Week Of Waiting

So this week I have been waiting in anticipation for my first semester results. Brilliant! Or so I would have thought. Instead this week has allowed me to slowly become paranoid about what results I will get. I’m confident that my 2d work is to a good standard, but I have only learnt 3d since being here I’m not sure how good it is.

If I reflect on my first semester here I am actually amazed my head hasn’t swollen from all the information it’s taken in. 

This is how my head feels

I mean from struggling to make a cube in 3ds max, to creating fully rendered and textured houses is amazing. Especially when you think how I have learnt it in 2 and a bit months. That little bit of knowledge has already changed how I look at games. Before starting this course I was like “I wonder how they made that, it’s so cool, look at all the dents and stuff how’d they do that?” Now I say “oh that’s probably a normal map with specular lighting”. Granted there is still some stuff I don’t know, ok a lot stuff I don’t know, but if I think of the rate at which my knowledge is progressing, the fact that 3^rd years can produce such stunning pieces isn’t as daunting.

The funny thing is though I’m starting to see 3ds max as second nature. I opened the program in the library to quickly check my house loaded and all my friends were like “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! Mate that looks so complicated, how do you know what you’re doing? There’s too many buttons man!” I found it so weird hearing people say that again. Now when I open the program my overall feel for the software has changed, rather than seeing gibberish I know where to navigate the interface to create what I need. Like when I draw and the pencil listens to where I want it to go, 3ds is listening to me, a bit. It’s still a stubborn piece of sh...oftware when it’s ready.

 

That’s not to say that only my 3d skills have improved, thanks to my tutors my understanding of fundamental elements within drawing have been reinforced. Since being here I have been to some interesting places. I particularly liked Bradgate Park; though the weather can be unreliable I like that sense of calm. Being in natural open spaces relaxes me for some reason, I hate landscape drawings though. Too much bushes and bushes are so uninteresting to me, I prefer the elegance of human form. I haven’t been given the task of any life drawing yet but I still enjoy visual design regardless. I particularly liked drawing the Lotus Evora as I got a chance to visit the Stratstone dealership. when I walked in they asked what I’d like to buy, I felt so rich and slick. Then I told them I came to draw and reality depressingly came back to me.

Ah well.

It’s been an interesting ride so far but I’m definitely enjoying myself. I just hope that my skill and enthusiasm pay dividends in my marks.