Get A Life

[scrabface]

I found this on Cartoon Brew.

Veteran anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino (Brave Raideen, Mobile Suit Gundam) gave a realistic, yet somewhat harsh response to a student’s question posted on Global Voices Online. Matt Alt’s Alt Japan blog has translated the original column, and its quite a sobering read:

Q:

Dear Director Tomino,

I am a second year high school student. The time when I have to decide on which university I want to go to, and what kind of career I want, is rapidly approaching. I know this sounds vague, but I am filled with the desire to make a living by drawing. I can’t talk to my parents about this. The last time I told them “I want to draw for a living,” they basically told me “there’s no career in that. You should go to university and become an OL (office lady) like other people.” After hearing this kind of thing I lost interest in discussing it with my parents, but it’s a fact I need to start making decisions about my future. Even if I am hazy about what it’s going to be. That’s why I’m writing you, Director Tomino. How can I decide my future path? I’m willing to take anything you dish out, so I’d really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts.

Miyuri, Aichi Prefecture

A:

Now that is a tough question. All I can tell you is the same thing your parents did: you should go to university and become an OL.

If you’re a second-year high school student saying you want to be an illustrator, you’re old enough to be asked about your qualifications. Seeing drawing as a job you can just somehow land is an amateur’s way of looking at things. You need a great deal of actual experience to work in this industry.

Putting it in an easier to understand way with animation as an example, simply loving drawing isn’t enough to become an animator. By the second year of high school, an aspiring animator should be drawing “in-between”-quality illustrations every day, without fail. What’s more, assuming you’re in the art department of your school, you should be constantly applying to art competitions and such.

Not only do you need to have those qualifications, you need to have the personal drive and physical strength that is demanded of a craftsman. Even if you somehow did manage to make your dream a reality without these things, you wouldn’t be able to advance your career past in-betweening. You would find yourself overworked in a sea of others trying hard just to stay afloat. I can’t recommend that.

You may have considered going to a specialty school. But I need to tell you that it is virtually impossible to turn that experience into a job. If you’re considering being a manga artist and have penned a dojinshi, that’s a hobby; it isn’t training for work in the industry. “But I could use Comiket as a springboard to turn pro,” you might be thinking here. The fact is, that isn’t just about how good your illustrations are. It’s about having the editorial sense to turn your comic into a proper product. That know-how isn’t the sort of thing that can be developed in a classroom or with a test. You’re venturing into a very strict world where the only thing that matters is “does it sell or doesn’t it.” If you want to know more about it, please read Naoki Karasawa’s Manga Gokudo (“The Extreme Way of Manga”). It is extremely true to life, and shows that even if you do become a manga artist, continuing to make a living at it requires all sorts of effort and sacrifice. Only those who are capable of doing that are capable of making a living by drawing.

If after reading this you find yourself saying “but I still want to do it,” that isn’t desire. You need to know IN YOUR BONES that you are willing to STRUGGLE to do this, that you’re willing to starve before taking another kind of job. Desire alone isn’t enough for a job that requires you to have the facility in a wide range of styles to draw hundreds of illustrations of a certain quality within a certain timeframe. As a freelancer there’s the fear of never knowing when the next job is coming in, meaning you have to put your all into whatever comes your way, meaning you don’t have any real control over what you’re working on. You can always take a job at a studio, but only those with the drive and physical strength to do the same thing in the same place over and over again for a decade or more on end can make it there. This is why I’m telling you you’re better off going to school and becoming an office lady.

That’s all I can tell you, speaking as someone with experience in the matter. If you still feel like you want to pursue a career in art, the important thing is to take the style you plan to work in — whether it’s design, nihonga, oil painting, pen and ink, pencil, whatever — and practice doing it every single day. Universities will have practical tests, so you will need to push yourself to do at least three drawings a day. When working in pen, you need to get yourself to the level where you can easily crosshatch freehand. This is the level of ability that is already being demanded of you, Miyuri, so there’s no time to waste with simple “desire.”

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/anime/ani...tml#more-34798

What do you think? I am 24 years old and I am still attached to the desire to become a freelance artist (illustrator and animation). but as time flies, the idea gets more and more unrealistic and ridiculous. I know I did waaay to little and started "too late". truth is, I am not just lazy, I am also afraid to make the final decision and put all my efforts into it.
anyway, is someone around who knows what I am talking about? and do you think the advice is right?

[Strike Witch]

Well first of all, Yoshiyuki Tomino knows what he's talking about. He's been in the animation industry for years, directed the most breakthrough animu ever, and is generally a badass.

And it's true....for Japan. because Japan is a little island country that makes a LOT of animated productions, so there is a shit-ton of competition. Of course it's accurate. In Japan.

Outside of Japan, who the fuck knows? Go do some actual research instead of just latching on to something found whilst browsing. From the sounds of it you've probably missed your chance anyway, or you've flaked out. Most people who become awesome creative artists either have a drive to do so and keep working hard from their teens onward, or you get authors who are actually rather old and have worked in more mundane jobs for years already who now have the time and money to spend on their hobby over time.

[scrabface]

I did consider the japanese culture and the huge economy of manga. in fact, my problem is the exact opposite; Austria has NO history in comics and animation. so it's impossible to become anything like a freelance artist in those fields. so I know, I would only find work outside of Austria. but that is not what concerns me in the first place. I have to get ALOT better before I even can think of selling anything. and to get there, means more than just a lot of practicing; like he said, I have to risk all I've got to reach my goal.
so right now, I am honestly considering to abort my studies at the university, get a fulltime job so I can survive and use all my freetime for working on my skills. But the idea fucking scares me.

[Phylum]

I know what you mean.

I want to be a professional flautist, but I have not idea if I'm good enough to "make it". I'm certainly advanced for my age, but that alone is not enough. I don't want to spend a few years studying to land nowhere.

[Manco]

His advice sounds right on the money to me.

You can't coast in any of the creative industries and expect to get away with it - you have to beat out a hell of a lot of competition, and that doesn't come without a passion for your work AND a fuckton of hard work, practice and effort.

Yeah, Japan's comic industry is a tough place to make it, but that doesn't mean other countries' industries are soft.

[scrabface]

I know what you mean.

I want to be a professional flautist, but I have not idea if I'm good enough to "make it". I'm certainly advanced for my age, but that alone is not enough. I don't want to spend a few years studying to land nowhere.

ah that's cool. you know, I work in the Wiener Musikverein in the evenings and a lot of my colleagues there are musicians at there beginnings of their careers. and they told me there's a lot of competition going on.

when did you start playing flute? and what are you doing now? do you plan ahead or do you give yourself more freedom?

[Phylum]

I started playing the flute almost 5 years ago. I'm really focussing on tone stuff on my flute because it's what needs to most work.

As far as planning ahead, I did talk to lots of really amazing flautists at the Flute Festival 2 years ago. I even snagged myself a contrabass flute lesson from an amazing low flautist named Peter Sheridan. I also made an impression on a flautist called Peter Bartels who was running the junior program that I attended. Those sorts of things can only do good later on.

[MeechMunchie]

Flutes are good for two things: Talking to trees and summoning Oompa-Loompas.

[Phylum]

You forgot making beautiful fucking music.

[MeechMunchie]

I didn't realise you were that close.

[scrabface]

I thought this thread would be interesting for more people, but you all seem to know what you want or you already live your dream.

[OANST]

Oh, yeah. I'm living the fucking dream over here.

[scrabface]

what is it?

[Ridg3]

Minimum wage, living with the parents and as unpopular as a skunk whenever it farts. I wouldn't have it any other way because life's easier this way.

[OANST]

The dream of being a severely depressed white male, working in a job that he hates, six days a week, with no better prospects anywhere, having swallowed his dreams of being a musician many years ago.

Them dreams.

You know, the kind that can come true.

[scrabface]

The dream of being a severely depressed white male, working in a job that he hates, six days a week, with no better prospects anywhere, having swallowed his dreams of being a musician many years ago.

Them dreams.

You know, the kind that can come true.

what you do for living? and why don't you start being a musician? and why are you not black?

[MeechMunchie]

EDIT: Fuck, why didn't someone tell me about the blog?

[scrabface]

I opened a thread in the fan corner where I want to post regularly drawings etc. which may or may not show any progress. like I said before, I think I will abort my current studies at the university and concentrate fully on my techniques.
check it out if you like.

[Daxter King]

Hmm. I don't feel as if you missed your chance really, you're still pretty young. Hell if I know though, cause I feel I fucked up plenty at the ripe young age of 18. I want to become a writer, which is also a pretty competitive field. I know Im going to rack up deck in college, but hell I'd rather fall and chase my dreams than stand safely living a miserable life. You sound like you have hesitation, not making a final decision and such. You pretty much have to do that, its kind of important. The quote, "If you want to be great, stop asking for permission", comes to mind.

[Disgruntled Intern]

Skimmed it. Don't try to make a living with your art. You'll just want to kill yourself. If you've got the chops for it, things will fall into place. If not, you'll be shaking limp hands chasing cars for most of your life. Trust me.

And for FUCKS SAKE don't go to art school. Just don't. Go to college/university/whatever, learn something useful, and take art classes when you can. Art school is 90% bullshit and I've seen so many friends/colleagues waste time and money going that route only to realize how little they've actually learned by the time they were done.

[DarkHoodness]

I mostly agree with people here so I can't contribute much, but I will add this: I know a person (former OWF veteran AlectorFencer) who is now working as a freelance artist. She's incredibly skilled, but has to work very, incredibly hard (sometimes up to 12 hours a day), often drawing stuff she doesn't want to draw. On top of this, she's having trouble making the authorities in Germany believe that she's self-employed in order to get them to tax her accordingly.

She's also been incredibly, incredibly lucky with her opportunities and the people who she's met, who have helped her. You really have to shine and stand out from the crowd, while being lucky. It's a hard road. :P But she does get to work at whatever time of day she wants, and she is doing what she enjoys.

[Disgruntled Intern]

It's not a matter of standing out or luck, it's all about schmoozing and convincing people that you're better than you really are. But I don't really fall into the freelance category, because it's not my only source of income. I do what I want, when I want, on my own fucking time, and I still make a good amount of money for doing something I like. If it takes anything, I guess it's balls and determination.