10-03-2012, 05:50 PM
So I've always liked hearing stories about how different artists got started and why they started trying to become a better artist. Some I've read have been very inspirational, Dave Rapoza, Jason Manley, Brad Rigney, they have some pretty interesting stories on how they got started. So I figure I'll post mine and hopefully some of you viewers will share theres too.
I remember I wanted to be an artist since I was born, I went into kindergarten knowing my career would involve art. For awhile it was cartoonist and then there was comic artist and so on. Well growing up all the way up till 6th grade I was the shit at art in my schools. I was widely known among my class members that I was top artist and no one better fuck with my pencils. Then around 7th grade an old friend of mine from 3rd grade shows up again, him and I both loved to draw. Only problem was now he was better then me, and a lot of people knew it. I, being very jealous and competitive when it comes to my artistic skills, would not stand for it!
What really made me snap was when I lost a drawing contest to him that year after I had entered my greatest creation to date (back then). After that I started to ask myself, how do artists get so good. I'd been drawing and doodling in an anime style ever since 1st grade, but I always loved the artwork in games like Magic: The Gathering. I looked at the cards and thought, "Good god how could people get this good?" One artist that stuck out to me among the others was none other then Todd Lockwood. I searched him up on Google after seeing a few of his pieces and saw how incredible his work was. And after drawing his card art over and over I decided there had to be a better way to learn. That's when I discovered... Dah da da daaaah! Conceptart.org!
Back then when I made my sketchbook I was the wee age of 14 years old. I had just started getting into the idea of digital art after discovering how it was done. And unfortunately... I still thought I was the shit -.-
Soon after I'd created my sketchbook I realized how much I sucked. This quickly became realized after looking at Miles Johnston's and Sam Carr's sketchbooks. I realized what I needed to do from then on and got cracking on anatomy. At this time I still didn't think I was better then my friend from before and I was not satisfied. I gloated about me studying to build up the competitive fire. I was retarded.
The next four years I was off and on with how much I studied, it was about the end of Junior year of high school when I really started sticking to constant studying. And as time grew so did my studying habits, I now attempt to post every single day (when I don't forget :P ) and am studying more then ever before. I still have that competitiveness when it comes to my art, but I find it helpful and motivational. It keeps me wanting to get better, luckily I'm no longer egotistical, I can't go anywhere on the internet without finding someone who is better then me.
Anyone else wanna share how they got started? :)
Self portrait and figures
I remember I wanted to be an artist since I was born, I went into kindergarten knowing my career would involve art. For awhile it was cartoonist and then there was comic artist and so on. Well growing up all the way up till 6th grade I was the shit at art in my schools. I was widely known among my class members that I was top artist and no one better fuck with my pencils. Then around 7th grade an old friend of mine from 3rd grade shows up again, him and I both loved to draw. Only problem was now he was better then me, and a lot of people knew it. I, being very jealous and competitive when it comes to my artistic skills, would not stand for it!
What really made me snap was when I lost a drawing contest to him that year after I had entered my greatest creation to date (back then). After that I started to ask myself, how do artists get so good. I'd been drawing and doodling in an anime style ever since 1st grade, but I always loved the artwork in games like Magic: The Gathering. I looked at the cards and thought, "Good god how could people get this good?" One artist that stuck out to me among the others was none other then Todd Lockwood. I searched him up on Google after seeing a few of his pieces and saw how incredible his work was. And after drawing his card art over and over I decided there had to be a better way to learn. That's when I discovered... Dah da da daaaah! Conceptart.org!
Back then when I made my sketchbook I was the wee age of 14 years old. I had just started getting into the idea of digital art after discovering how it was done. And unfortunately... I still thought I was the shit -.-
Soon after I'd created my sketchbook I realized how much I sucked. This quickly became realized after looking at Miles Johnston's and Sam Carr's sketchbooks. I realized what I needed to do from then on and got cracking on anatomy. At this time I still didn't think I was better then my friend from before and I was not satisfied. I gloated about me studying to build up the competitive fire. I was retarded.
The next four years I was off and on with how much I studied, it was about the end of Junior year of high school when I really started sticking to constant studying. And as time grew so did my studying habits, I now attempt to post every single day (when I don't forget :P ) and am studying more then ever before. I still have that competitiveness when it comes to my art, but I find it helpful and motivational. It keeps me wanting to get better, luckily I'm no longer egotistical, I can't go anywhere on the internet without finding someone who is better then me.
Anyone else wanna share how they got started? :)
Self portrait and figures