Week 24 – course experiences

When looking back over the last couple of months, I find it very hard to believe that I have almost finished my first year in Game art design. Have to say I’ve enjoyed almost every single moment of the course so far. The constant work load keeps me busy and out of trouble most of the time. I like the structure it gives me in my life at the moment and also the new found respect I have for my free time.

Some of the highlights of the year for me have been walking to various spots with everyone and sitting down and drawing. The camaraderie I have found on this course has brought many a smile to my face. Computer games and Art are to aspects of my life that interest me and I enjoy and to experience it with similar minded people has been fun.

The 3d side of the course thoroughly pissed me off at first, it had nothing to do with myself not being capable of understanding 3d forms, and it was all down to learning the program to produce them. After months of using 3d max I’m outstanded with what I now produce using it. I’m not saying I’m the poo or anything just that the level of progression I have made has pleased me greatly. I do still however find more joy in making 3d models from clay and sculpey. I do think the reasons for this are just down to familiarity with the media at hand. Hopefully I can continue to progress and get to high level of 3d modelling.

With my visual design I feel I have improved too. Drawing almost everyday has helped me no end I believe. As we are so often reminded on the course, no one is born with talent, it is learnt through repetition. As with my 3d work I hope to continue to progress and produce better works over the next two years ahead of me.

As for suggestions for the course, I feel it might benefit students to have introduction to using Photoshop for painting. I went to lessons held by a third year to learn the basics, but if it wasn’t for this I feel I might have been further behind on my Photoshop skills than I am at the moment from my ultimate level of achievement. I’m well aware that it’s down to the students to put the time into learning the software and agree with it. But I was taught 3d from scratch on the course so maybe it could include basic digital painting too.