How to choose from 2 disciplines Modeling or Animation
I really cant decide between modeling and animation. I am not sure how did i got into this mess. But, i started in 3D with modeling. Then i found that i have secret passion for animation. I want to give life on characters. BUT... i want to create kick ass models, creatures, hard surface things, robots, machines and what not.
I was told that animation is really hard, this has been said from professional animator. They also told me, that, the years you'll need to develop as a animator, it takes way to long, than becoming character artist.
So how to decide? Which is more rewarding career?
I was told that animation is really hard, this has been said from professional animator. They also told me, that, the years you'll need to develop as a animator, it takes way to long, than becoming character artist.
So how to decide? Which is more rewarding career?
Replies
I am professional animator who is switching to an environment art. Art is WAY harder than doing animation for me.
I can only speak for myself, but learning animation was infinitely easier than art. You just have to catch this internal feeling of how motion works and then it clicks. There is no steep learning curve. In fact, I heard there is online animation school ("animation mentor"), they make you top notch animator in 2 years, and you will be able to do almost as good animation as Pixar employees do.
I highly doubt anyone can become exceptional character artist in 2 years (given they didn't have previous experience in art school or something).
Meanwhile, for doing art you have a lot to learn. First of all, you have to have internal visual library. My isn't great, so designing for me is the hardest part of the process. Developing visual library takes years. You have to have good working knowledge of a number of software packages, for me it is zbrush, maya, modo, photoshop, ndo, substance designer, xnormal, marmoset, unity and udk. It isn't easy too. I have been working in Maya for over 7 years, I did everything from modelling to scripting fluid simulations, and I still have no idea what half of the buttons are for
You also have to have a number of developed skills like anatomy, which isn't trivial thing to learn.
That being said, I don't understand why becoming an animator is much harder than an artist, doesn't make sense at all.
How do you mean ART is harder than animation, Animation is ART too right?
Well, they are different kinds of art I'd say. For me it is harder to create pretty design, for instance, because you need to have solid visual library.
Animation is easier for me since once it clicks and you understand and can apply those classic plinciples of animation, it becomes relatively easy.
But i also want to create characters.
if you want to go for indie, absolutely learn both.
Animation is also art. You are the only standing in your own way. Everything you learn only benefits you. Learn as much as you can.
I know this might be not good idea. If i choose to model 2-3h a day. How good i might become? And for modeling, i want to learn everything that comes for modeling, from uv's to retopology, sculpting, baking.
But can i become good like character artist who spends of his time in creating characters?
So I too ask, how does one really know which area? I have a j.o.b., and office job, that pays less than 1800/month in Los Angeles(avg rent is way above that). Not just the money, but also the career, the sense of finally moving into a career and making money with the chance of advancement is becoming increasingly less apparent. 46 and still lost
If anyone is interested in seeing my site, here ya go. You can see that I'm all over the place LOL.
www.seanrlake3d.com
Thanks!
If your goal is to get a position at a AAA studio, then specialize. either become and amazing animator or an insanely good artist. being ok-good at both will leave you with muddled results when it comes to recruiters coming at you, and how you are perceived.
look through some artists portfolios who are working at AAA studios on linkedin, chances are they are full of specialized high quality art. It is usualy instantly clear that they are an environment artist, or character artist, or animator etc. Someone browsing through the 100s of applications they get every week doesnt want to have to sort through tons of pages in a portfolio and guess what you are best at. No one is going to take the time to do that. It should bash them over the head that you are perfect for the specific position you are applying for of that they are looking to fill.
not only that, if you spend 40 hours a week practicing animation or art you will level up your skills exponentially faster than dabbling 20 hours a week at animation, 15 hours creating enviros and 5 or so working on a character. Somone who is laser focused on their goal and what they are 100% passionate about will blow past you in no time.
I know its easy to want to taste everything when you are learning, and for a while that is good. thats the period of time where you are learning all about the industry, art in general etc. When you want to get to the point of being employable and gettting paid as fast as possible you need to focus and cut the background noise. Avoid overwhelm of having to learn 20 different softwares, trying to learn everything for every aspect of game art.
every time i see a portfolio full of enviros, characters, 2d sketches, props and some animation I instantly think "oh look. this person just graduated school". even if their work is good there is always the comparison with other specialized artists. "well this character is pretty cool, but this other artist has 5-10 insanely good characters. Oh look this environment is ok, but this other artist has created a few fully fleshed out pieces and is clearly more suitable for this position." Now, there are that 1% of artists who have a jack of all trades portfolio that is AMAZING in every aspect, but chances are they have been in the industry for several years and got really good at one thing first.
If you want to be in AAA large studio games these days, being a jack of all trades master of none is slowly becoming irrelevant. I would say get really really good at one discipline, start gettig paid for donig that and then branch out for creative fullfillment in other areas in your free time.