Honestly shocked you didn't have any kind of formal art training -- your natural eye for shapes and color is spot on!! If it means anything you're killing it for where you're at!

I can't recommend schoolism.com enough!! It's not free (though I think they have some sample stuff up) but waaaay cheaper than any school that'd take your tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for a diploma.

also, having gone to a state school majoring in art (so not like, An Art School but def went to an art program) the information I got out of schoolism was way better, more tailored to the skills I wanted to build, and didn't have any "boo for illustration, fine art is the best" bias

OH Yeah I've been recommended this, but the classes are way out of budget for me who's currently already struggling to keep up with bills. I hope I can make a breakthrough one day and they'll no longer be out of reach.

yeah, they are not easy-breezy cheap, unfortunately :[ but I hope you can too! (not least just 'cause it sucks to struggle) it's cool to be able to learn from industry professionals, glad they're out there doin' this thing at least

Same, two of my close friends went to art school, came back with tons of skills they taught themselves. I know I can learn it myself but I dont have the direction or drive to do it without having a teacher to guide?

As someone who went to a strictly just art college. I spent so much money for them to shove YouTube videos as lessons in front of my face instead of hands on work with guidance.

Seconding this, I didn't go to a specific art college, but most of my art classes were professors regurgitating other video processes or just watching adobe tutorials until you figured it out

Hey, as someone that has done two masters degrees and an undergraduate degree I can assure you are not missing much (I'm from Spain and my parents wanted me to have something official) If you want, you can DM if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to help with anything I can!

Art school is a 50/50 depending on which school though imo, speaking as a SCAD alumnus. :')

I feel this quite often. I didn't have the opportunity you did, but I am constantly frustrated with how hard it is to learn things from YouTube with no help or guidance from someone knowledgeable Friends sometimes offer to help but i somehow come up with problems nobody has ever heard of

Can not recommend Ctrl+Paint enough Free tutorials for drawing and TONS of stuff for digital art www.ctrlpaint.com/library I went to a scam "school" and few classes in community college. I really only learned a lot from my own studying. In my youth I traded art skill for a social life tho

thankfully art is one of the few skills you dont need a formal education in in order to learn! The amount of free resources out online now is insane. Theres something to be said about one on one with a professor, but I dont think you necessarily "missed out" on anything instruction-wise

i dont regret going to art school, but did i NEED to get the degree? nope!

Yeah I only took 2 art-related classes in college and both of them were fun, but the main thing they taught me was just how to practice consistently, all the technical skills you can learn online for free!

I had a full ride to two different prestigious art colleges, and said "Nah I'm going to go live with my boyfriend and work retail" Past me sucked, I'd kick his ass if I could.

In all honesty as someone who did go to art school, graduated with a bachelor's degree... na. Most of what I, and many of the folks I went to school with, learned was -after- college. though keep in mind our school defrauded us so bad a bunch of us had our loans cancelled.

I can't guarantee any jobs but any knowledge to pursue animation or art I can probably point you in the direction to learn skillsets * hugs*

Not worth it imo. Im 50K in debt and didnt even get to finish. All the skills I learned I could have gotten through tutorials or networking with other artists.

Can relate with these thoughts so much, if only it's possible to reload past save file haha.