/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

[Anonymous No.1966394]

Let's be real: what kind of work do you need in your portfolio to get a job as an artist in the US? I'm not talking about commissions, not freelance, not your imaginary game company. Would it be:
1) Studies.
2) Naked women.
3) Landscapes.
4) Portraits.
5) Anime.

I mean, seriously, there are a lot of artists you admire, but if you had their work in your portfolio and it was actually yours, WOULD you be able to get a job in the US? Would an average employer look at your work and say "this is the man for the job"? I love anime, i love studies too, and naked women, but aren't i'm wasting my time if there is no demand for them in my country?
Please don't give me "oh, just does it cause you love it", then it's no different than masturbation or playing games, i.e. just wasting your time.

[Anonymous No.1966452]

>>1966394
You're directly talking about illustration. They hire people all over the world. So of the shit you listed, realistically none of those (alone) for commercial illustration work.

There has to be commercial appeal, a story, or a uniqueness in your work. Most importantly the art directors or clients looking at your portfolio have to be convinced you can complete a job for them. They already have 100 to 1000 artists on their plate, but they are on your website right now weighing what they could do with your work. These guys are burned out looking at Sakimichan and Kate Beaton ripoffs.

They need to make a magazine spot for coca cola and they can hire a photographer for less money or go with an illustrator who may fall apart on them. The safer bet is a decent photo with some graphic design trends on it.

>1. Studies
>2. Naked Women.
Have some it wouldn't hurt, but this is not the goal of the professional artists portfolio. Too many studies means "student." Nudes, same thing. Some artists do designate a section of their site for this.

>3. Landscapes
They're backgrounds, incorporate them into the story you're gonna tell. If landscapes/backgrounds is what you do, why are your landscapes better than a photobashed landscape? How about interiors? This should be a homerun.

>4. Portraits
Getting warmer. This is commission territory, which you said you didn't want. What are you doing with the portraits. Portraits of your friend or cat won't cut it. Celebrity portraits get work, but what are doing with them? Drew Struzan basically did this but on movie posters. pretty much ruined it for everybody since all the hacks tried to copy.

>5.Anime
Americans are getting warmed up to anime. But what is your take on it? You said no games but anime knockoff styles are gonna be plastered over a shitty videogame, a million koreans will work for 1$ and probably fuck you up in knockoff ability.

tldr Why are you so special? What's your story? That is your portfolio.

[Anonymous No.1966470]

>>1966394

A portfolio for a job is not the same as a portfolio to get into school. You should tailor the portfolio to the employer based on past works and the position available.

[Anonymous No.1966560]

>I love anime, i love studies too, and naked women, but aren't i'm wasting my time if there is no demand for them in my country?
OP, If you suck balls at drawing, good luck getting a job to begin with. If you consider learning a "waste of time", you better be good enough that no one will notice any glaring flaws in your artwork.

Time spent drawing shouldn't be 100% studies, no, but it shouldn't be 100% absent of it either. There are things that don't go in portfolios but still are necessary for you to learn or keep sharp. Not every piece has the same purpose.

Besides, you're being really vague and general. You honestly think every single company is looking for the same thing? Not at all. What will get you a job at one company, won't even get you a second glance at another. If you want work, you have to know what each individual studio you're applying to is looking for. Being a "2D artist in the U.S" doesn't even mean anything. What kind of job are you looking for in specific? Concept art? Storyboarding? Animation? And even within there, there are more specialties. Just look at comics. Inking? Penciling? Coloring? You can't just throw the same images at everyone. Companies and studios are all about pipeline. You specialize in something. You sell yourself by knowing both what you're good at and what the studio wants.

[Anonymous No.1966968]

>>1966394
> I love anime, i love studies too, and naked women, but aren't i'm wasting my time if there is no demand for them in my country?

Are you some kind of idiot? of course there is no demand for studies and naked women when applying to some in-house position. You are supposed to do studies to learn from them and apply what you've learnt to work from imagination, which then goes into a specially tailored portfolio that shows your potential employers that you know your shit and can do what they require you to do.

[Anonymous No.1966970]

ITT people forget how important connections are

[Anonymous No.1966974]

>>1966394
>I'm not talking about commissions, not freelance, not your imaginary game company

what are you talking about? you'll have to specify then. visdev for animation?

[Anonymous No.1967115]

>>1966970
They really aren't at that stage. Also most worthwhile connections are built from the workplace. Say some artists have been working on the same project together and you became friends, one of those artists goes on to become an art director, then you have a connection that is worth a damn.

I think noobs like you don't even really understand what a connection is or how to build it. "hey I've talked to one of your artists on facebook, pls hire me" isn't gonna cut it in this industry.

[Anonymous No.1967120]

>>1966970
You get connections by sucking up cleverly or having marketable talent.

Art directors usually bullshit the best. Illustrators are either super talented or married to an art director.

[Anonymous No.1967122]

[ ] Studies.
[ ] Naked women.
[ ] Landscapes.
[ ] Portraits.
[X] Anime

obviously.

[Anonymous No.1967138]

there's a lot of shitty artists working in animation. i mean the lowest tier cutout children's shows.

if you can do crude cartoon drawings you might have a future in animation.

>>1966452
>You're directly talking about illustration.

no he's not? dont jump to conclusions

you sound like you no nothing about art or the industry

reading your post was so cringe inducing i wasn't even able to finish it

[Anonymous No.1967146]

>>1967138
he didn't mention animation, then we'd be talking about a reel.

take your negative shit to the art feels thread. You really need your own voice, you can't aim low and be a "shitty" artist anymore. There's too many cunt posers like you lurking around.

[Anonymous No.1967147]

Well, the way I see it, your portfolio does 2 things
>Shows that you're capable of finishing pieces
>Shows that you're an experienced, adaptable artist and professional

So to that end, I think you need to show that you've got all the necessary skills your competition does, and you can really pick up on whatever topic the studio you're applying to may need. If it's game design, any 3 studios alone will cover everything. I'd say, have at least one piece of each:
>Character concepts
>Personal creature design
>Different isometric views of a piece of concept art (building, props)
>Landscape shot, make that shit look dope
>Mech Shot(s), with some humans for scale and showing how it works
>Military-themed shots - Everyone's doing shooters these days
>Vehicle shots, your own design would probably work best
>Some new weird style shit that doesn't look like the rest of your artwork
>Maybe a portrait or some studies just for the sake of completeness and to show that you've got control of your abilities

Granted this could all be wrong and total bullshit, but at the very least you show that you CAN do this type of work if necessary. And that you're good at it.

[Anonymous No.1967151]

>>1967146
>animation
>not realizing you can work in animation without being an animator

>implying i was talking about myself

lol all these implications. i can't even

don't get pissy when someone points out your lack of knowledge. just because this is an anonymous image board doesnt mean that anyone should voice their opinions on everything.

[Anonymous No.1967160]

>>1967120
What do amateurs actually mean when they say stuff like "sucking up cleverly"?

Please write a play by play scenario of how you would suck up to someone in order to gain a connection that will ultimately lead to a job.

I swear people like you are completely delusional and live in some kind of fantasy world.

[Anonymous No.1967170]

>>1966394
>what kind of work do you need in your portfolio
Finished pieces.

Studies and naked women are typically synonymous, they do not count as complete works.

Landscapes are typically simple, lacking many elements which show competency. Do not focus on landscapes and only include them if they are relevant to your employer.

Portraits can be good if used in moderation or if you are trying to appeal to a specific employer.

Don't put anime in unless you're applying for a position which strictly deals in comics and/or cartoons. Most decent artists can shit out decent anime drawings at will, and will dismiss them in a portfolio if they have any say in the hiring process.

>connections
Connections within the art industry only get your foot in the door, with an interview or portfolio review. I'm very close with an artist that regularly reviews and interviews, most friends' kids who just got some art degree and such. He basically cringes through a lot of these because he has a hard time being directly negative and many of the "portfolios" consist of cartoony bullshit, studies/sketches, weak-points focus, or just 1-2 pieces. If you can't complete 5 finished, presentable pieces for your own portfolio then you're saying "I can't even do a month of work for clients."

[Anonymous No.1967173]

>>1967160
>I swear people like you are completely delusional and live in some kind of fantasy world.
exactly

being anonymous doesnt work for a board like /ic/ where any fucking weaboo casual wannabe anime artist can express their misinformed, usually fallacious opinion that's a mix of regurgitation of shit other anons who are probably equally incompetent have said and themselves jumping to conclusions.

i dont understand why people come here for actual advice. look at the artwork being posted. those are the people who post in these threads. do you really trust let alone value their opinion?

[Anonymous No.1967179]

>>1967151
Already greentexting this early in the morning. I see you're all ready for 12 hours of shitposting on /ic/.

You can't even what? You can't explain shit. Your post is empty with only projecting and insults. All you did was mention southpark and Angela Anaconda animated type shows. I answered OPs question just fine. If he wants to work in animation it's no different from some of my other suggestions. More and more, you sound like you don't want to be hearing this because of your own presumptions about the industry.

So what's gonna be your next reply AHAHA I CAN'T I CAN'T I CAN'T! We know you can't. You never could.

[Anonymous No.1967185]

>>1967170


>Landscapes are typically simple, lacking many elements which show competency. Do not focus on landscapes and only include them if they are relevant to your employer.

that's just not true. both figurative and landscape pieces require a proficiency in colour mixing, colour harmony, composition, design, etc etc the basic principles and elements of art and design used sophisticatedly

[Anonymous No.1967188]

>>1967170
>Landscapes are typically simple, lacking many elements which show competency

landscapes are the hardest...

[Anonymous No.1967193]

>>1967170
>Connections within the art industry only get your foot in the door, with an interview or portfolio review.

This. I don't get it why it's so hard for some people to understand that as an artist you fulfill an important role within a company and you are expected to deliver. You don't do some fucking office work that can be done by a monkey, your quality of work DIRECTLY influences the success of the end product.

No company will EVER risk losing money by hiring the inferior artist just to do someone a favor. It just doesn't happen in the real world. This is a lie that shit tier noobs have told themselves so much that they started to believe it.

Networking happens between professionals who are equals and colleagues, who both benefit from each other. Not between amateur leeches who have nothing whatsoever to offer and professionals.

[Anonymous No.1967198]

>>1967179
ok there big shot then how about you post some of your work :^) since i never could and am clearly this horrible artist but you give such great advice and know all there is to know about being a professional artist.

i'm sure you've got years of experience working professionally

[Anonymous No.1967212]

>>1967198
Totally not a loaded reply. You came here to be an ass.

[Anonymous No.1967230]

>>1967212
>provoking post

well what'd you expect bitch. either post art or your advice is going to be taken with a grain of salt. you know you're shit, i know you're shit. it's okay, just dont go out giving people advice

[Anonymous No.1967244]

>>1967198
if you feel he own it to you to post that, by all means you should also post it, even first.

try not being a hypocrite and all....

[Anonymous No.1967245]

>>1967193
Dude inferior artists get hired all the fucking time because of networking and nepotism. I'm not talking inferior like one guy can draw stick figures and one guy is Sargent, but if there are two applicants and one of them is a complete nobody who has a 100% understanding and mastery of values, composition, color temp, etc and the other one only has say an 80% understanding of all those things but is really charismatic and knows a few people in the company, then the latter will most certainly get the job. Because the only people who can tell the difference in that 20% skill gap is other artists, and who the fuck cares what other artists think. The average person looks at a picture for like .5 seconds, companies don't need to have a full staff of rembrandts, they just need some people who can get the job done well enough by the deadline.

[Anonymous No.1967252]

>>1967230
Just passing some beautiful words I enjoyed hearing from the good artists I like. Steve Huston for example. Feel free to give it no credence.

Lot's of nice positive stuff in here.
https://www.youtube.com/user/NewMastersAcademy/videos

[Anonymous No.1967253]

>>1967244
but i'm clearly a terrible artist, there's no denying that :^) for me to post art would be pointless. he's the big shot who knows all there is about working in the industry

he's the one that has something to prove

[Anonymous No.1967261]

>>1967160
Is English your first language? You may not fully understand the conjugation of certain words and sentences. You may just be taking everything you read at face value. This is an informal forum, sometimes we aren't literal or perfectly expressing grammar in every scenario. Simply not used to different ideas?

The suck up thing doesn't apply to you, since you're gonna work hard and have a strong portfolio, right? You're gonna let the work speak for itself.

To literally answer your question. Some 'art' jobs are simply fetching coffee. Grats, you're a glorified intern. Your job is to either learn from the artist or be a good people person. Have you ever stepped inside an art school? The dyed hair, tattoos and piercings of the staff are the most personable people, they know a thing or two about art. Instructors are the actual artists, some probably having a hard time competing with the other artists. This is just a simple example. The best man or woman has decent work and manages to be more convincing, or a cuter face.

This is more of a fact of life than it is related to art. Good portfolios will get you the jobs you require, once again it doesn't apply to you.

[Anonymous No.1967262]

>>1967253
you both do. that's the point.

he doesn't own it to you just because you are openly shithead. don't know how do you feel just because you are a shithead you deserve more.

both should post it.

[Anonymous No.1967276]

>>1967245
At that point those artists aren't really inferior anymore, because real life people don't have some fucking RPG stat sheet attached to them where you can see the exact percentage of mastery someone has achieved.