Learning Art, needs some help

Kuledo

Hey guys, i would like to give me some advice. The most of my time, i spend learning modeling in 3D maya from tutorials. But i also want to learn how to become artist, like know light,color and so on. Because i want to be character modeler for features films, i will do anatomy course from Scott eaton, many people suggest me to go there, instead of reading books. Is there a way to learn other things for art, like as i said light, color theory, dunno what other things there have when speaking for art.

Any advice. Please don't recommend me school, i am not going to spend thousands of money.

Joseph Silverman

Draw! Paint! There is no secret or shortcut -- buy books on drawing, books on painting, and immerse yourself.

Kuledo

Just to draw and paint? I want to know how color and light combine together or something like that, to help with creating realistic characters and creatures?

dii

http://itchstudios.com/psg/art_tut.htm
Everyone's pretty much seen this... but it's by far had the biggest impact on the quality of my work than anything else. Tackles the basics of so many problems in a single page.

More on light and color:

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/store/product/185/

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/store/product/472/

Bunglo

Kuledo wrote: »

Just to draw and paint? I want to know how color and light combine together or something like that, to help with creating realistic characters and creatures?

You're going to need to know how light works and all the stuff in order to draw and paint, they go hand in hand.

This thread might toss you in the right direction:

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94230

Jungsik

Draw whenever you feel an urge to learn art

Joseph Silverman

http://www.ctrlpaint.com/ may help too. But dude, there is SO much to learn ,that will take you SO many years... Just dive in, and research individual techniques and concepts as you come upon them.

Delega

If you do take the Drawing route to build yourself up look at the tutorial section on the Conceptart.org forums theres good stuff there too

Start with the Assignments they help a bunch http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=116199

_____________________
Question: Why is it so important to have a grasp on 2D to get better at 3D?

Kuledo

How many years could take me to master art? I have no problem to learn non stop, but i am more focused atm on modeling.

Rabbid_Cheeze

Kuledo wrote: »

How many years could take me to master art? I have no problem to learn non stop, but i am more focused atm on modeling.

"Master" art? A lifetime.
Get really good? about 10,000 total hours is the general consensus.

Kuledo

Well Not to master an art, but have decent experience, to show on your portfolio and be hired.

Dataday

Lets say you want to do films. Unless you are working at something like pixar, the live action stuff usually works a bit differently. You wont be in charge of lighting or any of that. You will make the assets, they will get handed off to someone else and those will get rendered out, then given to some vfx company to composite in (this includes lighting and all that).

I honestly recommend getting books like "zbrush digital sculpting: human anatomy", its not just all zbrush either. You will need to know zbrush btw. For lighting and over all cg work, "digital lighting and rendering by jeremy birn" is a great choice. Finally, head on over to gnomon workshop and grab some videos.

It doesnt need to be complicated. Just absorb it all and practice till you are good.

Rabbid_Cheeze

That's hard to say. What might take one person a full year to grasp will take someone else a month. For those that have strong understanding of the fundamentals and can do their own concepts it will be easier.

The first step is knowing what you want, and sticking to it. You say you want to do characters for film. Ok, then the first thing you want to do is find successful artists that do just that online and learn from them. Find out what they do, what they know, and do it too. jonas thornqvist , Mathieu Aerni , or Marco Menco for example.

Kuledo

Yea, i want to focus on character modeling and texturing. I know already that i need to know anatomy, so i will attend Soctt eaton anatomy course, later will do the Sculpting in Zbrush. well i saw people that do all of this stuff, like modeling, texturing lighting, rendering composting. Or should i focus on one thing. Ok will do, but how do i present my work for VFX studios. All i read about the studios i want to work is to know photo realistic texturing and lighting.Do you think that i am too late for this? I am 24.

Rabbid_Cheeze

Kuledo wrote: »

Yea, i want to focus on character modeling and texturing. I know already that i need to know anatomy, so i will attend Soctt eaton anatomy course, later will do the Sculpting in Zbrush. well i saw people that do all of this stuff, like modeling, texturing lighting, rendering composting. Or should i focus on one thing. Ok will do, but how do i present my work for VFX studios. All i read about the studios i want to work is to know photo realistic texturing and lighting.Do you think that i am too late for this? I am 24.

Some people don't start until they're in their 30s, so don't worry about the age thing too much

Your expected to have at least some 2D skills, whether they be in the form of texturing or concepting. If you can't do either, it'll be very hard getting a job making characters/assets. Quality textures can really set you work stand out and be noticed because a lot of people these days focus too heavily on 3D and ignore the rest.

Rendering and compositing comes later, don't worry about it when you're just starting out.

Kuledo

Yea, i saw many people focusing on 3D app. So you want to say that, i suppose to learn 2D, instead of 3D? Because i am spending too much time on 3D modeling, almost all day, with 2-3 hours sleep. I thought that, it would be great to spend at least 2-3 hours in drawing or painting. But it's is enough?

Rabbid_Cheeze

You should try and have a balance between them both. If you spend 5 hours working on 3D then spend another 5 hours working on 2D.

Kuledo

I just really want to learn how do something like this pal.
http://chriscross.cgsociety.org/gallery/1029494/

xvampire

if you do 3d, learn polygon modeling, make a good lineflow.

Kuledo

Will do mate thank you, but i am more about and willing to learn the secret how some guys achieve so realistic characters.Like the one, i have posted 2 post above.

Shiniku

The 'secret' is years of practice and hard work. Definitely work on your 2d and fundamental stuff alongside your 3d - I see too many people who are good enough in their 3d application, but turn out bad work because of bad foundational skills.

Also - don't expect to get to be able to make things on par with that 'flash noir' too soon - that's a very nice piece that even outshines a lot of professionals working in the field, and it takes a lot of time to get that level of skill.

If you want to get a job in the field, you have to make models that are going to work and do the thins they need to do. Learning cool digital sculpting and rendering techniques is great for making flashy models, but you really need to learn how to poly model and create proper topology.

I'm not a pro, but those are just some thoughts. Sounds like you're pretty dedicated, keep putting the time into it and studying hard and you'll do well.

Kuledo

I am pretty dedicated for this. Have days that i touch little, because i am doing some exams that i left behind, when i was attending graphic design. The problem is, don't seem or have no idea how to organize my day.When i touch 3D, ATM i am learning maya, for every tutorial i have brought, and almost forgot everything around me. Usually i start from 8am, have some breaks, when walking my dog, and eat, when i sit again, almost take me till 4-5am.

But i am scared of 2D no idea why, i have never been an artist.Don't have eye for details that many studio require to have.Also never been able to draw or paint.

Ex-Ray

Kuledo wrote: »

......Don't have eye for details that many studio require to have.Also never been able to draw or paint.

This is what studying art theory and fundamentals will provide, the reasons why something is aesthetically pleasing to look at, this is that 'eye for detail'. It's not due to luck or chance but refined judgement of lighting, composition, content and colour etc.

Drawing is the quickest way to drain your eye in self analysing what looks right or wrong so the more practise you do the more you will benefit.

Start looking at paintings, films, photography or things that you like and ask yourself why does it look cool.

Kuledo

I see what you think, and thanks a lot. What would be the best thing to start studying art? Drawing, painting, color theory, anatomy, lighting? Because, i want to be character artist and texture painter, should i go for anatomy first?

ZacD

anatomy first, also take some life drawing courses, local community colleges are awesome for that, or you can see if there's a doctor sketchy's around you http://www.drsketchy.com but the most important thing is to try to draw something everyday.

AdrienneMorrisa

ZacD wrote: »

anatomy first, also take some life drawing courses, local community colleges are awesome for that, or you can see if there's a doctor sketchy's around you http://www.drsketchy.com but the most important thing is to try to draw something everyday.

I definitely have to agree. Something that was suggested to me is to grab some magazines and draw the pictures that are there. Or, instead of drawing it, use whatever your preferred medium is, of course. But studying real life photos helps you understand a lot about things. How light falls on objects shaped a certain way, and how the shadows work from that. If you don't want to draw an entire subject, just pick a small part and draw that. Me, for instance, I have a hard time drawing hands, as I'm sure many other artists can agree with, so what I need to start doing is finding pictures of hands. It doesn't matter if the hands aren't the main focus of the image.

Kuledo

I see man, well, it's good thing to go in Photoshop and draw with tablet, or sculpt in Zbrush( or this would be the last thing?) I don't think that i would enjoy drawing with paper and pencil, but i'm ill enjoy doing it in Photoshop instead.

Any good book or tutorials for how to begin in drawing? What do you thing of Riven Phoenix, The structure of Man?