3D Artist II

So you really wanna be a 3D Artist?

Does Drawing Help?
Ask this question on a public forum if you want to start a war. The fact is that nothing learned is a waste. Learning to draw properly helps you to understand form and proportions, which can help you a lot in modeling. So yes, I do strongly believe that drawing can help a lot.

I am crap at drawing. Does this mean I'll never be a good CG artist?
Despite what I have said about drawing being beneficial, there is no real reason why you cannot be a good CG artist if you cannot draw. Even I cannot draw as well as I wished. However, people who are very good at drawing and do so regularly are likely to find the process of modeling a bit easier, as they are trained to deal with proportions, space and shapes. If you wish to improve your skills, just start drawing.

How difficult is it to get a job?
To be blatantly honest, the industry is heavily saturated. This doesn't mean that you cannot get a job, but what it does mean is that you have to be very good if you want a job. You cannot expect to start applying for work just because you have modeled your first head and a few axes and now think you're going to make a great addition to the team at Blizzard. You have to be realistic about these things. Since there aren’t many avenues in Singapore, try to look elsewhere to land your dream jobs.

Take a look at the quality of work in films and games at the moment. If you honestly feel that your work matches up to it, then go ahead and start sending out some show reels. Don't be disheartened if you do not hit the jackpot straight away. If your work is great, you will eventually get a job. So keep practising real hard, slowly but surely you eventually become better.

Why do Studios Always Want Experienced Artists?
Having experience is a lot more than simply having been doing 3D for a long time. An artist who has actually worked in a studio before has had to adjust to specific pipelines, crazy deadlines, working in teams and various other things that an artist simply working from home has not necessarily experienced. This is why experience is a major plus factor, even if some of the work that an artist has done in a studio is not exactly the best. The fact is that they nevertheless have gained certain experience in doing so.

Does it help to know people in the industry?
Many people have said that if you are looking for a job, then it comes down to who you know and not what you know. This can definitely be true in many circumstances. Networking and making good contacts and building up a good reputation as an artist can do half the work of landing yourself a job.

How much money will I make?
Frankly though, if you want to be stinking rich, then CG is not really the ideal career for you. Sure, you can earn a great living, and if you can get together the capital to start your own studio that then becomes very successful, then of course you stand to make a lot of money, but generally working as an artist on the pipeline you cannot expect to one day own a mansion.

What is a good file format for rendering to?
This depends on what you are going to do with the render. If you are going to be uploading it onto the web for other people to see, then you will need to save it as an .avi (Windows Media) or .mov (Quicktime) file. These file formats are for clips, as opposed to single images.

When you need to render to a single image, one of the best file formats is Targa. A 32-bit Targa file also includes an alpha channel that ignores the background of your render, so you can then put the model onto a different background in a 2D program like Adobe Photoshop. From Photoshop, you can then compress the image and save it as a JPEG file if you wish to upload it to the web. When working on an actual production, you generally render animated sequences to images as well.

What is the best method of modeling?
Again, this is something that varies from person to person. While there are certainly guidelines as to ensuring good polygon flow in your model, there is really no "best" method of modelling anything. You must use whatever method you feel most comfortable with.

Some people like to box model, some people like to model poly-by-poly, others like to model with splines. There are so many ways to do any one particular thing that as long as the end result looks good and can move (if necessary) without problems, then the method you used to get there really doesn't matter at all.

What are NURBS, polygons and sub-d's?
(The following explanation is taken from the 3D buzz website)
While box modelling and spline modelling are defined as modelling techniques, you can think of NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines), polygons and sub-d's (subdivision surfaces) as building materials. They are like the bricks that make up a wall. Polygons are basically the three- or four-sided (sometimes more, then called N-gons) shapes that make up models. NURBS and sub-d's are similar to polygons in that they also generally have three or four sides, but unlike polygons, they can curve - a polygon becomes non-planar when you try to bend its shape, while NURBS and sub-d's can bend easily.

Think of a polygon as a piece of metal - if you lift one corner of it, at least one other corner will lift as well. While NURBS and sub-d's can be equated to something like fabric, that can bend as you wish. Polygon modeling is the most universal modeling type, while sub-d's and NURBS are suited more for organic and technical models, respectively.

How should I begin with modeling?
Start with simple things, such as household items. Chairs, tables, etc are a great starting point, especially since you have plenty of reference right at hand. Once you are more comfortable with your tools, it is important to challenge yourself with more complex modeling, or else your skills will stagnate. Move onto organic shapes, and perhaps even simple characters, once you have successfully managed to create basic to intermediate items.