Hello all!! I'm losing sleep over this.. 24 year old almost 25. enfp.
Art has always been a huge passion of mine, but I was scared out of it in high school. My current situation is that I am teaching English abroad part time (around 20 hours). I'm currently trying to study graphic design and illustration in my spare time, along with Spanish (I live in Spain), and right now trying to find some small social media job or volunteer gig so that I might have a chance of employment upon my contract here ending in 8 moths. I have a degree from a prominent university in an unrelated field. I love art, especially illustration, and I also enjoy graphic design. But I can't decide between marketing and graphic design. ... or illustration, but..
I was working in marketing and doing some freelance graphic design/illustration before moving to Europe to teach English. This is my second year teaching. The plan was to enjoy living in another country for a short time and then go back to school for concept art at the concept design academy. However, after a lot of research on the subject, I discovered that concept art was a really difficult a field to break into. I love the idea of it, having such huge sacrifices for an uncertain outcome really scared me.
So, graphic design and illustration seemed like a more practical choice. I did a ton of research on schools and certificate programs, etc, and in Europe and the United States.
I can't take out a billion dollars in loans. The two best options I found was one in Germany which is basically free but I know nothing about and I'm not sure of the quality, and is in Bremen. One in Scotland, which looks really "legit", only charges around $2,000 a year (but I would have to wait until I was 26 to enter, because I would need a 3 year resident requirement in Europe before getting that price), and it is a 4 year program, and a 3 year affordable after work program in the states. They also have a 1-2 year master's program. T
Additionally, in my university town (Los Angeles) they have a 3 year after work graphic design certificate program at a famous art school. The country I live in has really cheap options, but they are of really dubious quality and I can't imagine myself living here for another 3 or 4 years as I do not like the culture.
Basically I'm at a crossroads and I'm feeling really stuck and stressed out about what route to take. My problem is that I love artistic, creative things and feel sad when I'm not doing them, but I also really like working in marketing, strategizing and the idea of having a lot of responsibility in planning the direction of a company or nonprofit, maybe going on business trips, that sort of thing.
And most of all I'm really terrified about the horror stories.
I could basically see myself being happy in both fields, but the downsides seem to be either that I would really regret not having done art, or that I am really poor, work really long hours, and are stressed about no job stability and advancement.
Right now the best plan I've been able to think of is try to get a 9-5 marketing job and try to study graphic design and illustration after work to build a portfolio. But I'm afraid that it might get me "good enough", but then again, at least I would have a roof over my head...
So, my general questions are: 1. Is it possible to get a job which has aspects of a traditional business/marketing job AND graphic design/illustration/creative stuff, outside of entry level or internships? (I've mostly seen advertisements for graphic design and marketing in the same description for interns).
I had an internship at a nonprofit where I did marketing and graphic design/illustration (to draw the graphics), and I really loved it. Something like that would be my ideal job. But I don't know if this sort of combined situation is something that is only found in internships and lowlevel stuff.
2. Is the saying true that "If you can think of anything else you would be happy doing, you shouldn't do art"? Any advice on how to figure this out?
3. Any general advice for people on whether or not to "take the plunge" if they could see themselves being happy either way? I love art but I'm terrified of the idea of terrible working hours and constantly being in and out of work. and/or massive loans which I can't pay.
4. Is it a bad idea to want to find a job in Europe (but a different country because although I speak the language here, I don't like the culture I am in..) because I want to have a lot of vacation time and close proximity to travel, one of my big passions? Also, my infj boyfriend lives in europe? .. I'm the process of getting EU citizenship.
I guess emotionally what has been difficult for me is just accepting that this is probably not going to work out. I graduated in 2012 and I had this big plan about going back to school for art, but at the time I graduated I wasn't entirely sure about it, and now it just feels too late and too risky. Also..another 4 years in school...
Would be really grateful for any input. Been feeling extremely stressed about it
Art has always been a huge passion of mine, but I was scared out of it in high school. My current situation is that I am teaching English abroad part time (around 20 hours). I'm currently trying to study graphic design and illustration in my spare time, along with Spanish (I live in Spain), and right now trying to find some small social media job or volunteer gig so that I might have a chance of employment upon my contract here ending in 8 moths. I have a degree from a prominent university in an unrelated field. I love art, especially illustration, and I also enjoy graphic design. But I can't decide between marketing and graphic design. ... or illustration, but..
I was working in marketing and doing some freelance graphic design/illustration before moving to Europe to teach English. This is my second year teaching. The plan was to enjoy living in another country for a short time and then go back to school for concept art at the concept design academy. However, after a lot of research on the subject, I discovered that concept art was a really difficult a field to break into. I love the idea of it, having such huge sacrifices for an uncertain outcome really scared me.
So, graphic design and illustration seemed like a more practical choice. I did a ton of research on schools and certificate programs, etc, and in Europe and the United States.
I can't take out a billion dollars in loans. The two best options I found was one in Germany which is basically free but I know nothing about and I'm not sure of the quality, and is in Bremen. One in Scotland, which looks really "legit", only charges around $2,000 a year (but I would have to wait until I was 26 to enter, because I would need a 3 year resident requirement in Europe before getting that price), and it is a 4 year program, and a 3 year affordable after work program in the states. They also have a 1-2 year master's program. T
Additionally, in my university town (Los Angeles) they have a 3 year after work graphic design certificate program at a famous art school. The country I live in has really cheap options, but they are of really dubious quality and I can't imagine myself living here for another 3 or 4 years as I do not like the culture.
Basically I'm at a crossroads and I'm feeling really stuck and stressed out about what route to take. My problem is that I love artistic, creative things and feel sad when I'm not doing them, but I also really like working in marketing, strategizing and the idea of having a lot of responsibility in planning the direction of a company or nonprofit, maybe going on business trips, that sort of thing.
And most of all I'm really terrified about the horror stories.
I could basically see myself being happy in both fields, but the downsides seem to be either that I would really regret not having done art, or that I am really poor, work really long hours, and are stressed about no job stability and advancement.
Right now the best plan I've been able to think of is try to get a 9-5 marketing job and try to study graphic design and illustration after work to build a portfolio. But I'm afraid that it might get me "good enough", but then again, at least I would have a roof over my head...
So, my general questions are: 1. Is it possible to get a job which has aspects of a traditional business/marketing job AND graphic design/illustration/creative stuff, outside of entry level or internships? (I've mostly seen advertisements for graphic design and marketing in the same description for interns).
I had an internship at a nonprofit where I did marketing and graphic design/illustration (to draw the graphics), and I really loved it. Something like that would be my ideal job. But I don't know if this sort of combined situation is something that is only found in internships and lowlevel stuff.
2. Is the saying true that "If you can think of anything else you would be happy doing, you shouldn't do art"? Any advice on how to figure this out?
3. Any general advice for people on whether or not to "take the plunge" if they could see themselves being happy either way? I love art but I'm terrified of the idea of terrible working hours and constantly being in and out of work. and/or massive loans which I can't pay.
4. Is it a bad idea to want to find a job in Europe (but a different country because although I speak the language here, I don't like the culture I am in..) because I want to have a lot of vacation time and close proximity to travel, one of my big passions? Also, my infj boyfriend lives in europe? .. I'm the process of getting EU citizenship.
I guess emotionally what has been difficult for me is just accepting that this is probably not going to work out. I graduated in 2012 and I had this big plan about going back to school for art, but at the time I graduated I wasn't entirely sure about it, and now it just feels too late and too risky. Also..another 4 years in school...
Would be really grateful for any input. Been feeling extremely stressed about it