Why am I so braindead

Smirnoffka

I set aside 3 hours for concept and start modeling.

I sit down, spend 1 hour thinking, and swearing.

The second hour is spent playing solitare.

Then i piss off and do somthing else. Where the hell are my ideas? Is it because i am not artistic and cant draw for shit? I dont understand, i cant even doodle, because I dont know what to.

HELP

hawken

best way is to break the chains of procrastination.

procrastination, as I have come to realise, is all about routine. all you have to do is break the bad routines and get good ones in.

One soloution I've found is to just open the software and get to work.

just do it, as nike say

KeyserSoze

Solitaire. That's your problem right there. FreeCell is where it's at!

Weiser_Cain

I have that problem. I dick around until I have three hours before I have to go to sleep (checks clock), then I mad dash slap something together, not getting any sleep in the process. I now leave the software open all the time and 'doodle' away when I get an idea or just have some down time. Another thing is I’m usually pretty sure what sort of character I’m gong for, at least I tend to know if it’s a man or woman, so I’ll start a low-ish poly generic model that I can build on once I know where I’m going, at the very least you got some modeling practice in.
As for the no ideas thing I often just draw cool parts or symbols or whatever, no need to come up with a full concept and actually I get a lot of full characters doing that and maybe also coming up with a scene or gimmick for the character and then go back and flesh out the concept, bob's your uncle and you have a model.

Zergxes

Pressuring yourself to come up with an idea within a certain timeframe can give you that 'blank page' problem. I would recommend hitting the sketchbook, just slam out as many drawings as you can- and relax. If you still can't come up with an idea.. maybe model something from real life or ask permission to use someone's concept. At least that way you will still be sharpening your skills.

Luck.

spider2cool

it can not be because you are not an artist or can not draw...i am both and i find that the older i get the less ideas i have. its wierd, but when i was younger(in my teens) i had a million ideas for charaters and i was always playing with different ideas. Now that i have fine tuned my skills i seem to have nothing to make. i have to get ideas from other people and i can draw up a storm...

Ninjas

Okay, I don't want to sound like an asshole, but this is what I think:

Not having ideas to draw is kind of like not having ideas to play (american rules) football. Football doesn't require creativity because it is an activity with set rules that you follow. If you expect to have some kind of great idea before you start drawing, you will have to wait forever because great ideas have nothing to do with drawing.

The rules of drawing are light, perspective and anatomy. A big part of learning to draw is learning the rules. I person with a football is just screwing around if he doesn't know the rules.

Like different plays in football, you have different things you can draw. Your basic options are, hot chick, swat dude, monster, knight, dragon and spaceship. Pick one. It doesn't matter. You draw any one of these things perfectly and you will be a fantastic success.

The first rule to get started. Make the biggest shapes, and loosest outlines first and then start working on light and perspective. Force yourslef to keep it loose. Never draw a hard line until you are completely happy with the entire look of the shapes you have outlined.

oXYnary

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it can not be because you are not an artist or can not draw...i am both and i find that the older i get the less ideas i have.

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Don't fall into that trap spider. Its not that you have less ideas, its that you now can separate stupid/cliche ideas. Something that say Rob Liefield never understood.



Smirnoffka: Surround yourself with other creative people. That will boost your morale and help you battle on. Many people make the mistake of trying to go it alone.

ElysiumGX

If you're leaning to draw start simple. Follow lessons. Work from life. Don't worry about ideas.

If you're looking for ideas...don't sit at the computer and draw. Go for a walk, a drive, a swim, a movie, a game. The idea will come to you, then go back and draw it.

Daz

The state of 'braindead' doesn't bode too well for jet fighter training! ;-)

Yeah, what Ely Said. Staring at a blank 3D app. viewport just aint gonna happen. If I'm lacking inspiration, I go out for a walk with a camera.

Smirnoffka

Thanks guys, some really good ideas all round!

I would just like to say that I did study art in university (fine art) but I didnt do alot of painting myself. (its a weird course) It was alot of study, which i enjoyed, and while i do understand the principles of light and tone and shade, it doesnt mean i can draw, though i can hack my way through most things.

Daz: Hehe, flying doesnt take much thinking, here is a picture of my coctpit.

._______ .. ______
/

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\.../

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|--FLY--| |-STOP-|
\_______/ \______/

I love ascii

cep

Great post! I find that I rarely come up with good ideas, but I usually have to develop ideas until I'm somewhat satisfied.

Ryno

I find that watching a movie with good cinemetography gets me started pretty well. Sets the mood, gives you idea for characters/enviroment themes, etc.