I need an honest opinion,

[freiheit]

Hello, my name is Melanie, I'm 21 and my ambition, like many here, is to be an illustrator, more precicely, I'd like to be a concept artist in the video game industry in my local area (there's about 5 compagnies arround here with one that I'm especially interested in)

but I'm a bit at a turning point in my life. For the past year, I've been in an animation program, because I though it could give me the drawings skills I needed to acheave my goals but up so far, it hasn't lived up to it's promise. None of the teachers know how to draw so far, and they seem more focused on independent films with paper animation. After a year, I have a certificate for a one year program...but I could continue to get a diplomat for a 3 year program... I just don't know if I should or if I ought to just for self-education. Up so far, all the progress I've done this year I did because of imaginefx, random internet tutorial and feedbacks on some of my drawings, here on conceptart.org.

I wish I could get advice from people who've made it, either after taking class or on their own on what chalenges and risk I might be facing with either decision... I know most of my friends and familly think I should stay in school, accually, i'm pretty sure my parents think I should do something else with my life, like nurse or something, but I don't want to so... I also have the option of maybe entering an other program, like perhaps art or graphic design...but even in those, I'm not sure i'll be able to practice the skills I'll need for the job I want to do.

this is the progress ive made on my own

http://freiheit.deviantart.com/art/bust-commission-55110038

5 months after;

http://freiheit.deviantart.com/art/The-princess-68269257

and my gallery: http://freiheit.deviantart.com/gallery/

am I improving enough? Do I stand a chance? Thanks for anyone who can talk this through with me, I just don't feel anyone from my entourage could really help me out on the subject.

[Gundersen]

from your gallery it looks like your most interested in Character design. But i think you would need to study other aspects of concept art, such as environments, architecture, industrial design...

And secondly, as Jason Chan mentioned in his latest video, look at contemporary art and keep up with todays styles!

[Atlantis]

If you haven't, you ought to do some searches through the archives on this forum for posts by el_coro, Jason Manley, Android, and some of the other founders. Lots of people have asked questions similar to yours and much good advice has been dispensed over the years.

The basic gist of it is usually that no school can give you what you need, which is practice and will.

I wouldn't put too much importance on the school, myself. For every person I've talked to that had a satisfactory educational experience, I've seen 30 others who got nothing out of it but debt. It's really all up to you.

Your work isn't bad; your portraiture is pretty decent but I don't see any evidence of great anatomical knowledge, which is important. Like Gundersen said, branching out your skillset beyond figurative work would also be a plus.

I know that feeling of self-doubt, but don't worry about your chances; just commit to making it and you will.

[freiheit]

thanks you two,

Gundersan I was working on a picture with a less character horiented themed picture, but you comment made me re-think about the backgrond and I'm trying to pimp it to show off my scenery skills some more. I know I should be a jack-of-all trades (drawing-wise) and be able to make complete pictures, with background/achetecture, I'll kick my lazy ass to do it more often.

Atlantis I'll be trying to find the threads your talking about. I didn't expect school to do the work for me, I just expected it to you know..give me some tips and guidance, provide me with teachers who'd be competant to answer my questions etc. My anatomy's so-so, it isn't horrible, but it isn't up to where it should be, I've started attending life drawing classes after school hours for that, hopefully, it will come with time and practice. Thanks for cheering me up. ^^