02-12-2016, 01:26 PM
Hey there, sorry for the lack of response on this forum!
I worked fulltime as an IT/research analyst for many years while self-teaching. I made the transition (sort of) to fulltime freelance a year ago. It can be done.
I don't see why you can't freelance part time while working (though doing that on the side with a full time job would be hard) I guess the question you have to ask is...do you really want to do the art fulltime as a professional at some point, or just be a hobbyist / work on indie stuff while you have a main job as source of income?
Budget will be a huge thing here. If you don't want to get into debt, 4 years of art university will not be a good option. There are many atelier programs and online classes that you can do for much shorter periods that will arguably give you much better-focused skills for cheaper while you predominantly self-teach.
I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself thinking about whether you should work for others or do your own stuff. For now you have a long journey ahead just to build skills. So this idea about not wanting to draw other people's IP is fine, but the reality of freelance work, is that you ARE working for someone else all the time!! You have to get used to this fact. If you want to work as a professional illustrator or designer you WILL have to work on other people's stuff. If you really can't see yourself doing this then it sounds like perhaps you want to do the trade thing as main income and do art as a hobbyist working on personal projects.
The thing that is the same regardless, is that to get the skills you have to put in the time, so it's a question of where you focus that time in the coming years.
I worked fulltime as an IT/research analyst for many years while self-teaching. I made the transition (sort of) to fulltime freelance a year ago. It can be done.
I don't see why you can't freelance part time while working (though doing that on the side with a full time job would be hard) I guess the question you have to ask is...do you really want to do the art fulltime as a professional at some point, or just be a hobbyist / work on indie stuff while you have a main job as source of income?
Budget will be a huge thing here. If you don't want to get into debt, 4 years of art university will not be a good option. There are many atelier programs and online classes that you can do for much shorter periods that will arguably give you much better-focused skills for cheaper while you predominantly self-teach.
I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself thinking about whether you should work for others or do your own stuff. For now you have a long journey ahead just to build skills. So this idea about not wanting to draw other people's IP is fine, but the reality of freelance work, is that you ARE working for someone else all the time!! You have to get used to this fact. If you want to work as a professional illustrator or designer you WILL have to work on other people's stuff. If you really can't see yourself doing this then it sounds like perhaps you want to do the trade thing as main income and do art as a hobbyist working on personal projects.
The thing that is the same regardless, is that to get the skills you have to put in the time, so it's a question of where you focus that time in the coming years.