I'm considering an art career, doing concept art or something along those lines with game design or animation

Question

How hard is it to land a job doing that line of work? Drawing is my best and most reliable talent and am seriously interested in that kind of career. I understand an art degree in the appropriate field is needed but is it a difficult field to take? Should I just give up and think about another career?

Answer 1

Game design and/or animation is a lucrative business and only the most highly skilled artists/designers make it on to the big names like square-enix, firaxis, and such.
Learn programs like 3D's Max and Maya they are the professional ones and cost $$$$$. Also try to land an internship with a gaming company if you live in a big city like LA, New York, etc. this way you can see first hand what you need, can ask pros for advice, and see how things get done step by step.
You have to be a real team player most of the industry works in groups under one leader usually the best artist/designer of the lot.
The art institutes have degrees for gaming design, artists. makers. There are also several schools in the big cities that offer the same so consider getting some hardcore education as well as experience.
Start working on a portfolio of character designs, creature designs, work on landscapes. You will need to show that you have some skills that you just the necessary experience and training to top it off.
Good luck ;)

Answer 2

Art is a very profitable industry these days! Do not let anyone discourage you from following your dream, especially if you are talented and hard working!
Game design and animation are booming industries right now, and animators are in great demand. Also, concept art is also hot, thanks to artists like Justin Sweet and Dylan Cole.
As far as schools go, I can only attest to my own experience. I attend California State University Fullerton. I love the faculty, and we have excellent animation and illustration departments. The university is also in talks with Nickelodeon Studios to tailor our programs to prepare students for careers at Nick (but you can certainly work wherever you like!). Getting an art degree is a lot of work, but if you're dedicated it really isn't any harder than getting a degree in any other field.
If you are interested in game design or animation, definatly get a degree in animation or entertainment arts. If you want to be more specifically geared towards concept art, a degree in illustration is great.
Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I think we need to embrace our roots, and study the past. I also agree that beginners need to concentrate on technique while learning body mechanics and movement, while learning basic principals. No martial art is about technique alone, that is only one aspect of it all. It is the principals that drive the technique if you will, that make or break a martial artist. Often I think that technique is the main focus of the many McDojo, and incompetent instructors out there, as principals are not well understood by those teachers. When I see martial art with a bunch of "dogma", I know at that point something important is lacking. So to directly answer you, I think we all do that a bit, some do it all the time, and that we should always watch for that, and become aware of it.