Is there such a thing as an apprentice still?

**comixnut** · July 5th, 2006, 08:13 AM

I am a self taught artist, and really i have not taught myself enough just yet. I am desperately trying to hold on to the dream that i can still work in the comic book industry if i just keep trying to improve. However i, like i said, have neve attended any school of art and trying to learn all there is in my spare time sometimes seems like a losing battle (only sometimes

).

Really for the last few years all i have dreamed of is a mentor of some kind but i don't even know if there is such a thing anymore. Is it still possible to get some kind of work where you are learning at the same time?

I read the Massive Black site like in one sitting from beginning to end and it was just awesome to hear about these people that have built for themselves an enviroment that some of us can only dream of at the moment. If i wanted to work towards maybe getting good enough to being hired by them, would that mean that i would have to go to art school for a few years and set aside my comic book dreams (cause i reckon there just would not be enough time fo school, work AND comic book work on the sidei reckon)?

Working hard is not a problem for me. Working without a little of a guideline or set deadline i think gets a bit hard.

I guess that is it for today. Cheers,

**Erilaz** · July 5th, 2006, 09:32 AM

That's what internships are for.

And yes, mentoring still exists. I had one for a few years working as a 3d modeller.

As for working to a guideline, you can manage to do it yourself. You want to work under a deadline right? Start making one. It's really not that hard. If it is, get friends to pressure you into giving them pages, or start a sketchbook support group here. I've had the same issue in the past, but i'm slowly learning self discipline.

**Mirana** · July 5th, 2006, 10:41 AM

Having an internship as a comic artist is tough, though. The big companies have internships, but they're for mail readers and coffee runners. :/ I work with individual comic artists, but that's because I go to school for comic book art (not cheap).

Are you trying to be an inker or a penciller?

**wittle** · July 5th, 2006, 02:49 PM

if you don't want to go the traditional route of school to internship to big company grunt there's alway artist in any field looking for cheap, if not free, help. you just have to find them. i'm sure this site has a few, or try craiglist.org to find one in your area.

**Interceptor** · July 5th, 2006, 03:27 PM

Look at the conceptart.org school of the arts thread.

**comixnut** · July 5th, 2006, 05:03 PM

Erilaz: definitely having a problem with deadlines. Not in a comic book sense but more on a personal level where things get put off all the time. Like you yourself though i am working on it.

Mirana: Yeah i would imagine it is for people in the USA but i think it gets just a little harder when you are on the other side of the globe as well.

An inker is what i am at the moment and a great inker is what i would like to be, no point in doing something unless you are always trying to get better. However i need to get better at my pencilling skills because that is what is necessary to be a good inker.

whittle: yeah that is what i am hoping for, seeing if i can find somebody who needs some help and can teach me something. Thanks for that list.

Interceptor: I will do my best to find that thread, but if you are feeling kind please post a link. Cheers

**Goog** · July 5th, 2006, 05:05 PM

It would be cool to have mentors for noobies like me on ca. Having a talented artist drop by my sb for a while would be cool...but they probably have better things to do...

**Qitsune** · July 5th, 2006, 05:26 PM

comixnut: Entering thunderdomes (CA.org competitions) is a good way to motivate yourself and to impose deadlines on yourself. It won't be sequential art (or maybe you can start a sequential Thunderdome) but it will make you work your art muscles in plenty of ways.