Update on all my current work, recent drawings:
Topology is like hahaha what. I used muscle anatomy on peoples faces to dictate most of it but its still pretty bad. :c
I will be re amking my Maya work in Uni this week (as my mac wont do ANYTHING anymore :c) but I hope everything will be ok.
Heres final contextual studies work as well:
Contextual Studies.
Katie Gilman
My interests and what I feel I am progressing toward currently is a career in Concept Art within Games and possibly TV and more likely Film. I adore creating art work of all kinds; be it fantastic beasts, space ships, medieval armour, robot alien battle suits and the like. I spend a huge amount of time as well working with others on internal stories and projects. These stories are mostly not my own, and I am usually the one given a brief to turn into a fully-fledged illustration rather than making up the story. I like doing the designing best however, so this suits me. This behaviour and mentality would suit a studio, which would want their ideas to be brought to life, not have my own thrown upon them.
I find other people who wish to get into this career seem to think they can draw whatever they want, but I know I need to draw exactly what my customer wants. I have been completing commissions privately for around three years and I am very used to following strict instructions. I have had a recent experience of revising a very simple sketch commission five times over before the final colouring could be applied. This is a tiresome process and sometimes frustrating when my customers ask for extra things, but the final product is well worth it; as well as obviously a happy client who then can go on to recommend me to others. This has already started giving me a good reputation, and as such I am now completing 3-6 commissions a week to help pay for my travel costs. I am so pleased that this part of my work is turning out well and I fell I am learning very fast in terms of drawing skills and not to mention building relationships with clients which are done face to face, emails or sometimes even live over webcam via Skype; letting them dictate as I draw what to do and what to change.
I know what I must do to become a good concept artist. First, that I must clearly be good at drawing and illustration. To do that I must practise and I am already doing that as much as I possibly can. I draw basically on everything I can get my hands on and at all times, as I am sure many have noticed. I must also get myself a reputation and become better known within the industry. To do this is tricky and currently I go to a lot of Conventions and Expos to try gather people to me. I also am trying to get more well-known on the internet and am looking forward to creating a portfolio website of my work at the end of my course to show case my best pieces.
Something else I have recently been engaged with is Games Workshop and their WarHammer Franchise. Their models and conceptual art I very interesting to me and I have been getting involved with the community online (and in store at Norwich) to which I have received extremely positive feedback. I think it would be a good idea to try secure a simple store job within the Norwich branch and see where that could lead me on to. Any possibilities to get a ‘foot in the door’ in a creative studio I am keen to take up. However I am timid of making concrete plans other than furthering education. As commented on by John Howe (Concept Artist for Lord of the Rings) “career plans and agendas are an illusory exercise, given the nature of the illustrator’s profession. It is a full global undertaking, while remaining very personal. I seldom know what I will be working on in three months’ time; to have a year’s work planned in advance is a rarity”. This, although lacking stability, gives artists more freedom to pick and choose what work they take on, as I do now for my commissions.
I have found that within the larger studios, it is people with great work and the ability to step outside of one single style are who art directors single out to work for them. A good education is important as well of course, but does not always mean the person with the most qualifications will be chosen to work for them.
Jonathan Bach is a great example of this, who left high school and went in to work as a car salesman. But concluded that drawing was what he really wanted, and “decided to get his work into Art Centre” where he learned many skills that have no propelled him to working for Star Wars live-action television series and films like Iron Man 2. This is very motivating and gives me a boast of enthusiasm that I too could make it as long as I have the drive and skills to back it.
I hope that when finishing my course here at University, that I will be able to secure a small job within Games Workshop and start building on that. I do not expect (though would throw myself open armed at) to get a good industry job right of the bat. This will take time, not only for myself to hone my skills but also for me to mature as a person and be able to deal with social situations better. I feel that not being social enough is one of my faults, that I spend too much time alone or with a very few select people.
However, this is something I am getting better at. I am being more social with friends within University and creating great new bonds with fellow students which also have extended to the internet. As such, I am confident that this won’t be such a huge issue for me.
Overall I am pleased with my progression of work, not overly pleased; but content that I am making some head way into the career I am reaching for.
-Katie
- John Howe (2007). Fantasy Art Workshop. UK: David & Charles . p117.
- Youtube (2011) IllustrationChannel. Johathan Bach Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FKs4ZKpQu4
Okie dookie all done *runs away flailing*
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