There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it. Options

[*Azarel*]

Do you see (realistically) yourself going anywhere in the future with whatever digital medium you work with? What I'm meaning to ask is, is it just a hobby or do you expect to make bank off of it? If you think you can make a living off of it, what makes you think you're capable of doing so, when there are so many other capable designers and such out there? Obviously, if you're already living the dream (so to speak), I don't expect you to answer these, haha (directed to some of our very own members; props).

Me, I'm definitely not creative or knowledgeable enough in any digital field to make a living off of it. I've tried a little of everything, and it all interests me--I'm just not exceptionally good at any one field (or any field, for that matter).

[flaymzofice]

^ Being unconventional can sometimes work out better for you. When you're taught, you are confined to the structure of their programme. There's not much room for exploring different ways of doing things. Though obviously I'm not saying that going to school isn't the fastest and most straight forward way of picking it up.

At various points over the last four or five years I've thought about going into the digital multimedia, whatever form that may be. But like Dee rightly points out, without going to school, your interest would have to start MUCH earlier and you have to be good a lot earlier than if you'd gone to school too because there's more of a requirement to prove yourself.

Designing, coding and all that stuff still really interests but I'm old enough now not to be fooled into thinking I was any good. I'm creative by nature but not in application, not to a professional (or even intermediate/advanced amateur) standard anyway.

Saying that, the beauty of digital art is that it's a pretty enterprising industry. You don't have to have the qualifications as long as you have a portfolio that wows. One of my friends, who I wouldn't say had much creative imagination and certainly couldn't even begin to measure up to some of the members here at cB, has started up his own company and has been hired for highly paid stuff. Credit to him for that but I wouldn't rate him alongside some of the highly skilled designers here.