The short answer to this is no – it is not necessary for building a career as an artist, or for learning how to draw. I’m mostly self-taught and nowadays there is an almost infinite amount of resources available online that will help you learn! I generate the majority of my income from the type of art I was making outside of school, and I believe I could have achieved this without going to animation school. However, art school can be enormously beneficial. I learned a lot about working together with other people, explaining my creative choices, and getting construcive criticism. Most importantly, I met a lot of people who became my network once I was a freelancer. As with many things, whether art school will help you depends entirely on your situation and learning style. Just know that it is not a requirement for building a career as an artist!
Art education
Where to study
I unfortunately have very little advice on this! I graduated animation school in 2009 which feels like centuries ago. A lot has changed since then – both in terms of the quality of the education and in terms of the cost. The industry has changed a lot too. I definitely recommend reaching out to recently graduated alumni of schools you’re interested in to learn more about whether it might be a good fit for you!