Hello to all SVS Artists and Illustrators!

[PenAndrew]

Hello My name is Steve and I am a recent subscriber to SVS and wanted to introduce myself, sorry it took so long. I am very happy and excited to be joining you all here. .
I seem to have been a lifelong learner of art since I was a kid. My dream of studying art began after I left school and eventually, I studied a Technical Illustration Diploma and then a Higher Diploma in Design-Focusing on Illustration and then took a BA (HONS)degree in Illustration.
Now, I am hoping to hone my craft and finally make some money from Illustration. Becoming a subscriber at SVS is my commitment to my Illustration dream! I am giving myself two years to get a breakthrough in art!
Now, every day I am learning new things and it seems unbelievable how little I knew despite 7 years of study. Now, every course is unearthing such practical help. I can’t tell you how valuable these things are to me and I have made so much progress already. I am so grateful. I look forward to making some great friends here. Here is a small drawing I did.

[lizardillo]

Hiya Steve from a fellow Brit

Living in China sounds exciting, I know a few people who have moved over to teach English.

Enjoy continuing your learning journey.

[Asyas_illos]

@PenAndrew welcome! You’ll find it’s great community looking forward to seeing some of your art!

[PenAndrew]

@lizardillo Thanks for your reply. Yes, I thought you were in the UK. Yes living here in China is definitely an experience all the time! I really liked your make over for the Dolphin image. I loved the first image and was amazed that you could make it even better, that really encourages me, to see how far illustrators are willing to go to keep improving.

[PenAndrew]

@Asyas_illos Hi , nice to hear from you as well. Yes, I would like to see some of my work too! HA HA. I am really struggling to come up with a treehouse design, I have never done anything like this before. So, I am really impressed to see you posted the first one, and then 2 more! Amazing. You make it look so easy, though I know it's not.

[Asyas_illos]

@PenAndrew I just happen to have a lot of free time currently so I try and make the most of it, I’m sure you’ll come up with something!

[Heather Boyd]

@PenAndrew

Hello! I love new people. I found the same with the unearthing so much more now, after taking traditional school earlier. I was in a conceptual art school which wonderfully enough has shaped my style but I have learned so much here for a fraction of the cost. Continue to ask questions and seek feedback. You can do it!!!

Heather,

[PenAndrew]

@Heather-Boyd Hi Heather, nice to meet you. How long have you been on SVS?
Yes I agree about the fraction of the cost. In fact I learned so much from listening to all the podcasts over a 2 month period just before I subscribed. That's how I knew Will, Jake and Lee had something really valuable here and it seemed such a low cost about the same cost as an evening art class for 12 weeks in the UK. And you would not learn such a variety of things, fundamental skills , mid level skills and advanced skills. So to get that for a year. WOW.
Where did you study conceptual art? I found that was what I really took away from my degree and the general process of making art. But, I can not say I was taught many practical things or given practical explanations or demonstrations. In fact I don't remember one demonstration over the 3 years!

[Kristen Lango]

@PenAndrew Hi Steve! Glad to meet you on these forums, and excited to see what you're drawing!

[PenAndrew]

@Kristen-Lango Thanks Kristen. Good to meet you to. Look forward to checking out your work soon.

[PenAndrew]

@Kristen-Lango In fact I have seen your work in your introduction. I really wanted to do an illustrated introduction after seeing yours, but it felt too much like copying you! Great work and an interesting job.

[Heather Boyd]

@PenAndrew

Hi again.

I think I joined SVS back in 2018.

I live in Ontario, Canada and went into a combined 2 school program called Art and Art History with the University of Toronto (Mississauga campus) and then Sheridan Institute of the Arts (Oakville). I specialized there in Print Making and Photography.

I had one friend that suggested I go back into traditional school for illustration for contacts alone. But I was not inclined to pursue it.

Do you have a website and/or an IG to showcase your work?

[Kristen Lango]

@PenAndrew Aw no worries! Go ahead and create whatever images you think would look nice in your intro! I'd love to see someone else do their version of something like that

[AngelinaKizz]

Welcome it’s my favourite community to be a part of. You’ll learn lots here!

[PenAndrew]

@Heather-Boyd No I don't have a website. I did create a website during the last year at college but after graduating I felt disillusioned with the response to my work and did not keep it going. Thanks for sharing. I see you use word press, I did sign up for that before and have thought about using that again.

[Larue]

Welcome, Always room for one more! I too got my art degree but graduated feeling unprepared and years...I mean years later, it's nice to still be learning new things and SVS really pushes me out of my comfort zone. Have Fun!

[PenAndrew]

@Larue Hi Larue, thanks for the welcome. Yes, as they say there's always room at the top! Yes, I studied twice and its been over a decade now since my degree! I was almost on the verge of giving up on the dream and then I discovered SVS podcasts and the knowledge and philosophy of @Lee-White, Will Terry and @Jake-Parker gave me much hope that I could go on and do it if I really applied myself.

[PenAndrew]

@AngelinaKizz Thank you Angelina. It is interesting as you @Heather-Boyd @Kristen-Lango and myself all use pencil in our artwork.

[Heather Boyd]

@PenAndrew

Yes I use wordpress. I tend to find it awfully challenging to use. I suspect I ought to use their step by step instructions instead of trying to do it all myself.

When you feel comfortable, share some work on the forum and keep your head up.

[AngelinaKizz]

@Heather-Boyd
Hi heather. I have Wordpress too, and it was so daunting that it took me 3 years to buckle down and force myself to figure it out. If you’d like some help, I would be happy to chat through together.