

[sarahmcsquish]

I'm no CalArts grad, but I did go to art college. Biggest tip; go to community college first. I regret I didn't. Go to a community college, take all those pesky general education requirement classes, take art classes, take anything fun you see. I went straight into art school, paid out the ass for general education classes with lack luster teachers, and had a friend who did what I suggested. She loved her community college, and once in art school was able to solely focus on her projects instead of juggling a project with an English final. You're young; take time to breath and relax.

[idrawstuffx]

Thank you! Yes, I do remember you giving them to me and thank you!

[idrawstuffx]

Thank you. But I feel like I can't chill since I only have a couple years left. My parents told me that these years are going to fly by I have to act fast lol

[idrawstuffx]

Whoa. I didn't know that. At all. Thank you for this information. Yeah, I feel the weight lifted off of my shoulders just a little bit. But I'm still going to work my hardest!

[idrawstuffx]

Thank you! Yeah, I love art (specifically comics) since I started drawing when I was 10. I don't really like anything else. My next option would be programming. I just want to make a good and solid living for myself after high school.

[idrawstuffx]

Oh, wow. I might just go to community college first, then. Thank you!

[irresponsiblepics]

My 2 cents (2 pennies as im a Brit)
Cal Arts is only good if you want to build connections. Think of them as agents.
It wont make you a better artist.

In my opinion I feel some education establishments can actually ruin great artists. Art is art. Its comes in many forms. Some education establishments teach you to conform rather than openly create.
Best lecturers I knew were open minded.

Want to get better?
Draw draw draw..it costs little (pen,pencil,paper)
Plenty of resources online and in libraries.

If you do want to head into a career in animation EXPECT to be doing other peoples work. That's just reality.

[rumpenstiltzkin]

You have a whole life ahead of you o_o

[Hazumirein]

Haha yeah I said exactly the same thing when I was finishing high school, "but I don't like anything else so I have to do art!"

I wound up kind of falling into a career in another field that I love, and if you'd told me at 16 that I'd be doing what I am now I'd laugh at you because it's so different than I expected. Just keep your options open, that's all I still did a webcomic for a lot of years and to this day spend most of my free time making art, so it doesn't have to be all or nothing.