ok so first question: What kind of art do you do?

[04/06/2015 23:05:19] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Mostly cartoons, focus on

character design, line art and rendered colouring.
[04/06/2015 23:05:26] Streamer: Arjen Lam: I also do some animation.
[04/06/2015 23:05:29] DanshawGraphics: mm
[04/06/2015 23:05:32] DanshawGraphics: cool
[04/06/2015 23:05:53] DanshawGraphics: second question: How did you start
doing art?
[04/06/2015 23:07:35] Streamer: Arjen Lam: I've always drawn, but at the age
of nine I, rather randomly I admit, that I wanted to focus on my art. There were
times it went out of focus but eventually I really I decided this is what I wanted to
do,
[04/06/2015 23:08:18] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Also, I started out drawing on
paper like most, but picked up a digital workflow in the late 1990s.
[04/06/2015 23:09:09] DanshawGraphics: oh wow ok
[04/06/2015 23:09:42] DanshawGraphics: third question: Did you do any courses
to help you progress?
[04/06/2015 23:12:21] Streamer: Arjen Lam: I went to art school after doing an
IT course. Art school actually launched me into my personal "art ghetto" period
where I was trying to find my artistic voice, but it ended up looking soulless and
awkward. However, I do think it forced me to reevaluate my view on art and try
new things, but ultimately I found it to be rather useless.
[04/06/2015 23:13:02] DanshawGraphics: ah ok, nice
[04/06/2015 23:13:18] DanshawGraphics: very subjective question: What is your
current opinion on art at the moment, in general, good or bad?
[04/06/2015 23:13:40] DanshawGraphics: especially modern art
[04/06/2015 23:22:02] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Overall, we live in what is arguably
the best time to be into art, with art from all diciplines being made at an ever
increasing rate and available virtually anywhere you fancy, and the ability to
reproduce it in a large number of ways.
As for "modern art", the concept that art is more about the "meaning" rather
than the merit of, well, the actual art.
[04/06/2015 23:22:58] DanshawGraphics: mhmm
[04/06/2015 23:23:39] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Much like many things, it is
cliquish and doesn't serve to actually improve art and its perception. Modern art
has turned art from a meritocracy to one where status of the artist is perceived
to be more important.
[04/06/2015 23:24:04] DanshawGraphics: indeed
[04/06/2015 23:24:07] DanshawGraphics: anythingb else

[04/06/2015 23:25:07] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Not really, I'm art-streaming now,
which is another reason why being an artist these days is a very interesting
position, seeing as this was virtually impossible only about 10 years ago,
[04/06/2015 23:25:42] DanshawGraphics: yes
[04/06/2015 23:25:52] DanshawGraphics: final question
[04/06/2015 23:26:01] DanshawGraphics: What is it like being a freelance digital
Artist? at this time
[04/06/2015 23:28:19 | Edited 23:28:21] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Definitely not
easy. I'm lucky to have a few recurring clients but you're constantly on the
lookout for new gigs and with the virtually nonexistent threshold of entry into the
industry, there is a big supply of artists willing to work for nearly nothing. A
problem I see with a lot of artists is that they're bad business people, which is
something you absolutely need to be in order to make it as a freelancer.
[04/06/2015 23:29:29] DanshawGraphics: yes
[04/06/2015 23:29:34] Streamer: Arjen Lam: But if you change normal rates and
stand by what you do, people will respect you and it's a good way to weed out
the clients who will treat you with disrespect anyways.
[04/06/2015 23:29:35 | Edited 23:29:45] DanshawGraphics: That i agree so much
on
[04/06/2015 23:30:10] DanshawGraphics: anything else
[04/06/2015 23:30:13] DanshawGraphics: ?
[04/06/2015 23:30:22] Streamer: Arjen Lam: Not really :\