I think that after graduating from Animation here, I might be taking a Degree in Illustration instead of Animation.

ok, from here onwards it's a long and tiring post, but i need to vent and sort out my notes...

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Lately the lecturers have all been telling us to be certain about exactly what we want to do in the future, and somehow I still think that I would be happier doing illustration than to be in the animation industry. Ideally I want to work as a concept artist, character or environment designer, but now people are saying that those jobs are usually given to illustrators, and in any case there are so few concept artists needed per company that the chances of getting that job is very slim and probably will only come after years of experience.

Even if I don't get into concept art, i think i would still be happier doing editorial illustration ( illustration for books and magazines). That was my dream since highschool, when i started to seriously think about what kind of jobs i want to go into. The only thing is that everyone says that illustrators have a lot of competition and their pay is very low, because there are so many illustrators for employers to choose from. But what I think now is that maybe it's better if I do something i genuinely liked since a long time ago and do it well, rather than do something that I don't feel i'm good at. The animation industry after all also has very high competition, if what I see from online 3d communities is anything to judge from.

So maybe if I'm 100% honest the only thing that make me choose animation between the two was because of money. But come to think of it, if the pay is enough for a reasonably comfortable life, why live a life rolling in money but never feel job satisfaction. And if you want me to burn the midnight oil, i think i would prefer illustrating than anything else. I do that on my own accord sometimes anyway.

My dad seems to think that illustration is an 'unspecialized' course aka low class and anyone can do it even if they never went to school. But then there's no mistaking that I really miss foundation year when our subjects were all figure studies, painting and design classes. Flash and Maya were interesting as curio knowledge and might even be useful even when i take illustration, but it just doesn't give me the same kick as illustrating. The lecturers advised us to find a mentor, someone whose work we admire, if we start to feel apathic in animation. But then until now i realised something, why are all my mentors illustrators, not animators, not even 3d modelers

I dunno, i think the next step now is to ask the opinions of the lecturers and illustration students at college and decide what to do. And probably another trip to the international office. You would have though I know the family history of all the staff there judging by the number of times i go there.