I'm a sketchbook artist, what about you?

Fwap

Rant incoming.

I just had a curious thought, whilst musing over what actually separates a good artist and a GREAT artist and what the fuck i'm doing with my art I had an epiphany, i'm a sketchbook artist.

Meaning what I do in 3d art, a 2d artist would fill a measly sketchbook with. Doodles, and not the 3d Doodles that polycount loves.

A stone wall here a material study there, no actual pieces of art.

Now i'm not sure if this is just a part of the learning process or not, but i see myself every day being surpassed by peers who started much later than me, maybe i'm just blind to my own successes.

I don't really know how to bring this rant to an end, i'm a much worse writer than I am an artist.

blergh...

Joao Sapiro

a good start would be to show portfolio.

Fwap

I can't believe i'm even doing this, makes me sick.
www.joelazzopardi.com

Joao Sapiro

so , yeah , less paleio , more trabalho ! ( get to work , set yourself realistic goalds, but just keep doing ! the hard surface modeling challenges that pop in ocasionally are great to learn ! ) Good luck man !

GrevSev

I am too but I have a problem I need to work out.

I cant finish anything or stay on something for too long and I end up doing a study or something and sleeping.
At least I'm a lot better than the crap I have up online right now.

Arcade

Ive always felt hating your work is a good thing, so as long as it drives you to do better and not deter you.
I suddgest taking a step back and having a strong think about a piece you would really love to work on with some solid concepts and show off your WIP's obtaining as much outside feedback as possible to really produce something you like. Certainly dont be affraid to start again if its not working out on your current pass patience is key :P
If its not you hoped the end result would be, i promise you have gotten better since the start of that piece.

End counter rant!

iconoplast

First of all, don't be ashamed of your portfolio. You have skills beyond the point where it's an embarrassment. Also, know that there will always be people better than you and faster than you, just as there are always people worse and slower. That's fine. What matters far more is how well you're doing compared to your past self.

Secondly, are you getting things done? Then by all means, stick with the sketchbook-like route for now. Too many people start huge projects, can't finish them, and get terribly demoralized from it. If you still feel it's a concern, then work on your smaller 'sketchbook' style projects in 1-3 general stylistic themes and you'll find you've got most of 1-3 scenes done before you know it.

Joost

Imo the best way to get better is to make a lot of small assets as opposed to (not finishing) a large environment. Then gradually start doing bigger projects.

I work in the industry now but I still don't think I'm ready to do a full environment. Plus I just enjoy doing props more.

Amsterdam Hilton Hotel

a sketchbook artist? it sounds like you're just in a rut of not finishing projects... doesn't mean anything about you as an artist IMO

if you want to finish more projects start with small ones, make a tool or a lowpoly critter... make things small enough you can't not finish them. not every project has to be big. the most important thing is to just be consistently working a lot. working at a "sketchbook" pace is a much better way to learn than megaprojects imo, faster output = faster feedback loop.

just keep posting and sharing what you do, don't be embarrassed to show unpolished things. don't be sick to post your own portfolio lol. it's not that serious!

Mask_Salesman

Ah that situation, I'd recommend to FINISH lots of small things, one after another, that afterwards you can put together as one big thing. But only focus on FINISHING one small thing at a time, not the big thing or you'l look at the future and think its some far off longwinded insurmountable goal... When really it can be as easy and simple as FINISHING it brick by brick, day by day, relaxing and very achievable in the short term.

Conniekat8

What helps me with motivation is that every time I don't finish a project (bring it to a reasonable conclusion where it met its goals) I see it as a fail. Also I seldom let myself have more than one or two parallel projects. It can be grueling and tedious at times, but no matter what you do for work or learning has grueling parts that you have to get through.

Fwap

Thanks for the overwhelmingly great replies, i was defiantly being a sookie la la last night, had to get it off my chest.
I should defiantly get over the fear of showing my work, maybe start up my sketchbook thread again.