Editor's Day 2011 and some thoughts on formal art training.

SO!!! 

Wow I've been bad about keeping up with my blogs this year.  I have been updating my deviantart site a bit more than this one, but regardless its been pretty low.

So I intend to remedy this with an update about my weekend, as well as a piece of new art!

This past weekend was Editor's Day here at SCAD. It's probably one of the most exciting days of the year here. The school has a bunch of editors come out and do portfolio reviews and some panel discussions. I signed up early was able to get two portfolio reviews!

I had a review early on Saturday morning with Bob Schreck, and editor who has worked in comics for the past 35 years or so. He gave me some really good feedback on my portfolio, and gave me a good idea where I can improve on it. 

I also had a great review with Will Dennis from Vertigo Comics, who also pointed out some areas I need to improve on, and talked a bit about developing your artistic abilities, and how important it is to be in a community of like minded individuals who can look at your work and give you feedback on it.

I was thinking today about that, and how great it would be to have a "studio" type of setup with some friends of mine who are working and studying here at SCAD. I don't know if that will happen, but I do know that having a community of artists here, who I can bounce ideas off of, and critique work with is invaluable. 

I actually see this networking to be much more important than simply doing well in classes. I have some to the conclusion that as an artist, you don't have to go to school to be good, but going to an university like SCAD has some fantastic advantages. For example, Editor's Day. If I was able to see an Editor at a Con, chances are he or she will be busy, harried, and at least a little stressed out. Coming to SCAD is like a vacation in some ways, and it gives them a chance to really slow down and actually take a good look at work as well as give really thoughtful feedback.

Another good example of why going to an art university is important is the fact that you are critiqued constantly. From your professors, to friends and other students, if you are open to listening, you are always going to be able to get some great feedback, and your work will improve so much faster than it would otherwise. Rather than have to wait for that opportunity a few times a year to show an artist or editor your work, you can get feedback daily. 

It's really crazy to me how much my art has improved over the last year since I have been here. It has in fact been a little over a year now, Five quarters, but the dramatic increase for me has really come since around this time last year when I had my first Sequential Art class.

Anyway, Lets hope this next year will see work that is twice as good as it is now!

And for fun, here is a picture that I drew and inked this afternoon. I thought it was great fun, and I decided to throw some color on it. I don't color often, and I don't feel like its my strong suit, but it does give a certain energy to any drawing.

Enjoy!