Task 25. Career Planning

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! 

Task 23, Games Education

Teaching specific skills technical skills or developing learning attributes and 'soft skills'?

What do I think? I dont even know what Developing learning attributes and soft skills are. Maybe its free to my own interpretation, in that case, lets say developing learning attributes is motivational self teaching. As that's what we receive. However I wont go into babble. I can only describe the thoughts and opinions I have gained through learning on this course so far coming to the end of my second year.

What would one imagine from games education? Well, thats what one would consider the same as waht you would exspect from higher education. What I was hoping was from turning from a mediocre artist to a professional. The thought in mind that I would not only learn from industry professionals who would pass down their skills in an easy to understand mannor, and give you those £9000 (or however much money I am now in debt to student finance) secretes that only the highest order of elite artists knew. Wishful thinking.
Obviously its not like that at all. Infact, you learn the basics, and that thousand pound  secrete is that you need to draw caws in able to be able to draw cars. The more cars you draw, the better the cars will look in the end. The learning stops shortly after, about the middle of 1st year, when youve learnt your first 3D program and perspective. The rest is hinted at through outdated tutorials or by asking others how you do X-Y-Z.

What does that bullshit have to do with anything you ask? Developing learning attributes. The tutors will ofcourse no longer say " To be able to do X you must do Y like so. ", and thus you, the student must venture of to figure out how to do X, along with Z and the rest of the alphabet. How do I do this? You figure it out. This may be a horrible and rotten way of developing someone to self teach, but only those that want to learn, will venture of and find their own education. Those that do, will more than likely succeed or at least improve. While growing ever spiteful knowing that what they learnt on their own, could easily be told in a 5 minute video, or 2-3 pages of text.
They will remember that tutorial, not just beacuse it accomplished the task at hand, but because they found it on their own, after spending time and resources to find what they need.
So in a sence, what sound and looks like bad teaching, is good, as it forces the student and only the determined students, to succeed.
The less determined, lazy students, will be stuck learning outdated techniques, basic skills, be generalised, get many things wrong , making them a week student. But they will still pass, as they did the things they thought they should do as layed out in the out dated guide books, following outdated advice from last generations tech. They will fall out of the pipeline of university thinking they deserve a job, when they wont have the portfolio for it, or the skills.

What about that Teaching specific technical skills?! Well, those skills get updated all the time. What we get taught is the basic, which is good. But no more advanced skills are taught. And just like the week student, if you taught every student the same thing, they would all produce the same shit.
Which will create a large pool of unemployable clones, with similar portfolios, maybe one or two differences in texturing or something. (Unless your tutors are all star professionals, there are some marvellous teachers out there who still work along side teaching. Somehow.)


So this whole teaching business. How it worked for me? Get taught the basics for a month or two, than run off and do your own thing.
From what I've done and what I've been told is the only way to get anywhere is to want to go somewhere.

Education is just another business, laughing away as you give them your cash for 3 years of "do whatever man I dont care."

"Than we said; £15 per guest, £40 rental on a graduation gown and a £125 photo frame! " - DeMontfort University.

Task 22, Crativity and Garbage

The length of this task will be more about my own thoughts upon Creativity, skill and all that other toss were cramed into beliving exsists. Does it? If it does, how do you get it? Were you born with it?

Well the other day I was watching a tutorial lesson by a conceptual artist and teacher, in their presentations he mentioned how two kids learned. Basicaly two kids were both taught perspecitve and everything, all the worldly basics in order to understand drawing, art and the use of their learned skills.
Now Kid A had been one of those kids who read lots of books, went to measusems, looked at alot of cool shit, traveled a bit, althoughout his lifem he experianced alot of visual stimulai.
And Kids B he did everything kid A did, but for less time, so he spent maybe age 11 to 19, playing games, maybe went on to try to become a football player or something.
So these two kids are told to draw a castle, they both know how, perspective and all that shit.

Kid A draws this crazy castle with a mound and all this stuff looks cool, where as kid B draws this sort storybook castle.
Whats the difference? Kid B only knows the kind of castle he was told about from before he was 10, so he doesnt know what other castles look like and cant be more creative beyond that point.
Kid A, has clearly gone and seen a few, researched a bit and knows his stuff.

So when it comes to creativity, is someone born with it? No. Its basic knowledge, creativity is knowledge. Do you know what a pig looks like, ofcourse, but youll find all sorts of pigs out there, with different skin colours, sizes, tusks, hair or lack there of. If you only know of a Pink pig from the picture book when you was 6, youll always draw a pink pig. If you know that they're related to boars and they can be tiny and grow to be the size of a miniature horse, youre going to get cooler designs.

What have I learned? You can learn all the technical ability in the world! You can render youre shit to the point where it looks like a photo! But it doesnt matter one ounce if it just looks like everything else youve ever seen.
To create interesting ideas, you have to know more. There is no such thing as creativity. Its simply splicing your ideas together.

I was always into drawing. Howver I didnt read many books, watch many movies, in fact I didnt do much of anything. I was quite the recluse. Which makes me like Kid B. But it'd sit and imagine alot, no anything in particular, i'd go on mental rages thing about elongating limbs and objects, just playing around with things in my head. But of recent I know how importand studying other things is. How can I know something if its not in my mental library.
To awnser the questions of the blog task, as is routine.
I show people my creativity by drawing or saying it, i expect them to see it or hear it and imagine it in their heads as I imagined it.
Im neither skilful or talented, as its down to knowledge of subject of which I will never know enough.
What skills do I need to develop? The skill to persuade others that I have the ideas and i guess being able to render a turd helps.
I end with an egg.

Task 21 Specialise

Once upon a time, about 20 years ago, games would be made by roughly 4-6 people. They were in charge of the whole operation, from illustrations to sound and effects.
This however is something of the past as games have become multi-million dollar investments, who would have foreseen such an event?
With big budgets, one can get someone to work on one individual piece of the puzzle which is game construction. So this is how a company grows, larger budget, more contributors, more specialisation.

Its easy to look at myself when I think of specialisation. I came onto the course thinking I will become a digital illustrator, 2D artist and home my skills. This is still my motivation and driving force, despite constant weight.
However of course erasing my ignorance of the rest of the development process; I have been constantly swayed towards the 3D side of things.
If one focuses primarily on one subject, they are bound to become good at it, say if I studied like I used to, free from distraction I could draw all day every day of the week, and improve leaps. Which I would like. However If one trys to become a jackel of all trades, they will never meet the specialist. Having more arrows may be a good thing, but doesnt matter much if you cant hit the bullseye, if you follow me? There are always the temptations to distract you from your goal.

Now lets see what would happen if I went full out 2D artist.
If I became a illustrator, my job would be closer to the end of the project, in fact I wouldnt have much control over subject, I'd create the promotional work for the game, be it cover, poster, or other illustrated bits.
A conceptual artist would be needed primarily a the beginning of the project (at the creation phase), and through out the rest of the project. The primary goal to visualise the world, assets, style and any visual element of the game.

A 3D artist has alot more specialist areas. Not to say there aren't alot of areas in the 2D field, when it comes to ISO games, they have all the rolls of the 3d artist, when creating a full 2d game, as many ISO and hand-held games are.
From what I've come to learn is that there are many rolls for the 3D artist.
Enviroment artist, Character modeling, Prop artist, Weapon artist Special Effects and so on. All have different jobs, yet have the possibility to work on each other feild.
A enviroment artist could easily create the assets a Prop artist could make. Same for a character artist being able to create weapons, props or creatures.
As Ive learned from talking to character artists is they will often be used for other things after they have completed all the character art needed for the game. Like, after they have finished their characters, they were set a task to create animals. Makes sence in an employment state of mind, why hire a new person when you have a fully functional artist at your disposal? Artists are usual on contract for a set period of time, and having them do nothing after their job is done is a waste of money on their part.
So for the chracter artist, their job wouldnt end at charcter art, as chracters fill maybe 10% of the game if im being generous. If they were not given other tasks, they would be wasting time and money, only needed for the smallest amount of time in a company.
Unlike a enviroment artist, who would be needed for far longer, as they are needed to create the whole playable world, assets and whatever else needed in game.

When it comes to specialising, I have no idea anymore. Maybe I am a generalist at the moment, im stronger in the 2D department thats for sure. Its hard to say.

Task 20

In short this task should be based more around use of physical interaction with the non-physical game. With games now choosing to use less of a control pad or in some cases no control pad at all, its hard to see where the future of games are going to.
But I will also talk about user interfaces here and there along the way, keep your panties on.

Lets start at the beginning. The joystick allowed 8 drirections of movment, with 1 to 3 comand buttons, the simple logic of this was often explained on the conroler and had a direct and rather obvious reaction in the game. A similar trend continued through out the 80s and early 90. This was until the analog joystick appeared on the nintendo’s N64. This appeared due to the use of 3d technology in games, now with consoles becoming more powerful it enabled the controller to move through 3 dimentional space, instead of the predeceasing 2D space. However this was more obviouse with the Sony PlayStation analog controller , the Sony playstation took full advantage of its analog controller, as you could use the left analog to move that character, and the right to rotate the camera. This has been a primary function of modern controlers. The 2d style of controlers effected the user interface of games

Yeah thats about all the user interface you needed in the 80s-90s, Lives, Score, Time. And thats it, oh the occasional start screen will help aswell.

Baldaurs gate had quite an advanced user interface, something that reminds me much more of a MMORPG, something which I loved like crack as a child, and hell still do, hooked for life on that stuff. But it had everything you needed with symbols that fitted the theme, sometimes they will change a bit and youll have to do some investigation into what soething is, but eventualy this sort of set up becomes almost easy to navigate. Always knowing where the map, equiptment and whatever else you need is, just nicely tucked away. Some would say its quite messy, but thats just our modern, everything must have one button because were too stupid to understand more than one god damned button, thanks apple, you cock.

However in the past 5 or so years, time has a way of slipping by un-notice, motion sensors has became the fad amongst game developers. Nintendo and Sony use similar motion capture technology, not to mention dule-stick like controlers, which bare close resemblance to each other. The xbox connect had decided to go one step further and remove the controller all together, and instead using the motion capture to almost have the player in the game, being more physical. And motion capture and user interfaces will probably bring us closer to that, matrix style computers, moving each window out of the way with your hands, crazy to think about, but if there is the will, there is the way.

Well a cool matrix style interface is what they want, but what they will get is something more like this photo, just a lazy woman flailing her arm tryingto change from screen to screen likea moron.
And if you notice, this new age of 3d and glimmer glammer has risen to new crazy, sleek user interfaces?

Oh why arn't you posh skyrim. They've pretty mich simplified it down as far as it could go, they didnt even bother with any fitting decorations. Its like getting into a horse and cart, with air conditioning and a tv/radio and sat-nav. Crazy, no?

Remember Nintendo’s Virtual boy? The first real taste of 3D, even thought it was terrible and failed as a product. A decade later, Nintendo has came back into 3d with the Nintendo 3DS, a hand held 3D console that requires no additional equipment, only a slider is needed to cause the 3D effect. Its pretty interesting to think about, the change between the 2d into the relms of 3D. Yeah, Im dont know anymore.

http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/art-controller.htm -The history of controllers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_simulator - Flight simulators from early to nw

Task 19 Sounds in games

After having a little tinker in UDK, adding sounds to the groups level a few things appeared to me that as a gamer I had often over looked, just a tad. Games are not just a visual experience but also reach out for the other senses also, which studios have been trying to enhance ever more for a good while now, but sound is one that can add just about any mood they are after.

For example, in Team Tambra's group project, I added a sharp piano key at the time an eyeball fell from the ceiling. Ofcourse, eyes dont make piano noises when falling, but the jolt of sound, combined with the visual experiance, and build up from the rest of the level, really adds to the mood we were trying to convey. Not to mention I was trying to work towards a Resident Evil theme, which the use of piano is used through out their games.

When the budget is right, game studios can really go the mile when it comes to sound. Such as the Biowear's Jade Empire, who had a audio team of 6 workers, who recorded traditional chinese instruments to get a ancient chinese feel to their game. When you think about it, going that extra mile works wonders when it comes to game play. If you're playing a ancient chinese game, which has dominant western music, it wont fit the area youre trying to promote.
You could say, what about Omega Force's Dynasty Warriors?

A game set in ancient china, during times of war, surely this game should have a dominantly chinese sound track. Which, it doesnt, that time period didnt have electric guitars, unless im mistaken. So why does it work with this game? Well, there is still a chinese feel, with the occasional chinese instrument spliced in here and there, but the main thing to note the genre of game. Dynasty Warriors is a action beat em' up, which is relitivly fast pased and semi-real time stratagy. Traditional chinese music isnt as up tempo as western music, that upbeat tempo really helps the game move along, appear fast and like a battle is around the courner, if it was traditional chinese, the game would appear alot slower. Dynasty Warriors has a certain theme, now in its 7th series, its had a rock/chinese theme running throughout every one of their games, if the game were to change its sound track now, it wouldnt fit within the feel of the game.


I probably wouldnt enjoy Time Splitters 2's Anaconda, if it were not for its music.
In fact, I'd pay to listen to it.
Which brings me onto my next subject of game sound tracks. The quality of music in games has soared to the point where company's can literally sell their music alone. Now the average fan can enjoy their games, when theyre not even playing, which builds stronger relationships with the game. So not only can a company make dollar from the game they produce, they can also make extra pennies from the sound tracks they create, which ofcourse are cheeper to produce on mass scale.
Just taking a look at Square Einx's sale records, its obvious their fan base is pretty damned loyal. Their music is very iconic of their games, so its obvious why sales are high. Large fan base, iconic music, theres not much else to it.

Sound in games are not only good for the ambiance, genere, immersion and gameplay of a game, but also for the companys wallet.

Medal of Honour audio team
Lord of the rings audio

Interview with Yoko Shimomura
Square Einx's album sale figures

Task 18, Searchers start your engines!

Whats a game engine? Lets cut the technical jargon and go straight to " Its the empty world containing the information to fill that world. " Or this his how it feels when you open up a Softwear development kit (SDK), something like Unreal or the Elder Scrolls construction set.
Either way, the engine controls all sorts of sweet bits to put into your world. It controls everything from frame rate (to an extent) to particular systems. The game engine once started out as a simple couple lines of code, back in the golden day of pacman and asteroids, it was all that was needed. However games have evolved since than and with every engine, comes a more complex and elaborate code to run it. Many modern engines include 3D real time rendering as is expected with 3D being the front runner for games in this area. The game engine is the program that witll sort all your meshes, lighting, redering, and whatever else will effect the game so the game can be created around it.

I could continue, however Ill explain my own take on the game engine.


The Elder Scrolls construction set was my very first engine I came into contact with Back in 2004, when I got my first copy of The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind (2002), by Bethesda. Now, I was only 13 at the time and had no idea what the hell was going on, but I was heavily interested, the idea of being able to edit the game. However lack of 3d knowledge and softwere knowledge was too much for me, I would always try to work it out, but with no luck.

As a kid I wish I could have done something like that!
However last chrismas I tried using The Elder Scrolls Oblivion construction set and found out it needed 3DsMax 8 models to run, which was a pain.

My second engine which I had come to learn of was the Unity engine.
The unity engine was somethign we were goign to use in the Game art / Game programming. We were going to make a game for this big gaming compition where we would earn some nice money if we had achualy went through with the idea. But thats another story.
The Unity engine was a flash engine capable of web browser based games (something I thought was amazing) and mobile gaming, including playstation 3. Its definatly something to check out, its capable of breakable objects, full 3D rendering, ambient lighting and distance fade. The lot. A very powerful piece of kit.
http://youtu.be/MrG-ZjdosJs
A little video there showing some capabilities. Whats cool is that it isnt nintendo 3Ds Graphics, more going towards PSP and PS2. But suports normal bump mapping and various other maps.

Unreal engine, or UDK (Unreal Development kit) is one of the most widley used game engines out there. Its free and constantly updated. ( A bit too much for my liking, its not backward compatable after all)

Considering its for three generations under its belt, It would be a good engine.

I want to come back to this post after the queens project, simply because, I dont feel I fully understand UDK and the engine. After I gain a better understanding of the game engine, from practical use I will be able to write my thoughts upon it. Untill than its just regurgitated mess from others accounts.

Unreal: http://udn.epicgames.com/Main/WebHome.html
Unity Engine : http://unity3d.com/
CryEngine 3 : http://mycryengine.com/
Whats a game engine? : http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/529/what_is_a_game.php
Top 10 game engines of our time: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/100/1003725p1.html
Elements of a game Engine:

Referance Database

I remember back to last year when I was told to make a " Cool shit " folder. And no one could manage to keep those two words together. I think I called mine the " crap " folder. And thats cool, because some of it was shit.
But than I realised all reference is good reference, after that, I started to collect cool and interesting photos from around the internet, and just in general as I go. Along with textures and whatever else.

There are folders within folders within folders.

And since than I've gathered 7GB worth of cool stuff. And I have found myself using them quite often.
Sometimes I'll save an image just so I can do a photostudy of it at a later date. (More than often)

Other times I will use multiple images to make a new image. Or just the silhouette of a woman's shape, hair or face, to make my own image out of it.

Sometimes I just like to save cool motorbikes and stuff.

 

There are better high quality photos in my database, however, these ones are just funner. I think Ill be collecting these thigns for a long time now. Also there is no Cat folder. As I can just search for anything on the internet to find those.

Task 16 Level Design

Level design and composition are two related subjects, they tie in just like the rest of the game does when you create a level. But composition is a child to the parent of Level design. Lets consider something like the human body. One could call the bones the level design, and the veins the tightening of that design and composition of the level. Without the bone structure in place, the muscles and veins have no where to wrap themselves around and the human form would be a puddle of goop. Quite like a Bad level design.

There are many ways some get around their ideas of level design.
Lets say the Copy Paste Method, which is probably what its actually called, where the level designer desides to literaly, copy one map and paste it in a nother location, or on the next floor of the same location.
Now this isnt a bad thing, there's a little thing called consistency, I mean, every room is usualy different, but in a game no ones going to care too much about two broom cupboards looking the same. Lets have a look at Persona 3!

10 to 25 floors that look exactly the same?! Than just change the textures!!! .

Now dont get me wrong, I love Persona 3, and Persona 4 too as it was also quite pretty. My problem with this game was its computer generated levels. Which to be honest, is cool! Basicaly, one floor is a randomly computer generated map, spliced together from room segments, so you can go back to the same floor you were just on, but it will never be the same map. Now thats a good design when it comes to repeating levels. Its copy paste, but never completely the same. One map is one floor, and you have to go through like 150 or so floors, which is like a billion repeated maps. But every 25 or so floors theres a cool boss, which prevents you from running up further, and you can unlock that level in the elevator. Who designs an elevator where you have to walk to that level first before you can use the elevator to get there? But in terms of a game level, its a pretty cool idea, I liked it, it was like an achievement and made me forget about the endless repetition. And after every boss the level's textures change! So its not a complete bore.

Its a corridor, but its different from the last one.

So when it comes to Persona, I like to consider that they have goods and bads. Yeah, they designed their dungeon to have computer generated maps which could be considered a bit lazy, but they managed to keep it interesting by jazzing things up a bit here and there. So its a mixed bag. You never realy feel lost in this game, but you have to find the stairs in a randomly generated room, which can be forever apart, or right in front of you, which at times makes the game feel easy, or makes the stairs being so close a god send.

Now lets look at a game that will forever be butchered and dragged trough the mud as  the disappointing series, that once was Sega's Mario to Nintendo. Sonic the Hedgehog. Now, back in the days when Sonic was on the Sega genisis, the levels were amazing, a cool fast paced plat former. It was fun, reminded me of setting up marball tracks as a kid, but a bit cooler. Each zone (or map,level) had a good 3-5 unique objects, like springs, loops, or fans, water and all other bits and bobs to keep one from remembering its going from left to right.

It was simple, you run to the right, but go back and forth, avoiding bits and bobs. Their level design was really good for the side scrolling age. Fun stuff, at no point did the game feel, blocky, it was loose. But side scrollers arn't what cause Sega's star child to look like he does. Its their choice to make every sonic game full 3d. The worst to blame is sonic heroes!

What the fuck is going on here? Can I call that a vista?

Sonic Heroes on the other hand decided to just use springs and rails everywhere! And not to mention, you've always going to fall into some stupid bottomless bit. Did you ever fall into a pit in the sega genisis versions, RARELY. This is also down to the bad controls, or lack there of. Often enough It felt like you were being thrown around the level, and you didnt really have to do anything. Its like the deisnger though " More long ass jumps here, lets put 2-no 3 loops here and than put another long jump at the end of all those loops ". This would be cool for a side scrolling game, but when it comes to 3D, is more like this : " What the fuck am I doing, oh god whats going on, I dont know what Im doing, what the fuck how did I die? ". It was all stupidly complicated for no reason at all. One of the many reasons I have never completed that game and never will.

Well, I may have to continue this at a later date. To sum it up:
A well deisgned level can immerse the player into the world. A bad level can take you out of that world, than make you turn off the computer and get on with your life.

The Only way I will play Sonic Heroes again.

  
Reading List:
Crimes agains level design

Review of sonic, which I dont completely agree with.

" Does anyone care about game designers" - Forum post

Task 15 Visual Composition

Im quite pleased to be doing this task as Its something I've spent a lot of time looking into of recent and Ive found some nice trickery and wizardry on the subject.
Composition is a amazing concept, its the method of how we see things, by cropping them and the arangment of the objects we see, so create something.
Composition can change your picture into anything you want, simply chaning the camera angle can change the whole feel of the image
Lets just delve deep into some different methods of showing an image, and how they effect they way we read it, or can read it. This is best portraid with the same image, from different angles.

Lets have a look at these speedy thumbs, thumbs being the best way to figure out what composition works best for what you are wanting to portray.
What does this image say? They say, two people, in an arena, one is attacking the other and the other is defenseless. What can we do with this visualy?
Birds eye: The birds eye view sort of shows quite a tense moment, the viewer is too far away to rach in and stop the attack, we can use this view, so get an almost a god view. This view also takes detail away from the characters, focusing on the shapes instead of details, the event is the most important thing to be see. In this particular scene, the birds eye view can make you feel nutural towards the scene, like youre floating careless, or youre in thr croud completely exiled from the action.
Worms eye: The worms eye view in comparison, rams the action right up into your face and forces you to see it. You can see this attacker is lundging in, the victim is defencless, dropping their weapon. This view is great for showing dominating power, the attacker is in complete controle, its all about the attacker, and his power. A worms eye is very good for displaying the " looking down ones nose at you " effect. Want your viewer to think your character is higher in the social lader than you? Worms eye is the way to do it.
Being the attacker For a different feel, we can set the camera behind the attacker. What does this do? This lets us be right up behind the atacker, looking right over his sholder. Its close, we can see the action, the motion, whats going to happen and enough detail to make us understand, whos doign what to who with what and how. This could also make us feel that we are a partner of the attacker, or we're just about to reach in and stop the action before this final strike.
Behind the victim This is quite a flip of what I just said, its like we are with the victim, we can see whats happening, whats coming, this sort of battle scene.

Fibonaci Spiral When I was working on my bradgate final, Chris mention a "fibonacci spiral ", this is a cool little trick which can make the viewers eye move towards an area you want, for example, a snail shell, your eye will move towards the point. This works with paintings aswell, you can easily combine multipul objects, to force the viewer to follow particular lines. For the image above, I wanted the viewer to have both the feeling of the calm landscape, to slowly pass over onto the action of this dragon fight, paying attention to the bite of the dragon than the soldier riding them in the center of this show.
Rule of thirds: The rule of thirds is almost a golden rule in photography, and can be used to give you controle over your imagery. It splits the image into a 3x3 grid, it alows you to position areas of rest and intrest in your image. Rest is a very important for the eye, if you have alot of noise, you wont notice any of the noise and youll make visual chaos, good balence will help you to create an image which is easy on the eye. Something that will let one look at your image for longer, without draining them. Simply by cropping the image, so the areas of intrest are in areas where the sections cross, you can make nice areas of rest and intrest. Sticking an image dead center, you will not be able to pay much attention to the whole image, as the main intrest, is dead center, sitting there dull and boring. The goal of this method is to get the viewer to look all over your image, so you get more time from them.

Moving objects need space to move into!
Lets have a look at a picture of a tortois toy I drew. Its a toy, but it could be real enough, like its on sand not paper lets say.

Looking at this, clearly I hadnt thought of rule of thirds. Other than that, it looks very cramped, that tortoise is looks like it wants to go over to the right, but it has no where to do, the picture feels uncomfortable. What does this picture show? That this creature wants to stand there? It ruins the picture. Too much of one subject and no space to rest the eye.

Well doesnt that feel better? That little section of uncropped gives you alot more to look at, gives you space to breath no? A place for the tortoise to move into, it no longer feels cramped. It looks like the thing could move into the space, quite hapily. Space is important, good use of space is key.


There is more I could go onto, like piramid method, combining objects of different hights togehter.
But I want to do other things, like paint and finish a model.

Task 14

Planning And Conception

The beginning stages of a project, not just Game Design but film and other tasks, is one of the most important steps in creating a finalised product. Its hard not to want to jump to the final, as I know all too well in illustration, but its important that correct planning is done before hand, in order to achieve a successful product.

In drawing an illustration, such as has been taught to us by Chris, starts with a set of thumbnails, and than slowly develops into a more detailed image. But there is something before the thumbnails even begins which is the planning. We are set a dead line, much like one would have in any practice, this is what we call the Brief. This brief is basically the planning to our project, we are told, how many thumbnails are needed, how long we have on the project and what it is we are to be creating. This could than be developed into a routine, so if we are given a week to do a full image, we can break the week down into sections and spend 2/7 days on thumbnails and preparation with the remaining 5/7 on the finalised image, or 6 days on preparation and 1 on the final image.  That one segmented day could be broken down further into hours of the day, so planning can go quite indepth, and its very important it does, because its so easy to lose time. One of my greatest guilts is not getting out of bed untill 11am on a weekend, realising half the day has gone. When one realises they do not have enough time to do something, or time has disappeared it is down to poor planning on their part. Or in the case of waking up in the morning, thats more of a will power issue.
With a scheduled and good time management, one can assure that something can be created on time, if nothing goes wrong. Something will always go wrong, but without the schedule the amount of time wasted could double or even triple the length of the project. A efficient schedule wastes no time.
Going back to my metaphor about Visual Deisgn projects. Some students jump straight to the final image and than work backwards. It raises questions, why waste time if you already have the final image? What made them think the image they created was the best outcome they could have created? If they worked backwards and realised a better image from their thumbnails, they would have wasted all the time on a final, to make a better final.

When it comes to concepting, its pictured as a golden goblet, or a prise to the young aspiring artist, however conception is all about selling an idea. Its the packaging before the product is created. To get an idea across in a visuals is far more elaborate than in text. In a concept, you can show a person on any level ( investor, director, 3D modeller, audience, ext.) what you want and what you dont want your project to be. If you create an idea which is not liked, the image is far more editable than words, the image can be tightened and refined to strengthen the idea. How I see it, concept art is to turn a chaotic, nebula of an idea, into a a smaller area, to tighten the idea, so everyone understands it, setting limitations to what it should and should not be. If everyone can see these ideas, its easier to abide by them.


Or at least thats what I think, I dont know, Im a student.

Task 13 and Paranoia in Public

Now officially a Second year I can look upon my last year and say how good or bad it was. I think it was neither, some grey in-between, its either black or white and i was somewhere in the middle. I had a good start to last year.
Over the summer holidays my productivity rose to new hights and my quality of work in 3d and 2d came with it.

Although my work on these projects had to be cut short, I am still pleased with some of the progression made. My first high to low bake and my first 15k character.
The problems I will and already have began to face this year are responsibility and sacrifices that need to be taken into account. At the moment, I have not sacrificed anything in order to spend more time working, over the past year I have gained many friends which I once had not had and am grateful for. However this also cuts down on the time I can work, I would not like to cut the amount of time I spend with them out at all, so I will have to find other enjoyment to cull. This is primarily, reddit, drunkenness, maybe even documentaries. All things I do enjoy, but are not needed. I almost wish I could stow away and work with no other worldly distraction, but than my work would be dull and lifeless as the moons surface.

The start of my new year has not gotten off to a running start, as I was at fast pace during the summer, untill I had to move, upon which my speed as been reduced to a walk. I think I will continue to walk for the next day or so (A littlel earthly pleasure, before I change the definition of pleasure), than begin a race towards my goal.

I also feel Ive become some what more bitter of recent, this is probably due to a lack of interaction with others over the summer, takes a while for me to get back into the people mood.

My goal for this year, to gain an internship, to visit and draw at every coffee shop in Leicester, to push myself.

Paranoid in Public.

Over the years as I draw people out and bout, coffee shops, pubs and clubs. I have noticed a strange almost paranoid feeling from those I draw and at times, I almost feel as if I shouldn't watch others in public, or even see them as I am trying to do through drawing. The feeling from many can almost make the work of drawing seem almost voyeuristic, but not in the sexual sence, its as if these people are in a bubble, in the public world but in a thin bubble of which ones glance is intruding into their world.
Let me explain.
In order for me to draw people in life, as they are, I need to draw them as they live, not as they pose or want to be portrait, but how I see them at the moment. So I will draw publicly and attempt to capture their life through my eyes, which is difficult if they were just sitting still at the very least.
Others do not share this mind set. Its almost as if the public, should be as private as ones own home.

Lets use example.
A few years ago, I decide to draw a family (a mother, father, two daughters and a son). No harm there. I watch them from a distance not to disturb them. One of the daughters notice me watching them and begins to freak out.
Now a freak out is how I describe someone whos actions become extremely agitated, sharp head movements, worried facical expression, whispering, pointing and sudden abrupt leaving... Oh and this is a good one, communication to others at the table with phones. (Parinoid behaviour in my books.)
Suddenly the father decides to talk to me and see what Im doing, which is fine, this isnt about people seeing my work, so I will stop there.
What I am interested in is why that girl freaked out.

Recently, a flatmate told me that her sister had recently felt " creeped out " by a man drawing her in a coffee shop in London not 2 months ago. Interested I bothered her with more questions. It seemed like this man was just drawing. But to her sister, he was " Weird " "creepy ". So the freak out was over appearance and that such a person with such appearance was looking upon her. If the description of the male was " attractive ", "cute" it would be a much different story.
So. Is the the reason for the freak out. No. What runs through the mind of someone who is being watched? " Why is this person looking at me ", " What are they doing ", " What do they want ", " Who are they. " ext.
I question, "Why do they care?".

This person is in a public place, in a world over ran with people. These people spend time and effort, making themselves look presentable, to go out into the public world. Some women take hours to get ready to leave their private domain. Im assuming they get ready and leave so people will see them, among their daily tasks.
So theres a catch 22 or whatever its called. People want to be seen and noticed. But they dont want to be seen or noticed it would seem through the eyes of an artist. But what annoys me, is they spend this time, they want to be seen and noticed, but when someone watches them for more than just a passing glance, they freak out, or begin to question why someone else is looking upon another person. Do they think I should process every characteristic of that person in just a glance, they may be able to do that, but it takes me alot longer. I'd rather be able to see the seams of a persons boot or the earing a person is waring for longer than a millisecond. So my question is why wont people let some appreciate others for simply being alive, it seems alien to me.
In some places in england, if you look at a someone for longer than a glance, they consider it a threat, questioning ones reasons for simply noticing their assistance. Looking at someone for longer than a glance, some consider flirting, and either freak out or flirt.

Ive also recently figured out why people notice you at all. People need constant stimulation. If what they are stimulated by ( a conversation ) becomes uninteresting, they will begin to glance across the room, for other things to stimulate their minds. From watching others, Ive noticed the type of people who will enjoy their companionship so much they will not notice whats going on around them, and those who are pretending to care, but never stop looking for something more interesting than the person sitting next to them. And whats more interesting than someone you know nothing about, looking at you, with a book.
I could conclude it here, people freak out, because they are bored. Ive also noticed, those that get bored talking to others, often have repetitively boring appearances, the blad man with glasses and laptop, the female fasion students, the business students (theyre easy to point out).
Theres much more on this subject, I always muddle it around in my head, so its harder to get out in text.
Lets just say, how I see it is; If a person is in public, they shouldnt feel afraid to be seen. And hell, Ill probably pay more attention to that person more than anyone else in the room/street.

How Improvement works

I've been drawing alot over the summer, I draw alot anyway, but I've tried to kick it into overdrive, so I achualy know what Im doing, trying to eliminate the guess work and lucky strokes I got in prvious years. But as I try harder to make better pictures Ive realised something. Whenever I make a picture I like, or I think I've improved as a whole, you know, I look at it and think everything seems right, looks cool ext; I than imediatly realise it doesnt look good and I can do better. Maybe Im doomed to never be content with my own drawings. But than I decided to look at my older works and realised theres a space of study that leads to better imagery. DUH! You say, but often the studys are terrible compaired to the better imagery I will achive later on.
So, I finish this picture, which is part of a project to make my ideal RPG caracter. Idea board > Orthos > Illustration > 3D model (working on the 3d now). I was like " Wow it looks great" Than I finished it and thought " It looks boring, it doesnt look like a profesional drawing at all." I know it looks better than my many of my other drawings drawn from imagination. So whats wrong?

Female Knight illustration

It struck me, clearly, it was a gap in knowledge. It has to be, it cant be anything else. But the problem is where and what is that gap?  Theres a huge differance between, making a nicely rendered peice and making a profesional rendered peice. I can render the shit out of anything given the time, doesnt mean it will make it a nice picture. So its the foundations that need work.  Lets have a diagram of brick laying (building a sort of staircase). Because its easy to explain as a metaphor for getting better or drawing.

So you want to build a staircase out of bricks to a certain level. How are you going to go about that?!

JUST JUMP RIGHT TO THE TOP!

 Well, thats not going to happen is it. Its imposable to have brick there. Even if you can jump that high, youre going to fall flat on your face. Without anything to suport it, you cant stay at that level of elevation. Even if that brick can float. I wish it would work that way though. I guess this is what you would call, a talented person, they can jump to the top without putting much work in. The gap is still there however.

Well lets jump to the top and fill the gap!

Thats a great idea! However youll still fall on your face eventualy. Ever played Jenga with just one row of bricks? Theres no suport and once one thing goes everything above it falls aswell. Lets say the top brick is the perfect portrait drawing. The one below is anatomy of the skull,below it is rendering than drawing basic shapes and form. However thers more than that that goes into portrait drawing? Wheres the composition, the lighting? Well lets just put them in ontop of what we already have. But wait that will make the bricks very unstable, also you already drew the portrait in a bad composition and are reworking bad habbits. Oh dear. Also, this is a pretty crappy staircase as you always rasie the bar, meaning you have to jump higher each time you learn something new.

Ill put a bunch on the bottom, than a few above.

Hay that works, you dont have to jump much, and you can store more bricks without it colapsing, beacuse youre not being suported by knowledge of one thing, but two, which is being suported by three. As in, to make a good drawing of a house you need to know How to use your pencil > construction methods> 1 point > 2point > 3point> rendering > lighting > how glass/metal reflects>  ext.  Thats alot to jump without knowing the rest. So if you ever think your drawings are bad. Clearly you're missing a step, or a brick. And its probably somewhere closer to the bottom of your staircase.  The brick at the top is just as easy to place as the brick at the bottom.

So I looked at my own work to try to find the gap. Noticing I draw alot of people. I should draw more enviroments. But its probably something else than that, which is stopping my character drawings, from shining like a pros.

Taking a look at my drawing from 13 months ago. It doesnt look as good as my drawing now. I probably spent the same amount of time on each. In part, it shows how Im jumping, not stepping. However I've stepped up in other areas. The change from 4 months ago to now is noticable.
Also, I wouldnt have been able to draw what i drew now, if I hadnt previously drawn X self portraits, X photo studies and those more than important X Life drawings ( for this drawing, learning drawing metal was the key.). But also, to be able to draw it I had to be able to draw from imagination, and drawing from imagination is what really shows you what you have achualy learnt. Its easy to study, because its there for you to replicate, its hard to learn it and process it away.

So how does improvment work? By building knowledge correctly. Also more importantly. KNOWING WHAT TO LEARN! If you dont know, youll forever be ignorant to it. ...Secondly spending enough time on a picture to learn from it.

I think by the end of my third year, I may just be able to scratch profesional work and thats whats giving me drive.
Also, inspirational words. Seperation of Skill and Talent. Building walls. Treadmills. This has it all.

I also updated my links, with cool perspective tutorials and awesome reads! Check that out! http://tristansilva.blogspot.com/2011/07/some-nice-reads.html

A thing about machines

(The title of this entry is due to the amount of The Twighlight Zone (1960s) Ive been watching, great stuff. And this post feels like a result of crossing the boarder into said zone. If only I had noticed the sign post up ahead.)

I spent a good 3 hours, maybe 4, drawing away in photoshop today. Not like the usual day, of drawing still lifes and photo studies. Today, I was going to draw from imagination, a head, and construct it and illustrate it, but more importantly, document my progress. And I did, and I was happy. I had my canvas in one panel and the progress in another. Everything was running fine. From sketch > block > colour >ext. Up untill i wanted to edit a little bit of saturation. I saved the original once, but not the progress you see. Its rare, but it happens, photoshop obviously crashed. Now, this would be fine in any other drawing, my originals fine, but I didnt want the original. I needed the progress. The idea was to show my progress and get tips on each part of the progression. I know Im going to get stuff wrong, but I need to know, WHERE and WHEN im getting it wrong, so I can eliminate it at its source. Instead of later on.

This is the last stop in the drawing. I got fed up trying to catch up to the last point. But you know what, I remember saying to myself " haha, I bet Photoshop will crash, like 3ds max does whenever Im on a roll ", but I just laugthed it off. And quite like entering the Twighlight zone, my drawing looks like shit to me.

Mary sugested I go and backtrace my steps on the drawing. To which I replyed:

In other news, I've grown fond of Audio books. I got Mortal engins on audio audio book and listen to it while I work. Finaly I can hear the books ive wanted to read, while continue drawing at the same time, its win win.

Some nice reads

It's always good to share.
So I thought I'd post some good articles that are quite sobering yet inspiring.

Chris Moeller's 5-years-after-art-school
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/05/life-after-art-school-five-years-to.html

An interview with Feng Zhu
http://vimeo.com/16061516

How to become a better artist:
http://connyart.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-get-good-at-art.html

Modern Art and why it hinder's artistic progress in culture and teaching.
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/Philosophy/ArtScam/artscam.php

Colour theory indepth
http://www.huevaluechroma.com/

Isometric Perspetive drawings. Technical drawings
http://www.khulsey.com/illustration-tutorials.html

Elements of Perspetive (Long reading)
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/tech10.html

Great Listens

 Why you need to fail

Blitz Mock Interview

Finally I get to post, no thanks to blogger being down.

A few days ago there was a Mock interview, upon which John (A 3rd year) was being interviewed for a environment artist job. This wasn't the real deal, but to give us insight on how to go about the interview stage, when we leave university.
This was Blitz's first shot at Mock interviews and hopefully, not their last (I'm hoping for one every two or so years, that would be cool).

What began to appear to me during their interview is what can go easily wrong in the stages of interview and how to avoid them if they arise. Its not just about quality of work (although it is the bulk of the deal.), its also about personality, knowledge of subject and passion of subject.

I some how managed to ask stupid questions and got gun downed for it. How should I have known master bating is the worse thing you could do in an interview? Well now I know. But to be honest, I didn't get a proper response to my questions and a few other didn't either, I guess I need to be clearer in my approach to questioning. That's one of the things that I think I will need to work on, my approach to things and I should defiantly know my shit before asking stupid question.

Would I have been able to pass the interview stage at this point?

The other big deal popping up in my mind is specialization. Ive been hearing this left right and center. Allot of people seem content with what they want to do or become. Where as I have only just started to realize what I want to become, and its probably not much different from what I wanted to be when I started the course. I've tried to get a strong interest into environments, trying hard to get the feel for them, however every time I try, I tend to lean towards characters and props, creatures and what not. Its becoming more and more clear to me that I'm interested in characters and small things, as apposed to environments, maybe because its currently my strongest point. Which means I have to study on my environments anyway.
Its all too confusing.

Well I still have allot to think about and a good amount of time to think about it. So I guess I'll leave it there.

6 Months on

Shades of Satan, Superman! Its already been 6 months.

Its good, and bad I feel. The course is only 6 months, and Im still in Leicester for another 3. So for the next 3 months I have to teach myself some things, and than over the summer, teach myself some more. I'd much rather be given a ton of briefs, theyre fun, I've been enjoying deadlines.
Happily enough, I met all my deadlines when they were given, sometimes weeks before the deadline, so Im not flopping about like a fish out of water trying to get everything done. Ofcorse I could go back and rework my submitions before final hand in, however theres no point turd polishing and I'd rather do a bunch of studies than finals and instead do finals of things that interest me, things I'd like to stick in a portfolio.

Anyway, have I decided what I would like to be yet? My first post I said I wanted to be a Conceptartist or a Lead Artist, but leaving myself open for change. And to be honest that hasnt changed a bit, I still am not sure what I want. I do however know I enjoy 2D art more than 3D. I do however really enjoy 3D and probably would like it just as much if i did asmuch 3D as I do 2D. So theres my biggest problem.
But now summers here, I get the same feeling I get every summer; " TIME TO DRAW, DRAW, DRAW ", all I want to do right now is draw and get better. It happens every year.

Have I improved over the past 6 months? Well lets take a look at some work from september, 2010.

The first being a Character of the week from Concept Art and the second being a still life from the first day I came here.


And recent work from 2011?

And now My bradgate final and a still life of a cola bottle.

I think I've improved a little bit in the past 6 months. Not enough though, but than again I see themost improvment in my work over the summer. So I really got to whip myself into shape.

What about my 3D work?
Cant bare to post my first model (A stupidly high polly can).

Lets just say I can make stuff now without my brain exploding.


So in total. Only a little improvment, but hey, its alot better than nothing. I've learnt alot and thats showing in my work. Just need to get rid of bagage and relearn everything again and again. Eitherway, my work load has spiked, so that must be a good thing.

The Help Clinic

A small review of my thaughts on the "clinic" we set up today.
I spoke to mike on facebook a while back, telling him that the amount of people asking for crit and tutorials has risen sharply since assessment. Usualy with comments like " I need to learn this otherwise I will fail the course.". So Mike sugested we set up a tutorial session, for some reason we called it a "clinic" as we couldnt find a better name.

Anyway, the idea was that we would ask what people were stuggeling with and get people who know how to do it to explain it.
Mike would handle 3D, going over smoothing groups, typology, unwrappping, and uv efficiancy.
I would give tips on photoshop and a over view on perspective, ramble on about crap ext.
And Alexander would give us some tips on drawing and modeling in sculpy/cley.
Oh and at the end Inez gave us a view of how she unwarped her character and painted her difuse textures.

We got a relitivly decent tern out. The biggest problem was I was relying on Thomas Krikham's laptop (which has 3dsMax and Photoshop on it with tablet), which he said he would supply. This seemed like a really good idea to me as this would force him to come to the event, esspecialy as he seems to need alot of help on a wide range of subjects. He seemd very enthusiastic about it. However he went home on Wednesday and wont be back untill next Monday. This however was not told to me, dispite me living in the same dorm rooms. Anyway, this pit fall, ment we spent the most of the morning, downloading 3DsMax. Great.

While we waited I gave a quick tutorial on how to draw bricks in perspective. Which wasnt so bad, I think people understood me that is. Kept it simple. Although because the tablet driver wasnt installed properly, i couldnt do some decent rendering of the bricks.

I learned a couple bits and bobs from Mike and found some nice new buttons to take advantage of in 3DsMax. I think how things are smoothed together was the most helpful for me at the moment.

After lunch, I think I spent an hour and a half talking about how to render in photoshop, the difference between layer masks, loading custom brushes, making them, how i worked on a still life (techkoma) and briefly about drawing metal and glass. I was really tired by the end so my explanation was bland and my example was of poorest quality. I pretty much said " Glass and metal reflects everything around it, so youre drawing a bent reflection " orsomething like that and if they wanted to know how to paint metal and glass to simply set up a still life and paint it. Its the only way I understood it after all. Me winged unreferanced metal poll was ofcorse, crap.

I think I saw a few people taking notes in places, so hopefully, it was worth it for them. I dont mind spending my time for people who show up at all. Just think that I bored them a bit.
Not to mention, the experiance was good for me talking infront of people, although I was sure I would get some confrentation when I said that there was no perspecitve in nature, its quite a bold statement, even if it is true.

Task 12. The review! Boy this is a long review...

A review of my year. Even though I dont count 6 months as a year. Its no where close to a year. And theres my first complaint, I wish my damn loan paied for 12 months of education, and not 6. Okay, maybe 11 months, I'd like a holiday.

Before I start reminising and what not. Im going to review some things that have been on my mind of recent.

First off, for next year this is. Why does only half the room have UDK installed on the computers? Seems pretty stupid to me, surely each computer should have it installed and ready to be used. This was quite a problem when I was merrily working away, untill I was asked to move because my computer was the only one with UDK on it by a second year. Admitedly, its fair enough that I should move as Im not using UDK. But I dont see why all computers would have it. (This is from what ive been hearing from all the second years this is, may have changed, who knows.)

I've been told by Heather,Mike,Chris that one should avoide zbrush as all students produce shit without understanding the basics. Thisaside. My problems not with the use (Seems good for high to low polly bakes.)its with the program itself.
Why are we not using Autodesk Mudbox? Its the same company as 3DSmax and the students can get a free licancy for 3 years. Are we paying for zbrush? Because i think Mudbox is the way to go, its simpler to use, reading up on some job descriptions at RockStar, 3DsMax and Mudbox seemed to be requests.
Same goes for the first point, its not on every computer. A bit odd.

First year gibber now.

Over crowding is a big issue. About 50 first years, and only 40 computers? How is that going to work? If there are 30 second years next year, and another 50 first years, how the hell am I going to use a computer every day?! Sure alot of the first years now dont come in throughout the week, but its still cramped for space in the labs. Not to mention life drawing!!
Life drawing was one of the main things that attracted me to this course. Ive complained about it alot, sometimes quite pationatly to the wrong people. But I still think its a fundimental practice, If I went to a university without life drawing, I would have gladly paied for it. To be able to get life drawing twise a week (tuesday and friday) is the best for me. (Even though, its mostly Tom who has limited poses. Differnt body types would be nice.) I dont see why more people come to the friday session. I really hope its on next year aswell.
Anyway, overcrowding in life drawing was STUPID, majorly stupid. Half the time I wasnt even able to see Tom when he lays down. And just about every drawing, there would be some guys big arse fucking head in the way. No really, when youre tryingto draw someone far away, and you got someone infront of them, the perspective makes their heads look fucking huge, its annoying. I dont want to have to imagine the arm being there. For the next years first years, if anyone has an afro, I bet they will be popular.
Other than that, the drawing studio has these two stupidly large pillars, apparently they are smaller, just fitters came in and put large blocks around them.
On the plus side.. The sink has been fitted! Perhaps it would be a good idea to get rid of the carpet in that room also. Maybe just the section where the students are, but keep the carpet for the model? I dont know.

Some key features of the course?
The whole course is pretty much independant. Its a "You learn yourself, youre just guided to learning yourself". Simply, its the best way to learn I feel, when it comes to 2D. 3D, I need some guidance, there are many things I dont know about and its all new and cool. But Im learning myself. And activly searching for new things. I wouldnt have joined the Games Society, some game MODs, Dominance war, gameindsutry.biz. I probably wouldnt have got tickets for EuroGamer, ext... I've learned alot. I think it shows in my work, I could have learned more, I just needed to look more.

I've learned more about the industry I want to work in, more about what Im realisticly going to produce. I know its not going to be easy and im glad I know that. It only makes me want to produce higher quality work, although at the moment, Its more about learning the skills.The summer Im going to refine them a bit, or atleast try.

The connections, I think this is quite important, the lecutres from Blitz and codemasters has really broken the barrier I had. This barried was a mental thing, which stoped me realising that these artsist are just people. Just like me, only where I want to be, I should activly seek out adivce from them because when they were where I am, they would have seeked out adivce from people who are where they are now. It makes things a little more real, I feel far more confident about my work and showing it to others. I dont even think I can fail when it comes to making a piece anymore, I dont see something that looks bad, I see something that isnt finished yet or needs to be fixed. Also, speaking with those in the industry has reinforced what Ive been told by the tutors. As Ive said, it makes things more real, I can relate. Good stuff.

Stuff ive realised about myself..
I've come to realise who I perfer as my company. Who I like to be around and who i'd like to work with. The only people who I feel I enjoy working with is those who are pationate about their work, the course and the industry. I almost hate anyone whos on the course and treats it as a joke, or doesnt try as much as they should. I mean, its all well and good people have different learning speeds. But 6 months and they havnt leanerd perspective, or modeling or how to write a stupid blog? Its obviouse theyre not doing the work, they have the will but they just dont care it seems. There are tutorials on the VLE, there are 2nd years in the labs who know their shit, Heather and Chris even show us how to do something. Sure sometimes I miss a little grain that can be quite important. But trial and error has solved every problem so far.
And now people are stressing because they dont know how to do the basics, or google their problem with " Tutorial " on the end.
As Hogarth said in Iron Giant.

"-I'm challenged to hold on to my lunch money because of all the big mooses who wanna pound me, 'cause they think I'm a shrimpy dork who thinks he's smarter than them! But I don't think I'm smarter, I just do the stupid homework! If everyone else JUST DID THE STUPID HOMEWORK, they could move up a grade and get pounded, too! Is there anymore coffee?"

Putting it into simple terms. Im pasionate about where Im going and I dont have time for people who THINK they want to go in the same direction. Its not like the work is too difficult for a university student. I could not care less for the lazy. If a few lazy people DONT get kicked off of the course, it would undermind every person who cared enough to put the work in. I would instantly think the first lecture about this not being a Micky Mouse course was a lie. But I'm fairly confident the lazy will be axed. Or, fed to the pigs. Looking at the second years queen projects, I dont want a single lazy bastard on my team next year dragging my level down!

My interest into other artists and art themes has definatly become deeper. I would usualy only admire the artwork, but now my net has become alot wider, I know what appeals to me more but Im also looking elsewhere for inspiration. Not to mention real life. Also, I've been buying alot more art books. Awesome stuff to read.


Well Im tired and should go to bed, theres so much I could write about this year. However, I need to wake up to go to Bradgate Park to draw tomorrow... And thats in 6 hours. Grate.

Also, I keep forgetting to give back the tablet pens i rent out from Tim, I always seem to get pen #1. It'd be easier if I could just rent it out from monday untill firday.