Is it Too Late to Learn Realism?

Jyreme asks: "Happy new year!! I’ve been watching your YouTube videos for a bit now and I’m in love. Now that I’ve found your blog it’s an even bigger treat. I’ll try to make this short LOL but for awhile I forced myself into animation art, primarily anime and such but my heart has always had a soft spot for realism but I was always afraid I couldn’t do it. At this point it no longer matters if I ever make it to that level in my mind because I’m finally creating what I love. However the anime and cartoon influences are strong. Do you think it’s ever too late to achieve more realism in my work? My art teachers always said I had a wonky exaggerated style and I know it’ll be an uphill battle but I have no idea where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and also thanks so much for your inspiration. It’s people like you that really make me enjoy being a part of such an awesome community!"

James Gurney: It's never too late to develop your skills for realistic painting and drawing, as long as you commit to really studying and practicing the fundamentals. I see no reason why you can't combine your love of anime with your interest in realism to make pictures that are both convincing and expressively stylized. You'll have to decide whether you truly love the direction you're heading, or whether you feel forced into it. The gas in your tank must be genuine enthusiasm, not a sense of duty. If you want to make a living at it, you'll have to find the Venn-Diagram intersection between A. What you like best, B. What you do best, and C. What people respond to.