3D Industry, Education, Knowledge and All That.
polycounter lvl 11
Okay so I'm going to be going off here on a little story and then some questions/career advice.
My name is Ben Henry and I'm 16 years old. I have always loved to draw, build things, solve puzzles etc. I've always been a spacial thinker, a visual person, not a verbal one.
I took interest into the game industry when I was about 12 years old, after I had discovered 3Ds Max. The most inspirational game that got me interested in the game industry was in the Orange Box. Specifically, I had fallen in love with Team Fortress 2, everything about it made me love it.
After playing for a few months, I heard about TF2 contribute, which to me, sounded like the opportunity of a lifetime. I teamed up with a concept artist and started modeling stuff. My first item I made literally makes me want to cry, but hey, it was my first 3D model ever.
As I continued to make items for TF2, I soon found out that I had a passion for 3D art. And following that came my ultimate dream:
To work for Valve Software
I proceeded to progress on my modeling skills with my ultimate goal in mind, slowly working my way up to quality submissions.
I had submitted over 35 items to TF2 contribute, and Valve contacted me and explained they wanted to publish a few of my items into TF2. These items became the Tomislav, Family Business, Eviction Notice, and Capo's Capper.
To this day, I've submitted over 50+ items to the Steam Workshop, most of them being for TF2 (only a couple for DOTA 2).
As you may know, I also have 4 items in DOTA 2.
I continue to work every day trying to improve my art skills. I'm still making items for TF2, and I won't stop. I would rather spend my entire day making content for TF2 rather than playing it.
With that aside, why am I posting anything you ask?
Here's the problem
There are a lot of questions to ask, and a lot to think about the next 2 years, so what should I do?
College wise, I've been looking at Digipen ITT in Redmond, Washington. Last time I checked it costs about $130,000 (inflation and all that) for a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. Not to count the cost of living around that area.
I've got a buddy that goes there, and so far he likes it a lot.
Reason for looking at Digipen is that Valve suggested that I go there for college, they even set me up with a tour and all that, great group of guys there!
I've thought about teaching myself, but I have no idea how to get the proper education needed for a professional job at a great company such as Valve.
The thing is, is that lately I feel like I haven't been progressing with my art, and I feel like if I went to some teaching program it would almost start me off in a good foundational program. I need a ton of improvement to start getting even close to working for any game company, especially Valve.
I feel like being young is constricting me art-wise. If I had the chance, I would go to Digipen right this moment to start my education. But that isn't for another year and a half. I don't know if I can wait that long to start learning the foundation of art!
Basically, what do you think is the wisest, best path for becoming the best artist I can be?
I live in Kansas, and there isn't anything in the way of and art school for hundreds of miles.
TL;DR, Ha! you thought you didn't have to read all that! Go back to the beginning and read it foo!
My name is Ben Henry and I'm 16 years old. I have always loved to draw, build things, solve puzzles etc. I've always been a spacial thinker, a visual person, not a verbal one.
I took interest into the game industry when I was about 12 years old, after I had discovered 3Ds Max. The most inspirational game that got me interested in the game industry was in the Orange Box. Specifically, I had fallen in love with Team Fortress 2, everything about it made me love it.
After playing for a few months, I heard about TF2 contribute, which to me, sounded like the opportunity of a lifetime. I teamed up with a concept artist and started modeling stuff. My first item I made literally makes me want to cry, but hey, it was my first 3D model ever.
As I continued to make items for TF2, I soon found out that I had a passion for 3D art. And following that came my ultimate dream:
To work for Valve Software
I proceeded to progress on my modeling skills with my ultimate goal in mind, slowly working my way up to quality submissions.
I had submitted over 35 items to TF2 contribute, and Valve contacted me and explained they wanted to publish a few of my items into TF2. These items became the Tomislav, Family Business, Eviction Notice, and Capo's Capper.
To this day, I've submitted over 50+ items to the Steam Workshop, most of them being for TF2 (only a couple for DOTA 2).
As you may know, I also have 4 items in DOTA 2.
I continue to work every day trying to improve my art skills. I'm still making items for TF2, and I won't stop. I would rather spend my entire day making content for TF2 rather than playing it.
With that aside, why am I posting anything you ask?
Here's the problem
- Where do I go from here?
- Should I spend a bunch of money to go to a good art college?
- Should I just wait and see what happens in the next two years?
- Should I just learn everything by myself at home?
- and if so, how would I do it so I would be getting the best foundation of art?
- Should I look for an online art program that will help me?
There are a lot of questions to ask, and a lot to think about the next 2 years, so what should I do?
College wise, I've been looking at Digipen ITT in Redmond, Washington. Last time I checked it costs about $130,000 (inflation and all that) for a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. Not to count the cost of living around that area.
I've got a buddy that goes there, and so far he likes it a lot.
Reason for looking at Digipen is that Valve suggested that I go there for college, they even set me up with a tour and all that, great group of guys there!
I've thought about teaching myself, but I have no idea how to get the proper education needed for a professional job at a great company such as Valve.
The thing is, is that lately I feel like I haven't been progressing with my art, and I feel like if I went to some teaching program it would almost start me off in a good foundational program. I need a ton of improvement to start getting even close to working for any game company, especially Valve.
I feel like being young is constricting me art-wise. If I had the chance, I would go to Digipen right this moment to start my education. But that isn't for another year and a half. I don't know if I can wait that long to start learning the foundation of art!
Basically, what do you think is the wisest, best path for becoming the best artist I can be?
I live in Kansas, and there isn't anything in the way of and art school for hundreds of miles.
TL;DR, Ha! you thought you didn't have to read all that! Go back to the beginning and read it foo!
Replies
The only thing an education will get your is a break when it comes to applying for Work Visas abroad. Most schools, even good ones won't teach you everything you need to know in order to walk into a big company. Applying for Fine Arts is always an option because you can stand to learn more from traditional mediums than any school can teach you about 3D.
Honestly, the only person who can answer this is you. That said, you should definitely keep your options open and do TONS of research before you settle on a school. There are hundreds of scholarship options available to you at various schools, so don't just jump at the first option that presents itself.
No. You should be doing research, creating more art, and challenging yourself to get better.
You should try to do that anyway. College isn't a magic bullet that will make all your problems go away. It's just an environment in which you can do structured practice.
Do traditional art. Tons of it. ALL of it. Draw, paint, sculpt. If you aren't living and breathing art, then you need to reassess your priorities if you want to make it your career.
Yes, but this also falls under the "do your research" heading.
If you feel that you want to go to school so you can be a game artist, then you probably shouldn't take a game art program. You can learn all that crap at home. Hell, I know you've already got most of the work done from having seen your TF2 stuff.
You should focus on traditional art. Look for schools that have programs that look educational and challenging. Make sure they have a strong focus on things like figure drawing, landscapes, still life, and general illustration. Sculpting will help too. If they have anatomy courses for artists, that's a plus. Make sure you go somewhere that will keep you focused on the fundamental aspects of art and design.
Remember: Game art is just art. The medium just happens to be pixels and polygons instead of paint and clay.
Do studies, Figure drawing, life studies. Analyze, break, recreate.
School's basically going to expedite the learning process but at a cost, just make sure you get your monies worth and ask more questions than are handed to you, If you're not challenging your teachers to think you're not doing it right.
You can learn a wealth of knowledge here but you're at the mercy of the wiki and the never ending tide of threads. Don't expect things to be handed to you. Attempt things, post results, ask for feed back.
yeah, that's not inflation :P that's greed. Keeping up with inflation the degree should run you $48,000 or less.
1. Move into a new engine like UDK or cryengine. Source is fairly old and limited - which is fine for the games running on it - but learning a newer engine and newer workflows will introduce you to new concepts and technologies to learn that will be beneficial across your career.
2. Find some crazy concept or idea you've been saving, that you don't think you can pull off yet, and do it! Aiming a level above your own work is a sure fire way to force yourself to improve, and you will always be surprised at the results if you stick at it.
I cant help you with school - it varies so wildly. But the most important thing school gives you, in my mind, is an environment where you are focused on your work, people surrounding you that share your interests and that you can work with, and time to improve. If you can find these things now, regardless of school, do it!
@haiddasalami: Ha! I've read that too many times already
I don't see any traditional art programs on their site. BFA doesn't always mean you're going to get a solid art foundation.
The benefits and drawbacks to schooling have been discussed enough before that I won't touch on that. What I will say is that $130k+living expenses is ludicrous and possibly life crippling debt. You can make decent money in games but that is a shitload of debt to carry around early in your career. Absolutely not worth it.
Art school really isn't worth it, but you should really try to take some traditional art classes at a community college as soon as you can, even if you are still in high school. Spend 1/3rd of your time with more tradiation art and foundations, and 2/3rd of your time working in 3d apps. I'd still learn a new engine, you are limiting yourself by just doing props for existing games.
Don't waste money on college, debt isn't fun, and doesn't improve your chances of getting a job. You shouldn't have issues finding a job in 2 years if you keep making art.
I'm in Wichita, KS.
I think that is a good idea, I'll probably start learning in the UDK. I've done a few things here and there in it, and might as well give it a shot.
It's good to hear different opinions, and from what it sounds like, digipen might not be the wisest thing for college. I'll have to do more research, and see where I am in 2 years though.
Here's what I'd do: If you find any interest in anything outside Games (like physics, maths, English literature, computer science) go to College and get a degree, while keep doing game-art on the side (if the whole Steamworkshop thing is working for you, it might even be a way to pay for your fees).
release a game or a mod or join a small mod team that's in need of help - the best way to grow is to work with others. Set your self goals what kind of art inspires you: Would you love to see a character go along with your weapons? Make Character models! If you picked up 3Ds Max with 12, there shouldn't be much stopping you now from learning anything else
Learn a couple of engines (Unreal, CryEngine, Unity or what ever you like) and apply for internships and junior positions. Get experience in a professional environment and see if it's a job you can see your self doing in 20 years!? The games industry is a fun place, but its almost a very demanding and at times competitive environment, so see if it's something you want to keep doing!
Most of all: During this entire time: Keep posting on Polycount and other boards. Nothing is as important as the simple fact of seeing what others are doing and learning from as many people as possible!
The reason why I would suggest going for something not art (and maybe not even Games) related in a College course is, that maybe in a couple years you decide to go for a different career path, and an art-degree might not exactly get you anywhere in "the real world". The other thing is, games are crazy accessible and discovering the love to create something here is easy and fantastic, but trying out different things might open new perspectives to you!
Seriously, unless you're going to be a Doctor or Lawyer, I would recommend thinking twice about going to video game school. (unless you pull a big scholarship) You'd be in crippling student debt for most of your life, and well, that would suck.
I would say, going to schools is an option cos not all are at the same and for those who wanna get a degree for educational base plus for those who require a formal training then a school platform is recommended.
Cheers !
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