The first artist I spoke with was named Michael Borkoski. He's has worked as a storyboard artist and a freelance artist. He has worked on shows such as The Venture Bros. and has also illustrated an iron-man children's book. You can check him out HERE. He spoke to me about how he first started getting jobs and how he's managed to stay employed over the years. He also had good things to say about some of my character illustration, and I gave him one of my Avatar prints for all his help.
The next man I spoke with was named Storn Cook. You can find him HERE. He's a comic artist that does a lot of fantasy art. As I spoke with him he asked to see my work because he noticed the portfolio under my arm. And he gave me a really great artist critique. I knew I was having trouble spots, but it was great to have someone who could actually articulate what I couldn't tell was wrong by just looking at it myself.
As we were talking the artist next to him, Ken Wheaton, noticed my work and began to converse with me at the same time. You can find him HERE. He was great, and getting feedback from both of them at the same time was amazing.
So the breakdown is, I need to work on my anatomy, and I did know that, but it was reaffirmed. I need to work on my shadows and line weights, which I have been beginning to play with. I need to add more contrast to my lights and darks of my overall pages, and I need to keep the composition, and the idea of leading the eye, in the back of my head.
All of these artists offered their further advice if I wanted it, and to contact them, which I will, they were all very helpful. That's all for now, I have to go do animation.
EDIT: Just to put in an epilogue, because I was running out the door when I wrote the first bit. The artists I spoke to said that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be as far as my art goes, and I'm just at the cusp of where it will begin to curve into something refined, so that also gave me confidence, and I'm definitely going to continue my practices!
