# Is anyone here a professional artist?



## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

I was just thinking that a lot of the more common types on this site are theoretically ment to enjoy creating art. And you all know you want to throw off societies shackles and live your dreams of an extravagant bohemian lifestyle in a downtown loft in the cultural quarter. So, with this in mind how many of you have actually made it, is anyone a professional artist? Or working towards it, maybe tried it but decided it wasn't for them? I'm eager to find out.


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## whist (Apr 16, 2011)

Well...I go to artschool. I wouldn't say I've "made it" but I'm working on it. Does that count for anything? XD


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

Of course it counts, makes my thread look less lonely and pathetic for starters. What sort of artschool? And what sort of art do you do, if you dont mind my asking?


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## Zugzwang (Aug 21, 2010)

I am looking to get into an art school next year, and hopefully become an professional artist about 6-7 years later 
If not, then a design school. I'll do whatever it takes to become an recognized artist one way or another, even if I have to do it without much schooling. Its hard to get into any of those schools...


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## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

I'm certainly no professional artist, and I may not even come under the definition of artist being used in this thread, but I have had three poems published nationally here in the UK in poetry anthologies (a fourth was published when I was fifteen, but was only in a local anthology of poetry written by school students).


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

Zugzwang, good luck, if you ever have any questions about art school or applying to them give me a shout, I'm feeling helpful. What sort of artist are you interested in becoming? 

Thats not bad going Skycloud, do you write often or is it more of a hobby? Also, out of interest, how does one get published, do you need to send work in for judgement or do the publishers approach you somehow?


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

I went to art school, but it wasn't what I expected. It was mostly about how to sell out and obey the people who pay you rather than about how to create interesting, creative things that had meaning. If I can find a way to make others want to pay me for the art I enjoy making, then maybe I could become a professional artist, but if not, I would rather go without selling my art than corrupt it just to make money. I would rather sell myself in ways that didn't take something that important away from me.

I have sold a few paintings at art shows, but I am not a professional.


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

What sort of course did you take Snail? If you dont mind sharing. Seems you were looking for a fine arts type course? It's really, really hard to make it in that field, because that sort of art is so personal to the maker, sometimes it just doesn't resonate with many other people. Keep creating art for yourself, theres too many burnt out artists trying to please irrational clients as it is.

That said, I'm going to try the gallery/art show scene myself in a few months, should be an experience.


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## whist (Apr 16, 2011)

Challenger said:


> Of course it counts, makes my thread look less lonely and pathetic for starters. What sort of artschool? And what sort of art do you do, if you dont mind my asking?


I'm not entirely sure what you mean by what sort of art school, haha. A college that teaches art? I'm majoring in computer animation, but its not quite an animation school as it does indeed have other art majors. Honestly, it sounds terrible but I don't really have a good grasp of what sort of art I want to do. Something that makes people happy? I'm hoping college is going to help me figure it out. I know I definitely want to work in the animation industry though, hopefully in film if I get lucky. But as long as I can do art, I'm going to take whatever I can get.

And wow, good luck with the gallery stuff! :0 What kind of art do you do?


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

@whist

Ha, yes, that is what I ment. I was just wondering if you were going to go to an Atelier or specialized art school of some kind. Computer Animation is going to be hard work, but so worth it if you can pull it off, theres so many opportunities around now. I'v been meaning to mess around with some software sometime. College is a great place to work out what you want to do, they should have various workshops so you can try new things and decide what you really enjoy. Maybe start making a few animations now for practice if you are not already? I can link you to some great animation resources if you like. Good luck man, I love animation.

Thanks! I actually do a lot of different things, I said college would help you decide what you enjoyed, but for me it actually just opened a ton of doors. Doors which are all equally fun to run through. I dont know how to animate, but I can draw, paint and make 3D models. I really enjoy character and creature design, with a cartoony 50's look, but theres so many things I need to seriously sit down and study. Jack of all Trades and that.


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## LotusBlossom (Apr 2, 2011)

I am, actually, but I still am not 'living your dreams of an extravagant bohemian lifestyle in a downtown loft in the cultural quarter' yet, lol....maybe one day XD


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## whist (Apr 16, 2011)

@Challenger
Oh wow I've never heard of an Atelier before, I had to look that up. XD I've done some of the oldschool traditional animation with the lightboxes and everything but nothing on the computer yet. Hoping to get started a little on zbrush over the summer though. I'd love to see those animation resources. 

Ohh that's really cool! What kind of 50's cartoon? Like... the Looney Toons? Or the experimental stuff like Gerald McBoing Boing? (if you haven't seen it, its a pretty cool 50s short) And being a jack of trades is awesome, imo. Gives you different perspectives and all that.


@Kayness

I don't want to sound like a creeper but I really like your art. 8D I don't really remember how or when I stumbled on your deviantart but your style is sweeet.


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## LotusBlossom (Apr 2, 2011)

@whist ...lol..wow really!? O_O what a small world lol! and thank you so much


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

@whist I'll send you a PM with some neato links, they are ment to be useful, they were for me and I'm not even an animator. I'd love to go to an Atelier, but they are few and far between. And expensive. I'll just practice on my own, practice all the time. My friend does traditional animation, I honestly wouldnt have the patience to faff around with a lightbox and so many drawings. You must have some skills!

Gerald McBoing Boing was great, the model sheets are so useful. Have you seen La Linea? Similar super neat old cartoon shorts. I love how they used to use silhouettes back then, I'm glad it's starting to become fashionable again, 70s and 80's cartoons, just, oh man.

@Kayness
Awesome! I'm still not really a professional, I sell work occasionally and am working on collaborations with some people, but I still have a part time job to tide me over, I'm not living in a cool downtown loft at all. If you made your avatar I am envious of your digital skills! My new aim, is to catch you up.


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## whist (Apr 16, 2011)

@Challenger
Aaah! Again, thank you so much for the links. I really appreciate it. @[email protected] I'm not too great with animation yet, to be honest. Just very, very patient. Hopefully I'll get better, though, since I've been practicing drawing a lot and studying cartoons frame by frame when I can.

I have seen La Linea, actually! Only in bits and pieces though, I had no idea it was a series. This is great, I'm going to spend so much time watching these. XD It always boggles my my mind on how character designers can get such effective silhouettes...I really admire people who can do character design well. What 70s/80s cartoons do you speak of? :0


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## MiGoreng (May 10, 2011)

I sell art on a regular basis. I know a lot of ENTPs who are succeeding in creative industries c:.


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## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

Challenger said:


> Thats not bad going Skycloud, do you write often or is it more of a hobby?


Currently more of a hobby, but maybe in the future I might actually write enough to do it as a full-time job.



> Also, out of interest, how does one get published, do you need to send work in for judgement or do the publishers approach you somehow?


I've sent poems to United Press, who are the company who have published the poems I mentioned.


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## Challenger (Jun 15, 2011)

@whist Watch some of the original episodes of Scooby Doo, from an analytical standpoint. Horrible, horrible animation quality. Flesh coloured eyes and reused poses and backgrounds everywhere. Same with shows like He-Man and Transformers. It's not on purpose, it's because they had a tiny budget and the studio kept pumping out episodes without giving the animators any leeway to work off model, or the time they needed to make it. Thankfully it's awesome again now.

@Xee Neat, mind me asking what? I can see ENTP's being good in creative fields. Yeah, makes sense now I think about it. 

@skycloud86 Ace, well good luck if you decide to go for it! I don't know anyone who writes other than as a hobby, it must be pretty great to do it full time if you could manage it. Thanks, I will make a note of them.


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## LotusBlossom (Apr 2, 2011)

people of any type can be an artist/ succeed in the creative fields. Among my artist friends there are ISTP, ENFJ, ISTJ, INTJ, ISFJ


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## MiGoreng (May 10, 2011)

Challenger said:


> @_Xee_ Neat, mind me asking what? I can see ENTP's being good in creative fields. Yeah, makes sense now I think about it.


What I sell, or what creative industries?

And yeah, I think creative fields give us enough variety to keep us interested for longer periods of time. They're less likely than a lot of other careers to get tedious.


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