CGTalk - New Here, and really thinking about how to break into the industry

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GoneRogue

01-09-2011, 07:52 PM

Hey, Jessica (or GoneRogue here),

I've been really thinking about what I want to do in the near future this past year. I'm graduating from an Animation and Digital Production course this year, but I have strayed from wanting to do animation.

I've taken a great interest in concept art, illustrations, storyboarding, and texturing side of things again (so just all the art-related aspects of movies and video games). I miss my art. The course I'm in is mostly just to get good with COMPUTER animation, which is what the industry is nowadays, but I'm finding myself really taking an interest in learning everything to do texturing and lighting amazingly.

Not to mention, I do love to model in Maya (Maya's the main program we're learning).

But what I do not know now is what path should I take? Should I go to art schools? Take a class here and there to improve drawing, painting, and digital art?

I'm also wondering if you guys have any Zbrush tutorials and maybe some modeling tutorial stuff. I've looked at some of the workshops and saw quite a few photoshop ones, which is amazing! Are they all still running?

I also want to inguire about what I should include in a texturing portfolio, since at the end of this year, we are having a mock-interview with the professors. Should I include:

Random texture sketches (like wool, wood, glass, etc.)
Some scene, or character lighting
Textured models that I have modeled
And some life drawings/ paintings? I'm guessing landscapes are very good

Just would love to hear from professionals in the industry, or even people who have just broken in. What did you guys do??! Tell me your stories lol Trust me, I'll read them all

~Jessica

Meloncov

01-13-2011, 10:25 PM

It'd help if you posted some of your work.

leigh

01-13-2011, 10:58 PM

But what I do not know now is what path should I take? Should I go to art schools? Take a class here and there to improve drawing, painting, and digital art?

Yeah these are all beneficial and if you can afford to and aren't in a rush to start working in the industry, I'd highly recommend getting a traditional art background. Photography can be a good foundation too, especially for lighting but also for texturing because a lot of texturing is photographic-based so an understanding of how to work with photographic sources and a good eye for colour really helps.

Random texture sketches (like wool, wood, glass, etc.)
Some scene, or character lighting
Textured models that I have modeled
And some life drawings/ paintings? I'm guessing landscapes are very good

Yep, pretty much. Be sure to include photo-based texture work as well, and show your actual texture maps as well as the models in constant shaded mode so that your texture work can clearly be seen.

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