- Posted
- Mar 8th 2009
- Mood
- Blank
- Music
- Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
Howdy fellas.
I know not a lot of people watch me here on sheezy, but if even just one person reads this and gets something out of it then mission accomplished.
Kay, sooo I just got done applying to an art college for a scholarship and sadly I was turned down. Why you might ask? I believe it was because of an image that I drew that happened to look similar to a picture I referenced.
I have been to many art college fairs in my time and let me warn you guys now, they all preach the same thing: If you do not submit 100% purely YOUR OWN WORK (as in it was NOT drawn off of another picture, especially if your "reference" was just redrawing the same picture and then changing the looks of the characters so they were your own) the colleges WILL be able to tell and they will not like it. D:
I've been told too many times before that they want an individual's own style showing through their work, even if it looks really crappy. It's still your own.
So please people... if you are planning a career in art let me tell you from experience, even ONE picture in a portfolio for college or work that is re-drawn from another picture (I'm not talking referencing PHOTOS, I'm talking about referencing fan art, official pictures, sprites, bases, etc), traced, or anything like that is pretty much an automatic no-go. :<
Another thing that I've come to learn is that they do NOT like fanart because it's not your character... The same goes with styles. Even if you are a MASTER at re-creating an anime style (like... you could draw a picture that looks exactly a cell or screen shot from FLCL) that does not impress them because they can tell it's not your own ORIGINAL style. Gaaahhh... *pushes her fanart works out of her portfolio folder and sighs*
Yes, it's frustrating, but I DO understand where they're coming from. Even if by some miracle a person's re-drawn, referenced, copied work, or fanart get them accepted into college AND gets them a scholarship what's it for? When you get to college you will NOT be allowed to draw off of pre-existing images (spare for PHOTOS) and your TRUE art talent will come out and be nurtured to grow into an amazing thing.
Guys, I beg of you.... DON'T try to hide behind a mask, no matter how self critical you are. Really, I've met too many people with amazing art talent that, instead of pouring their hearts and souls into creating their own styles (yes, it takes time... but it's WORTH it because it's YOUR OWN!) trace or something because they don't like their own personal style. Honestly guys, don't be discouraged! TRUST ME, colleges, future employers, and people in general will be a LOT more impressed with a picture of a deformed human character, a lumpy kitty, or a tree that looks like a bean bag chair than a picture that you might have poured seven hours into "drawing" and coloring but in reality you just redrew another image, changed the hair, and called it your own.
Thankfully I only had one picture in there was was even just SLIGHTLY referenced.... still they caught it. I wonder how many people have tried submitting full portfolios consisting of nothing but redraws of screen caps and stuff? D: I feel really bad for them!
Anyway... sorry for this little rant type thing. Just a little warning for you guys if you're seeking a career in art but haven't drawn a picture purely on your own. Honestly, I'm not saying that redrawing pictures is bad, I think it's a great way to PRACTICE your art, but the second you stop crediting the true artist and start claiming that it's your own finished and completed work, that's when you need to stop. If that kind of work is all you depend on for your art life, in my own personal opinion I think you should stop. Really. Just stop. You CAN'T use that to get into college and you CAN'T use that in a professional career. Nobody cares if your own ORIGINAL pictures suck... for all you know what you consider terrible looking could be what the world considers the next masterpiece! (just look at some of those goofy looking shows on Cartoon Network that made it big!)
So, if I have offended anyone through writing this, I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to be a personal attack or anything, just me kinda venting as well as warning people about what college and future art careers really demand. Don't let what happened to me happen to you! I have learned a lesson and I hope I have taught you something!
-----
In other news... Naka-kon is next Friday! WOOOOO! *boogies*
Good luck with your future art careers guys!
Stella luffs you!!!!
th351 Says:
Well, if anyone gets offended by this, by all means... "TUFF LUCK, THAT'S LIFE FOR YOU"
;
;; I love her, and if one day something does happen, I can us her. Same as Buff, I’m completely changing him into a bunny/dragon. Even thinking about changing this colors, since neopets is famous for the ‘solid colored coats’. (even though it would be hard to imagine him NOT blue 
; ) And Cash, and Spaz, and so one.
If they can't even take this, I strongly suggest turning their noses to a different field, because you’ll be beat'n by these crits EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I understand completely. Back when I was a sophomore in high school, I don't know if you remember, but I got nominated out of a few in the Jackson county to have a chance to go to the college for a month and take art classes there (FREE). I lost, but those rules they've posted were so strict, and at the time all the completed art that I've done was Sonic fanart. All of my originals didn't have as much ‘spice‘. If stood aside from that for year ahead, I'd probably would have won that contest. :[
Anyway, I had the opportunity to meet new art teachers over the years, listen to them, observe waht they do. And each one of them told me this; "it HAS to be original" "Did YOU make this up?"
From my experience...It's very, very difficult to get out of a certain style when that's all you've been drawing all your life. It took me awhile to get out of that "Sonic style". Not that’s a BAD thing. Everyone starts somewhere, in this case making up fan-stories, characters, whatnot. It was fun. But adding too much of it with a ‘career’ in the mind isn’t.
Copying anime I'm not sure about...there's such a long range of styles with that. Different eye shapes, different ways of drawing folds, details in the hair. But I can see referring to well known character/s, copy paste different parts...My best example is that AFW mascot, which every time I stare at makes me cringe lol. @__@;;;;
Yeah. o_o
The art field is a very risky one. There's no true answer if you'll be successful, money can be bipolar, your crits will be watching your every move, and most important, there's no such thing as an artblock. Eh.
So... o.o Whenever you can, when making or drawing characters...or even making art...use your own ref pics. Pictures that YOU took.
Of course you can pull up a few on the internet, but that's really risky. o_o and you have to make sure that is doesn't make the viewers think twice. Never, (AND ASK THE ORIGNAL ARTIST FIRST FOR PROMISSION LAWLZ)
That’s also the reason why Stilly isn’t an Ixi anymore.
Whoa, I'm repeating what you'd said yay. c: *hit*
th351 Says:
BTW, hope you have a blast at nakacon X3 TAKE PICTURES MY LOVE DEMAND DEMAND~
33 Raw~ *cling*