Today I thought I’d write about how I got started as an animator and what some of the things are I’ve learned about breaking into the industry as an artist, as well as some lessons I wish I had known before I attended art school.

I got started in animation when I was 8, if we really want to go way back. I was always fascinated by cartoons, and I had already been drawing and writing stories for years at this point. The passion basically was already there, but I realized at this age I had no idea how animation was made, and I wanted to know.

I eventually went to Art School in Minneapolis and graduated with a degree in Animation. But the lessons I learned as a little kid were that I needed to really work hard to be able to be a good animator. I would work my butt off at age nine, look at what I made and then be simultaneously happy with it, and disappointed in myself that I wasn’t better at animating things.

This same attitude of satisfaction and self criticism continues into my life today, and I honestly think that as an artist, it is a very healthy attitude to have.

Lesson 1: Have an attitude of satisfaction at work you’ve completed, as well as a critical eye to what you could work on and do better in the future.

This really goes for all artists, because working as a professional artist requires a number of different skills, as well as talent that puts you above the rest of the crowd in terms of securing a full time job or work as a freelancer.

It’s also important to be happy with what you have made. As artists we have a tendency to be very hard on ourselves, or sometimes not hard enough. Having and developing your critical eye is so important

Lesson 2: Develop your people skills, because no one wants to work with an awkward, quiet, jerk.

People will be working with you in the real world after you graduate from college, so being a nice, helpful, good person actually goes a long way. There are some artists out there who manage to remain or just are assholes and are really hard to work with and can survive, but they are few and far between. Being nice, courteous and having the ability to chat casually with others can and will put you ahead of the crowd. So brush up on your communication skills, it’s often as or more important then having talent.

I know this all is about internal stuff and soft skills, but i cannot emphasis how much having these skills has allowed me to survive as an artist, the art and design industry is intensely competitive and getting a foothold in it is hard to do.

Lesson 3: You are not your art, your job or your creative ideas.

This is very important for keeping your head in the right space. A lot of artists really struggle with inward issues of identifying themselves a bit too much with what they do to make money for a living. You’re not always going to have a great full time or freelance job working in a creative field. Honestly sometimes it’ll just be downright drudgery. But don’t let that affect your identity and what you think of yourself on the inside, because you as a human being are not your job.

Lesson 4: Art School is NOT a requirement for getting a creative job, but it is a perk

There are plenty of artists I know who never went to school for what they do, and they do just fine for themselves. Some of them are also way more talented and hirable then I am. Going to college for an art degree is not a requirement at all. It can be a very expensive, time consuming experience. For myself I think it was the right decision, but college is certainly not for everyone, and going into massive debt in order to work as an animator isn’t exactly fun either.

So think carefully about whether college is for you or not. There are other alternative ways of learning about art and animation if you’re disciplined, curious, and able to make time for it.

One of my dearest mentors and friends who’s been working in the television and video game industry never went to college and ended up working for Hanna Barbara, Disney, Microsoft, and many other high profile clients as a contractor and sometimes full time employee.

Some alternative, and less expensive schools online exist, including:

• Animation Mentor
• Oatley Academy (concept art education)
• Gnomon School
• Digital Tutors
• Lynda.com

Check these out to see if they might make more sense as an educational investment then college if you feel it is not for you. There are also smaller trade schools like VanArts which offers an Associates degree in animation instead of a Bachelors.

I will also mention that one thing college did get me that I wouldn’t have had otherwise would be a network of colleagues who can vouch for me and get me work for many years. That is one of the biggest perks of going to school. A network like that can and will take you far.

Lesson 5: Networking is very important

Networking is very important for getting work, I cannot emphasize this enough, and this is where your people skills plug into the real world. It also doesn’t matter if you’re been to college, or not, networking is very important. The majority of work and jobs out there are being passed around under the radar. That means that when a job is posted on craigslist or elsewhere, it’s because no one in that company knew someone they could recommend to fill that position first.

This is why going outside and meeting other people in your industry, making friends and having a good time with them is so important. I get the majority of my freelance work sometimes just from referrals, without which I would be broke and crying in a corner somewhere.

Also if you’re scared of networking and just starting out, that is pretty normal. See my post here about networking if you need more help in knowing how it works and why it’s going to be fine when you do it.

Lesson 6: Make stuff everyday

I try and tell myself to make something I like and am passionate about everyday. Often I only have ten minutes to devote to it, and sometimes I just don’t have the time at all, but being committed to making things you enjoy everyday is important.

I usually assign myself a task to work on a personal project at least ten minutes every week day, and more on the weekend if I can. it really helps to keep you focused and makes a large project much easier to handle and get done.

Lesson 7: Ask your peers for critiques and help

Your colleagues and peers from your network are there to help you out. If you have a piece of animation, concept art, etc that you’re working on and need feedback for, don’t be afraid to ask other people for help and feedback on it.

Having more then one brain and set of eyes on something is always a good thing, unless they’re a complete idiot, and have no idea what they’re talking about.

Also be sure to hone your voice, not all critiques and advice are equal, and some people’s instincts about what you do or want to achieve with something will be wrong. But being courteous and listening is a great skill, and remember; YOU ARE NOT YOUR WORK! So don’t be upset if someone doesn’t like what you do and decides to be harsh in their criticism, sometimes that kind of critique can be the most valuable and make you grow the most. Other times it’s just some person being mean.

Lesson 8: Do not miss deadlines… like, ever…

In the business world, deadlines are what makes the money and projects go round. Missing a client or companies deadline for something can be devastating for a project. Sometimes scope and scheduling issues for something can and will be out of your control, but always do your best with what you have available to you.

I have been fired for missing deadlines before on a project, and it isn’t a fun thing to experience. So do your best with what is in your control. and get that stuff DONE!

Lesson 9: Have other hobbies that are not related to art

This is a little different really, and is a general life tip I’ve learned. But not all your hobbies have to be related to animation / games / graphic design / illustration, etc. We live in a vast rich world in which art is only a small part of it. Get out and cultivate other hobbies if you don’t have them. Be curious and try new things, you never know what you’ll like or don’t until you actually try it for yourself.

Human beings are characteristically bad at knowing what makes us happy, so trying new and different things you might enjoy is a way to explore yourself and what you want and don’t want, and that is the stuff of life.

Lesson 10: Be ambitious and have courage, breaking into the industry is hard, keep on trying

Believe in yourself. You can do it. When I graduated college, I did so in 2008 right before the Great Recession hit. I landed an internship with Activision soon after, but was laid off nine months later. I have been laid off over and over and over again, but I never gave up on my dreams. Being a professional artist is NOT easy, but it is entirely possible to do it, and support yourself on it.

I have worked as both a contractor and employee at a wide variety of places, and every job and experience I have taught me something new. As a newbie to the industry, it is going to be tough, competition is fierce, pay can suck at times, but keep on doing it if it’s what you love, and cannot live without.

You can do it! Now go out there and make your creative voice shine.