"they haven't developed the fundamentals to draw what they want to draw." _What if what I wanna draw is fanart?_

@@ChaosRayZero the issue comes from the skills required to learn someone else's style. It is feasible to be able to copy and mimic someone's style simply by drawing their work non-stop, but a good number of artists who only draw off of one person's style can lack the core fundamentals to be able to draw other things or draw outside of the bubble of that one person's style. If that's all an artist wants to do that's fine, but animation, storyboarding, visual development, and character design jobs all require you to be flexible in your approach. With only a rigid understanding of art through the lens of mimicking someone else's work, it is much harder to be able to create things outside of that style. The vast majority of Disney artists were also great painters, designers, comic artists, or had other assortments of skills that they could apply to the movies they worked on. Bill Peet, for example, was a famous Disney Storyartist who drew very simple and cartoony drawings, but he was also a VERY good oil painter and was a realist. Richard Williams, one of the greatest animators, was a fantastic draftsman and designer who spent a lot of time studying motion, human anatomy, and fine art as well. This is a pretty common "issue" ive heard from recruiters that ive talked to where there are artists who cannot draw anything outside of a typical Disney character, Butch Hartman style, or whatever iconic style it is. If you dont have an individual voice in your work it is harder to convince a studio that you can bring something new to the development process that they dont already know how to do. Again, if you are a freelance artist or you dont want to work in a studio than feel free to draw whatever you want. There are artists out there who are successful who very clearly only draw in "90s Disney" style and draw artwork for books and what not, but for production in studios people like to see that you are an individual... To a certain degree (but that's another conversation). In short (sort of), there's nothing wrong with studying someone's style and analyzing it and using it as reference, but if you are only using one source of reference for your entire career then it will severely limit the scope of work you can do and can make you less hireable.

@@bloopboop9320 " If that's all an artist wants to do that's fine, but animation, storyboarding, visual development, and character design jobs all require you to be flexible in your approach." _Well duh,_ =^p but *I never once said I wanted to do this professionally.* I stumble across videos like the above on occasion looking for more tips and techniques, but I have _never_ been inclined to "get serious" about art. If it _really is "fine,"_ then why the heck can't a hobbyist like me try to get any better and improve my skills without everyone and their brother pressuring me to "learn to be more professional"? I've had _complete strangers_ get a glimpse of my sketchbook in public and try to encourage me to "draw your own characters so you can get a job in art." >_> I also never said I only drew characters from a single person/company, either. I have lots of different influences- it's just that most of them happen to be character designers for various video games.

@@ChaosRayZero I'm pretty sure op talked about people who want to get serious and want to work with art as a carrier. If you just do it as a hobby and aren't in a rush to get better this doesn't apply to you so you can just take it in your own pace.

@@ChaosRayZero Then draw fan art...but dont expect to be a working professional. I think its implied that to become employable, you need to go beyond that and thats what most are talking about. We are not talking about hobbyists. WE are addressing the people who want to get into the industry. If the fanart is just for you and you love making it and dont care about working in the business...then grab them crayons and have at it.

My illustration professor was absolutely flabbergasted when I told her that I touch up my traditional drawing in photoshop cause it's just easier and faster than working out the values traditionally only. "Oh , you can't do that! that's not the proper way!" Mind you, she only had no idea that you can draw on an iPad until last year

@@artmadebyRed ok, that's hillarious.

Exactly! They're your fundamentals you fall back on, to do more advanced stuff.

You missed the point. I can guarantee you that those guys also were able to draw well outside the fanart. They didnt only di fanart....thats just what got them noticed or what you see. You dont see all their other stuff that ISNT fan art. That is nothing like what is being said here. This is why teachers get frustrated at this kind of idiotic defense of fanart. You get to caught up in just the "fanart" ASPECT and dont see the real point which is "EXPAND YOUR SKILLS BEYOND 1 STYLE".

@@avidadolares I think you missed the point, actually. The "don't draw fanart" mentality usually comes from people who are uncompromising with it. No duh there's more to it and being adaptable / flexible is what's important, but I've seen a lot of people in the industry who hate anime not for any practical reason other than the fact that their teachers told them to hate anime. And as a result a lot of people have taken it to mean "don't *ever* draw any fanart," because it's viewed as a crutch or that it's going to hurt their chances in the industry. That only happens if you only draw fanart. Which isn't what's being said here, that was you projecting. This misconception is that fanart is a liability. Being adaptable with your art is something that should go without saying, as is your portfolio shouldn't be a monolithic spread of exclusively fanart, I don't think most people are disillusioned about that.

I've met a lot of young people who use fan art as portfolio pieces, it's a very bad look because it shows that you don't spend time exercising your creativity. A lot of places I've been to consider it to being equivalent to plagerism.

The only exception is drawing fanart of characters from the studio you're applying for. E.G. voltron and avatar characters/style when applying for Mir

@@luck0717 This is true. This has actually worked for people applying to Blizzard as well, however I don't usually consider it a very good argument because that is generally the exception, not the norm.

@@SleepyMatt-zzz probs still good to point out. I mean, in that case, I’d assume it’d actually help your chances cuz it shows the studios not just your general style bu5 applied to their characters and characters you might be asked to draw and might show a general understanding of the or just show you’re passionate which is a pretty good sign of a dedicated worker. They already do this on their own unwinding time so they’re probs gonna go the extra mile cuz they just enjoy it.

@@Chan-qk9eh basically it confirms you can work in their constrictions.

I dont think you understand a thing about those painters (hint: not fanart..not even close) or what they are saying about fanart. You are clueless on this clearly. Its laughable actually.

@@avidadolares maybe care to educate us plebians, if you're so enlightened, instead of mocking? Hmm?

Not true at all! The old boys have a lot to teach....but they arent as patient because they know very quickly who is listening and who isnt. The new guys will give you more chances...but guess what..they wont be new forever and they will be the same as the older guys. The pros dont forget about being new...but they know how to help those that are ready to be helped and thats where they focus on...not the clowns who arent making an effort.

Some big animation companies are unionized. Disney, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network for example. But not all of them, unfortunately. I think Netflix isn't unionized, but I heard news a few years ago saying they tried to push for it to become unionized under the Animation Guild

A lot of Steven Universe crew was found that way too!

I’ve tried both, but what I’ve noticed is if I’m NOT listening to music or a podcast, I start automatically singing! It’s kind of a stimming thing, but I think that singing while working used to be really normal. It gets annoying for others, though 😂 They find it is in their interest to let me listen to music after all 😆

I agree. My art professors insisted that music is distracting and we should have total silence, total dedication, total concentration when working but I just can't do that. It makes me feel miserable and I can't focus for more than a few minutes. I like to have music playing in the background; it makes me excited when it is pumped-up music, etc! It can really help my vibe, and make the work more enjoyable

I've noticed that when it's music it often helps me, but when it's a podcast or a TV show then it might actually hurt me since I often switch my attention to what's going on in there, instead of working, resulting in me working much slower.

@@DarthBiomech Oh definitely! I can't watch anything while I'm working-- not even music videos. I'll get sucked in and start watching more than I'm working :'D I have to keep the music playing in a tab I can't see unless I'm actively switching songs

It’s because it’s a proven fact that the brain has a harder time dividing up which senses to attribute to which task and at which time. There have been more studies on this issue than there are fine art paintings in a single museum. Why do you think teachers get mad when you talk during a lecture? Because you’re not focusing and your lack of focus is also attributing to the lack of focus of others. Go to a movie - when there’s no plague lol - and talk with friends or on your phone or obnoxiously chew your popcorn. See how many people give you evil looks, complain to you or to the staff to have you kicked out. It’s the same thing. Lol if you’re an adult, try to watch a movie while having sex. You’ll get pissed because you’re missing the good part of the movie and you’re partner will get pissed because you’re ignoring them/not focusing on them. Same thing. Art, be it fine or digital, music or sculpture, is about creating life. Making something that NO ONE has ever seen before. Why wouldn’t you want to devote ALL of your senses and attention to that?

No music unless you're animating to music.

@@rockon8174 To be fair, some people, like Milt Kahl, cannot multi-task well.

Same here, I'm still a complete begginer at poses though And hey, don't worry, there's sites like devian art where you can post your artwork,, there's people who are gonna appreciate it aaand you can get some tips or inspiration for other artists too

I have a degree in animation. I don't work in the field. Never have. Its not because I didn't want to just other issues in my life caused/helped this to happen. Don't let people tell you that you can't because you don't go about doing everything the same way everyone else does.

That makes sense. You have to prove to you're worth it to your employer

unfortunately when some people are willing to do this and others aren't companies learn who to hire so that they can abuse and who not to hire because they expect to actually get paid for their work.

Haha good point!

yeah. the only time when fanart is bad is when fanarts are the only things you can show in your portfolio.

If you think Yusuke Murata is a good draftsman than you need better standards my dude! 😂😂😂

I usually don't like the whole "learn it so you can break the rules" argument because most people I've met that say that are usually not very good artists to begin with. If you are learning fundamentals just so that you can "break rules" than you're kind of doing your time and education a disservice. I usually interpret all artistic mediums as a means of abstracting how we interpret our experiences with the world. Cartoons and animation are a good example of this, nothing in most cartoons actually looks like anything in real life, but we are able to interpret images because of our association with them in real life. This is why learning fundamentals are good to learn, because it provides you with a set of tools to further abstract the world in different ways. The fundamentals shouldn't be seen as strict rulesets, they're guides.

"don't have FREE time always work hard" ...& then get so burned out you won't be able to work on the actual project because you didn't take care of your Health boh physical & mental. again, Crunch is a failure of management, not a success of the employee

@Lori P Well, we hear a lot about Miyazaki, of course, maybe Kon and Otomo, but mostly directors.

Just to add. My art professors over the years just want their students to work on their own ideas. challenge their self to create their own concepts, and some students just hug into someone else’s work.

Hey there! I would suggest drawing more with your arm and elbow rather than your wrist. Also, wrist/arm stretches. I would encourage looking at the book Draw Stronger - Self care for cartoonists & visual artists by Kriota Willberg.

...in my Art School we practiced drawing with your arm instead of your wrist because of that. You can probably find ressources for that online, but I think basically it's about drawing quite big...

@@TonikoPantoja Thanks for the response Toniko! Just bought the book! I'm also looking into purchasing a standing desk as a work station due to the nature of my work and sitting forces so many bad habits on me, do you know of any animators or have any opinions on standing work stations while animating? Cheers!

@@pyxelpub8251 Yeah I love standing desks, gets your whole body moving

That's a great discussion that should be explored.