How to Leverage Feedback from Unlikely Sources
There is no such thing as design, only redesign. The best artists, with the help of feedback, redesign. As Comic Artist and Animator for DreamWorks, Jason Brubaker explains in this article, feedback can come from anywhere, as long as you're open to accepting it.
SURPRISING PROOFREADERS
When Jason first started self-publishing, he didn't have the traditional streamline of feedback provided with a comic book publisher. After working by himself for three years, he started posting online. To his surprise, his readers left live feedback as he posted pages. Apprehension turned to appreciation when Jason realized their comments were actually helpful. Through his audience, Jason learned where his story was connecting, and where it wasn't.
Online forums build countless opportunities to exchange ideas and critiques. Digital artists can find the best editors in complete strangers. Sometimes, it's not even a matter of seeking out feedback. It's a matter of staying open to the outside perspective regardless of where it's coming from. For Jason, that meant turning his audience into his proofreaders.
OPPORTUNITIES FROM FEEDBACK
There are many intrinsic benefits of feedback that are discussed in CGMA's blog post "The Importance of Feedback," but Jason highlights the external opportunities provided when you consult a mentor, colleague or friend.
Jason began his career in storyboarding, a fast-paced process of submitting many unfinished concepts for iterative reviews. Jason decided to spend his free time completing personal projects. A friend showed Jason how to use Photoshop and helped develop and improve his skills for almost a year. This year of feedback and learning became a key transition from storyboarding to vis dev, because Jason realized he could use Photoshop methods to create comics.
Again, when Jason was interested in moving towards animation, he didn't work alone. Another friend showed Jason how to use After Effects, which launched him into the field. The feedback he received in his personal projects became stepping stones in his career. Feedback comes from the most unlikely places, and often leads you to equally surprising positions.
Feedback is the backbone of CGMA's culture. Adding new perspectives, insights, edits, or ideas can take a project to an entirely new level, as well as provide an opportunity for long-term artistic growth.
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CGMA provides comprehensive instruction for art, games, and visual effects industries in a variety of courses for a range of students, from 2D and 3D artists looking to supplement their college studies to industry professionals looking to stay up to date on emerging trends and techniques in the field.
