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| nobinobita 681th Post
 
Red Carpet Regular Member
  
    
    
|  "Re(5):Final Fight Double Impact - vote for Ch" , posted Thu 11 Feb 02:27
Thanks a ton for all the positive responses and votes. I'm glad Chad has a receptive audience at the Cafe.
It may be hard to believe, because he's so obviously goddamn talented, but he just hasn't had much luck working in the industry. When we were in school together, I thought he would be a shoe in at various game and comics companies, but they all kept saying "you don't have the style we're looking for." It drives me crazy. He's so much better than so many big name professionals, he just hasn't had a break yet.
It really kills me because he puts so much effort and passion into his work, and he really brings something unique to the table. He doesn't take shortcuts, he doesn't use fancy brushes and photo edits and cheap tricks. This guy just gets in there and paints. He paints digitally as if it were oil painting. And it's wonderful, because he's one of the few artists where his work is more enjoyable and engrossing the longer I stare at it. It doesn't fall apart under scrutiny.
So I appreciate any support you guys have sent his way. He's so incredibly talented. His only problem is that he doesn't go out and schmooze enough. He's the kind of quiet genius who's always diligently working to improve their craft. The kind of person the world generally passes by because they're not self aggrandizing, they hope their work will speak for itself. He's the kind of guy that needs a good push from the outside. So I hope I've spoken on his behalf well enough. He's a good dude. Passionate and genuine. The kind of person you hope will win in life. So thanks for your support!
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| Pollyanna 2848th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
    
    
 
| "Re(6):Final Fight Double Impact - vote for Ch" , posted Thu 11 Feb 07:48
quote:
It may be hard to believe, because he's so obviously goddamn talented, but he just hasn't had much luck working in the industry. When we were in school together, I thought he would be a shoe in at various game and comics companies, but they all kept saying "you don't have the style we're looking for." It drives me crazy. He's so much better than so many big name professionals, he just hasn't had a break yet.
It really kills me because he puts so much effort and passion into his work, and he really brings something unique to the table. He doesn't take shortcuts, he doesn't use fancy brushes and photo edits and cheap tricks. This guy just gets in there and paints. He paints digitally as if it were oil painting. And it's wonderful, because he's one of the few artists where his work is more enjoyable and engrossing the longer I stare at it. It doesn't fall apart under scrutiny.
Is he just trying to get work as an illustrator, or as a comic artist (err...like actual comic, not just the cover)?
The problem with so many companies (especially game companies) is that they're run on the whims of people who know nothing about art, sometimes nothing about games. I've seen instances where the higher ups will ignore their art division's advice and choose some blatantly mediocre artist for the project, only to find that they're incapable of delivering professional work and having to scrap everything and start over with someone new. The new artist comes into the project when it's already doing poorly, and isgiven ridiculous requests ("Give him a purple top hat and a neon yellow ruffly shirt...no...a floppy green hat. No...both! Give him a top hat AND a floppy hat!"). After doing $20,000 (or so) of work for them, the project is canned, and while the artist can make the rent, they don't have anything they can put on their resume.
This has been a frustration for me (on the writing end), since I spent several years working on game projects...but none of them were published, so it's like it never happened.
Non edit EDIT:
Hurray! He won! Hopefully he can make a good impression in person as well! The importance of that is perhaps embodied by a piece of advice I was given one time in reference to why I didn't get more work: "it's not that you're not talented, it's your personality that's no good."
青春謳歌 弱肉強食
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| nobinobita 685th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member
| "Re(7):Final Fight Double Impact - vote for Ch" , posted Thu 11 Feb 09:46:
quote:
Is he just trying to get work as an illustrator, or as a comic artist (err...like actual comic, not just the cover)?
He's been going after coloring jobs and cover illustration work. He's actually done a tiny bit of work for Udon in the past on a rather infamous project that's better left unnamed...
I've been trying to push him into going after more game related work. He'd be great as a concept artist, or at the very least a production artist.
I'm really hoping he can segueway this victory into an art job at Capcom. He'd be a great fit there.
If you got any good leads elsewhere though, I'll pass them on to him (I love playing art manager).
quote:
The problem with so many companies (especially game companies) is that they're run on the whims of people who know nothing about art, sometimes nothing about games. I've seen instances where the higher ups will ignore their art division's advice and choose some blatantly mediocre artist for the project, only to find that they're incapable of delivering professional work and having to scrap everything and start over with someone new. The new artist comes into the project when it's already doing poorly, and isgiven ridiculous requests ("Give him a purple top hat and a neon yellow ruffly shirt...no...a floppy green hat. No...both! Give him a top hat AND a floppy hat!"). After doing $20,000 (or so) of work for them, the project is canned, and while the artist can make the rent, they don't have anything they can put on their resume.
This has been a frustration for me (on the writing end), since I spent several years working on game projects...but none of them were published, so it's like it never happened.
This is all too true. You have to commit to a very mercenary lifestyle when you enter the game industry. One where you're often engaging in useless, unfair battles. But it's an amazing and beautiful thing when a project comes together.
quote:
Non edit EDIT:
Hurray! He won! Hopefully he can make a good impression in person as well! The importance of that is perhaps embodied by a piece of advice I was given one time in reference to why I didn't get more work: "it's not that you're not talented, it's your personality that's no good."
Cruel words, but sobering advice. Talent and skill aren't everything. Personality goes a loooooong way. And by personality I mean things like good work ethic, friendliness, responsibility and the ability to take constructive criticism.
From what I can gleam from your posts you don't seem to have a problem with any of these things though.
[this message was edited by nobinobita on Thu 11 Feb 09:49] |
| Pollyanna 2850th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(8):Final Fight Double Impact - vote for Ch" , posted Fri 12 Feb 20:24
quote:
If you got any good leads elsewhere though, I'll pass them on to him (I love playing art manager).
I wouldn't say "leads", but I was thinking it wouldn't hurt to expand his horizons and try doing actual comics or manga. If you're not trying to get your own story published and retain your rights, then it's not nearly as hard to find work. Cross-licensing, adaptations and collaborations are especially popular in the manga industry right now. If you work for one editor and make a good impression, they'll speak to other editors, other publishers and other media companies. Sometimes game companies even approach comic companies looking for artists.
Also, sometimes the best way to get published is to get published...if that makes any sense.
Maybe even trying something like Zuda(comics.com) might not be a bad idea?
quote:
Talent and skill aren't everything. Personality goes a loooooong way. And by personality I mean things like good work ethic, friendliness, responsibility and the ability to take constructive criticism.
From what I can gleam from your posts you don't seem to have a problem with any of these things though.
I really pride myself on my professionalism and work ethic. Even if I'm not the best person for a job, I'm probably the most sincere and hard-working. My problem was that "professionalism" got in the way of making connections. My "good manners" made me seem offish and unconfident. In the entertainment industry, being fun to work with can be an important factor.
You can't be afraid to be persistent. Go to Comic Con and show your portfolio to anyone who will look at it. If they don't like you, ask them what you can do. Send the portfolio to any company you might like to work for and some you wouldn't. Who knows when you might find someone who likes your art.
This is all really obvious advice, I suppose, but I thought I would give it all the same.
青春謳歌 弱肉強食
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"Re(8):Final Fight Double Impact - vote for Ch" , posted Thu 11 Feb 11:38
