08-02-2013, 01:54 AM
Hi Daggers,
I haven't participated in any communities in a while during these last couple of years, and I could really use some of your input, so I guess now is a good a time as any to stop lurking and post for a change.
I went into university to study illustration and design (but mainly for future visa potential), and I've been working full-time since last year in animation, basically learning the skills from scratch. I live in South Africa, and the industry here is pretty small - there is not much room for specializing and so creatives have to gain a very broad and general knowledge of different things in order to be able to hold down a job (mostly). Since I started working I've had to learn many new things ranging from 3D animation to motion graphics to cartoon characters. Ideally I'd love to be doing freelance illustration, but that is not financially viable.
I've been wanting to move away since I was 12, and I have an opportunity where I might be able to move to Moscow as soon as next year to try my luck in VFX there, but I'd have to spend a lot more time working on refining my knowledge of Nuke and general compositing. The problem I am having is that I'm getting to a point where not drawing as much has been very distressing to me, and so I've been setting aside a couple of hours a day lately for extra painting/drawing after I get home from work, but it's not always consistent and my skills have definitely suffered.
Is it possible to achieve both? I enjoy compositing, but I still want to keep learning and getting better at illustration. By trying to take on both do I risk a heavy burnout? Right now I work 50 hours a week, and excercise 3 times a week, as well as take on freelance jobs every now and then. By the time I've had a shower and made dinner I am exhausted, and art has started to feel like a hindrance or yet another kind of chore on top of the other stuff.
I feel like there must be a way to make it work, and art has always been my first passion and what I hope to end up doing one day. Would carrying on in a slightly different direction help me or hurt me?
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!
I haven't participated in any communities in a while during these last couple of years, and I could really use some of your input, so I guess now is a good a time as any to stop lurking and post for a change.
I went into university to study illustration and design (but mainly for future visa potential), and I've been working full-time since last year in animation, basically learning the skills from scratch. I live in South Africa, and the industry here is pretty small - there is not much room for specializing and so creatives have to gain a very broad and general knowledge of different things in order to be able to hold down a job (mostly). Since I started working I've had to learn many new things ranging from 3D animation to motion graphics to cartoon characters. Ideally I'd love to be doing freelance illustration, but that is not financially viable.
I've been wanting to move away since I was 12, and I have an opportunity where I might be able to move to Moscow as soon as next year to try my luck in VFX there, but I'd have to spend a lot more time working on refining my knowledge of Nuke and general compositing. The problem I am having is that I'm getting to a point where not drawing as much has been very distressing to me, and so I've been setting aside a couple of hours a day lately for extra painting/drawing after I get home from work, but it's not always consistent and my skills have definitely suffered.
Is it possible to achieve both? I enjoy compositing, but I still want to keep learning and getting better at illustration. By trying to take on both do I risk a heavy burnout? Right now I work 50 hours a week, and excercise 3 times a week, as well as take on freelance jobs every now and then. By the time I've had a shower and made dinner I am exhausted, and art has started to feel like a hindrance or yet another kind of chore on top of the other stuff.
I feel like there must be a way to make it work, and art has always been my first passion and what I hope to end up doing one day. Would carrying on in a slightly different direction help me or hurt me?
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!