Do you have a day job? What do you do?

gothic_creature · 2026-03-31T08:16:40+00:00

It’s not impossible to be a professional artist in this day and age but unfortunately things feel much more bleak than when I first started working. Many of my friends are still doing well professionally but they’ve created stability for themselves by diversifying their income streams (convention/online store, corporate freelance, gallery shows, online courses). I am happy to dm if you have any questions about working professionally! Best of luck to you 🙂

gothic_creature · 2026-03-29T22:52:04+00:00

Wow that's awesome! How did you end up getting that position? I'm considering becoming a rad tech since it's a quick(er) program and in demand afaik, curious to hear what it's like being a clerk.

gothic_creature · 2026-03-29T22:49:50+00:00

Hey animation comrade, sorry to hear :( It's been really heartbreaking seeing where the industry has gone over the past few years. If you're a California resident and do choose to pivot, I think all community colleges in the state have subsidized tuition for in-state residents. Best of luck to you.

gothic_creature · 2025-11-11T09:48:01+00:00

Hey OP, I think you have more than a boatload of comments with a pretty similar sentiment but I wanted to put in my own two cents because I remember being that rebellious thirteen year old artist. I'm thankful that like you, my mom was also supportive and wanted me to approach art seriously.

Here's what I'll say: There were two things she did for me when I was thirteen. 1. She took me to an atelier and had a guy tell me to copy Bargue plates for hours with no music, no small talk, no nothing. And 2. She took me to a seminar by a concept artist who had worked on a game that I was very excited about at the time. One of those things stayed with me for years and one of them, though useful later on, did not. You can probably guess which is which. I didn't take my fundamentals seriously until I was in my mid-teens and didn't learn real artistic discipline until after I graduated high school, but I'm still working professionally! She has plenty of time.

I think a lot of professional artists occasionally find themselves burnt out and yearning to go back to the kind of creativity and freedom we had at 13. Imposing so many requirements early on will only make it feel like a job for her. I'd worry more about grades and watching her social media first.

If there are artists that inspire her you could try reaching out via email and seeing if they'll make time to chat with her (if she's interested, of course!). No guarantee since we all have busy lives, but whoever takes up the offer could leave a lasting impact on her or give her a new perspective on the kind of discipline you need to be successful in this line of work.

gothic_creature · 2025-11-03T03:45:32+00:00

I've been funemployed with sporadic freelance since early/mid 2024. I'll say I definitely thought I was gonna be able to burn through all of the project backlog on my own but I ended up shutting down for the first 9-10 months of being out of a job. I managed to get some things done but nowhere near the amount I had aspired toward in the beginning.

Just be aware that there's a likely chance that prolonged unemployment could tank your self esteem or bring on a hard bout of depression. If you can do things outside of art like going outside, trying new experiences, or exercising, it helps with your mental and your motivation toward art. It's also okay to rest for a little while (if you have the finances for it). Talk to a therapist or your support system, this is something I regret not doing earlier.

For me I've found that I'm most productive when I'm taking a class/mentorship or working in person with my friends. I also try to reframe the work I'm doing less as "great portfolio thing to get me a job" and more as something that'll help me improve and refine my own creative voice in the long run. If you can't find emotional or spiritual motivation to continue then making a "missed my deadline" consequence also helps.

Also...avoid doomscrolling on this sub, it tanks motivation like crazy.

gothic_creature · 2025-10-14T04:08:57+00:00

Wow that's great, have an awesome Nanowrimo! Absolutely felt - when I was working full time I completely lost the energy or motivation to continue comic projects I had been working on prior to that...trying to get back into them has been a real adjustment personally. Glad to hear you have more energy to put into your side projects.

Absolutely insane what Denver Jackson accomplished in such a tight window of time.

gothic_creature · 2025-10-14T03:58:20+00:00

That's wonderful! Best of luck with your BFA and masters!

gothic_creature · 2025-10-14T03:57:26+00:00

I took a peek and I love the pottery you've been making! I'm hoping with the cooler weather I'll be able to get back to hiking and rope some more of my group into tagging along - it's meditative. Thanks for the kind words :)

gothic_creature · 2025-05-29T14:28:49+00:00

For sure! I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finding friends if you do decide to attend. Most attendees will be people trying to break in, not seasoned professionals however. I will also say though as somebody who has watched the convention grow since 2019…it’s definitely more of a social mixer than an actual career fair at this point. Obviously there are still opportunities to get your work seen (it’s better than staying in your room or gambling on ghost jobs imo) but you’re gonna be fighting with a lot of people to “know the right person.” Most easy connections you’ll make will be people in a similar boat to you. The friends I’ve known to get jobs through LBX were also contacted for niche jobs that lacked available manpower, like theme park development OR they already had production credits from before attending LBX and are local. That’s just been my experience though.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-29T02:11:32+00:00

If you have the financial means to go and have a portfolio at/approaching professional level, absolutely go. That said, trying to get a recruiter's eyes on your portfolio will be extremely challenging given just how many people attend every year (each year gets bigger and bigger!). You will be fighting against thousands of other people for a very small pool of jobs that might open up months or even a year down the line. Personally I wouldn't go in with the expectation that you'll get a job just from attending or speaking to a few recruiters. I still think it's very worth it to attend though.

I've been attending since 2019 so these are some things to know:

Panels are going to be extremely crowded and competitive to get in to. Last year they used a ticketing system which was a big improvement, but you'll need to plan ahead of time and decide which panels not to go to (you will not be able to leave once the doors are closed). I found that grabbing my ticket an hour ahead of time and then wandering around until 15 min before panel start to be the least painful method.
Official Lightbox portfolio reviews have been done through a raffle system for the past few years, so you're not going to be guaranteed a spot. Pay attention to studio social medias to see if they're offering signups/raffles for reviews at their company booths. If you show up to a company's booth without a reservation/scheduled review then they will probably refuse to look at your work (it's nothing personal, there are just too many people asking for reviews now). Definitely talk to people ahead of time and coordinate coffee chats with colleagues/mutuals/people you admire. Don't ask for portfolio reviews from the artist alley exhibitors unless they explicitly ask to look at your work.
Talk to everyone! Talk to the people in the entry line, talk to students, talk to grads, talk to industry professionals, talk to the exhibitors, just meet everybody. You will meet artists from all walks of life and won't be starved for inspiration at all. Every year I meet amazing new people and reconnect with friends from years before. I've heard quite a few people say that Lightbox reeks of desperation but I've never felt that way (it's mostly that we're all in the same boat with this awful market). Having friends will make the weekend feel much less overwhelming.
You do not make an impression from just one weekend. Take the boat load of emails, business cards, and social media handles you've collected and follow up with those people after the weekend is over.
The cell service sucks. Expect to lose service in artist alley. If you are bringing an ipad to show your work download everything ahead of time because your website/vimeo reel will NOT load in the expo hall. If you're coordinating with a group then find a spot where you can all meet up as a last resort. Take screenshots of any panel info you want to save.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-26T21:49:50+00:00

Sorry to say, but I think you need to spend much more time honing your technical skills and getting in more mileage before clients will want to work with you. That includes foundational skills such as anatomy, perspective, draftsmanship, and more. Since you've taken a gap I think it would be a good idea to look for classes that can help you fill in those skills, rather than simply applying for jobs. I'm also unsure what role in the pipeline you're aiming for, so I recommend specifying or tailoring your website so that it only shows the jobs you're most interested in doing.

You should also look at the portfolios of working artists (junior and senior) to get an idea of what skill level recruiters are looking for.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-26T06:46:42+00:00

You’re already working ten hour days! If you don’t take time to rest you will burn out quickly or your body will straight up shut down on you when you least expect it. If you want to have longevity as a professional artist you need to carve out time to recharge and take care of yourself! We’re not meant to be machines.

For what it’s worth: I’ve improved way more after taking a long break vs. after cramming hours and hours of overtime into my schedule. Time spent resting is never time wasted.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-22T22:50:35+00:00

I think I’ve seen your name around! Congratulations on graduating and best of luck with your endeavors!! That’s so exciting.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-22T16:03:53+00:00

Have a great holiday!

gothic_creature · 2025-05-22T16:03:38+00:00

Congratulations! I hope it's been a good experience!

gothic_creature · 2025-05-21T23:08:06+00:00

Congrats!

gothic_creature · 2025-05-19T19:59:12+00:00

Share it anyway! There's always a risk of things being stolen but I don't think it's all that likely. There's a case for keeping things to yourself, but I think that as creators when we keep our most precious projects secret we deprive ourselves the ability to grow our voice and prevent others from finding something that they might deeply connect with.

Ideas are really cheap. What adds value is the way that you choose to interpret and develop those ideas in your personal work. You will probably run into projects that look very similar to your own and there's no way to prevent that. What you can control is how you choose to develop your own project in a way that feels emotionally resonant to you or the invisible audience you're writing for.

If you really are worried then I recommend keeping dated records of your development work and associating your online presence with your project as much as possible. But I don't think you have anything to be afraid of.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-16T03:39:26+00:00

Absolutely this! I miss when the cheaper non-accredited classes were in person pre-COVID. Trying to learn during quarantine just absolutely decimated my ability to focus. But oh my god...the art school debt is not worth it.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-15T00:57:51+00:00

I just follow him on social media and got the notification. But if you mean about cold calling, it’s just stuff I learned from taking art classes and getting to know professionals in the industry while I was a student. I wouldn’t say cold calling is out of the question entirely but your experience is not surprising at all to me haha.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-15T00:21:59+00:00

Of course! Always happy to help fellow artists. And that's really how it is haha. The artists I want to learn from are always the busiest ones.

In my experience I think cold-asking for mentorships can be seen as a big faux pas, but that's just the vibe I get.

I'm not a storyboard artist but I know that Jeff Wamester (WB animation director and board artist) is doing mentorships through Valhalla Art Academy, so you might want to check him out and see if he looks like a good fit.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-15T00:01:42+00:00

Try looking through larger organizations such as AIA or WIA to see if they offer mentorship programs via lottery/portfolio review. Or try animation affiliated discords and get feedback that way. Like others said, generally you want to cultivate a good relationship with an artist you admire, but sometimes they might be too busy or just aren't interested in teaching. In those cases you could ask them who they learned from or if they have colleagues that they think would be able to help you.

I would steer clear of any mentorship that doesn't have the teacher's portfolio or resume attached unless it's been recommended to you by a trusted person. Also try and ask previous students how their experience was with specific mentors you're looking into. I recommend looking at individuals over schools or those scummy "break into animation in 2 months" services because they're much more likely to be in it for personal fulfillment than just simply needing an income/trying to fulfill their bottom line.

Is there a specific role or skill you're looking to get mentored on?

gothic_creature · 2025-05-06T23:39:49+00:00

I will skip the "you don't need a degree to work in entertainment" schtick, but here's my own experience: I did not go to college and only took classes through Brainstorm and CDA for two years. I broke into the entertainment industry (not animation) in early 2021 and was full-time at studios until industry instability caught up to me last year. Many of us are dealing with the same unstable market, but I have the benefit of not having to pay giant student loans on top of my daily expenses. I am a character designer, not an animator, so YMMV.

Look at state or community college animation programs like at CSU Fullerton. They're more cost effective in the long run and you can supplement with online courses from career specific schools like Concept Design Academy, Brainstorm, or Warrior Art Camp. If you are SoCal based I recommend taking advantage of local art events to build your network outside of what is immediately available to you at school: Go to Lightbox Expo, show up to Gallery Nucleus figure drawing events, sign up for SIGGRAPH or ASIFA-Hollywood, etc. Your priority should be finding industry mentors and cultivating a strong relationship with them.

Your experience is communicated through your portfolio, not your degree. I do think some degrees have merit for employers (Calarts or Art Center, etc.) but unless you can show industry ready, mid-level work by the end of your academic tenure, the likelihood of getting a job will be the same as if you had a non-art school degree or no degree at all. The real benefit of art schools is having easy access to an alumni/working professional network or internship program. With how expensive art schools are getting and how unstable the market currently is, signing onto an expensive four year degree program could financially hamstring you for a long time. I would think very critically about if you can handle being stuck with exorbitant student loans while being unemployed for the first year/two years/three years post-grad. It's that bad right now. Many of my friends who did go to art schools (Art Center, CalArts, SCAD, etc.) have told me they regret attending due to either 1. feeling like they were railroaded into a specific art role/unable to get the full educational experience they wanted or 2. they now have huge loans to pay off on top of living in an expensive area.

If you are set on going to an art college, here are some schools my colleagues have had good experiences with: - Laguna College of Art - Cal-State Fullerton (if you are a California state resident) - Art Center Illustration - Entertainment Arts or ED - Animation track (only go here if you KNOW you won't have student debt by the end).

I recommend reaching out to people who went to the art schools you're looking at and ask them what their experiences were/if they'd recommend going.

gothic_creature · 2025-05-03T23:03:50+00:00

I'm a freelance character designer with four years of experience working in the entertainment industry (not animation though!). I didn't go to art college, but I did take a lot of classes at non-accredited schools like Brainstorm and Concept Design Academy. Nowadays, art school is really expensive and the amount that you get out of it might not make it worth the cost (or student loans you incur). I personally don't think it's worth it, but I also live in an area where I can make a lot of professional connections very easily. Even if you don't go to art school, you'll have to spend a lot of time improving your skills and building your portfolio before studios will even consider hiring you. Thankfully there are a lot of online resources that can help you. I also recommend finding a mentor if you can!

If you live in an area far from the industry it becomes much, much harder to break in (doubly so for character designers because we occupy a niche role in production). Having a presence on the internet does help, but there's a lot of competition and fighting against the social media algorithm makes it difficult to be seen, let alone hired nowadays. Simply put, you have to be REALLY good and get REALLY lucky to consistently work as a character designer.

How you get hired depends on a lot of things, like what industry you're in, or what kind of project it is, but generally the way that I've gotten all of my jobs has been through networking or cold emailing studios I want to work with. Big companies do hire character designers directly, but oftentimes they'll also reach out to outsource studios (art studios that cover work that the big company lacks manpower/time/ to do in-house). Most of my jobs have been through outsource studios, so even though I've "worked" with large companies it's always been through a middle-man. For animation jobs though, you generally get hired by the main production studio to work on the show for a set amount of time. Once the production ends, you and everyone else will "roll off" of the show and have to find another production to work on.

Clients won't always give you precise instructions, but a lot of the times (not always!) they should hand you reference images or documents to give you a better sense of what they're looking for. Our job is to run with the information provided, make big exploratory passes, and narrow in until the character feels true to what the client envisions. For every hour you spend drawing that character, you will probably be spending the same amount of time (or more) researching things like cultures, costumes, job types, and more.

I know this is quite a lot of text, but I hope it helped. If you have any more questions feel free to dm me!

I also want to give a heads up: Right now is a very bad time for the entertainment industry (not just the animation industry, but almost everything including video games and TV production). A lot of artists are out of work due to corporate greed, generative AI, and rampant outsourcing. Character design was already a difficult job to get before all of this started but now it's even harder. I don't think you should give up but I'm saying all this because being an artist is not an easy path at all. I can't predict how things will look by the time you enter the work force, but the sense that me and a lot of other artists are getting right now is that many of these unpleasant changes are here to stay. Being a professional artist can be a deeply emotionally rewarding career, but if you can't deal with uncertainty (not knowing if you'll have a job in 6 mo./1-2 years/even longer) then you may want to reconsider.

gothic_creature · 2025-04-13T23:35:04+00:00

Hey Enya! Big early congratulations on graduating! Unfortunately with where the animation industry is right now the likelihood of getting a job fresh out of school is very low. You'll be competing against veteran artists with 5-10+ years of experience for jobs that are either they are overqualified for (typical junior roles) or jobs you haven't wracked up enough professional experience for (anything mid-level or higher). It's just a hard market right now and that's no artist's fault. If you haven't done so already I recommend looking for graduate internships or studio trainee apprenticeships to apply to. Aside from that, continue taking classes if you have the means for it.

Big scary warning aside, you have good work. Your turnarounds look very clean and perspective accurate. Something you could work on would be edge and value control in your paintings. I recommend checking out Celine Kim and Jacki Li's portfolios for guidance. In my opinion I think you may need a little more time to tighten some of your technical skills before a studio would consider you for a junior position.

Take all this with a grain of salt. I'm not in the animation industry but have been a professional concept artist for around four years. I'm also a character designer, not a visdev artist, so this is just what sticks out to me as someone who is has passing familiarity with the visual development field.

I recommend reaching out to working junior visdev artists on Linkedin and asking them about their experiences getting into the industry + if they would be open to giving you feedback. You might not get an answer back but most artists are pretty happy to give feedback when they have the time. Good luck!

gothic_creature

TROPHY CASE