Can't afford art school? - Tips for self taught Concept Artists.

Not everyone can afford to go to art school. The good news is that concept artists are hired based on their skill not their degree. So here are a few ideas on how you can improve on your own and teach yourself concept art. Unfortunately you're going to have to assess your own weaknesses, and formulate your own curriculum.
-Assess your strengths and weaknesses.
-Constantly schedule time to improve on your weaknesses.
-Schedule your own projects based on games you love. Set up a daily routine as if you're already a concept artist on those projects, and the fan forums are your audience.
- Run with your successes, and keep doing them in order to keep enthusiastic about your craft.
-Improve your skillset EVERY day with tutorials from pros.
- Get feedback from gamers who play the games you want to design for.

Things I've worked on:
Overwatch (PC, PS4)
League of Legends (PC)
Diablo 3 (PC,PS4)
Hearthstone (Mobile, PC)
Burning Crusade (PC)
Wrath of the Lich King (PC)
Indivisible
Unsung Story
Final Fight Streetwise (PS2)
He Man (GBA)
Terminator 3 (GBA)
CannonBallers (Mobile)
CreeD
Twilight Monk
Ikeda
Nova Colony
Galaxy's Edge
SodaPopSoldier
Millenium Actress
Goblins and Gnomes

[saiyajingengar]

Looked at the price for fheng zhu's school... Now im here. Thanks for the tips.

[JoeyStrife]

I schedule my sessions like around midnight before going to bed. I got tired of excuses especially when going outside for not having a sketchbook on me and when I did have it, a 5 minute wait for the bus was not enough time. Now I do it every time I get the chance, even if it’s to draw a small detail from a bag or element from scenery.

[RedGvi]

Yeah!! We are playing this game in hard mode!

[liss]

"MINDSET!!!"
Aspiring concept artists with depression: ....f u c k

[LolixBelle]

I am a young Single mother here, i just started to get into concept art, come back here every time I feel lost, I watch this video many times to remind myself when I feel burn out or other videos and tutorials on Gumroad, but I been making time to practice and sacrifice some sleep too to practice and dissecting but I do feel lost sometimes so hearing trent’s wisdom helps motivate me a lot.

[cementshoes_]

Though I don’t play video games that much anymore I love watching them. Whenever I see people playing them with such creative characters and how happy they are it just makes me feel so inspired. I am in high school right now so I am still trying to work a lot of stuff out including a bunch of improvements for my art. Your video was very helpful and it made me excited again to keep working and to not give up on try to reach my goal of being a concept artist one day.

[Bakanyanchii]

I would personally love to see your early portfolios, which you submitted to companies, as well as the portfolio you sent that landed you the jobs. I think it would help us get an idea of how far or close we are to that. Plus I.m curious :)) and I.m sure others are too

[icemage]

i know this video is old but another good thing is to not listen to the people that are like "oh, you shouldnt go into this field, its not a real job" (or something like that) or the people that just say "its shit" without giving any criticism

[macksdan]

When you said play games that excite and inspire you and then create characters that would fit in that world, that reminded me this was the way I use to think and draw when I was a kid, before things got so technical. Thanks for reminding me to really just love what I'm doing and to draw what i would love to see ! :)

[furrybproductions]

You were an inspiration for me as a kid because you weren't much older than me, when you got in the business at 16 years old with Creed. The way you made those characters look is one of the reasons I wanted to keep going. Even back then your shit was epic! I'm glad I found your channel!

[KouDGraw]

I feel people don't really need school for art. Especially when you're just there to learn how to draw. You do need to go to school for the loans to afford the software & hardware, end with the portfolio, get the degree papers, and some of those neat doors open to you from studios looking to hire from schools.

[life_motived_corey]

I like this video... I was spending so much time playing PS4 then I completed my drawing and now I'm hooked and back into my passion. I'm more happy to create.

[watininx]

To be real honest, I just want to be an educator. Is that odd? Like everyone else wants to be a concept artist for some AAA company but I feel like concept artists or illustrators has never been given the time to shine for what they do best! Which is making every detail count. Here in my country, you guys never get credit for the amount of work done and I wanna just educate the I feel like artists get taken for granted unnecessarily... but I feel like my drawings are just meh, it doesn’t have that concept art oomf to it but like you said you just gotta push through and reevaluate my drawings keep growing :’] you’re amazing btw ❤️❤️

[mr_art]

there is also the idea that in many trades the key information is protected by the artist to avoid selling his mindset. but the fact you mentioned it means it's very key in stepping up... key skills learned the right way, not just seen on a tut, but individually deducted and applied in work real-time...

[elfoxy]

I'm ready to be rocky, hell yeah. *Cool 80s music starts playing*

[herbjacobs]

Damn I remember reading about you in a Wizard when I was a kid . You were publishing a book at 16. Huge inspiration. Glad to see you still doing your thing.

[oneanotherstudios]

LOVE the G.I.Joe example! I designed hundreds of my own characters when I was a kid....even hesitantly added a drawing of one to fill out a portfolio needed for an interview to get accepted into a summer art camp. It was the piece they seemed to like the most! I was so surprised, lol. Great advice, now time to go have fun drawing things I love!

[ComfortablyLost]

I think this is honestly some of the best pieces of advice I've heard in a while man, thanks.

[segafan]

I really struggle with that mentality, if someone tells me no, my first response is "oh okay."
it is really holding me back from even starting, but every day I think, "I just want my imagination to be sharable" to draw, to animate, to just show...but it is so hard for me to motivate myself past that.
thanks for the video trent, they (and the discord) really really help to give me those little bursts of inspiration I need to at least practice several times a week.

[ProjectGoof]

i'm no Concept artist, but damn these are some tips anybody can use regardless of field/hobby, your videos are really well thought out and there is a piece of info in there for everyone. gives me a little jolt of inspiration listening to you talk about your art