Hey, I’m really interested in getting into VFX, I want to get really good at them- and use it as a potential career. I’ve messed around with drawing a couple of 2D vfx 2 years ago, but I went on to try just drawing characters and drew comics, however, I’ve still managed to always been drawn to the awesome effects I see in games and anime, and I really just want to be able to do that stuff. How do I start? I’ve been looking at reference from mainly Rayman Legends, and I’ve done a couple of Jason’s 2D fx tutorials, but all I can seem to do is recreate others’ fx. Should I trace some? Should I try doing 2D studies? And what program should I use when trying to do 3D? I really just need the break down of ‘VFX for Dummies,’ greatly appreciated. 
Fun(?) fact: When I discovered my interest for VFX in Videogames (“Realtime”) I was about this age more or less. While I have not made this my Job Officially yet, I think I know enough to tell you what I would have liked to have known then.
Anywho… good news bad news. Good news is you are at (I think) the perfect age to learn what Realtime VFX is and has the potential to become. Bad… bad?… Bad news is there are some precursors before you jump in. That’s not to say you can’t jump in and just make, but that if you want to do this as a job, there is more then meets the eye. It isn’t just “Make Big Boom”. There is purpose behind the explosions.
Seriously. You don’t even know. Modeling, UV’ing, Texture, Shaders, and so forth. Each thing branching off into more and more finite complexities which as you build and understand on how it all works, then lets your creativity wire these separate aspects and disciplines together to make… magic. Also… there is math. Sorry. It would help your quest greatly if you gained a generalist knowledge in videogame creation before you focused in the more finite bits of Realtime VFX Hackery.
It’s a big world, especially from where you are standing.
I’m going to link you to a discussion made here about would be curriculum.
If your aim is a job, I would highly recommend you focus on understanding what the job requires. Go through the job tab above and look what is being asked for.
And if all else fails… use the search function.
I’ll end with this. This job is not for everyone. You could garner an assortment of other jobs with each batch of skills VFX uses. Modeling is it’s own job, as is Animation, as is Texture & Shader work. It can and will get very daunting sometimes, and that feeling - apparently - doesn’t entirely go away. Learn a step at a time, and you’ll get there.
Good Luck. And welcome to the forum. 
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Thank you very much, Mez! I’ll be sure to check out the requirements for the job as well as the link 
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