Suzanne Helmigh's great advice

Quick announcement: someone emailed me directly about a blog post recently, and the email went straight to my spam folder! I normally never check my spam, but was checking it looking for something else when I saw it. So just fyi: the email address posted here is correct, and I WILL be checking my spam folder from now on, but if all else fails, leave a comment on the blog! Blogger emails me every time someone does and it always goes through.

On to today's post!

I met Dona in a Peter Han Viscomm reunion trip to the California Science Center. We only met that one time, but became Facebook friends afterwards, and often comment on each other's art-related links and Instagrammed sketches. She recently posted a link to one of Suzanne Helmigh's great deviantArt journal posts.

As an aside, I used to be on deviantArt in high school, and of course in addition to posting my terrible teenage art, wrote very angsty dA journal posts, similar to my LiveJournal (which I obliterated completely a few years ago when someone I dated as a teenager asked me to take it down, as a LiveJournal entry of mine was one of the top posts in a Google search for their name. That was a fun conversation to have.) Given all this I think you'll forgive me if I don't share my old username. But in any case, my point is that I tend to equate deviantArt journals with angsty teenage Livejournal posts, since they share that space in my head under a very hormone-laden box labeled 2003-2004. BUT Suzanne Helmigh dashed all those expectations with her well-worded, very astutely written series of posts on becoming a concept artist. They range from practical information to motivation and encouragement.

Practical: 5 bullshit myths of concept art
Where to get started before you can apply for work
     ^ This one had the huge bonus of including an ACTUAL, REAL-NUMBERS breakdown of a sample concept art pay rate.

Motivating: Fast lane to becoming a better artist
Are you being honest with yourself?

There are many more and it seems like a series that she wants to continue, so check those out and give her a follow if you're a fellow dA user. Suzanne's professional website can be found here. Also please check out Dona's blog and portfolio!

Here's a random sketch to add some visual interest to this post... a very happy, very belated Cinco de Mayo to you, from a galaxy far, far away.

© Gina Florio 2014