Can I learn 3d modeling?
vertex
Another thread by the beginer, yup. But this one is little diffrent (maybe).
I'm almost 30 yo, and I hate my job. I have to find a job where I can create something different to feel good, and since I love games I'm thinking about 3d modeling. I know that I would like to focus on enviroments.
My point is, like I said I work fulltime and I could learn 3d like 20 hours a week. And I don't know if that makes sense, or it would take years to be able to do something what I could even put into portfolio, not to metion finding a job in industry.
I just don't know if I should go this path. I tried model a little in 3ds and watched some tutorials, and it looks like that could be IT. But I feel like I realized this too late...
I'm almost 30 yo, and I hate my job. I have to find a job where I can create something different to feel good, and since I love games I'm thinking about 3d modeling. I know that I would like to focus on enviroments.
My point is, like I said I work fulltime and I could learn 3d like 20 hours a week. And I don't know if that makes sense, or it would take years to be able to do something what I could even put into portfolio, not to metion finding a job in industry.
I just don't know if I should go this path. I tried model a little in 3ds and watched some tutorials, and it looks like that could be IT. But I feel like I realized this too late...
Replies
Age doesn't matter as much as how good you are and your willingness to learn.
The question is.... Do you WANT it? Not if you CAN do it. Anyone can do it if they really want it. Nothing is impossible. Might just take a little bit longer.....
I recently wrote an essay answer to another beginner on here: http://polycount.com/discussion/comment/2552176/#Comment_2552176
Edit: Just to add. I started out in the military. Did a programming/business administration degree.... and only found 3d when I was 26. All the previous experience just helps in your art making.
I'm in exactly the same boat. I picked a career path that doesn't really suit me at all and now I'm trying to teach myself art in my spare time. I met someone who changed careers after learning how to do environment art so I guess I got a little bit inspired.
It's definitely not impossible, but it's a lot harder to do since, as you say, you work full time so that takes away from the time you could spend learning and practicing. But as long as you make good use of the time you do have free then you should be fine.
So I decided to learn 3D modeling. It's difficult, yes. And You'll have to put in a ton of time, whether you go to school or learn it on your own. But you can do it. Here's some pointers;
1) Figure out what you want to do and focus on that. I spent countless hours learning so many different kinds of 3D stuff, and if I had been focused, I could have cut down the amount of time I had to put into learning. I'm now focused on video game environment art. Before, I was creating environments far too high poly for video games, plus character art, plus prop making, and I was just doing projects willy-nilly. Figure out what industry you want to work in, figure out what roll you want to be in, even figure out the art style you want to work in, and get real good at that. If you want to work at a specific studio, learn how to model cool objects from their games.
2) You're going to have to put your social life on hold. I've been working full time during my learning, and it has been hard work. 10 hours per day on weekends, 3 hour days on weekdays. But if you start doing this, and you love it, it'll be just fine.
3) When choosing programs to learn, as a modeler, start learning;
- 1 program for modeling (Maya, Max, Blender, etc)
- 1 program for sculpting (ZBrush, Mudbox, Blender)
- 1 program for texturing (Photoshop, Substance Designer/Painter, etc)
Maybe start off a bit slow and learn the basics of modeling for a month, but hit up sculpting and texturing as soon as possible. Search up tutorials on the following; Modeling, sculpting, UV mapping, high to low poly baking, texturing. The Pluralsight website was really helpful for me, plus a ton of videos I found on YouTube. The best free modeling video I found was on YouTube by Pixelbahn. He models a Rolex watch from beginning to end, and it'll give you a really good idea on how subdivision modeling works (he uses Maya and Photoshop).
4) Post lots of questions on here, Reddit, the Facebook group Ten Thousand Hours, etc. Try and find a few friends to guide you, else you'll end up wasting a lot of time in areas you shouldn't be. Show your work to your friends and family for uplifting compliments, but show your work to online artists so they can give advice and help you improve. Get used to constructive criticism right away.
If you have any questions, throw em my way, I'm more than happy to answer them. I'm not in the industry yet, but I can recommend certain tutorials to use or avoid, etc.
Stellary said:
Another thread by the beginer, yup. But this one is little diffrent (maybe).
I'm almost 30 yo, and I hate my job. I have to find a job where I can create something different to feel good, and since I love games I'm thinking about 3d modeling. I know that I would like to focus on enviroments.
My point is, like I said I work fulltime and I could learn 3d like 20 hours a week. And I don't know if that makes sense, or it would take years to be able to do something what I could even put into portfolio, not to metion finding a job in industry.
I just don't know if I should go this path. I tried model a little in 3ds and watched some tutorials, and it looks like that could be IT. But I feel like I realized this too late...
It's never to late too learn, period!
I was in my early 40s roundabout 2004'sh when I'd grabbed an early Blender version and started to dig around inside. Since then I have to say at times a little hectic but nonetheless hand on heart it's been a blast thus far. Now I'm not saying it'll take as long acquiring a certain degree of proficiency in terms of generating content that aligns with the minds eye or client brief for that matter. Because at the end of the day essentially boils down too:
"You Only Get Out What You Put In"
So choose a field you're most passionate about and go for it, however show prudence as well don't quit your day job unless there's a mountain of savings stashed somewhere to live off...
Lastly have fun balanced alongside taking breaks away from CG every now and again that'll hopefully keep a lid on 'burnout'.
Tip - Tailor a sustainable self learning schedule and try sticking to it, which is crucial practising your art otherwise it'll be a painful journey from the get go, with or without ancillary commitments.
Instructional Resources - Digital Tutors and here at PC for starters.
Altough, due to work and personal responsibilities I stll think that 20h/week is most what I can get for learning time, at least for now.
But I usually have about a free hour (or even more sometimes) in work so I could read tutorials or tips (just cant watch videos). Is there anything you could recommend for begining?
Polygonal Modeling: Basic and Advanced Techniques By Mario Russo
https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Polygonal_Modeling_Basic_and_Advanced_Te.html?id=kFF-5_HO72oC&redir_esc=y
I still refer to his book when sub-d modelling after all these years for revision and another tip, as with anything creative you never stop learning whether pro or hobbyist.
I can recommend Pluralsight, I'm working my way through some courses on there at the moment and they are very well explained. As a total beginner they've been a life saver as I've found modeling to be a bit intimidating in the past as some other tutorials I've tried to use assume that you already have some knowledge (i.e. they use a lot of 3D specific terminology which I wasn't familiar with in the very beginning).
I bought myself a laptop that I take into work with me so I can do some modeling on my lunch break which has helped a bit in terms of finding more time to practice.
I don't really have much else to add as the other people here have given way better tips and advice than me, plus I tend to go on little tangents so that may not make what I say as helpful. Either way follow other peoples advice, don't be afraid to ask for help, advice, or just to post your work for criticism. Can't wait to see what you accomplish with your 3D journey!
Maya gives me hard time, it brokes like every 10 minutes and I kinda can't get the UI.
I thinking about trying another soft. I like a look of Zbrush, is it viable for hard surfaces and enviroments or only sculpting?
If the game industry is your goal then Zbrush is something you should definitely learn......after you learn a trad 3d package.
And about the age thing. Don't even give it a second thought. It's nothing. Just get in there and start learning. If you have the passion and devote 20 a week of quality learning/practice you can certainly get up to speed in a year.
Good luck.
"I thinking about trying another soft. I like a look of Zbrush, is it viable for hard surfaces and enviroments or only sculpting?"
- - - - -
Unlike what online portfolios and PR talk may make you believe, sculpting is small part of the game creation pipeline. Sure, you will always run into people claiming that they do "most of their work in Zbrush". But once you ask the people who are in charge of actually cleaning up their work, creating the actual model, baking its maps, and texturing it (in some cases it is the same person, in some others it can be a dedicated "implementation artist") you'll realize that a rather small part of the time spent working on the asset in itself is spent sculpting. But hey, there are also some mind-crushingly slow sculptors out there too
And then of course, if a hero model takes, say, 4 weeks to create, with 1.5w spent sculpting and 2.5w spent doing lowpoly retopo, back and forth tweaks and texturing, an artist will always tend to say that it was "mostly Zbrush sculpting", but it really isn't.
As a matter of fact, spending too much time sculpting can be a detriment to the feedback loop since scenes are heavy, models can't be imported into the game for actual review in context, requests for overly shaded concept art start to be made, and so on.
I hope this makes sense !
Now all that said, one could also market oneself as a "Superstar wizard sculpting artist" (usually for props, on non game stuff) but that's a whole other topic altogether. I you want to make games, you want to learn how games are actually made (like, learning how to make the models that go into the game and can be placed in the editor).
The trick here is that "modeling" can mean a ton of different things, and of course since you are at the beginning of your journey it might sound confusing.
As to Maya being unstable : I'd have to agree, I personally don't find it acceptable (which tends to be confirmed by users frequently complaining of crashes and so on) but this can also depend on the level of tolerance of the individual. There are other solutions out there, but each with their own caveats.
Good luck.
@Ashervisalis You gave US some good advice. I couldn't make up my mind because I was pursuing both hard surface mech modeling and stylized character modeling. Now I decided to concentrate on hard surface stuff first, with Modo and Zbrush. But the main drawback is the relative lack of learning resources in Modo, especially in hard surface modeling.
In fact, I am saving money to take a Modo class at Art Center in Pasadena next Spring...
have you tried looking at Tor Frick's Gumroad page? I have a feeling that will be cheaper than Art Center classes.
One tiny problem with his stuff is that he seems to use custom scripts in some things that make people confused a bit. He mentioned that he uses a script when he applies his small thingies on the surface of a main mesh, including bumps and dents.
And from the beginning I've been trying to create rectangular dents on a surface using subD, and that got me really burned out... I should have started with blocking out the rough shapes 100~200 times, which would have advanced my skills plenty.
P.S I believe there are semester-long assignments of creating 100~200 abstract form sketches for car design classes in Art Center. I should have applied the same principle on learning modeling. That being said, maybe all beginning modelers should make 100 sketches of abstract and semi-abstract forms/shapes and do the blockout using their tools of choice.
:P