Proper Ways to Study? (Not as stupid as it sounds?) :|
polycounter lvl 4
Sorry for such a naive post. I'm a newbie to 3d. ![:\](https://polycount.com/plugins/emojiextender/emoji/twitter/confused.png ":\")
I'm planning on a regiment of 8-10 hours of tutorials/practice a day for about 2-3 years, but I want those hours to be as efficient as possible since I'm pretty late to the game art scene (I'm 22 years old). 
What I noticed when learning other things (i.e. skateboarding, competitive gaming, drawing) is that hours invested could be drastically cut by "properly learning"; grinding out hours doesn't necessarily mean optimized, though I'm sure there's a correlation.
For experienced folks, were there any "scientific" methods of learning you've applied to your education as you became more experienced in 3d packages? (or were there things in retrospect that you wish you would've done when learning?) Any special exercises?
A very obvious example is that once I'm competent, I plan on giving myself exercises of time limits and fidelity of creations based on others' concept art.
I'm planning on a regiment of 8-10 hours of tutorials/practice a day for about 2-3 years, but I want those hours to be as efficient as possible since I'm pretty late to the game art scene (I'm 22 years old). What I noticed when learning other things (i.e. skateboarding, competitive gaming, drawing) is that hours invested could be drastically cut by "properly learning"; grinding out hours doesn't necessarily mean optimized, though I'm sure there's a correlation.
For experienced folks, were there any "scientific" methods of learning you've applied to your education as you became more experienced in 3d packages? (or were there things in retrospect that you wish you would've done when learning?) Any special exercises?
A very obvious example is that once I'm competent, I plan on giving myself exercises of time limits and fidelity of creations based on others' concept art.
Replies
This will not only give make you more focused on your sprints but also give you a better understanding of how long certain tasks will take you.
When deciding on projects, try new stuff you haven't done before. Find problems that need solving, rather than just tasks that need doing. You want something where you can experiment, where failure is an option (we all learn best from our mistakes), something that really offers a challenge and allows you to grow.
Find a mentor, someone who can act as your teacher. Not necessarily teaching you anything, but someone who can offer advice, criticism, or direct your focus on what matters. Someone who provides an external perspective to your self study.
I'd argue that 20-24 is around about the ideal time to start. (I was 21) If I remember back when I was 16-18, I only did things because that's what I was told to do my whole life as opposed to me telling myself to do things. If I tried game art at 16 I probably would have given up 2 weeks later because of the lack of self discipline.
Also, I'd suggest subscribing to a 3D streaming site like 3D motive or digital tutors. Most of these places have learning paths so you can learn material in an organized fashion. This can also help you find a focus. You may find that you really like animating or lighting more than what you originally considered your passion. But as Kwramm said " have a plan and stick to it". Don't be that guy who graduated with a degree in general studies and 12 unrelated minors.
Also, when you work on a piece, particularly from reference, try to be as analytical as possible. It's very easy to just copy what's in front of you without really understanding what's going on. Deconstructing a subject and analyzing it fully (in terms of proportion, composition, shape language, colour usage etc.) as you work on it is a really important skill that will make you a better, more well-rounded artist.
Above all, enjoy the learning process. Don't be in too much of a hurry and don't set yourself unrealistic goals. If you work on achievable tasks and try to constantly evaluate how you're doing and how you can improve then you will make progress quickly, I'm sure.
I am looking forward to my education.