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Man I'm sometimes freaking the fuck out

I sometimes I really don't progress at all, like zero. When I look at people's works I can see them getting slightly and slightly better each time but when it comes to myself I don't see it at all and I'm genuinely starting to think that I'm dumb or smn.
This one is my larest passion project that I no longer want to deal with (original gun concept from scratch)

More than technical and art-related questions I'd like to ask for some more mental-related questions because I seriously (other than subd) I feel like I have learned nothing whatsoever and I can't something a bit more advanced on the model-making side of blender and at this point I feel like a ship in a glass bottle, just completely hardstuck

Man, I just want to get better maybe I'm delusional or something and learning blender is an extremely slow process for everyone but I can't really be sure because I don't know any people that do 3D stuff in general, personally

PLEASE tell me about your past experiences and thoughts about this in general, I'd also be very happy what makes you going on because not finishing a week old maybe even a month old model that I can easily finish in a day really hurts and I really wish to learn this a bit more steadily and consistently.

and this one over a year ago maybe a year and a quarter, I've maybe made 7 projects this year (based on a taurus judge or an executioner, I don't remember it quite well) (do not ask about the topo or wireframe, I don't have it and it probably looks horrid)

Replies

  • sacboi
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    sacboi high dynamic range
    My POV 

    "Imposter syndrome"  "Stuck in a rut"  "Lack of motivation.....etcetera just a whole heap of arse grinding crap we as creatives are bound to struggle with because at our very core we're PERFECTIONISTS! *period*

    Basically an unattainable misguided attribute, many of us are pretty much cursed pursuing however what I did in an effort to retain some semblance of sanity although really tl;dr at this point but specifically began to not take myself too seriously mostly focusing on having fun, enjoying what I do minus the hassle of self-doubt noise ricocheting around inside my skull - still a ways to go albeit I'm getting there.

    Also these had a hand in helping me out:

  • Alemja
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    Alemja hero character
    A big thing that comes to mind when I am feeling this way or other people feel this way is to ask yourself: what is the goal of this piece, what are you hoping to learn or improve upon?
    Answering that will give you some sense of direction. The more detailed the answer, the more you will have a goal to work towards that will improve your work. Having no answer or one you don't know will likely lead to stagnation.

    Every project I do, I do with the intent of tackling and improving upon something, or learning something new. A little something, pushing yourself about 10% at minimum is enough to create forward momentum and improvement. Haven't textured in a while? Try some textures! A certain subject matter is outside of your comfort zone? Give it a try! It's not to say that there aren't boring parts of art, there are but what gets me past that is to learn to love the process and how every thing I do helps build upon each-other to make the final piece so much better.
  • Ruflse
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    Ruflse polycounter lvl 8
    My recommendation is to set yourself projects with the idea of practicing or learning something specific. Like as a character artist if I want to practice making hair for example I'll focus on a project based around that, or if I want to practice human anatomy I'll make a character that requires good knowledge of that. If you want to make hard-surface stuff then make projects based on different aspects of hardsurface art, like learning to model specific machinery and weapons, vehicles, texturing them, etc.

    Also the stuff that you see on most people's portfolios is usually like 1% of the work that they have done and put on display for others to see, so don't get demotivated by judging according to what you see on Artstation because inbetween those amazing pieces there are lots of small projects and time spent grinding without anything great to show for it.
  • Indi2410
    Hey I think most of us have been in this position, I certaintly was and managed to overcome most of these thoughts.
    A fully detailed rifle would of taken me 3 months to create, now I can probably do one in 2/3 weeks. (High poly and started the low poly).
    However by professional standards that is still ''slow'' as good weapon artists can crank out a fully modelled/textured game asset rifle in 1/2 weeks. Whereas it would take me a month to do so.

    3D IS a slow process outside of creating generic tutorial models. You have a lot of steps in-between from A-Z.
    I also remember UV unwrapping Literally taking me a week to do on a model, to where today I can Finish a UV unwrap in a few hours for the same model.
    It takes a lot of repetition. but once it clicks, it clicks. And it becomes a matter of being  faster each time while maintaining/increasing your prop quality.
    Honestly the biggest advice I got when I was hardstuck on projects, even IF I didn't particularly liked the advice, was to model real life objects, get the scale and proportions right, the materials right and so forth. 
    DO THAT multiple times so when you jump into concepting your own models, you are better equipped to do so, oh and reference pictures, Lots of them.

    Also watch tutorials non stop from, if you like guns, watch Dan Kenton on Youtube, FREE AAA videos of him chilling on stream making high quality models, it also bases yourself in reality that it takes days for even a pro like him to make a high poly/low poly, and a few more days to texture the asset.

    You did 7 projects in a year? Roughly 2 months for each project. That isn't too bad. I made around 12 this year myself (Once a month). Keep improving.
  • coolguyslims
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    coolguyslims polycounter lvl 3
    I don't know what your goal is with these weapons. Whether it's to build a portfolio for work, you're already working, or just for fun - it would change my advice. I'll assume this is to build a portfolio for work.

    As others have said, I think focusing on specific improvements is a good idea. I saw your other post where you made a fictional sniper in this same near-future style. It seems to me you may be stuck in your way of working; doing the same work flow for similar looking weapons. Give yourself a new challenge and get out of your comfort zone. Maybe it'd be best to try an asset you haven't approached before. You can still make weapons if you want, but try something more sculpted and less planar, like a wooden bolt action. You could also take these assets into texturing and explore what that's like, which you should be doing anyways if this is for professional work.

    I'd recommend trying something related to your work that you're uncomfortable or bad at intermittently between the projects you enjoy the most / are best at. Even a project like an environment or something can improve your work in other disciplines like weapons / hard surface. I'm not saying to become a generalist, but try more growth-centric projects. 
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