Hey julie. For someone who is still a high school sophomore, you are off to a good start in my opinion. So, I think the biggest problem with your figure drawings is that you are still having some problems with anatomy and proportions. It is my advice that you try to do more "perfect" drawings, meaning, you measure every angle, head distance, etc. You need to learn to draw from life as closely as you can. I know it is a pain, and I would "hate" it too - doing academic figure drawings is practically the antithesis of animation-type drawing, but you need to perfect your general figure understanding first before you go into exaggeration and elimination. If you can't draw academically, you will not know when, or what to exaggerate or eliminate for animation-type drawing. - http://www.animatedbuzz.com/public/album_photo/c7/de/dde9_b5a6.jpg?c=5ef1 In this image, you give us a good indication as to what is going on with the pose, but there are still problems worth considering. The arm should be. . . what should I say, more defined? I can tell what it is doing in the space it is in, the way it interacts with the leg, the way it lifts out from the torso, etc, but it needs to look more defined. Left leg - the one that bends towards the viewer definitely needs improvement. It becomes unrealistically skinny near the foot - the foot also could be a little larger, especially given that it is the closest thing to the viewer. - http://www.animatedbuzz.com/public/album_photo/fc/e0/e01c_393d.jpeg?c=7026 I actually like the feel of this one. Critically speaking, the proportions to are awkward - that torso looks massive, and the way that left leg comes out makes me feel like this person might be 10 feet tall, but I like it more than any other pose in your portfolio, despite it not being your strongest pose because it shows potential. The pose has a distinct "U" shape, and I would feel that any model would have an extremely hard time holding that pose, and that makes it a bit unique in my opinion. I am not recommending you do more extreme poses - in fact, I would recommend the opposite and you do more relaxed poses for the time being, but for a future portfolio, you want to do more unique, strained poses similar to this. - http://www.animatedbuzz.com/public/album_photo/f8/e0/e018_f9a3.jpeg?c=93aa I like this drawing for example. The head looks like it might be a little small, or the torso might be a little more elongated than it should. Overall though, I think this is your strongest pose. Your shadow/light work is really fun. Your head drawings also look pretty good too. I also like the fact that for a lot of your gesture drawings, you are forcing yourself to use limited lines - that is good. It will improve your line confidence. My favorite image in your entire portfolio is actually this one - http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/photo/view/album_id/1429/photo_id/38811/offset/20 I can tell that they were quick, but these effectively communicated the pose. The other think I like about these drawings is that they are action poses - Calarts admissions guys are crazy about those. If I were to prescribe a daily regimen of sorts, I would recommend you split your time between academic figure drawing, and gesture drawings. I think you are good - very good actually, especially for your age, but to be completely blunt, you still have a bit of a ways to go as far as figure drawing is concerned - perfect your academic figure drawing skill, and focus on proportions. Once you do, you will be able to work on exaggeration and more imaginative drawing. I think thats something worth working for.

Maggie Horton said:
Noooo! I'm so sorry, James. That sucks. I'm guessing they don't let you do deferred enrollment? Btw, do you mind my asking old you are? If you'll be an independent student next year, it might be more affordable (with FAFSA and things).

Heh, its alright, but whatever. I didn't feel like I was up to par with most of the other applicants anyways. I think I will take this time to improve before I try going again (in addition to saving up some cash)

 

As for deferred enrollment, I asked Mr. Ahn, the director of the film/video program in regards to that, and he said they only do it in special circumstances - specifically, family dissasters, medical, etc. "I don't have enough money" isn't a good enough reason.

 

I think I'm thinking the same thing about the independant student status on the FAFSA as you are (I think). My folks are wealthy, technically, but they are in no financial position to help me because of their own financial difficulties - because of how much my parents make, I didn't get any aid whatsoever other than the default scholarship from calarts. If I want to get any grants or whatnot, I think I have to wait until im 24, or get married, or something to be considered "independant". . . which REALLY sucks. meh. Im 21. .  so thats a few years away.

K, i'll put my name down kindof. I was accepted to the character animation program this year, but tuition was prohibitively expensive so I couldn't go. I will be working on another portfolio so that if my fortunes do change next year, I will (hopefully) be accepted to go.

 

Feels weird making another calarts portfolio *sigh*

I REALLY hope I don't get rejected on my 2nd attempt.

This post was edited by James Heelis at May 11, 2013 1:54:41 PM PDT

Well folks, It has been a rough and tumble ride, but everything I have done in preparing my portfolio, attending the accepted student event, and talking to the faculty at calarts has been well worth my time and money, and I won't forget how hard we worked for all of this. I wont forgot all the advice many of you gave here on this forum - All of you inspired much of my work, and your art and enthusiasm encouraged me to do my best.

 

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend calarts this year, and probably not even the next one. Honestly, I don't have the money, and there are a lot of personal problems I have to deal with. But I don't feel too bad - obviously, I will be saddened by the fact that I won't be able to know the other students - to live, learn, and to perhaps network for the rest of my life with many of you - but frankly, I knew from the beginning that I would have no way to pay for this. My scholarship money provided a tiny fraction of the costs, and I was expecting it more or less. If I wasn't going to get rejected, then I wouldn't have the finances. In the end though, it isn't the school that makes a person's work. It is the work itself that makes the person - I may not go to calarts now or next year, but I intend on competing with the best of you still. I hope that in the future, we will all be working together not because we went to a school, but because we are all artists who live to create.

 

Good luck to everyone on their calarts adventure! You guys are the best, and deserve nothing less. :)

This post was edited by James Heelis at April 14, 2013 10:45:18 PM PDT

I went to community college for my associates. Best decision ever. I'm 20 now, so I am older than some calarts applicants - but I have the advantage of having my generals out of the way compared to the 'straight-out-of-highschool' kids. Imagine if you went to calarts straight out of highschool, but you had to spend half of that time at school doing generals. Ugh. Not only would it be horrifically expensive, but it would take away from a lot of your creative time and potential. Mollie, really, you shouldn't feel ashamed. From a financial perspective, community college is a fantastic value, and it will help you for when you are thrown hard into your major studies. If it helps, just know that you are a lot farther artistically than I was at your age. Finish your generals, THEN push your art/drawing hard. If you don't give up, and you dedicate yourself, you will get into what school/industry you want. Really.