Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

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Hopper200456
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Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by Hopper200456 »

Hey guys.

So I'm 17, in high-school, and I animate, draw, and do graphic design. I'm very passionate about all 3, and I really want to make animation my career, but I'm okay with making a living off of the other 2. (I would of course still animate in my free time)

Here's my problem- I don't really have money. At all. And I know, I know, I don't need money really at this age, but I would really like it (who wouldn't haha) so I could buy things like equipment (mics, tablets, ect.) and while we're pretty financial stable (that I know of anyway), it would be nice to have money if my parents ever need help in that aspect. (Also, I know it sounds silly, but being an advide gamer, it sucks that I can't get excited for any game because I can't afford them.)

So I would like to find a way to make money (doesn't need to be much) using art, animation, and graphic design. I tried getting into t-shirt design, but I spent a month working on a design, but it was turned down (for reasons that "popular" artist get away with every day, grrr...), so I'm still a bit sour from that. Also, I haven't given up on the idea of t-shirts completely, it's just with my tools right now, it's really hard.

Art commisions is another popular thing, but I don't feel comfortable charging for my current artistic abilities. (I'm not the best at drawing, as much as I want to be)

And remember, I am still in school, and it takes like, 75% of my day, so I can't do somethin bi like take an animation job or something. (As fun as that'd be!) also, I will not do anything pornographic.

So do you guys have any advice on what I could do? Or tips to help me? I would really appreciate any thoughts or criticism you have to offer.

Thank you guys, you are always super awesome!

(P.S. I don't know if it helps to know what type of stuff I make, but my animtions can be seen here.)
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"Greatness from small beginnings."
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neeters_guy
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by neeters_guy »

Your heart is in the right place. MKelley's advice in a similar thread might give you some perspective (esp. point 5):
Some questions about possibly selling anme files

Making money with your art is certainly possible, but school is big constraint on your time. I'd recommend just focusing on your studies and draw/design/animate in your spare time as much as possible in order to improve your skills. Your work shows promise, but you're young and don't have a clear style yet. Beginner's work is typically full of mistakes and it takes many years to recognize how to correct them. Keep your sketchbooks and you'll see how much you've improved over the course of, say, five years.

My two cents. Good luck.
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Greenlaw
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by Greenlaw »

While you're still a kid in school, now is the time to study, learn and practice your skills like crazy. If you think you're time for developing art skills is constrained by going to high school, believe it or not, you're going to have even less time for once you're out of school and hitting the job market. Managing time to create art, professionally or for personal enjoyment, becomes even harder if you also want to have a social life, like having friends and a family. I'm not saying this to discourage you, just letting you know what's it's going to be like.

But I can also tell you that if you like to work hard, and study the right things, and you are absolutely passionate about creating art (and not just passionate about wanting to be an artist,) you'll make it just fine. And if you don't get too obsessive about it, you can can enjoy a social life too.

How do I know? I've been working as an illustrator, animator and visual effects artist since I became an adult way, way back in the 1980's. (Yeah, I'm that old so I've seen a lot of changes in the industry.) Fresh out of high school, I was hired as an illustrator by Pan Am (a famous but now long gone airline.) Want to know why they hired me, a teenager with no work experience? I had not gone to art school (couldn't afford it,) but I was the only applicant who showed up with a portfolio and I demonstrated a widely diverse skill set in commercial and technical art. I only picked up part of that education from high school art class, but most of my education and experience was self taught in my own 'free' time. It was not so easy to find information back then because here were no real personal computers for creating graphics and doing research--the first PC was just an expensive toy, the Macintosh was still four years away, and internet did not exist as we know and use it today. But I was persistent--I hit every library for knowledge and talked to anybody even remotely connected with the art business. But more than that, I worked on art projects almost every single day. Comics, sculptures, short films, writing--whatever medium caught my interest, I tried to work in it. When I started, I don't think I was very good but I just kept at it until I had a body of work to show, which eventually led to my first artist job.

Years later I made my big move to Los Angeles and freelanced for studios like Klasky-Csupo and Disney, and was staffed as Senior Digital Artist at Rhythm & Hues for about 12 years. Now I'm a freelance again, mainly working as a designer and visual effects artist, but I also make time to create my own comics and shorts for fun. (It helps when your spouse is also an artist.)

Nowadays I have a family but that doesn't stop me from learning new techniques and improving my skills as an artist. Yes, it's much harder to do now but I find it's possible to manage my time without sacrificing other important things like spending time with my family. If you have a passion for the craft, you'll make the time and find a way to do it.

So, yeah, my advice is to start learning and practicing your skill now. Without responsibilities to an employer, payments to rent or mortgage and various insurance companies, a commitment to family or partner, right now you actually have more time for developing your skills as an artist than you will probably have in the future. Plus your young brain is fresh and empty so start filling it up with good stuff!

I won't say that a career in art is going to be easy. It's actually a lot of hard work and the hours can often be brutal. As a young artist starting out today, you have the benefit of the internet and you have significantly greater access to information and guidance than I did, but because of that you may also have a lot more competition that I did when I was starting out. But if you truly love the craft, you will do it. And if you do it passion, you'll get good at it. And once you're good at what you do, people will notice and the rest will follow.

Good luck, work hard, and hang in there. :)

G.
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Hopper200456
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by Hopper200456 »

Thanks for the awesome replies guys!
Sorry for the late reply, but I've been pretty busy lately, so I never got a chance to respond.

But thank you! The advice is great, and I'll be using it!
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toddhicks209
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by toddhicks209 »

One option you have to make money drawing, doing animation or graphic design is to conduct a search on freelancing in these areas and try to find comic books, magazines or other publications to submit your art to. Another option you have is to draw a cartoon or comic strip book and publish it as a PDF file through Amazon at: amazon.com/dtp - there are libraries that let you scan PDF files and submit them anywhere online for free.
Todd Hicks regularly draws something and has created a comic strip book that you can buy or browse completely for free. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KD0QAAQ
ernpchan
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by ernpchan »

If you have great designs that work well on merchandise, you could open up your own Zazzle store. I run one where I donate my royalties to pug rescue groups. One thing that's nice about Zazzle is that there's no monthly fee to run it whereas, last I saw, CafePress has a fee.
My opinions and comments do not represent those of my employer.
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http://www.zazzle.com/gopuggo
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dueyftw
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by dueyftw »

My best advice is not to spend any money on anything you can learn online. I just went to school and found it disappointing. One teacher ask me "What are you doing here?" Twice in 20 minutes. I have the money to waste on frivolous things. But don't be like the young kids that have spent anywhere form 80k to 120k trying to get that starting Disney job that pays like 34k to start. BFA isn't all it's cracked up to be. One of the best animators I know, stop doing animation and is now a restate sale person. There is money in this but the competition is so fierce. With a computer and a decent internet connection anyone from anywhere can be your competition for jobs. Rhoel was an example.

Separate your studies so you spend time drawing, and learning animation software. Try to know everything.

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DexaLama
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Re: Help using Animation & Graphic Design to earn Money

Post by DexaLama »

Hey Everyone,
Just joined this group and nice to meet you all.
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