Paid Internships and Apprenticeships

[Quasi-almost]

Hey CA! I'm looking for...

Paid internships and apprenticeships that are hopefully long-term, in illustration or animation, are in the US or Canada, and available to High School Grads. They can be with a studio or an individual,group of individuals, whatever. Anyone know anything about them that fit the latter requirements?

College is way too much money, no matter how you slice it, I really just want to learn how to illustrate or animate on a professional level- I believe this may be a way to do that. Please give me any input on this, as long as it's pertaining to internships and apprenticeships, any information you have will be truly appreciated.

[Meloncov]

No one is going to pay you to teach you. While payed internships exist, you're only going to get them if your work is already at a professional level. Generally speaking, internships teach professional practice (that is, working within the community of a business) but not much by way of technical skills.

[Quasi-almost]

Meloncov:Thank-you, I do realize that they are paying to teach me, which sounds fairly illogical in the employers point of view, but I am not looking for them to teach me technical skills. A small fraction of employers do fit into the category that I have specified, however, and I intend to find them. Honestly, I could care less about the money they would pay me as long as I had food to eat and a place to sleep. I would be a fool not to at least try to find someone who would fit into my specifications, would I not?

[Meloncov]

Meloncov:Thank-you, I do realize that they are paying to teach me, which sounds fairly illogical in the employers point of view, but I am not looking for them to teach me technical skills.

But you need to learn technical skills, either on your own or from a school (even a cheap community college). Your work is very good for a high school student, better than mine, but not particularly close to professional level. Until it is, your not going to get an internship unless you have some ridiculously good connection.

[Elwell]

College is way too much money, no matter how you slice it,
As Melocove said, no one will pay you to teach you, but you may not have to pay them as much as you think. You'd be better off looking into scholarships.

[Quasi-almost]

Meloncov:Thank you, You are correct, I do need to learn and better my technical skills. I believe however, that all artist no matter skill level must continue to learn technical skills, and that said technical skills will never be complete. In other words; Yes, I do need to learn technical skills, but don't we all? I must say, I have seen some work of people who have acquired internships and even jobs with skills well below that of a professional. I am resolved to try with my utmost effort to get an internship/apprenticeship while continuing to evolve my art from where it is now, when I get it, I will consider your reasoning of it as being "having really good connections". Thank you again for your insight Meloncov.

Elwell Thank you. It is true I will be better off looking for scholarships, and I still am. Yet, I have chosen to look into this possibility for now, I don't believe in giving up before trying.

[Justin.]

an internship is not a student position, fyi- It's a labor position. You (might) learn at an internship ; you aren't taught. Your request from the first post is alot like asking "Does anyone know where I can catch a fish?"- the point being if you knew how to fish, you wouldn't have to ask this question. Actually, you phrased it less as a question and more of a "search query".

meloncov is way more on the right track. I'm going to give you a break and say it bluntly; at this point the only way you will get an internship is through a really good connection. There are hundreds- if not thousands of people in the same boat you are, and- no offense to you, but their technical skills are a vast amount above yours- and from an employer's perspective, an intern has to work on actual GAME assets, which means the art needs to meet at least a minimum standard. If I were you I would opt for community college for a year or 2 while you go hardcore on your art, then try some more.

[RyerOrdStar]

An internship is more about practicing the skills you have previously been taught in a professional work environment.

[edds_bestfriend]

most internships require that you have atleast 2 years of college (usually 4 year college) first. and a lot of them arent paid.
what i suggest you do is get an actual job and find a gallery or something of an artist you like or that shows art that you like and offer your help for free.

[Quasi-almost]

Justin.: Thank you for the advice.

RyerOrdStar:Thank you for the advice.

edds_bestfriend: Thank you for the advice.

So, so far I'm getting go to college/go to a gallery/go learn independently because your skills do not match up to what an employer wants in an intern(right now). Justin is right- I am searching and my first post is alike to a search query because of this. I'm searching for something that doesn't exist, and if it does- I wouldn't get it. I don't think you can blame me for trying ,however, can you?

I'm looking into many alternate pathways into illustration and animation outside of college, and I do believe that there is one that suits me out there.

[RyerOrdStar]

The thing is, what you're asking for is not an internship. You're asking for a job. Ie, you have certain skills at the moment, you wish to use those skills for the benefit of the employer and get paid for your work. There are places that will hire you, no doubt. People get hired all over the place all the time. But to receive instruction is something an employer just doesn't have time for OR doesn't know how to give. And someone who can give such expertise is unlikely to want to give it, since they either, can do the work themselves or hired you to do the work because they have no time.

Now, if an apprenticeship is what you're after, then first you can forget about being paid for it, since as an apprentice you are assumed to be lacking in the skills needed to be worthy of being paid, and second, it will be much harder to get one in the gaming industry. You may find a fine artist who is willing to take you under their wing, but what it seems you want is an illustration education.

You could just stay out of college and do the work on your own. Go to life drawing, draw your hands some more, take assignments from here and do them on your own. If you get good enough, make a portfolio and start looking for a job. Or, if you want to call it an internship, you can shop your portfolio around for that. But to expect it to be paid is a slim shot at best.