One year ago, I quit my job for a dream…

We all dream. Unless your soul is dead like a rock, we all do. We dream in sleep, dream nice cars, dream of many things. Then there is this kind of dream that involves passion, determination, ambition and a leap of faith. It is your boldest aspiration, so bold we call it the dream.

Most of the time, these aspirations started with ambitious fire, kindled by passion. Then as time goes, challenges came like ocean waves, one after another. The fire in you dimmed. Then the last wave called ‘reality’ hit, and your aspirations turned into... just dreams.

That’s what I used to think.

One year ago, I quit my job to chase after my dream - to be a professional artist. Concept Artist.

Concept Artists are people who design and create the characters, weapons, sets, environments and many other visuals for some of your favourite movies, animations, and games. Sketching assassins all day… I don’t think there are any jobs as cool as this.

Collage: Concept Art taken from reknowned artists like Craig Mullins, James Paick, Nathan Fowkes, Feng Zhu, Sung Choi, and more. Framed ones are photographed in a Pixar exhibition I went to. All images are for ref. only, and belong to the amazing artists. I am just showing you how cool Concept Art is!

This profession is extremely competitive. Being able to produce excellent artwork should be a given, because you also need to work with demanding projects and fast paced production timelines to deliver new and interesting concepts to be ahead of the game.

If I want to be a Concept Artist, I need an industry standard art portfolio. I don’t have a portfolio, only ameature art skills. I have a Maths degree, not an Art degree. I worked two years in marketing, not film or games. What’s more, Hong Kong is not really a place for artists, so at some point I’ll have to look outside of my city for opportunities. It is harder for me to find mentors and support, too.

This means if I were to break into the industry, I am competing against students who are professionally trained in some of the best art schools in the world, and who are constantly surrounded by art communities, opportunities, support, resources, social gatherings, workshops and conferences. Oh, I nearly forgot the experienced ones who are already in the field. They are still a headcount.

It seemed impossible, but I love it so much that I decided to quit my job and self-learn my way into the Concept Art industry. I don’t need an Art degree for the job, I just need a portfolio. At the time, I had enough savings to support myself for a year, so I said to myself: If I can’t make it in one year, I’ll stop dreaming.

A glimpse of my studies and reference books. If you want me to show you what reference books I have, leave a comment below! :)

I can assure you it wasn’t easy. The solitude of practicing art alone, the number of mistakes I can afford, the minimal support from the community, searching for mentorship, lessons learnt in the hard way, the friends and social events I had to give up on, the validation from the wrong people, tight cash flow... Just to name a few challenges I’ve faced. Its has been a year. I am not hired, but I am not giving up.

During the year I realized I had a wrong idea of what ‘chasing after your dream’ meant. We think we’ve succeeded when we are literally ‘living the dream’. When we can’t, we stop there, and aspirations become only dreams. I can tell you just six months into my jobless life, I knew I won’t do this for a year. It is not about getting hired anymore, it is about what I love doing.

When I am faced with challenges, I always find solutions. Not because I am smart, but my passion motivates me to think creatively. I never saw the challenges as setbacks, but obstacles to overcome, tests of my dedication, and experiences to discover who I am.

Your dream is not a destination. It is a journey.

You may say not everyone is fortunate enough to chase after their dreams. Well, I would argue: Why did God put that passion in your heart in the first place? Not everyone has this kind of dream, perhaps God intended other great plans for you. But if you have it, you know it.

Be it a musician, teacher or writer, you are given talents, a passion, a calling for a purpose. Go, be patient and find that purpose. Be who God made you to be.

 
Blood and Manaristachasing your dream, concept art, concept artists, craig mullins, james paick, nathan fowkes, feng zhu, sung choi, pixar, karenkoh art3 Comments