How many artists on the H.A.M.B., are self taught?

With the friday art show going on, How many artist here have "not" had any training other than maybe high school art class? I ask because there is just a lot of talented people here on the H.A.M.B. and can see some are just pretty amazing with there work. Hats off to those that have had there skills honed in further education.., But who here haven't had the opportunity to go further with there skills, and just do what they enjoy with what they were given? I am one myself, anyone else out there?

 

No formal art training past 1 year in Jr Hi, unless you count the University of Hardnox.
Usually, my motivation is someone saying - "You can't do that."

 

My mom says I was drawing when I was 5. Later on, I got into comics. In between each issue, I'd draw my own. Never took classes, just did it. I don't do it as much as I used to, but I should.

 

i was kicked out of art class in school and now i make a living at it and i'm getting ready to start teaching a class for 7th and 8th graders

 

I wasn't trained to do what I do. I'm no good at it, but I learned to suck all by myself!

 

Sums me up as well.

 

I got busted in the forth grade for sketching a playboy bunny!
but yeah, self taught here

 

my dad was/is a custom painter, I like to say he taught me everything he knew, then I had to learn the right way of doing things. heres a thread of some of my daddy's work:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428784

 

Self taught until 26 when I went to California Institute of the Arts to study animation
(1 1/2 semesters).
My dad, an Art Director and an accomplished graphic artist, gave me pointers here and there but mainly as constructive critiques. He pushed my brothers, sisters and I to learn on our own. Once in college, as those of us who chose to pursue it, he really kicked in with some direction. Direction not instruction. I'm the only one who got into cars and cartooning so he couldn't help much anyway. He did, however,
(and I know both how this will sound and how some will interpret it )leave a couple
figure drawing books stashed in a closet which came in handy (Okay, have a laugh....
are we done?)
I actually used them for studying proportions before I hit puberty. He hid them better once I had. Gave one to me once he felt I was mature enough.

 

As a kid I drew (cars) and played with Legos (built cars)...

I did take some art classes as a kid, and had HS art classes... after HS i realized i needed to do something so I went to CC for Advertising Design and later went to a 4 year University for Graphic Design... BTW I had to work to put myself through school -never had the "college experience"

The part that relates to your question is -after graduation I got a job as a 'Digital Imaging Specialist' (photo retoucher -all Photoshop) - I basically taught myself Photoshop!

My HAMB related art is sculpture (i guess) -also self taught.
I think playing with Legos as a kid really honed the ability to visualize things in my head before i create it....

 

Self taught from the time I could hold a pencil.Started pinstriping at 11(1955).My mother and grandfather were both artists;one uncle was an aircraft designer for Boeing in the 1950's and another was a prototype model maker specializing in dioramas.Taught a few classes informally in the 1980's at an art school.

 

Yep

 

took a class in college, but was always late so I gots canned. just picked up painting a few years back (tattoo flash type stuff) then cars the last 6 months or so. Wish I was stronger at drawing, but I think I'm doing pretty good at working with acrylics.
<-- avatar's mine

 

I did nearly the same thing!!!

Self taught illustrator, photoshop, and flash.... oh and drawering!

 

5th grade and to this day, I still swear I planned on putting the bikini on her from the beginning.

 

Check out my car part sculptures in misc. and on my profile. I also do pen and ink, airbrush, pinstriping, etc... Feed back is always welcome.

 

yes

 

Self taught. The key to it is never give up and have thick skin.

 

Although I had some formal training in lettering at Butera, I learned striping from checking out work by Safariknut.

 

It just came natural, been drawing ever since I can remember . Use to copy cars out of magazines , the earliest memory was when I would get the Motor Manual out and copy the front ends of cars out of it, they say I was 5 years old. The only catch is, I only draw cars. My granny used to keep me and my brother calmed down with charcoal pencils and we would draw on paper towels, no joke!

 

Yeah I'm one of those self taught hacks. Did art in high school but (This is gonna sound so self righteous) I didn't learn from my teacher, I could out draw her back then.
I regret putting down my art supply's, I basically haven't done anything serious since about 99'. The Army kinda sucked any artistic desire out of me.
This is the last semi-serious drawing I did, way back in 2002-3 while on deployment.
Pencil on drawing cartridge........


As you can see its still not finished.
This link is to the sum total of all my artistic endeavors that still exist. Sadly they are all quickie ink line drawings and are rough as guts.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v613/docwatson1938/Art/

I wonder if I sat down and tried I could get good results again?............ meh, don't think I could be bothered honestly. I'm not good enough to be the best so I don't see the point in trying.

The washed up has been......
Doc.

 

pinstriping from Books and magazines. later videos. Which I dont consider self taught Since they give u a basic idea of what to use and how to use it. but I guess u cant really ask questions. A couple years later went to a school in downtown la where one of the teachers actually teaches it. But I said to myself. Shit, I can pinstripe at home. Im gonna use the school for there compresser for my airbrush. I try to help people that r learnin witha couple pointers ive picked up because It blows when ur tryin to learn and u cant ask questions.

 

no training here....my dad was one of them lucky artists who could draw anything you asked him to...the only real lesson i had was from him...he said "draw what you see"

i went through this when my son did art at school.....if you were to stick 10 6 yr olds in front of a car and ask them to draw it i`d say 8 of them would let their brain kick in and let them draw what they think a car looks like...the other 2 would probaly loo kat whats in front of them and draw it however wrong it might look inside their heads...it gets even harder when they need to use colour...ask a novice (not sure thats the correct term lol) to draw a black car.....if he draws what he sees it`ll be anything but black as its just a collection of the reflections around it....keith weesners one of the best users of colour and reflection...sorry for the lesson...i got carried away lol

modern art is what happens when the brain sees whats there after a good dose of narcotics

 

Yes, self taught. I have been drawing and sketching since I can remember. My father was always doodling on something, so I guess I followed suit. I'm glad because now I have something I'm proud of doing and others can enjoy. I just wish I had more time to make new stuff more often! I think it would be kickass to be a full time artist but understand how hard it is also. One of my favorite things on the hamb is the f.a.s.

 

I tried to get a couple local guys to teach me sign writing and striping but they weren't interested. Pretty much stuck with teaching myself. Of course, after your skill level gets to a certain point you end up meeting all these great people that are masters of the trade. I've been lucky enough to get some pointers from some awesome, talented people. Other than that... I'm in the self taught club.

 

I AM NOT AN ARTIST! Just a lowly pinstriper who has been struggling since the 70's and unemployed since 1978 Life is good.

Mikey did it
www.mikeyspinstriping.com
"does bad things to good cars"

 

...self taught..when I started all the "old guys" didn't want to teach anybody thier trade "secrets". Hated art class in high school...it was all Greek & Roman stuff ....

 

yup,...still doodlin.



...blatant plug!

 

Good artist never graudate from school. When they should be out seeing the world around them, they are trapped in a class room!
N.C. Whait

Self taught in the school of hard knockers.