Animation or concept art? Need help..

[Coen]

Hey people, the last couple of months (or years? I don't know) I've been wandering around not really knowing what to do.
I gotta do something with art, and I'm pretty sure I figured out it will be a choice between animation and concept art, but I love both of 'em. I think it's best to make a choice for now so I can fully concentrate on 1 thing, or am I wrong?

The biggest con I can think of for animation, is that it may be involved with very much technical stuff. That's one of the things I love about concept art, it's pure drawing and painting, not too much complicated technical knowledge involved (like software and other mathematical things).
In concept art of course, things like composition, lighting etc. could be considered as technical as well, but it seems like another kind of technical.

Another thing I could consider is job opportunities, I got the feeling it's more difficult to get a job as concept artist than as an animator. I could be wrong tho. Concept art feels like a more complicated and overwhelming learning process, and hard to progress in a structured way (especially without education, which I'm not sure of either, hard to find a good and affordable school here in the Netherlands).

What do you think about this? What are the main differences between working as a concept artist and working as an animator? Other important things I need to think about?

Thanks alot!

[Storyboard Dave]

Just because you decide on ONE major doesn't mean you can't take other classes to supplement your skills. Both of these categories overlap in so many ways so don't worry so much about segregating them. Ultimately it's what you show in your portfolio and what path you want to pursue. Your animation skills will help you as a concept artist and your conceptual skills will help you as an animator. What matters most is your passion towards one or the other.

[Coen]

Storyboard Dave - I think you're right indeed, it's just that it's pretty hard to structure my process, maybe I should get to some sort of school anyway.. I know some good ones in the usa but I don't think I can afford that. I guess I'll just focus on both, with majorly concept art.
I feel like I got alot more to say, just can't come up with it now..

[aesir]

it also seems like you have the mistaken impression that animation gets really technical. It really doesnt. You have to learn software, sure. But its not like you need mathematics for any of it. Its mostly just learning what buttons do what.

I'd also suggest you follow both paths. Concept art is mainly about building up your artistic ablility, which is also the most important part of animation. Learning the extra bits to fill out each of those fields isnt nearly as difficult as becoming a strong artist.

[Coen]

Alright well that sounds good, just like I want it. The only thing I gotta figure out now is education: Do with or without? I really feel stuck about this, it seems hard to find a good and affordable school.. Maybe I should make my own path, if I can.
Thanks for the tips so far, great help!

[alxcote]

The way i look at it, i went in animation and i still get to do coneptart on the side and improve on my own. I didn't go into illustration/concept art because i knew it would of been alot harder to get into animation on my own. Plus animation/film is like giving life to your art, nothing beats that. :)

alx

edit: also, they're both hard.. it's how much do you really want to become one that'll make a difference in the end.

(just my half a cent)

[Coen]

alxcote - giving life to your art is indeed what's cool of animation. To me it's like, when I see a wonderful painting or illustration I feel like I'm sure that's what I want, then I see a wonderful animation and then that's what I want. Same thing for music.

Thanks for the tips :)

[Sapphire]

Heyas! I would have been going into my senior year at my state university, but I just decided to transfer to Digipen to really solidify my skills at concept art and learn new ones. Something I keep hearing is that, to be a great concept artist, you need to have a fundamental knowledge of everything your art is going to be used for. For example, it helps to know animation when you're designing a creature, so that you can figure out how its walk cycle might work, and what muscles function in what ways. Me, personally? I find concept art to be the most appealing, and even though I hear it's more difficult to get a job, I figure if I get some skills in everything, I'll be more marketable, but concept art is where my heart really lies.

I would also think about what really drives you and gets you excited about art. To me, concept art is just as magical as animation, because you create this drawing, and then you get to watch it brought to life. It's like every kid's dream, seeing something out of your head lifted off the paper. :D

[NoSeRider]

Animation requires being able to interpet emotion and motion.
Concept art requires utilizing your imagination and exploring other worlds.

If you can do both, you're golden.

[Coen]

Hey Sapphire, to me concept art is the most exciting too, but at the same time the most frustrating. I'm in the middle of quite a nasty period, I doubt way too much about things and I don't know what kind of education I'm going to do and stuff like that.

I really want to work hard on my skills but I'd love to go to a nice art school or whatever it may be. I know some great ones in the USA but money can be a problem too.. Wish I had someone to guide me or something, cause it's getting more annoying and frustrating every day.

[Sapphire]

Dude, I'm there with you, totally.

I had agonized over this during the three years that I was attending my previous school, because, although I was in the design program, and was taking art, I felt like I wasn't really growing at all. Anything I grew in was on my own time, and I didn't feel ready for the professional world and knew that the program I was in wasn't going to get me ready. As a result, I have to pretty much do an entire other Bachelor's Degree. Money's a real struggle right now, but I'm also excited, because I finally made a decision. Hey, maybe look into Digipen, if you're willing to move up to Washington state. I live here, so I'm lucky in that regard.

I can give you the email of the person there who talked with me, if you like. He's the dean of the animation department, and a concept artist.

[Coen]

So you're going to Digipen now and do fine arts? Good luck with it then man! :D I'll take a good look at the schools' site in a minute, I didn't know it yet. Would be great if you could give me that email, maybe it'll help me, thanks for the help!

[Sapphire]

Thanks. I'll be one of very few girls there... which should be interesting. I will pm you about the email.

[Coen]

That's cool, more girls should get into this stuff :D Thanks :)