What do colleges teach for CG?
polycounter lvl 6
Been considering school for CG stuff, Im average with 3ds max. But I want to grow my skills with it. I have some goals:
1. Learn advanced modeling techniques
2. Fully understand UV wrapping and techniques
3. Want to learn the Unreal engine 4 game engine and its utilities.
4. Would like to branch out to other programs like zbrush, mudbox.. etc
5. Id like to learn lighting and animation at some point as well.
Im sure theres a bit I cant think of as its late. But Ive been told by many college is a waste of time in this field, and I would have to move a considerable distance to go to somewhere to learn. So what Im wondering is, What do the schools teach? Are there textbooks I can get and material to help me learn?
Ive seen hundreds of tutorials online but they only help so much.
Id also like a mentor of sorts to help guide me through things Im doing incorrectly. I have a lot of things Id like to do but dont know how to start them. So any help would be greatly appreciated.
1. Learn advanced modeling techniques
2. Fully understand UV wrapping and techniques
3. Want to learn the Unreal engine 4 game engine and its utilities.
4. Would like to branch out to other programs like zbrush, mudbox.. etc
5. Id like to learn lighting and animation at some point as well.
Im sure theres a bit I cant think of as its late. But Ive been told by many college is a waste of time in this field, and I would have to move a considerable distance to go to somewhere to learn. So what Im wondering is, What do the schools teach? Are there textbooks I can get and material to help me learn?
Ive seen hundreds of tutorials online but they only help so much.
Id also like a mentor of sorts to help guide me through things Im doing incorrectly. I have a lot of things Id like to do but dont know how to start them. So any help would be greatly appreciated.
Replies
I've heard good things from those who have enrolled in those courses. They offer online courses too.
But the money sunk doing this could be better spent on getting better art equipment (like a new computer) and just following Polycount wiki.
1. Learn advanced modeling techniques
-you're likely to learn more of that here than you will at a school. the more personal work you do, the better it will get, and the more you will learn by doing it. most classes (that i had) were crammed into an 11-week quarter, each having weekly assignments that had a specific focus. none of which were "advanced modeling" it wasnt until my last 3 quarters when i was working on my portfolio for graduation that i ended up learning a lot of what i know now from posting on sites like this and asking for help.
2. Fully understand UV wrapping and techniques
-this was covered in maybe one or two classes. when i graduated it was still something most students hadnt fully understood. again, you just learn it and get better at it by practice and repetition
3. Want to learn the Unreal engine 4 game engine and its utilities.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZlv_N0_O1gaCL2XjKluO7N2Pmmw9pvhE watch all 100 of those videos. follow along with what they do. you'll likely learn more from that than you will in school.
4. Would like to branch out to other programs like zbrush, mudbox.. etc
5. Id like to learn lighting and animation at some point as well.
-im clumping these last 2 together because it kind of applies to both. Pick a focus. at first you might want to try X but maybe later on you want to do Y. so at first try things out and take some time to really figure out what you want to do. its good to know the basics of everything but you do at some point want to work on mastering a skillset. So you dont want to pour a huge amount of time into zbrush if you're going to be an animator.
just my thoughts.
I will check that out!
Woaaaaaaaaaaah 1200 bucks a course? nooooooo. no.
Currently working on that as we speak. Sunk over a grand into my new computer and I only have half the parts. Still need a high end mobo, cpu, and ram. Then Im watercooling it so I need to get that stuff too, already bought the GPU, case, SSD's, psu.
Alright so,
1. Any tips? Ive been here tons of times. I have a couple things nearly done Im just kinda stuck on them and would love to have someone go over them and check for errors and show me what they are / how to fix them.
2.I get it for the most part, But I dont know how to do it efficiently yet. Nor have I tried texturing.
3. Ill get on that.
4. Makes sense. Ive just seen a lot of people combining zbrush into their workflow, plus if I learn the engines lighting and stuff will be important for a good looking scene.
Learn art fundamentals at school. Things like composition. Semiotics and visual language. Art history etc.
Software changes but art fundamentals are forever.
Seems like an overkill rig, unless you're doing some heavy simulation or render work.
For game art, you really need that much of a High End PC, nothing that shuld cost more than a thousand of dollar seriously.
Especialy if it's just modeling. The hevaiest aspects baking lights and sculpting.
As for the thread quiestion; unless you picj specific online classes which train you to reach industry standard, schools and colleges courses will only teach you the basics and will train you mostly for generalist purpose (which is great somehow so you can be flexible).
If you just want to learn how to use the software you can do that online on your own, software always changes where as the fundamentals don't. There are also workshops available that you can attend like the ones held at GDC as an example.
Either way you go, you'll have to practice a lot on your own time. There's only so much learning you can squeeze into a three hour class held twice a week. The professors at my school stressed the portfolio above having a degree in obtaining a job, the degree sometimes helps but the work is what you'll be judged on.
That said, I personally immensely enjoyed attending my state university's fine arts program. Specifically due to the professors knowing what the heck they're talking about when it comes to critiques and material, as well as the social aspects. I also learned a lot about different forms of media that I otherwise wouldn't have been introduced to, like developing my own B&W film, print making (such a cool process), drawing the figure from life (though you can probably attend a single class on your own), conceptual work in graphic design, etc.
You also get to use pompous phrases like avant-garde, bourgeois, and post-modern contemporary interactive works that counter the traditional notions of the viewer being a distant spectator versus an engaged participant in an art gallery; which will make you all the rage at a party. Actually, I go to them for the free cheese and wine.
ALSO one thing to keep in mind is you only get what you put into it when you go to a college or university.
I like the sound of flexible, Just trying to grasp where to start. I practice as much as I can when I feel up to it. I lose motivation fast.
And no its way overkill. I wanted to do overkill since Ive never had the means before. Plus it will future proof it for a few years (>.> or not.. le sigh)
Very insightful, and witty too haha. Id like to do those things possibly, I just cant afford college. Which is a reason I dont really want to go. Aside from the tons of "dont bother" comments. >.> So Im just not sure where to go from where I am.
I don't know where you live or what you have access to but is community college an option for you? There are traditional art classes there and possibly other classes you may benefit from (programming etc.). Are you eligible for any grants?
A lot of the advice is, "you can learn on your own" which seems to make sense from a distance...but trying to learn on your own deprives you of the experience of others who can help critique and guide your work.
You balked at a $1,200 training course but you're dropping over $1k into a watercooled gaming rig. I'll just be blunt and say this gives me serious pause about your ambitions.
While you may not need a degree per se to get a job, you will likely highly benefit from some sort of serious training program. And after that, yes, you'll still need to put in a lot of effort on your own.
its taken me three months and I have to buy it piece by piece and it leaves me pretty broke. I dont ake enough to afford college. Its ludicrous expensive here. And the community college doesnt really do much based on pc's and graphics, a lot more automotive based.
If you already lose motivation and don't want to do it yourself all the time then how are you going to last 4 years getting a degree etc.
What part of I probly wont be going to college.. Its all up there..
And I lose motivation because now its mainly a hobby. if it were more than that and I knew what I was doing Id love to do it all the time.
It's well worth the money- I have taken their courses. It's taught by industry professionals, so not only are you getting a solid background in the program, but you're learning how to make things faster and smarter in the process- lot of the "big picture" ideas.
If you want access to really talented people, be prepared to pay someone money for it. You will have access to teachers who can answer your questions directly, often real time during class; you'll can't get that in a tutorial video. This is an investment in YOU, never skimp on that.
Understandable. It would just take me two or three months to save up that much. Dont know if I can spring it right now. The courses look great, so Im not dismissing it. Its just gonna be hard to do. Really hard to justify that much money on something like that you know? If I just cant do it and dont get anywhere (I doubt it but this is the stuff I think about) Then Im just out 1200 bucks you know?
I still need a vehicle currently so I really oughta spend it on that, even my computer shouldnt be my priority right now >.>
Choices choices.
I appreciate all the advice from everyone, wanted to be clear on that. Keep it coming! Thanks to all of you.
For now Id really love to have someone run me through making something simple from start to finish. Teaching me things as we go. But I know most people here have jobs and are busy so I cant really ask that.
There's so much out there for you to learn on your own. Way more than when I was a kid I started playing with this stuff when I was 12 and did some ok things up till late middleschool. Some of it as good as the work I've seen from people straight out of college (scary right?).
I got a lot of help in high-school though and I'm trained in traditional art cause went to a highschool that specialized in that. So I owe a lot of my current ability to that and the rest to self teaching the software and practicing. And also participating here when i can like the character challenge elsewhere on the forums.
I think learning the basics of art should be the first step for any digital artist 2D or 3D.
My recommendation is http://www.ctrlpaint.com/ which is a free digital art training site. It goes through much of the stuff I learned in highschool and i even used it fairly recently as a refresher. If you can go through all the classes here you'll be off on the right foot to making decent 3D work while learning the software.
I know it can be difficult to maintain motivation when you're own your own (and it's 10x scarier when you're freelance like i am right now O_O), but if you can manage it you'll be much stronger for it i think.
It's a one year full time program (30 hours of week of classes). Each term is 3 months and there are 4 terms in the year.
Term 1 is mostly fundamentals and introductions to the programs. Maya, Zbrush, Unreal, Photoshop and some other programs (I don't think we have a 3DS Max course anymore...I can double check for you later). Term 2 and 3 you start to apply the skills you learned in term 1 (making characters, enviros etc). Term 4 is demo reel. There are no classes in term 4, just 1 on 1 sessions with the teachers and TA's. There's a lot of freedom in term 4. Typically that's when I'll do demos if a lot of people are stuck on something.
Class sizes are generally 20 or less. As a teacher, I do not get the chance to cover the material and do demos as well as come around and help people. When I was a student, I felt kind of ripped off about this. That was probably my biggest problem. Luckily they have a lot more TA's now (for every class).
At Vanarts, there are no classes taught on art history. Also not much in terms of illustration. Everything is focused on art for videogames.
What's really useful about art school is all the people you meet and the social aspect. When the person sitting beside you is pumped about doing art and you are too, it just becomes such a positive, helpful and fun atmosphere. Gotta say it was the best year of my life!
Having said that, I do think a lot of this stuff can be learned on your own if you have the motivation. I'd definitely recommend taking some art fundamentals courses though at the very least!
If you have any more questions feel free to message me. I can send you a more in depth breakdown of the course if you'd like
Would be happy to give you feedback and stuff...Cant teach you the programs though, that'll take forever haha
I'm going on ten years as a pro in the 3d industry and every place I've worked or done freelance for has come from a contact from my college. I don't work in gaming now, I do simulation and animation for oil and gas, and the same thing for military sims before that, and if I didn't go to school, I'm not sure I would've been able to be in the position I am now. There's more to CG than just gaming or visual FX, and for some of those places, you'll be going through a human resources person that is going to look for a degree, and these same places a degree will help get you more money.
Again, I can see both sides of the argument, but that's just my experience.
Thank you! Ill check that out. Cant hurt.
Also, not sure if I mentioned it. I have a full time job that I work 40-50 hours a week in 90+degree heat outside all day. Wore my sisters fitbit once and I ended 3 hours early. Had 28K steps and 70 flights of stairs. >.> So part of the no motivation is just from being completely spent exhausted every day. Only days off are the weekends. So then is when I try and do 3d stuff. But its also hard to do since if I have to do anything else I have to do it on the weekends. >.>
Thank you for sharing! Good to see perspectives from both sides. I dont think its a waste. I just hear its not worth the money for a lot of people. So from two sides its kinda intresting to see how people go through those experiences.
Still undecided on what to do. But this is all a good place to start!
Thats why i shifted to only part time or jobs with commission based pay before i quit my last job (for giving me too many hours making it hard to meet deadlines)
I worked hours like that before and it made it very hard for me to practice so i choose to sacrifice they money i made to focus on my career. It wasn't easy but i don't regret it at all.
Makes sense, I cant afford to not have the money right now. Hopefully soon I can cut down my time at work and focus on this more. When Im more set in life and can support what I need.
Take it, its yours
CGCOOKIE, are the cheapest I found, with good videos you can pick and watch at any time.
That is pretty much what I have been doing on and off for summer.
-2cents
do you have a google hangouts ? or email ? i love your hand painted work and REALLY want to learn that style so I can work for maybe blizzard or riot one day