Hi ^^

[Mirna94]

Hello! I'm Mirna, I'm 23 living in a small, unimportant country. I joined the forum because I've decided to get serious about illustration and design but have been feeling pretty lost regarding the directions I'm taking, so I'm hoping to get pointers here. Moreover, I want to force myself to be consistent and follow a schedule here. I've failed over and over on other sites. This time I feel like I've got it figured out.
I really don't know how long I've been drawing cos everyone drew as a kid. I'm in the 2nd year at the local fine arts academy and it's helping me mostly in time organization and it provides live-model classes. I'm terrible at making myself work at home as I'm easily distracted.
One of my biggest issues, though, is marketing. I haven't the slightest idea on how to sell myself. I've tried fiverr and deviantArt and I just don't know how to get followers or commissioned. Hell, even if I did, I wouldn't know how to proceed. I'm overly anxious about it and I don't know the technicalities (invoices and such).
Another issue is that I'm afraid I'm too late in the game. I've wasted years getting a Bachelor's in something I'm not interested at all, and I'm counting on needing at least 2 more years to become hireable.
Sorry for rambling.
I really want to surround myself with more people doing concept art. I hope I make friends. :)
I will go and make my art thread now!

[Amit Dutta]

Welcome! Good on you for joining and getting serious.

Don't worry about marketing for now.
Do your work, get better, start to get a folio together. Without a folio you won't get any jobs period.

People use social media with succes in various ways. I've been freelancing for a couple of years and for me personally dA and my own folio has been far and away the main source of any work besides cold emailing companies and art directors.

Please stay away from sites like fiverr or freelancer or any site that asks you to bid your lowest against other artists for jobs. It's NOT worth it and you don't want the type of clients that use those sites. I speak from experience.

List of freelancing resources here: http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/thread-7...reelancing

Read up all the posts on http://dearartdirector.tumblr.com/
Important and useful insight from a few leading AD's pov.

And with the age thing, I don't know why everyone feels this way when they are young, it's really a shame. I blame society. I am 40, started teaching myself at 34. Nobody important gives a s&*( how old you are, because it really doesn't matter in the slightest, so you shouldn't care either.
Good luck, carry on!

[xelfereht]

hello, Nice to meet you
youre not too late to the game, i decided to start trying to take things more seriously at 26 and im almost 30 now still in the struggle. if it feels late well, on average i seen people getting to a livable looking situation about 6 years in.. so you can still hit it before 30 and thats not bad i think, if its something you really wanna do. if youre real keen maybe youl get there sooner.
anyway feel free to add me on discord or wherever if you want any help, crits, direction or just someone to show your stuff to and get some feedback.
only if you want to ofcourse, anyway good luck with it all

[Mirna94]

Welcome! Good on you for joining and getting serious.

Don't worry about marketing for now.
Do your work, get better, start to get a folio together. Without a folio you won't get any jobs period.

People use social media with succes in various ways.  I've been freelancing for a couple of years and for me personally dA and my own folio has been far and away the main source of any work besides cold emailing companies and art directors.

Please stay away from sites like fiverr or freelancer or any site that asks you to bid your lowest against other artists for jobs. It's NOT worth it and you don't want the type of clients that use those sites. I speak from experience.

List of freelancing resources here: http://crimsondaggers.com/forum/thread-7...reelancing

Read up all the posts on http://dearartdirector.tumblr.com/
Important and useful insight from a few leading AD's pov.

And with the age thing, I don't know why everyone feels this way when they are young, it's really a shame. I blame society.   I am 40, started teaching myself at 34. Nobody important gives a s&*( how old you are, because it really doesn't matter in the slightest, so you shouldn't care either.
Good luck, carry on!

Hi! It is very relieving to hear that, but I will still have to put myself out there properly sooner or later.
Thank you for the links!
My main source of info so far have been Feng Zhu's (FZD) podcasts and he is so serious and professional about it, it made me a bit anxious about my age and experience.
Good luck to you too!

hello, Nice to meet you
youre not too late to the game, i decided to start trying to take things more seriously at 26 and im almost 30 now still in the struggle. if it feels late well, on average i seen people getting to a livable looking situation about 6 years in.. so you can still hit it before 30 and thats not bad i think, if its something you really wanna do. if youre real keen maybe youl get there sooner.
anyway feel free to add me on discord or wherever if you want any help, crits, direction or just someone to show your stuff to and get some feedback.
only if you want to ofcourse, anyway good luck with it all

Hey, nice too meet ya! I feel a little bit younger now haha :)

What salary would count as livable, though? I've heard its about 40k for junior artists. And I have no idea how good you have to be to get taken in as a junior artist by any studio. I only see pro work on Artstation and such and get intimidated haha.

I'll add you once I make an account. I have maaany questions. Thanks again!

[Shalis]

Welcome Mirna!

Just wanted to echo what everyone else here has said, you are far from being late to the game. In fact I would say considering the amount of free resources, and availability of communities like these to help you grow this is a perfect time if not the best time to join the game. For reference I just started learning a few months ago, been making decent progress and i'm 38.

Saw your sketchbook thread, and thought the beetles were great! nice studies and nice creations, looking forward to seeing all the amazing stuff you will be creating going forward.

I'm curious about this small and insignificant country that you hail from thou?

[Mirna94]

Welcome Mirna!

Just wanted to echo what everyone else here has said,  you are far from being late to the game. In fact I would say considering the amount of free resources, and availability of communities like these to help you grow this is a perfect time if not the best time to join the game. For reference I just started learning a few months ago, been making decent progress and i'm 38.

Saw your sketchbook thread, and thought the beetles were great! nice studies and nice creations, looking forward to seeing all the amazing stuff you will be creating going forward.

I'm curious about this small and insignificant country that you hail from thou?

Thanks, I'm relieved haha :)

And thanks for the compliment! I hope we both make it in a few years time! :)

I come from Croatia. The only studio we have is Croteam (and I don't even live in the same city). I really don't know of any other successful studios here. Maybe I live under a rock. :p

[Artloader]

Welcome to Crimson Daggers Mirna :).

Those are some beautiful insect studies in your sketchbook.

Discipline and procrastination are two things that I've been exploring for myself just recently and for what it's worth I have found that trying to achieve balance in your life can really help. For example if you let you health go down hill, then it drags everything else down with it, including your discipline to do art. Same for your spiritual peace, your relationships and your finances. Anyway sorry for rambling, please ignore me :).

Good luck with your dreams!

[Mirna94]

Welcome to Crimson Daggers Mirna :).

Those are some beautiful insect studies in your sketchbook.

Discipline and procrastination are two things that I've been exploring for myself just recently and for what it's worth I have found that trying to achieve balance in your life can really help.  For example if you let you health go down hill, then it drags everything else down with it, including your discipline to do art.  Same for your spiritual peace, your relationships and your finances.  Anyway sorry for rambling, please ignore me :).

Good luck with your dreams!

Thank you! Good luck to you too!

I know what you mean, once I fall out of the routine even for a bit, it's hard to go back. I'm addicted to video games and tv shows. ;-; And yet they are my source of inspiration!

[Yumi]

Nice to meet you Mirna ^^
I looked though your sketchbook and I really like your insects drawings ^^. Both the studies and the ones that you drew from imagination.

Also, I totally understand that part about video games and tv shows(another got fan here o/) D:
We're on the same train when it comes to procrastination :/

[Mirna94]

Nice to meet you Mirna ^^
I looked though your sketchbook and I really like your insects drawings ^^. Both the studies and the ones that you drew from imagination.

Also, I totally understand that part about video games and tv shows(another got fan here o/) D:
We're on the same train when it comes to procrastination :/

Thanks, nice to meet you too! :D

I've learned that listening to podcasts or audiobooks helps me focus. Try Radio Westeros. <: