When people write me/meet me and say: “My DREAM is to be a Disney animator/ character designer, concept artist, etc.- what TIPS do you have to help me reach my dream?” A TIP? To get a position that thousands of people a year try for and miss? A tip to learn all the YEARS of artistic knowledge and practice you need to be able to GET that job, much less KEEP it? I used to give long, impassioned answers on how they need to devote themselves to drawing, learning perspective, study acting, movement, overlapping action, gesture drawings, preparing a good portfolio, and on and on. I would spend TIME with each person crafting an answer that would help them get there (even though I’d not seen a scratch of their artwork, and had no idea what their ability level was)- because it was their DREAM. Then it hit me- this isn’t my problem. This is THEIR problem. I don’t need to give them an answer. They need to answer a question for me first. Now, I answer with a question: “Do you draw everyday?” 99.9% of the time, sadly, the answer is NO. A couple times a week? ”Not usually,” they say. At this point, I tell them my Olympic swimmer analogy. If my DREAM was to make it to the Olympics and win a GOLD MEDAL don’t you think I’d have to get into the pool everyday to get there? There’s your TIP. Draw. Every. Day. Sorry if this comes out bitter. I actually say it with a slight “loving lilt” to my voice, so it sounds friendly-like. And- you kids get off my lawn!