Resources

"Don't set your goals based on what you think you could achieve. Set your goals on what you wish you could achieve, and then believe you can." - Lorne Lanning

Hope this can help you, and good luck on your art journey! (Updated 4.30.23)

Learning Blender

Whatever role you aspire to do in animation, 3D has quickly become an industry standard tool used by artists to help them flesh out their ideas in a fast-paced environment. Increasingly I see it’s being asked if you know it interviews, especially for visual development roles, though it’s not required as of yet in the animation industry. Blender in particular has become a lot of people’s preferred program because it’s free, has a ton of features, frequent updates, and a thriving community of artists who create tutorials and add-ons for it.

I personally don’t have formal 3D training nor do I know how to do everything in the program. I use youtube to find appropriate tutorials as I go and find that it’s most efficient for me to work in that way. I’ve mostly used it for blocking out designs and lighting ideas, but I have seen people combine it with other techniques for close to final painting looks.

Link to download Blender 3.1 (or latest version): https://www.blender.org/

(PC with good specs, mouse with scroll wheel & keyboard with numpad highly recommended.)

Easy to Learn Intro Tutorials:

Honestly, not going to lie, I found it really hard to get into blender at first. I would always choose tutorials that were too difficult and end up getting frustrated by badly organized tutorials. Here are some that I liked and were recommended by other artists.

Very easy and accessible tutorial, good introduction to multiple aspects of Blender.

3D blocking Process by Martin Krebs

Must Have Add-Ons for Blender:

I use this to quickly get lighting information for set blockouts

Free landscsape generator that comes with blender

Buildify add on + OSM add on = instant, detailed city scapes (and then add Starlight Atmosphere to get lighting)

Add proportional characters to your set for free from mixamo.com

Free library of high quality assets and textures: https://quixel.com/megascans

Always looking for good tutorials/plug-ins! Send recommendations to my email :D

Digital Drawing Tools

I started off using a drawing tablet without a screen (Intuos 3) and currently use ones with screens because they’re easier to draw with. As time has gone by and I’ve tried a variety of different products, and I’ve come to the conclusion that certain professional products are overpriced. Currently I am loving using a Huion model (not sponsored or affiliated). The stand, the cord management, and the tablet itself are so well designed. One thing I dislike about bulkier tablets is how they would take over my drawing desk. This one is so light it is easy to move out of the way when needed.

Huion Drawing 22” Tablet I currently use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BZ729QJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The iPad is a GREAT drawing tablet if you want to work in different place around your house. Just make sure it’s compatible with the 2nd gen apple pencil- it is super easy to charge that pen with magnetic charging. I’ve done professional work on the iPad before.

Samsung Note cellphone is another amazing on the go drawing tool. It’s good to do doodles on the plane, and plein air painting outside. What’s great about it is that you don’t even need to think about bringing it since it’s also your phone! It works well in conjuction with the app Heavy Paint by Vaughan Ling: https://www.heavypaint.com/.

My Tutorials

Check out my YouTube for more! I don’t currently update my channel but will hopefully get back into it someday!  

Log in to Schoolism to see my Interview with Bobby Chiu here: https://schoolism.com/interviews/kelsey-eng-illustrator

FAQ

Q: What do companies look for in a portfolio?

A  solid portfolio consists of being able to tell a clear story with your art while at the same time demonstrating your drawing/painting skills. Some shows look for proficiency in both painting and drawing, and sometimes others look for only one of the two.  It does help to have several pieces that support a single story- such as a prop design, bg design, character design, or even an environment painting that are all for the same story. 

Connections can also be an important factor in landing a gig. An up-to-date social media presence is also helpful with networking and meeting people in the industry. So is taking classes at Concept Design Academy (CDA), one of the best and most affordable art schools in LA (http://conceptdesignacad.com/).

Q: Do you have any advice for applying to jobs?

Be persistent, keep contacting recruiters, and ask industry people to look over your portfolio. Everyone has a different perspective and opinion, so it's important to ask multiple people. It is also all about timing- shows will only be hiring when they start up, or when someone leaves their position.  So don't feel down if you don't hear back from job applications- that is common. Keep improving your portfolio and applying to jobs.

Q: What is it like working in the animation industry? 

 It can be really fun! A studio job provides me with a stable income and a network of peers, which is invaluable. But on the other hand, a studio job is not the end all be all. Some of my favorite artists in fact don't work at big animation companies! They either freelance with multiple companies or are in multiple industries such as advertising, motion graphic, and/or illustration. 

Q: How much do artists make and can you tell me more about healthcare, insurance, etc.?

Not all animation studios are union, but for those that are they adhere to the regulations and wage minimums set by the guild/union: https://animationguild.org/contracts-wages/. Through our union we are also able to get health insurance from Motion Pictures Insurance (MPI), set up 401 K plans (no matching), and other perks (browse the website and find out)! 

Q: What types of classes would you recommend?

I really loved taking classes at Concept Design Academy: http://conceptdesignacad.com/.  (The classes fill up the first day they're available for sign-up, so add yourself to the email list for an early signup time!). Overall the teachers were smart, knew what they were talking about, and gave decent critiques most of the time. Out of all the places I've taken classes at, they had the best options. LAAFA is another great place for classes: http://laafa.org/classes/. I took one with Vadim Zanginan and Ramon Hutardo and learned so much from both of them! For online classes, Schoolism and CGMA are great options. Also, I'm seeing more and more artists I admire offering mentorships and classes- so look around for those as well! (Kalen Chock has a great mentorship if you're interested in concept art: http://www.robotpencil.net/mentorship/#mentorship-page) 

Also, please be wary about classes that you enroll in. Just because it is an accredited institution (college, for example) and the class costs $$ does not mean the teacher knows what they are talking about. It could be damaging to have instruction from a teacher who will lead you in the wrong direction. Do research on teachers- where they have worked and more importantly what their portfolio looks like- that will be the extent that they can teach you. 

With that being said, there is also a lot of free information on the internet! I've linked some below  :)

Basic Fundamentals

Perspective draw-over for my layout drawing

Perspective draw-over for my layout drawing

Perspective 

Knowing the basics of perspective is a fundamental skill that can help you create backgrounds, props, and environments. It is also essential to drawing characters and posing them out in a realistic space. Perspective is easily learned through repetition- sketching architectural environments around you and making sure everything goes back to a vanishing point, and making environments up from your imagination. You can also trace over images with red lines (as seen above) to study how other artists creative perspective grids.

One of many drawovers from Kirk Shinmoto during his figure drawing workshop

One of many drawovers from Kirk Shinmoto during his figure drawing workshop

Figure Drawing 

Getting a solid foundation in figure drawing will help you learn how to draw objects and environments better as well. Figure drawing involves a flowing gesture and solid construction of spheres, boxes, and cylinders over that gesture. You have to be able to draw through the form in your head. Studying from a combination of a real life model, photographs, and timed online photo drawing sites like pixel lovely (https://line-of-action.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/) will help improve this skill.

Some of my gouache paintings from Pasadena, 2014

Some of my gouache paintings from Pasadena, 2014

Painting (Color and Light)

Color and light can help you describe form, and add real emotion to a drawing. Put in the wrong places, however, color will negate all the hard work that you did in your drawing. I've noticed most artists have different ways of using color, and specific palettes that they like. What is consistent through all their art, though, is their attention to values. A good black and white scheme will lead our eye to the focal point in a drawing, and on top of that you can build a solid color painting. You can color pick from photos if you don't know where to start, but painting from real life will help you get a good sense of color so you don't have to rely on color picking. Painting from life can be done with traditional media or even a laptop, ipad or cellphone!

Other Resources

I've learned so much from listening to Bobby Chiu talk to other artists in the industry! It's so helpful while you're drawing to hear how another artist has achieved the goals that you aspire to. 

A really great interview with creator of BlenderGuru.com on trying to learn 2D skills for a month. He brings up some really great points of work ethic and effective work habits. 

Great school for people interested in the gaming industry.

Such a genuinely nice guy who has given back so much to the art community. I haven't taken his character design classes but I've heard so much good things about them! Also has a 30 min portfolio review option.

 NPR podcast featuring inspiring hustling stories from successful entrepreneurs.

  • One Fantastic Week podcast: http://www.1fantasticweek.com/

Entrepreneurial podcast about independent artists, conventions, kickstarter, patreon, making your own book, etc.

 

The fun part after learning these fundamentals is being able to create any story, and tell it however you want! Have fun!

Shoutout to all my teachers who have helped me along my art journey and taken the time to answer my questions:

Eugene Huang (Duke of Flies), Chong Suk Lee, Leighton Hickman, Ernest Chan, Kirk Shinmoto, Kevin Chen, Liz Kressin, Steve Hirt, Joel Fajnor, Ramon Hutardo, Kalen Chock, Phalline Hoang, Andrea Favilli, and so many more. And a special thank you to Carter Malouf and Bridget Ore who helped me get my foot in the industry door <3 Thank you all!