Urgent advice

3DAndy · Jul 2012

I have been doing 3d art now nearly two years now I even cut out parts my social life so I can focus on becoming a 3d artist I really enjoy it and hope to some day be character artist. At the start of this year I made a plan to follow that goal. I saved money from my last job and have been unemployed for 6 months now, in that time I have been working on improving my skills by doing tutorials and working on my portfolio. I have made many plans but one thing that seems to work for me is 1 week work on my own projects then 1 week work on tutorials. Being unemployed means that I do this from morning to night. But recently I have been feeling really burned out whenever I get ready to start working I don't feel that motivation I did a year ago. The good thing is that I know that this is what I want to do and I'm determined to work through this bad spell.

Anyway I just thought that I would sign up an ask for advice on what to do since this site has been my best source for information and advice when I had questions that needed answering. So I was just wondering if anyone has been in this situation before and has any advice on this situation.

glottis8 · Jul 2012

While i was looking for a job i always made time to go for a 2hr walk, excercise, go to a museum, read a book and then do a steady 6 to 10 hr load of work. I can't emphasize how important it was for me to find a little freedom to let my brain breath and soak in some culture. This allows for more inspiration, since your brain is more oxygenated and you won't feel burnout.

So take time for yourself, and keep healthy. Overworking doesn't make your art any better. If anything you get sloppy after working for so many hrs without a break.

Hope that helps.

nathdevlin · Jul 2012

Hi,

TBH it sounds like you need a break to get away from the art production for a bit. I find a balance between playing games, reading and getting inspired with a decent amount of time dedicated to working is good. If you work all the time you do get burned out as you've mentioned.

The breaks doing other things, even whole days off tend to reinvigorate me to continue working away. If your not drawing traditionally pick it up as an additional thing to do. Helps break the time spent staring at a monitor.

Another way to help feeling motivated is seeing improvements in your work. Post some stuff online and get feedback. It's a quicker way to develop but with others watching can motivate you to push yourself more.

+1 with what glottis8 said. Read it after I posted.

megalmn2000 · Jul 2012

Social life is also important as well as making game art. Studios don't only hire a talented artist, they also hire a good team worker. But one way you can do to motivate yourself is to find some friends to work with you on learning / compete, etc...and don't forget to sleep. If you don't sleep 8 hours a day enough, your brain would not have full concentration during the day, which isn't good too. Your brain needs a balance life too.

WarrenM · Jul 2012

Yeah, glottis8 has the right of it. Give your brain time to breathe. You can't go full guns, all day every day, and expect to not burn out.

D4V1DC · Jul 2012

Yup, I used to do that same thing both unemployed and employed like a slave.
So yea... I echo going outside and being social you sometimes come across ideas or textures you can use on your designs, take a pad with you either to draw out ideas while your out or to jot down ideas you had.

Best of luck!

SirCalalot · Jul 2012

There is not much that I can add that hasn't already been said.
But one thing that motivates me to work is reading the updates to the What Are You Working On? thread as well as people's personal projects that interest you in the Pimping and Previews section.

That all means nothing if you don't exercise, though.
A healthy body makes a happy person

3DAndy · Jul 2012

Thanks for the quick replies I guess its time to try and do some other things instead of overworking. I knew signing up to the site would give me some good advice again thank you.

Mask_Salesman · Jul 2012

Attach your Linkedin & Portfolio to your sig is what you should do ;P

SirCalalot · Jul 2012

Haha!
We're a nosy lot

David-J · Jul 2012

What everyone has already said. Specially the good amount sleep part. Also post your work here. Attach it to your signature. Get some feedback on your work and when you are working on something choose something that you will have fun making.

cheers!

sltrOlsson · Jul 2012

Ah!!! Sat here and wrote pages of pages of text. Well, kinda. And it all just disappeared

Well, you'll get the short version.

After game art school I was really unmotivated (I had an shit internship period) and I really tried to get back up on my feet. I tried to work and do art, but my motivation was really lacking. In early spring that year an old friend said that I could take a course or something at the same university as he studied at. So I did.

I studied practical philosophy for 6 months. Moving to a new city, meeting new friends and studying a completely new subject got my inspiration up high.

Eventually I ended up with getting my dream job (which I unfortunately haven't started yet) and that is a result of new inspiration and a great social life. Don't out that aside

baalnazzar · Jul 2012

Man, it looks like you're overloaded. Few years ago I had similar situation. After months of work from I couldn't watch at project I've been working on. Haven't been sleeping much then and been working much. Everything just stopped when I made a break. I've left project and made vacation. Focused more on good sleep, free time and meeting friends and family, going for a walk with my dog and important - I stopped plan each minute of my day. Thinking about time was crushing me. These simple things really helped me avoid depression and find some enthusiasm, inspiration and optimism again.

Fomori · Jul 2012

If you want to be a character artist make sure you step away from your computer for a couple hours every day and do some life/figure drawing and read anatomy books.

Urgent advice

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