Just before I begin discussion on my career planning, it looks like I forgot to do task 24, which is a review of the second year. Ill sum it up quickly.
Still loved the life drawing sessions, got through plenty of sketchbooks, group project was a fun success.
I also went off to work for Ubisoft in Pune India for six months. Which is why I have disapeared off the face of the earth. The experiance was an interesting one, one where I got to work on all disciplines of the art side, not much on the engine though. I worked on concepts, to 3D ingame characters, backgorund paintings, props, story boards and cinematics. Which is alot of stuff for six months, but it was a very eventful time. This was my first job, just like everyones first job at times it great and other times a bit stressfull, but its all things to grow from, I also have some good pub storys now.I learned the importance of working in a live team, I already had a good sence of this from the group project, its realy important to use the strengths of each member of your team when a crunch comes along, which they do often. The golden grain of knowledge I learned was: PLAN!
(Planning is greatly important, you need to plan everything really, its an easy thing to forget and ignore; but later on youll try to change one thing that will force everything else to need changes. Such as finishing a character, than having to add new geometry, so youll have to re-unwrap and rescale your UV sheet, re-bake your stuff and so on. Also it just makes me want to concept everything from the face of a character to the type of shoelace theyre waring, damn. )
But working for Ubisoft Pune made me realise that when working in a games studio, I would have to work bits and parts of everything. If youre a character artist, you'll finish your characters, but after all the characters, props and swords, skinning and so on is done, expect to work on some walls and gates. Youll work where more man hours are needed in most cases. Which is ideal for finding out new stuff.
Nothing was quite as cool as being asked to make something out of your comfort zone, even if youre bad at it youll get lots of crit untill its good, its a building process.
But all that made me think. What about my career, have I started it? Now that Im not in a studio, is it still my career.
Well yes, because there isnt another job I can do with as much zeal. So what exsactly is it I want to do? I love conception and I'd do that every day untill my finers are bone, but obviously theres a flood of great concept artists out there, I also really enjoy modeling characters. Fantasy is my game really, but not too magic and fairy dust. I plan to make a portfolio of wide ranging conceptual art and 3d character models.
Also I remember at one point saying I'd like to become an art lead one day, I learned that the higher the position the less hard work gets done and the pay rises. So I dont really want to do that any more, putting it frankly, I like making things not so much managing people. So I wont mind being a good old poly pusher for a hopefully long career.
I remember the first job I applied for. I was 18.
I went down to the local football stadium in an attempt to get a job as a porter, more of a dishwasher really a temp position and it was paied okay for cleaning. I come on down with a shirt and tie, I thought I looked kind of casual smart I guess.
I show up and every other applicant is in his 30s to 40s in a suit with a briefcase, looked more like I was applying for a bank position. In fact I thought I was in the wrong room.
And alass the interview came, we read through my documents and the guy looked at me and said " It just looks like you came in here looking for a job. " and that confused me as that was exactly why I applied, as did every one else. What other reason, to forward a career in washing tomato sauce off of plates? And I walked out of there, knowing I didnt get the job, but that was okay, because I didnt want it like those business men porters whos career is pouring that last bit of someones second pint down the drain. And thats how I found out any other job just isnt for me, I learned that before even starting the course. Not to mention that the idea of having to pretend that scares me to do work.
So.. what was this post about? Career planning?!
Uh. I plan to make a book of about 50 page concept art peices, a good couple models.
Stick those puppies together and apply to just about every studio untill I find one with good people and some damned good projects who will let me play with them.
Thats my plan!
Still loved the life drawing sessions, got through plenty of sketchbooks, group project was a fun success.
I also went off to work for Ubisoft in Pune India for six months. Which is why I have disapeared off the face of the earth. The experiance was an interesting one, one where I got to work on all disciplines of the art side, not much on the engine though. I worked on concepts, to 3D ingame characters, backgorund paintings, props, story boards and cinematics. Which is alot of stuff for six months, but it was a very eventful time. This was my first job, just like everyones first job at times it great and other times a bit stressfull, but its all things to grow from, I also have some good pub storys now.I learned the importance of working in a live team, I already had a good sence of this from the group project, its realy important to use the strengths of each member of your team when a crunch comes along, which they do often. The golden grain of knowledge I learned was: PLAN!
(Planning is greatly important, you need to plan everything really, its an easy thing to forget and ignore; but later on youll try to change one thing that will force everything else to need changes. Such as finishing a character, than having to add new geometry, so youll have to re-unwrap and rescale your UV sheet, re-bake your stuff and so on. Also it just makes me want to concept everything from the face of a character to the type of shoelace theyre waring, damn. )
But working for Ubisoft Pune made me realise that when working in a games studio, I would have to work bits and parts of everything. If youre a character artist, you'll finish your characters, but after all the characters, props and swords, skinning and so on is done, expect to work on some walls and gates. Youll work where more man hours are needed in most cases. Which is ideal for finding out new stuff.
Nothing was quite as cool as being asked to make something out of your comfort zone, even if youre bad at it youll get lots of crit untill its good, its a building process.
But all that made me think. What about my career, have I started it? Now that Im not in a studio, is it still my career.
Well yes, because there isnt another job I can do with as much zeal. So what exsactly is it I want to do? I love conception and I'd do that every day untill my finers are bone, but obviously theres a flood of great concept artists out there, I also really enjoy modeling characters. Fantasy is my game really, but not too magic and fairy dust. I plan to make a portfolio of wide ranging conceptual art and 3d character models.
Also I remember at one point saying I'd like to become an art lead one day, I learned that the higher the position the less hard work gets done and the pay rises. So I dont really want to do that any more, putting it frankly, I like making things not so much managing people. So I wont mind being a good old poly pusher for a hopefully long career.
I remember the first job I applied for. I was 18.
I went down to the local football stadium in an attempt to get a job as a porter, more of a dishwasher really a temp position and it was paied okay for cleaning. I come on down with a shirt and tie, I thought I looked kind of casual smart I guess.
I show up and every other applicant is in his 30s to 40s in a suit with a briefcase, looked more like I was applying for a bank position. In fact I thought I was in the wrong room.
And alass the interview came, we read through my documents and the guy looked at me and said " It just looks like you came in here looking for a job. " and that confused me as that was exactly why I applied, as did every one else. What other reason, to forward a career in washing tomato sauce off of plates? And I walked out of there, knowing I didnt get the job, but that was okay, because I didnt want it like those business men porters whos career is pouring that last bit of someones second pint down the drain. And thats how I found out any other job just isnt for me, I learned that before even starting the course. Not to mention that the idea of having to pretend that scares me to do work.
So.. what was this post about? Career planning?!
Uh. I plan to make a book of about 50 page concept art peices, a good couple models.
Stick those puppies together and apply to just about every studio untill I find one with good people and some damned good projects who will let me play with them.
Thats my plan!
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