A Multimedia artist with multiple issues

[Crevist]

Well I started to draw last little bit of grade 12 and have doing it for 3.5 years(with some progress). During that time I applied to college to an multimedia program(photoshop,illustrator,3D max,cinema 4d etc)and I feel like I explored too many styles of artwork and application I had very little time to get good with any particular one. Feeling kind of under pressure constantly especially when I graduated a 4 months ago with very little good material to show company's/clients in my portfolio.

Artwork examples from sketchbook
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=138824

Deviant art page more art/flash in the scraps if it seems a tad small
http://crevist.deviantart.com/

so to sum it up I have these issues:
1. need some advice on how to practicing artwork daily
2. un-certain skill lvl in the business world
3. need to know the pro's and cons of my stuff (too many vague comments from deviant art)

any help will be appreciated :)

[Candy Rain]

1) Try the Daily Sketch Group section, or any of the challenges that appeal to you. I don't have a scanner to upload my attempts at various challenges with, but I'm learning a lot from doing and observing people's work there and in the Sketchbook threads or the WIPs or the Critique section.

2) Your digital work is a great deal better than your figure drawing skills. I'd suggest trying to get work as a graphic designer, photo-retoucher et al and taking figure drawing classes when you're not at work to boost those skill sets so you can become more competitive. Alternatively, if you want to focus on digital effects work and not with concept art/illustrative art...then focus on those skills instead. There's a niche for every type of artist.

3) Your anatomy is focused too heavily on the outlines on the edge of the body and not enough on the form and shapes. Try breaking bodies down into basic simple shapes, using blocks of shadow and highlights as additional shapes to create the body. Your landscape of the lighthouse needs a clearer sense of where the light is coming from - the shadows and highlights on the buildings don't match what's going on in the sky.

[Grief]

2) Your digital work is a great deal better than your figure drawing skills. I'd suggest trying to get work as a graphic designer

ask if his phone has a camera feature, maybe he should be a professional photographer too.

design..... i don't want to get into a rant about it, but please, please leave it to people that have studied typography, graphic design and illustrative design, or at least to those who have dedicated their lives to pursuing it as a passion.

[on topic]

the rest of Candy Rain's advice is good.

buy a sketchpad, take it with you wherever you go. get one youre comfortable with, one that allows you to move around freely that isnt too small, and isn't too awkward that you can t keep it in a backpack or with you at all times. the best way to create a habit of using it is to establish a routine. make a commitment to allot a section of your day to nothing but the sketchpad.

cooking dinner? draw a still life while youre waiting at the table.
lunch in the park? stop by a bench and draw the scene.
driving home from work and see a oddly fascinating dead dog? pull over and draw it!
even if youre just walking down to the slurp n' go for a candy bar, bring that sketchpad with you.

draw from life. this will be the most beneficial thing you can do in terms of subject, as it trains your eye to translate information from a three dimensional world and how you depict it into a two dimensional representation.

keep exploring and never stop. you never know what you'll learn and how it can be applied to other aspects of your life and work.

keep the pencil moving.

[Candy Rain]

Oops, sorry Grief, didn't mean to step on any toes.

[Crevist]

Thanks to the both of you I'll give your suggestions a try :)