by ifvictr on 11/9/22, 1:06 AM with 145 comments
by LiamHz on 11/9/22, 3:00 AM
Main changes I'd make to this article
- Agreed with others that I might be naive, but I'm 20 y/o and now's the right time to shoot for my dreams rather than settle
- I'm applying to animation school soon (Sheridan). I started coding when I was 12, I expect this career change to take a few years, and am in it for the long haul
- My worst case is I don't enjoy working in art, and go back to tech. I don't believe you can make a successful career change without going all-in
Happy to answer any questions :)
Made a little music video with some of my art if you'd like to take a peek
by eludwig on 11/9/22, 1:28 AM
I smile because I left commercial art back in the 80's to become a software developer!
More power to Laim and I hope it works out well for him, but I have my doubts. Working as a full-time (especially on-staff) artist answerable to an Art Director sucks!! Artists are not respected, paid terribly and just generally considered disposable. At least that's how it was in my day.
Again, Liam, go for it, but keep your eyes open going into it! Some things are better left as hobbies (which I do not consider a dirty word)!
by cercatrova on 11/9/22, 1:26 AM
- Reminds me of a GitHub commentor saying they left tech to build furniture out of wood ("I no longer build software" [0]).
- AI art might eat your lunch, especially in the concept art world. The main guy on Twitter who put out the thread about Stable Diffusion was a concept artist [1], and I think concept artists, graphic designers and generally non-fine-art artists will be hit the hardest.
- The part about a more diverse player roster was interesting given that ATVI use a tool for it, although not for Overwatch apparently [2]. Some people were outraged online (on both sides of the political spectrum) but personally I don't see a problem with it. People may not necessarily remember the various axes on which others operate (race, class, gender, sexuality, etc), so there's nothing wrong with a tool that can help people analyze that and create characters for that. It reminds me of the outrage doctors first had over needing checklists for tasks, but they actually do work when studied. They're just tools, nothing more, nothing less.
[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24541964
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32461138
[2] https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-creators-explain-they-didn...
by djha-skin on 11/9/22, 2:26 AM
Worst industry ever by all the accounts I've heard. Part of the compensation package is that you are working in the gaming industry. Long hours, lousy pay, ill treatment. Go for the art mate but pursue a different industry.
by atoav on 11/9/22, 7:15 AM
You are only 20. You should not worry about your age at all.
Art school is ¼ about the skills and tricks you learn there, ¼ about being forced to put something in front of others who won't be wooed by fancy eye candy, ¼ about creating and finding a network of people and ¼ being exposed to other styles of art. Some of those things are influenced by the size and location of the art school, some of those are influenced by how much time you can spend with your collegues and at exhibitions or similar. Make sure to go to a school, where people are better than you. Going there just to learn the handywork is a waste of time. You should go there to learn the skills AND to create a network that can help you get jobs after. Feel free to take on work during your studies.
Also: The things that matter when doing great art are mostly about the brain. And the ability to see the right way takes time to develope. Make sure to do something daily. Maybe a daily comic strip, a daily drawing or whatever. Put it online so you are forced to never skip a day.
by shon on 11/9/22, 3:53 AM
I’m 30 years (and one exit) into my career in tech. Still thinking about being a rock star… or at least learning to play guitar well enough to share it with people.
I still struggle with the question of whether to follow passion or money. I recently had an exit as the CEO of an HR Tech company. I’d love to make a Sci-Fi game. My old co-founder and I have it partially spec’d out. We love it and there’s much joy in building something like that.
But games are like movies… the audience is fickle and you can easily make a good game that is a total financial (hobby) failure. Where as another HR Tech startup feels… not like a total layup exactly, but like making a dish that you’ve made several times before, a crowd favorite. You know how to do it. You feel good about pulling it off. It’s not super fun content but at least it’s creating something and you feel like you can make something good that people will like, which means financial success.
Good luck to you. YOLO.
by danielvaughn on 11/9/22, 1:51 AM
by HiroshiSan on 11/9/22, 2:34 AM
Some resources that will help you a long the way:
youtube: proko steve huston steven zapata ahmed aldoori sinix
nma.art watts atelier schoolism
Try to find a local life drawing class and go every single week.
Animation specific check out Toniko Pantoja, ModerndayJames.
I'm currently trying to change my relationship to art from something I pursue to make money, to something I enjoy doing to fuel my soul. I haven't drawn in a couple months, but I've come to terms that it's something I'll always be pursuing, in what capacity I'm not sure, but art, is the coolest thing that's ever come into my life.
by cpsns on 11/9/22, 2:51 AM
by agumonkey on 11/9/22, 8:07 AM
by jayd16 on 11/9/22, 11:45 AM
>churning out code to solve problems I don't care about?
Career artists often churn out art they don't care about. Pick a job that solves problems you do care about! The trade is a separate choice.
As someone who works in games, I can assure you there are tech people that think about kindness, creativity, history, culture, art, emotions and aesthetics.
Ending with a quote from a Pixar movie is especially ironic considering they work on the cutting edge of art and technology.
I wish this young man the best of luck.
by rperez333 on 11/9/22, 4:48 AM
All the articles you see about the state of the industry are no hyperboles, my life as developer is a walk in the park compared to what I had to go through as an artist. But as your intuition already told you, not going all-in is a mistake. Ignore people saying to do this as a hobby.
It is not remotely the same thing, especially if you are ambitious and not taking this path because you had no better option.
by anm89 on 11/9/22, 5:59 AM
Something about this mindset never ads up for me. Sure, this sounds cool in your 20s or early 30s. (although does it? you don't want to eat out with your friends? go to the bar? live in something better than crappy apartments. things are expensive these days)
But what about when you are 60? When you are on this path you certainly aren't saving for a house. I mean art is better than manual labor or something in the sense that you are physically capable of going until much later in your life. But do you want to be grinding out cartoons to buy food when you are that age?
My gut is that:
1) a small number of people make these romantic visions work
2) A large number end up in difficult situations they regret. Some just a bit of regret but some in really bad situations.
3) They have money coming from the family or something like that in a way they aren't being transparent about that means there is really no choice to make at all and they are going to be fine no matter what
And nothing against people in group 3 either as long as they are honest about their situation.
by kyleyeats on 11/9/22, 3:12 AM
by pmoriarty on 11/9/22, 3:09 AM
When I make art I do so only to please myself and without any preconceived notions or intentions as to what it should be or what messages it's to convey.
It completely does not matter to me what, if anything, anyone else gets out of it.
by AHOHA on 11/9/22, 6:04 PM
by pushedx on 11/9/22, 2:03 AM
The general sense that I get from that talk about what it’s like to work in concept art is not sunshine and rainbows.
by 50 on 11/9/22, 4:14 AM
> Art [as a creation] does not imitate nature, it imitates a creation [or nature, in a Spinozian meaning, which is but an eternal activity of creation], sometimes to propose an alternative world, sometimes simply to amplify, to confirm, to make social the brief hope offered by nature. (John Berger, "The White Bird")
by user_named on 11/9/22, 2:03 AM
by aatd86 on 11/9/22, 1:56 PM
As long as you find that there is a vibrant market, go for it. But otherwise I would keep it a hobby and try to get wealthy enough to retire and only then, do it full time.
The best would be to be able to associate your hobby and your jobs so that your jobs feels like a hobby but also pays the bills.
The obvious intersection between visual arts and programming is video game making for instance.
by blondin on 11/9/22, 2:25 AM
that's my own plan.
by the way, concept art is one of the hardest, if not the hardest field in art. these people crank out designs upon designs. and if Feng Zhu didn't make an entire YouTube channel showing what they do, i would have never known they existed.
edit: well, other pages on his website suggest that OP already did what he said. good luck, pal!
by laserbeam on 11/9/22, 4:57 AM
One of my close friends went through a similar change from software to art. It took 4 years until she found her way and her audience. She's still not making much but she is much happier than when programming.
It's still going to be a hustle for you, but it's a different kind of hustle. And that's ok. Enjoy the journey!
by quijoteuniv on 11/9/22, 11:27 AM
by bluquark on 11/9/22, 2:43 AM
by samatman on 11/9/22, 5:13 AM
No, let me back up a bit. Go for it! Live your best life.
Signed, -About One Career Every Five Years
by lukeh on 11/9/22, 11:07 AM
by carlgreene on 11/9/22, 4:02 AM
Best of luck
by forgotmypw17 on 11/9/22, 1:31 AM
by Kukumber on 11/9/22, 1:20 PM
by Keyframe on 11/9/22, 4:27 AM
by langsoul-com on 11/9/22, 6:26 AM
Instead of being dirt poor and trying something creative.
by eBombzor on 11/9/22, 7:06 AM
by johndhi on 11/9/22, 4:10 AM
by block_dagger on 11/9/22, 4:02 AM
by LightG on 11/9/22, 6:05 AM
by ArtWomb on 11/9/22, 1:22 AM
I know people always say "we should start splinter group X". But a gallery for hackers to show off serious art is always welcome. Like Postmasters in NYC!
by lazerl0rd on 11/9/22, 4:54 PM
by emptyparadise on 11/9/22, 9:55 AM
by nathants on 11/9/22, 7:27 AM
by hi_its_trevor on 11/9/22, 4:55 AM