Anyone who's learning 3D Software/Digital Drawing while studying something else?
polycounter lvl 6
So I have been having this concern , if I should really study 3D Animation or if i can do it on the side , while studying in a university . Of course many people will say that it will be very difficult if you learn it on the side along with studies , which need energy and time and especially if you'd work alongside so that you'll save some bucks for yourself . 
If you ask me why I want to choose to study another major instead of 3D Animation , I'd say that it's because that I would like to have a plan B in case I won't find a job as a 3D artist (as I've read so many stories in CG-related forums and from some acquaintances that many of them have ended up working as something to save money for what they've studied).
But in the meantime I would like to see (and also get to know) any Polycounters here who learn 3D animation Software/Digital drawing on the side but it's their ambition to be a 3D artist anyway.
cheers
If you ask me why I want to choose to study another major instead of 3D Animation , I'd say that it's because that I would like to have a plan B in case I won't find a job as a 3D artist (as I've read so many stories in CG-related forums and from some acquaintances that many of them have ended up working as something to save money for what they've studied).
But in the meantime I would like to see (and also get to know) any Polycounters here who learn 3D animation Software/Digital drawing on the side but it's their ambition to be a 3D artist anyway.
cheers
Replies
I had to take online workshops after graduation while working a part-time job to really understand animation.
What you're saying is 3D art is your Plan A career, but you want to choose a totally different area of study as a Plan B for your career, and study 3D art on the side? That's a little bit of reversed logic. If you want to do this as a career, and it's plan A, make studying 3D a priority. You won't become the best of the best if you don't give it your all!
Good luck with whatever you choose!
My major was Interactive Media at the University of Southern California. Game design basically.
Spent free time and project time doing game art and traditional art.
If you like architecture you can focus on that and let the 3d aspect be a hobby you develop that also enhances your main job. I'd say go with architecture for now and pursue this path, because it can give you much more money than a 3d job, and you will get to do alot of 3d as well.
Also, having a plan b means that you expect something might fail. If you cannot make plan a work, you will not be able to make plan b work as well. I see alot of younger people do this. You should not have a plan b, you should do everything in your power to make plan a work.
...how's your math?!
Well about face (...learnt programming prior to creating 3D Art) when in the first half of the early noughties (2000-2004) Web Design/Development scene had quite a bit of steam left, post .com crash. Ergo, enamoured with thoughts of crack'n it big via salaried wage or a gun freelance coding journeyman for hire. So I decided to enter tertiary/academic education studying IT Programming as a mature age student, whilst keeping in mind, barely knew my way around WIN 2000 Office Word let alone finding a desktop ON button...
I confess upon reflection was overall a harrowing experience trying to somewhat assimilate the principles and concepts governing OOP, specifically JAVA but even though having too eventually withdraw from my course of study due to illness, nonetheless I'm grateful today for the grounding I'd acquired after four semesters.
As an aside through friends and family in the 'biz', Digital/3D/CG artists with technical skills are typically sought after, irrespective of studio size, category and/or renown.
I have a plan b because I've seen so many times that my plans have gone wrong... so it may go wrong this time as well (who knows?
I will agree in that case that you can't catch two birds with one stone... why do I even think like that in the first place? lol
Nevertheless I had a concern about this my skills in 3D are not even good enough to do freelancing or so... if it would have been the other way maybe I would not have even cared about choosing another career path or so...
Yes , I'm saying that 3D Art is my Plan A career and I want to choose a totally different Area of study(Architecture) as a Plan B while learning 3D Art on the side. Reversed Logic huh?... I think that name fits the whole idea. But although I've seen that at vast majority of 3D artists live barely on their salary they get from their projects (but still I doubt that's how every artist makes a living like , I would like to validate that through searching and searching people who actually make a decent through this career path). It's kinda sadomasochistic to go for another career path when it comes for a "better living" .
Actually I have some projects on my mind...the thing is that I have to learn the software pretty well or at learn them on the go , which takes more time...Actually both ways take lots of time because when you learn new stuff you'll have to make corrections on the project or even begin from scratch again ...
Question: Did you actually study or attended a school to become a 3D Artist or are you self-taught ? And are you working as freelancer or in a studio?
I'll have also to agree that many kids of my generation (and the younger generations as well) have this mindset of not really even trying ,but rather taking it as granted that they'll learn everything in college in an instant. But I'm thankful that I practiced more intensive in my late teens (at least I can draw better than in my early teens and know how to use Zbrush too).
Maybe I should vanish the idea of having a "backup plan"