I have too many styles- how can I choose just one? Are my edges a mess? And how can I land a studio job? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry give their takes in this episode.

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SHOW LINKS
Robert Kondo
Stephen Silver episode
Cam Kendell episode
SVS Class: Painting Textures and Details
Marco Bucci

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Freelancing takes a specific personality; so do studio jobs. Choose the path that matches your strengths.
When you’re discontented with the quality of your work, consider it a helpful push to the next level.
The novelty of money wears off, so make work that continues to bring you joy when your paycheck is no longer exciting.

QUESTIONS

Jamie asks, “How is a full-time studio position different from freelancing, and how would you prepare your portfolio differently to land a studio job?”

In the freelance world, you are in charge of finding work. That means: networking, fine-tuning your website portfolio, curating your social media presence, and running the business side of things. When you work for a studio, your job is to simply show up and create whatever you were hired for.

If you have little professional experience and want a studio job, try for positions at smaller studios. Seats in big companies like Disney and Pixar are very limited and your work likely doesn’t meet their standard yet, but two or three years at a smaller studio will prepare you to apply when something opens up. Network as much as possible; much of landing a big studio job is about being known by the right people.

When applying for a studio position, your portfolio should be as specific as possible. For example, if you’re applying for an environment design position, your portfolio should be solely environments. Study “Art of ___” books to learn the styles of different studios, and tailor your portfolio work to match.

Amber asks, “How can I know if my edges are good? How can I keep my work professional, even with a lot of movement and texture?”

Much of edge control comes through time, study, and practice. Here are a few keys to keep in mind, no matter what style you choose:

Placement: Use crisp edges in the foreground and to draw the eye toward your focal point, leaving soft edges for less important subjects
Beginners tend to use too many soft edges; when in doubt, use a hard edge
Be intentional! Stay with your painting long enough to evaluate what kinds of edges it needs, rather than calling it done before it’s reached a high level of finish

Sergio asks, “I want to do too many different styles and techniques! I know I need to pick one thing and stick with it; can you look at my work and help me narrow down what to focus on?”

Check out Sergio’s work here.

We recommend reviewing your portfolio to find the intersection between the work that got the most love and the work you most enjoyed creating. If you’re going to make a living with your art, you need to pick a profitable style, but if you don’t enjoy the process you’re sure to burn out. Find the sweet spot between those two points and lean into that moving forward.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

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If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.