Not good at major

<p>So I'm currently a freshman and majoring in game art but I'm quickly realizing it may not be for me. I have some experience with 3D software but my drawing skills are lacking to say the least and I've have never been an amazing drawer anyway. I'm starting to worry I'm not going to do well in this major (my portfolio wasn't to great to begin with) but I don't know what to do. I guess to sum it up I'm starting wonder whether or not this career path is for me. Any advice?</p>

<p>What are you good at? Where are your strengths? Perhaps you’d be stronger in game design/interactive media (versus the art concentration)? If you want to stay in game art, it might be possible to build your skills through supplemental foundation coursework. This could be a weekend course at an art school, if you have one in your area. Do you want to stay in the general area of study, or are you considering a more dramatic change?</p>

<p>Tell us a bit more and perhaps people can help you explore your options.</p>

<p>Have you spoken to your professors or advisor about your concerns? If you are at an art college and your portfolio was an important part of the admissions decision, they may have seen some promise there that you dont realize. If you are a freshman this year then you must have just started. Give yourself a chance if game art is what you like to do! If by the end of the semester you feel the same way, you can often switch majors at that point without having to stay an extra year. Don’t judge yourself based on what you see others do.</p>

<p>Yes, colcon is right. Having doubts about our abilities and how we measure up is pretty much par for the course when we embark on a new path. It is easy to have a crisis of confidence (and compare ourselves unfavorably to others) when starting at a new school or program. Talking to your advisor would be a wise place to start!</p>

<p>Ditto,</p>

<p>I have two children in Artistic degree programs and both have expressed the same doubts on everything from experience to drawing skills to “that kid is amazing I’ll never measure up to X”. That’s because in college you come up against a range of students, some who have trained for years, and others just starting. It’s natural to feel daunted. </p>

<p>And it’s easy to forget that you probably have skills that those others don’t have and perhaps something about you looks amazing to them.</p>

<p>I agree, talk to your advisor and your professors. If they took you, it’s because they saw something in your portfolio that suggested strong talent and potential. And I’ve often heard it is more fun to teach a student who has a lot to learn, then one who comes in thinking they know it all (or has done it all) and is fixed in their technique.</p>

<p>Also, one thought - not every path will lead to hands on product creation. Perhaps your talent will be in directing or project management. The same education needed, but not everyone in the field is on drawing boards 24-7. </p>

<p>So think broader and out of the box. Where can this career take you? Do you have to be a strong artist to be visionary? Or can you start a company in which you hire the talent to take your dreams forward (i.e. Steve Jobs was visionary but not a hands-on computer builder). </p>

<p>And can you take supplemental courses over the summer or as an elective to build the skills you want to improve along the way?</p>

<p>Sorry i have been away for the past weeks. Ya I mean my drawing skills have been
improving ( I’m taking a drawing class) but it seems every time I feel that my work isn’t good enough. I mean as I said I have seen improvements but I’m embarrassed to show my work sometimes.</p>

<p>I think you should talk it over with your adviser. If you’re not feeling good about the process (and things don’t change by the end of the semester) there may be other aspects of film and gaming that you would be more comfortable with, while still taking some of the core courses. Business? Marketing? Concept? Scripts? This field is growing by leaps and bounds and not all of it involves drawing on “the boards.” Perhaps there is a compromise that will make you happier but keep you in the field. Whatever happens, at some point we all have self-doubts about our abilities. But you also have to feel good about what you’re learning at least some of the time.</p>

<p>I don’t know I think embarrassed was a poor choice. What I’m trying to say is I’m just not confident in my work. I’m not always unconfident mind you. When I’m actually doing it I sometimes take a step back and think I did a pretty good job but then when class comes around I feel like my work is not as good as others and this sort of saps my self confidence. Whether it’s good or not I don’t know it’s just I always seem to think that it is never good enough or never as good as anyone else’s. Pencil to paper drawing isn’t the only thing this field is about I know that but I just feel that because my drawing skills are little less developed I’m at disadvantage or I’m behind in some way when it comes to this field. I enjoy the computer aspect, though I need to practice my 2d art but that is something that I came here to learn. What I get from my drawing program is that you should already have developed certain skills.</p>

<p>One of my children is in a BFA program for ceramics. She is also not confident about her abilities. So one day I made her draw hands - over and over and over again. She didn’t see the point. I told her the point of art is not seeing what you see, but learning to see what you don’t see. That lines and shading can contribute to creating a believable image. But it’s practice that leads to improvement - almost always imperceptible to the person doing the learning.</p>

<p>Also, I will tell you that college is always tougher than high school. Kids used to being talented meet up with other students who have more skills. Then suddenly self-esteem drops to zero.</p>

<p>Fast forward two years, my D had to do a three dimensional sculpture of a human body. She “saw” more about the hands than she would have if she hadn’t first drawn 100 “bad” drawings during her practice. She developed “muscle” memory.</p>

<p>Keep at it. It will come. I once asked a famous (award winning) illustrator how he learned to draw. He said he copied and traced things hundreds of times as a kid until the forms were internalized. </p>

<p>See the trend? You’ll get there. Probably not soon enough to suit you - but don’t compare yourself to everyone else. Don’t overthink it. This is normal - even among those who came in with more skills. No one ever thinks they are good enough. It’s natural. Good luck to you!</p>