1-2 year concept art/illustration schools?

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>>3115403
FZD isn't nearly as good as you think it is.
They only show the very few talented people who are able to make such huge leaps in only a year, but those sorts of people would be able to make those huge leaps without the schools help in a similar timeframe. They just have an innate ability to absorb and process new learning information.
The majority of the students don't do nearly as well, and if you've heard the few people who've went there and shared their experiences you'd quickly change your mind about wanting to go there.
They have some very nasty hazing methods where they would separate the promising and talented students from the so called slower learners.
Then they proceed to focus on just those promising students and ignore the slower ones because its more likely they will be able to get those impressive looking skill improvements that they can upload on their site through those students.
And the slower learners are left to basically fend for themselves as the tutors pretty much ignore when they ask for help and shit talk them, all under the excuse of them not working hard enough and being lazy, despite them all putting in 50-60 hour weeks.
That's the other issue with FZD, they make their students do insane unhealthy work weeks to fit in that entire course in a year.

And what do you get at the end of it all if you manage to do well?
You get the gift of drawing like some Feng Zhu wannabe rip-off, since all they teach is that specific workflow.

>>3115949
Did you go to FZD? If so, can you post your work?

>>3115949

Let me guess, your daddy paid for you to attend FZD but it was too much for you?

>>3115951
Not me, but 2 /ic/ anons have talked about it on here a couple of years ago, one of which was in the same art circle as I was, and he talked about the experience a bit more in depth there as well. And these guys weren't lazy that's for sure.
If you search the archives you might find some of those posts they made.

>>3116003
Acting like a little snarky faggot doesn't get people to respond to you seriously I hope you realize.
Don't really know why you'd respond in such a way either, did something in there strike a nerve?

>>3115949
>those sorts of people would be able to make those huge leaps without the schools help in a similar timeframe. They just have an innate ability to absorb and process new learning information.

I think you heavily underestimate the benefit of being part of such a creative environment and having people 'push' you to improve. While also severely overestimating the concept of talent.

As for your other claims,, I'm curious did you go there or where did you get this info from because it sounds pretty shitty? I looked around a bunch of FZD graduates and their experience and even emailed some and never found these sort of accusations.

>>3116224
Nvm, 2 /ic/ dude, but did they both say such things or was it basically just one of them that had such a terrible experience?

>>3116445
Can you tell us more about what they told you ? I'm interested

>>3116445
>I think you heavily underestimate the benefit of being part of such a creative environment and having people 'push' you to improve.
Reality check; Superstar shines brighter in comparison to coal-like classmates.

>>3117135
>>3117137
>>3117140
>>3117141

old news

>>3116981
I don't recall anything specific but as I said the consensus was pretty positive, you can find a few people detailing their experience online. The general experience people describe is that it's basically shit in terms of living because of how tough it is but learning wise and the improvements are palpable.

A lot of people don't agree with the method but I think people really underestimate the difference between being self disciplined and sitting down each day to study on your own for 8-10 hours and being pushed to practice or study for 15-20 hours while being surrounded with people all doing the same in a creative environment.

The key thing everyone says - which applies to any school- is that you get out of it what you put into it and just from what I hear I assume FZD does wonder for those that put in the effort but for those than can't handle the stress, the intensity and the unhealthy living conditions it's a nightmare. I guess it's no different than military boot camp.

>>3115403
Go to Russia and go to Repin.

>>3117518
>tfw would crack under the stress and pressure and not make it
>tfw even art school can't save you

>>3117135
>>3117137
>>3117140
>>3117141
Nvm I change my mind on FZD, >>3117518
I do think the intensive method can give results but certainly not the way Feng Zhu is handling that shit. What a drama, shit would make for a solid story.

>>3117520
What does that stand for? The Russian Academy of Arts is the website I'm getting. Also, what's so good about it?

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>>3117525
Try Syn Studio in Montreal, CA. Compared to the shit I'm seeing about FZD this place sounds like heaven, more accessible, cheaper tuition, cheaper city and sounds pretty hands on.

>>3117541
Sounds actually pretty good, but the question is, how hard is to get in?

>>3115403
If you know chinese,theres a fuck ton of chinese cg school you can go to,or even online classes.

>>3118263
Depends, they have a Concept Art Diploma that lasts 1.5 years and only takes in 20 students a year so that's pretty tough. But they also have a 'Full Time' program as they call it which basically consists of a 3 month program with 5 classes a day more or less, I think it might require portafolio preview, maybe only for some classes but the 'Full Time' program is probably a guaranteed acceptance unless you can only draw stick figures. It doesn't sound as fancy as the CA Diploma but I think it's gotta be pretty decent as well and it's encouraged or normal to take more than 1 term because they have a shitload of classes so you can just keep advancing to more advanced classes.

>>3118298
I wish. It's no wonder they are at the top of the industry, the have some really fancy schools. Its surprising fucking L.A. doesn't have anything comparable to what China has or really anything in the US .

>>3117541
I'm not sure if I would recommend the school. I've heard some bad things about it from students there, and I know some of the teachers there are pretty weak at art. The students I've seen there are nothing special either.

Source: I live in Montreal

>>3118690
NoseBro tell me if this anon is right.

>>3118690
What have you heard? I emailed a few alumni and most told me it was pretty decent, like everything else it all comes down to what you put in. One dude did tell me that he only considered it like a side thing to build a portfolio to later get into a proper school but at the same time that dude only took like a couple of classes and didn't dig very deep into a program.

I didn't manage to find anyone that had done the Concept Art Diploma program though, I assume it's fairly new. Please Anon, share as much as you can because right now Syn Studio seems to be my #1 pick and I'm currently building a portfolio to submit in a couple of months but I could really use other options.

It really wasn't my first choice because I do agree the teachers all don't seem like they're at the top of the industry like some other schools but it's worth noting that this schools offers a pretty good variety of classes, from stuff centered around digital illustration to fundamental fine art.

>>3118703
The people I've talked to are in the concept art program. The stuff they said was fairly typical complaints for art school--teachers not teaching very much, teachers not giving any feedback, dumb assignments etc.

Are you in Montreal already? I wouldn't move here just for it.

>>3118730
No I'm not but fuck man don't tell me that, you're killing me. I've looking for a place to go study for the past 6 months and Syn seemed like a fairly good choice. However, the fact that it's just typical complaints puts me at ease somehow. Like it's nothing majorly horrible, I'm not exactly expecting an utopic place with perfection in every corner.

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>>3117541
>tfw live in this shit province

At least I have syn studio in my city, if I ever need to. Doing a baccalaureate in animation sounds better to me, it has concept art and story boards courses over 3 years. Sound good for industry jobs.

>>3118735
have you considered going to your local university instead? Might even be cheaper.

I don't know where you live, but Ontario had some pretty good animation program.
It doesn't matter if you don't want to work in animation, you'll still learn a lot on illustration and concept art.

>>3118730
>>3118735
This anon says the most vague and generic things that it almost makes it sound like he's talking to shitters instead of the actual good people.

>>3118756
I live in the shitty third world and I'm too old now to commit to a long undergrad so I'd rather keep it shorter. Don't really like animation one bit personally, I don't think I could stomach an animation program just to learn to draw.

>>3118760
I got a similar impression but who knows, some of those sort of complaints could also come from very skillful students that find the program lacking. At least the 'dumb assignments' is something I can attest to complaining about when I took an awful 'expressive' drawing course with a shit teacher.

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step 1 : learn chinese (takes a year or two)

step 2 : go to chinese art school

step 3 : enjoy being gud

It's just so easy.

>>3118789
Except you have to be good to get in. The Chinese know better than to accept some random foreigner who is absolute beginner tier.

>>3118693
not a fan of syn studio. I'd rather go to the UQAM Sunday Live. Haven't tried the ubisoft life drawing representation but i think its more likely ill encounter someone autistic enough to know me there so im holding off. Other options are all weebs and sexual deviants.

Long story short, im suspicious about syn because of their massive online presence, haven't tried them. Know some people who went and had a meh impression.
>>3118735
ill trade you my tutelage for your money on the real mount.

>>3115403
I went to CDA a few years ago if you got any questions.

>>3119080
Not OP but how was you experience? Is it worth the couple grand to go through their suggested curriculum? What's the work load?

>>3118864
UQAM's life drawing sessions are better than Ubisoft's. At Ubi the models are less experienced, the room is not set up well, the lighting is horrible, and it costs more.

>>3119175
I never went through a curriculum, if there even was one back then. I went in 2011-2012. I just took individual classes which I believe were on average like 500 per class or so. Amazing teachers, obviously really knowledgeable considering they're all in the industry as day jobs and are really upfront about the industry. They're willing to hook you up right then and there with a potential job if you're good enough. Kind of rarely you'll get a surprise guest in the class. I was in James Paicke's environment concept class and Jaime Jones showed up, gave a little talk. Everyone literally creamed themselves.

The workshops they offer there are a gold mine of knowledge too. Arguably more important than the classes desu.

>>3119200
ya but uqam has too many old people symbol drawing it deconcentrates me.

>>3119080
Sadly I can't got to CDA, it was my #1 pick to go but going as an international for a long period of time is a pain in the ass and borderline impossible because it requires using a visitor visa and that creates problems. Shame really, I don't get why they don't invest into accrediting themselves properly.

>>3118864
UQAM Sunday Live appears to simply be a live drawing session, unlike Syn that provides actual programs and a vast array of courses, plus it seems to be in french mostly.

Syn has massive online presence? Took me a while to find them compared to other places. You seem to mostly be comparing live drawing sessions in general though.

where the fuck is ben mauro these days?

>>3119794
You could just search his twitter, he's always doing something.

>>3118789
>>3118298
Any chinese art school in particular? i'd give serious consideration towards studying there, if there was a god-tier school involved.

>>3119804
I don't know in particular but I do follow a few chinese dudes on artstation that represent some schools. No idea how good they might be but compared by web design alone they all far better and more professional than most of the schools I've found.

www.gyxy.cn
yscg.cn
lofcg.com

>>3119827
Oh, gotta use www.lofcg.com on the last one.

>>3119827
Mind posting those artstations?

>>3119831
eh sure, in the same order as posted here >>3119827

https://www.artstation.com/guangyi
https://www.artstation.com/fengweic12
https://www.artstation.com/fenghuazhong

>>3119827
>>3119843
Holy shit, what kind of secrets are the Chinese hiding over there? This level of work is insane. You don't see this kind of stuff from the west nor Japan/Korea.

>>3119845
More or less, that's why I imagine their schools must be very impressive.

>>3119827
holy fuck, my eyes

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>>3119845
>what kind of secrets are the Chinese hiding over there?
china (and russia) respect the academic tradition of drawing and painting, and teach it in their schools unlike the west, Japan, and Korea which are obsessed with simplifying things and 'self expression'.

>>3119785
Idk anything about the accrediting process but this might shed some light on it, it's a very small place. Like I believe they just rented two large rooms of this two story building that has other businesses and such inside of it. And it's on such a small street just outside of downtown Pasadena. It's an odd place. Maybe they like that it's so low key? Idk.

>>3119956
Could be but they've been at it for 10 years, I'm sure they've grown, I'm just surprised they haven't grown much more, their entire business doesn't come off as very 'professional'. Which is a shame because I was eager to go.

>>3120782
I do think the lack of "professional" in a school/university sense is part of the low keyness of it all. Like to be accredited, I'm sure there are requirements for the teachers to have earned a degree in teaching and so on and who knows what other nonsense is required that just isn't necessary especially in an industry that puts skills and portfolio above all else. There's no shady shit going on, I know that for sure. Too many professionals teach there and the whole tight knight CA industry would know all about it.

I do remember a few guys who were from other countries who did come by the school to take classes.

>>3119845
Chinese communities have multiple pros conducting free workshops, even ruan jia went back to share and have tons of qq groups for art

>>3120782
the school just feels like a supplement class for art centers ed course.

>>3120837
I meant unprofessional in the most basic of ways. Like their terrible website and general course organization, their kinda lousy online presence and advertisement. I assume certification is not possible for them because of their 'a la carte' course system, that sucks though.

>>3120845
I don't see why, the teachers are all professionals in the industry and the school has a decade of experience more or less. I imagine one could learn just as much as taking a a degree at an art school.

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>>3119804
Some chinese pros conduct private online classes probably have to find out the details from their weibo, like LINRAN
https://www.artstation.com/gliulian
https://www.artstation.com/keyi
https://www.artstation.com/wangjieli
https://www.artstation.com/kyz
https://www.artstation.com/xmy

off the top of my head

>>3120845
Well it's more catered to the concept art side which I don't believe art center necessarily focuses on very much if at all. It is supplement, but not for an art center type of school. It's just for people who want to level up pretty quickly in concept art while making also networking very easily (which I forgot to mention is arguably as important as the actual lessons you get there.) CDA imo is way more worth it than any actual art school considering their ridiculous prices.

>>3120849
You're right about the website and online presence but it's not unheard of and it's almost to be expected considering the size of the whole thing. You look at Gnomon in Hollywood and I'm sure they got a whole fucking HR or whatever department taking care of that stuff.

>>3119449
What's usually involved in the workshops? Is it mostly demoing and Q&A's?

>>3120954
Yeah, they're pretty long though. 5 hours iirc. Sometimes they'll actually start a painting from scratch and walk you through their process and their failures as they try to find the image (Jaime Jones one I went to). Others will just go through their portfolio and talk in depth about a host of things (Robh Ruppel) . But as I said in my last post, the networking is as important if not more so than the workshop lessons and so on. You can even show your portfolio to these guys and get it reviewed by them. It's really a great time for all involved.

[spoiler]It's at this point I realize I sound like a shill.[/spoiler]

>>3120959
Nah, it's good man. Thanks for sharing.

Come on, nobody really know any decent courses somewhere in the world?

>>3115949
Not true. Even the worst guy of my class got a job because he was dedicated as hell. The second worst student didn't get a job but she got a helluvalot of critiques from the teachers, but she was (and still is) on Facebook 8 hours a day.

>>3119935
Russian here. Most of the schools have painting in their schedule, but that's about one or two 45-minute lessons per week. Definitely not enough to become decent. Any kid who wants to learn to paint (or a kid whose parents want their kids to laern to paint) goes to an art school in addition to a normal one. There are plenty of these.

>>3119827
>>3119843
Fuck I wish I could speak Chinese. Why is all the good shit involving art always in Asia?

>>3123065
So dedication leads to jobs?!

>>3126223
Same. There seems to be a lot of talent in asia in general.