This year's self portrait

As I had done two self portraits over the last two years, I thought I would make it a regular thing. So here is my portrait for 2012 done in CS5. I didn't take as many progress shots as my previous attempts, just got carried away with painting.

Also I know have an online portfolio of my work that can be seen here:  portfolio

I've returned... again

I know, I know. You have all been wandering where I’ve been…..

Well Mr/Mrs one off reader by chance. I’ve been working on my final project for my University course. Everything related to that can be found on a separate blog that I believe you can find by clicking on my profile thingy.

I’ve been on blogger 3 years now and I still have no chuffing idea what I’m doing on it. I had some free time and thought I would post to the blog and customise it a bit. 5 minutes later and only a change in colour I realised I don’t give a poop about how this blog looks, it’s about what goes on it.

 Well that was what I told myself after realising I had no idea what I was doing and decided to give up before I somehow broke the entire system knowing my luck.

Anyway I looked at this blog and remembered that I never posted finished renders of the vehicle project or the rooftop project so I’ll start where I left off. Kinda anyway I’m still tweaking the rooftop project and by tweaking I mean not finished to a level that I’m happy with.

So here are a couple renders of my how my vehicle project turned out.

                                                                                                                                        

Brief: 9,000 tris limit, 2x 1024 texture sheet – diffuse, spec, normal map

This Is the 2^nd vehicle I have ever made. I’m pleased with how it turned out but frustrated by the low tris limit.

I should be posting a lot more often now (I say this every post) as I’m now finished on my course and have time for smaller, quicker projects.

I’ve started a new self portrait that I will post progress of like my portraits before.                                   

End of year review.

I think this year has gone faster than the first. The summer between the end of the first year and the start of the second seemed to last forever. The second year just seems to of flown by. The reason for this has just been the constant work flow. I’ve learnt so much and progressed in all areas as an artist (so I’ve been told, not just what I think). I see my visual design now as fun. I know I won’t be getting a job as a concept artist, so I’m just using the projects has little breaks in between 3D projects. I’ve also come to love these blogs. It’s a good place to vent as not many people read it and it’s only what I would say to anyone if they asked me about the subjects in the flesh. I will try to keep it going over summer by putting some of my finished work from the year and summer projects. I also think I might use it just to slate some poor public events or TV displays. The most important thing though is to keep posting and looking at ‘cool shit’. I’d also like to take this moment to thank Papa John’s. They have essentially fed me this year and giving me a nice big hug when I’ve needed one.




















As I’ve stated somewhere before. I’m looking at doing a couple of the summer projects to stay loose. I’m going to take a crack at learning Zbrush over the summer as it will most definitely come in handy. I’ll have another stab at a character as well to utilise my Zbrush learnings. If it’s a failure you will not be seeing it on the blog end of. As to which projects I’m looking at. The F1 car and driver brief it top of my list as I want to get a decent car model done and the driver is the obvious choice to try redoing a character and using it as a Zbrush test. I don’t really want to do a car in my FMP as everyone seems to do them. I want my portfolio to show that I can do everything but I have lots of stuff in my locker and not wheel arch specialist or some shit like that. I’m playing with the idea of doing an airport terminal. Not sure if it’s a security risk me going and taking photos last thing I want to do is end up in one of the governments underground torture facilities. I would probably find myself being charged with everything and for some reason being probed, knowing my luck.

Next year is going to be the most important of my life. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life until I saw this course. I’ve got nothing to fall back on, I’m on the best course in the country and I’m not going to let this opportunity escape me. Obviously I can’t predict the future. I might get run down going into the labs next week which a bunch of Yum Yums in hand. If I’m not laying in road somewhere I will be working, or sleeping and possibly having a beer when I can. Overall I’m looking forward to the challenge of next year. All new projects are being lined up apparently so I hope to be a pioneer in them for years to come. I have to say I’m not looking forward to the introduction to mandatory 2D projects being assigned though. If I’m not happy with a 3D project and I have 2D to do… it will not be getting done. I will not be getting a job based on my 2D skills. I understand the introduction of this as there is a lack of 2D being produced in the 3rd year which is understandable as everyone is focusing on their FMP’s. However I do think it’s almost comparable to asking a taxi driver to tuck you into bed at the end of a night. He could do it as he has the capability but it’s ultimately using up his time and costing him money.

Ever open minded, I reserve judgement on how this is going to turn out. It might be fine and the 2D will be a welcome break from my FMP. Anyway really enjoyed this year so far, still have couple weeks left to go. Overall, feeling good about this year.

Life Changing or Career Building?

On the course we occasionally get time to sit down and talk about ‘cool shit’ happening in the world and in the industry. The rest of the time we are doing projects or playing COD 2. Most people are always scouting the web looking for the next thing we can use to make our stuff look better. They well then show a few people who will spread the word. This only applies to the technical side of the course and the skills we will need when graduating.

Why teach people what the industry already know? Do people really think that an artist, however good they are with no technical ability will be hired over a slightly less talented artist who can make quality 3D models from the word go? Not only would they be gambling on the artist being able to pick the software and translate their talent into 3D work. They would also be losing money whilst training (investing) in them. I think it’s paramount to teach core skills in the industry. Without mine I would be nowhere.

However, the ability to know when something looks correct or not is not to be overlooked. You could have all the technical skill in the world but if you don’t keep your work within the briefing guidelines when it comes to style you will have to try again. The way for educators to get around this problem sounds simple. Just produce well rounded students who have a traditional art background and teach them the technical skills they need. If you think this is too easy to be true then you’re right. The students have to be committed to the course and willing to relearn everything they ever knew in order to improve.

From my own experience on the course, I think that it’s well rounded. We’re directed in a way where 3D is essential but so is 2D. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you area of interest is. Everyone does the same projects for both 2d and 3d so neither gets neglected. We get time to crit each other’s work face to face and also using the DMU Facebook page. We’re also encourage to take a look at the world around us and what’s happening in it as it’s full of inspiration. I have no experience of any other Game art course but from my interviews and reading about the course, I knew that this was the course to do if I wanted to get a job in industry.

There is no real answer though. Every company is looking for something different from graduates. If you meet their technical requirements you then must be able to work with them. If you’re hired and you piss everyone off, people will hear about it as it’s such a small community. If you mess up, there is guaranteed to be someone who is just as talented and willing to work with anyone to be involved in the industry.

The only thing educators can do is produce rounded students or direct them towards an area of specialty and hope for the best.

Spent the last 10 hours doing another self portrait for visual design. Thought I'd share the process as a series of pictures.

We looked at Lucian Freud and Jenny Saville so i thought I'd have a play and see what i could come up with.