About Us

Well, about me, really. Most of you know me as /u/Uncomfortable on Reddit, some know me as Irshad Karim. I created the /r/ArtFundamentals community on Reddit in August 2014. I had recently returned to Canada after a 6 month stint studying at the Concept Design Academy in Pasadena, California, and I felt that I wanted to share what I had learned. So, I carved out my corner on reddit and started posting lessons based on what I was taught. I included homework suggestions, and critiqued what was submitted.

It's definitely much bigger than that, now. All of the lessons have been rewritten and restructured, video demos have been created to fill in some holes, and the audience has increase dramatically. Every day we get 1000-1500 visitors, and more than 50 homework submissions are sent to me each week.

So, back to me. Who am I, and what do I do? In the past I've worked as a game programmer (which I still enjoy doing in my spare time), though I am currently working as a concept artist at a small studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I studied briefly in Los Angeles after deciding to change my career (where I learned all of these great lessons I now impart to you folks). Honestly, I'd love to go back and learn some more - my time there launched my portfolio miles ahead, but there's still a lot more ground to cover.

A lot of people have commented that it is ridiculously early for someone like me to be teaching - and that is absolutely true. I'm still a student myself, and I always encourage those of you who wish to pursue art at a professional level to seek out professional instruction. That said, I do believe that Drawabox is helping people. While I may only have just a little bit to offer, I think it's worth sharing.