Professional Practice

Final Professional practice Blog

2011-04-08T05:30:00.001-07:00

Lessons Learned

Through the process of this professional practice blog I’ve had a big rethink on all areas of presentation.

The website is going to be refined I’m in the process of putting in place holders and arranging text making it easily navigable.

CV has been re-drafted and I’m going to refine its final version before posting it on my website in the beginning of May 2012.

Character presentation sheets have had a total overhaul after speaking to Leavon Archer. Due to this I’m thinking about using new backgrounds for each character for example C-3PO placing him in the Dune Sea. See previous blogs for detail.

For my show-reel I purchased a book on Adobe Premier CS5 and I’m in the process of learning the basics getting ready for my finished work as soon as my models are finished.

I’ve also looked into book illustration with the possibility for doing 3d and 2d. With this in mind I am also learning Adobe illustrator alongside my Z-brush work.

The website will be completed for the professional practice deadline.

I’ve been looking into job sites these are the ones I’ve found so far

Jobsites

http://www.monster.co.uk/

http://www.gamasutra.com/jobs/

http://jobs.designweek.co.uk/jobs

http://www.3djobs.com/

Illustration

http://jobs.designweek.co.uk/illustrator.html?cmpid=7041&gclid=CNSF1q_MjKgCFRMhfAodPAPeCg

http://jobs.trovit.co.uk/jobs/freelance-illustrator-london

http://www.peopleperhour.com/

http://www.jobrapido.co.uk/?q=illustrator&adwords&utm_source=google&utm_medium=advtext&utm_content=advtext_google_ADWORDS_UK_JOB_SEARCH&utm_campaign=advtext_google

http://www.ifreelance.com/landing.aspx?ag=115&k=2946&mt=b&gclid=COrAt9rOjKgCFUlkfAodii7gCw

http://www.simplyhired.co.uk/a/jobs/list/q-freelance+illustrator

End

Advice for displaying my work

2011-04-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

I spoke to Levon today concerning my art work and options for displaying my work in the best possible way.

The advice given was extremely useful it covered these areas:

Rotating my character presentation sheets; from portrait to landscape, when I loaded my character sheet for the gamorrean guard it was in portrait position, Levon pointed out all the wasted space either side of the art work not being used and that most monitors were now widescreen so all my character and display sheets shroud be landscape it allows the viewer to get closer to the detail and doesn’t leave any unused space.

With regard to showing texture maps; there wasn’t any need to show 2d texture maps if the model is displayed well enough, although if you really wanted to show these maps Levon recommended using another sheet, also if you blend a wire frame using Photoshop over some of the model, it was a good way to show the topology and highlight the normal map that is being used.

Text; when displaying any writing, make sure that fits in with the setting of your character so it ties in, in a unified way.

And with regard to show reels keep it simple!

portfolio progress

2011-03-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

My portfolio work is coming along I am just in the final third of my Gamorrean guard model just adding detail preparing for re-meshing for a game model.

progress and new ideas

2011-03-21T01:34:00.001-07:00

I’m in the process of finalising the details of my CV

Also I’m beginning to put together a list of companies I will be applying for jobs whether positional or speculatively, these will include companies both inside and outside the computer gams industry. This list will comprise of the types businesses previously listed from within this blog. And a possibility of looking into other areas

I will be looking into different aspects of approaching these differing types of companies to tailor my applications more specifically to their application process and what they are looking for in a candidate, this may involve more specific portfolio types of work that I may need to do after the official hand-in of my portfolio at for my professional practice blog. But I’d like to look into it before this.

CV Research

2011-03-11T03:10:00.000-08:00

Taking consideration that I need to rework my old CV, I’m looking at different techniques and ways to incorporate my old CV yet have the new CV biased towards far more art and 3D.

I’m in the process of deconstructing my old CV to see if there are any relevant details I can transfer over. I’m looking at different website advice.

These are the following websites I have found the best information on so far:

http://www.artistterms.com/artistcv.htm

http://www.careerconsultants.co.uk/

http://www.cvservices.net/

http://www.cvtips.com/resumes-and-cvs/cv-basics/

Online CV

I’m giving special consideration specifically to my online CVs in consideration that my CV will mainly be on show on my website portfolio. Yet I will also have a version I can post or have as an attachment for a document.

Below is the link for online CV advice:

http://www.cvtips.com/resumes-and-cvs/how-to-create-an-interesting-online-cv.html

I'm filtering through the advice from the above and working out what I will actualy need in my final CV

starting points

2011-03-04T08:25:00.001-08:00

This week I’m going through my old CV trying to deconstruct t see if it’s a good template, due to the fact I’ve got a long work history my main issue is making sure the cv is not to long no longer than two pages maximum is most likely ideal, I’m going to look at the wording first then the template layout, the reason for this is it’s very easy to get caught up with it looking nice and formatted, yet this can often be at detriment to the actual content.

So I will spend a couple of weeks just going over the content trying to write a few different versions trying to nail down an appropriate CV.

I can’t start on my show reel due to the fact I haven’t finished any of my characters, however I hope to have my Star Wars Gamorren Guard finished and look to starting and styling some character presentation sheets ready for the time Crytec come in.

Professional Practice Assessment

2011-02-17T05:16:00.000-08:00

Generation of:

Portfolio website:

The portfolio website will have several areas:

Homepage

use of differing images

Gallery

series of images character sheets possible links to show reels

Contact details

How to contact me my details email; possibility using a contact form

Resume

work history

Other details

possible extra information, competitions entered and results

I’ve started construction of an online portfolio see link below

http://stevemullisart.weebly.com/

Character presentation sheets

Star Wars: Gamorrean Guard, Jabba the Hutt,

Below are some examples of presentation sheets and the possible styles I could use

Video show reel:

Z-brush turntable: anatomy Jason vs. Slain of the hydra

Possibility of having all the work on one reel or multiple reels

Final
Most important aspect of the assessment is the online website portfolio, the website is my main place where my work can be viewed.

also looking at the possibility of getting some business cards printed.

End of year show

2011-02-10T09:13:00.001-08:00

Looking into possibility of companies coming to our end of year show I’ve tried to pick a mixture of companies from the local area and further afield in the UK e.g. Frame store is London based and the largest employer and are taking on staff at this moment.

http://www.framestore.com/

http://crytek.com/career/studios/overview/nottingham

http://lionhead.com/

http://www.ttgames.com/

New thinking on show reel

2011-02-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

The first part of this show reel with the knight is the bit I'm hoping to replicate for my show reel as my models are character and based within a mini scene, its the closest example of what I hope to achieve style wise and with timing.

3D Demo Reel 2008 HD mancubus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKNboyddxA&feature=related

Every model well made, textured, wire framed, seamless transition between models. If it was game art show reel the models UV and texture maps would possibly be needed to be displayed in some way.

Issues I face

Show Reel

How to set up and move cameras taking into consideration some of my scenes have two or more characters in them.

[Possibility to show all characters in one scene then re-display them posed individually]

What should I render in?

How to render out at the correct resolution?

How to edit it all together?I don't really understand After-Effects and don't have it at home to practice with.

Note:[High Possibility my anatomy scene will be rendered in Z Brush due to the fact they are not game models and are high poly sculpts showing very detailed an human anatomy posed in a battle scene from Jason and the Argonauts].

Time left

I'm also thinking to give more time to presentation and wont redo my character model from the second year Professor Grim , There is too much to do on him I would have to start from scratch I just wouldn't have enough time to get everything done.

Instead I'm going g to tidy up my scenes from advanced real time rendering e.g. Jabba's throne, and bake c3po to his low polymesh to become a game model. and try to polish what I've already got.

Also i will look into the possibility of buying Marmoset for rendering my game characters.

Showreel

2010-12-21T04:04:00.000-08:00

Note: Each character will be within their own mini scene with props not by themselves

House Sheet

Music

At this moment I don’t really want to add music to my showreel, if eventually I do decide to it will be unobtrusive, no lyrics not pulse pounding something with subtly and mood. Possibly something different from the current trend? Maybe classical music, which I haven’t heard extensively yet on anyone’s show reel.

Also I may use musical themes that transition between models

For example: Concerning Star Wars there is a very subtle piece of orchestral music when Luke Skywalker enters Jabba’s throne room.

Then transition this to another piece of music for the next model

Each scene will be divided similar to before yet I will smoothly pan around the two characters and focus on individual details I have allowed ten more seconds for each scene respectively and allowed time to display both sets of detail maps Diffuse Normal etc...

Four different scenes show-reel scenes

Start 4 seconds with my details

(1)Anatomy study showing two different characters battling in one scene 30 seconds

(2)Star Wars scene 1; C-3PO with Han Solo in carbonite gallery 30 sec

(3)Star Wars scene 2; Jabba the Hutt and Gamorrean Guard throne room 30 seconds

(4)Concept sculpt professor grim [the total reworking of my second year character in Z Brush] 20 seconds

End with my details 6 seconds

Note: possibility of my details being on thorough the duration of the show-reel possibly in the boarder

Further improvement I will make to my own skills

(1)Area that needs improvement

Anatomical knowledge

And practical application of this acquired knowledge concerning 3D modelling and sculpting.

Method to achieve improvement

Studying relevant sources regarding anatomy.

Also two of my projects for Advanced Modelling and Animation are accurate human anatomy based sculpts. Including (A) a skeleton with tendons and some muscle structure and (B) a realistic athletic male physic. Both are posed in battle.

(2)Area that needs improvement

Knowledge of Z-Brush and use of it daily regarding; character and creature work.

It’s very difficult to find the time I would like to use Z-brush. I’m hoping after Christmas this will change, I won’t have any major environmental work to do so can and most of my advanced modelling and animation module work will be done using it.

(3)Area that needs improvement

Better presentation of art work, I believe the quality of my art work has increased dramatically and seems to be getting better day by day my only concern is how to best show off that work.

Method to achieve improvement

It’s clear that looking at portfolios has helped a lot, and doing the following exercise in putting together a show reel and a house sheet, has shown me some sort comings concerning presentation, I’m getting a better idea, and I’m glad I did this exercise now and not later.

For the house sheet I’m going to do few different ones after Christmas experiment with styles boarders back grounds so-forth

Self Promotion

My first task in January after I’ve posted my final real-time rendering work on the blog is to take that work and display it on my own web page.

For my website I’m going to use http://www.weebly.com/

The following artists’ website was made using the above http://juanvalencia3d.weebly.com/

I have also signed up to pretty much every forum so will also post there in the New Year. However due to recent research I’m wondering if maybe there are some other. Art, Film or Illustration forums I’ve not researched yet that could be a good option as well, it may also yield some different kind of feedback.

I am also considering having some quality renders printed off in a portfolio that I could take to trade shows. Maybe even handout some business cards with my details in conjunction with this.

Standing out in a crowd

2010-12-21T02:38:00.000-08:00

The research I’ve been conducting has helped me to see the benefit of looking beyond games yet still having something that can relate strongly to character artists and employers within the games industry.

I’ve noticed other graduate character artist lack especially in one area and don’t demonstrate effectively a solid knowledge of anatomy.

This is why two of my models for next semesters Advanced Modelling and Animation are accurately anatomy based sculpts and not game models.

Source of good practice

This also fits in with an interview I read with Ubisoft character artist Magdalena Dadela.

The interviewer asks this question.

“Last question. You have a few years in this industry under your belt now, and have no doubt learned some lessons on the way. If you had to give one piece of advice to a current student who’s specializing in modelling, what would it be?

Magdalena: for character modellers, I’d say concentrate on your anatomy. I know it’s cool to do monsters and stuff, but it’s better to be able to show that you know how to make a convincing human – especially if you’re aiming to work in computer games. If you know the basic rules, then you can break them to create deformed creatures. It doesn’t work the other way around.”

The whole transcript can be found at the link below

http://www.vfs.com/blog/2010/02/19/magdalena-dadela-zbrush-ace/

My conclusion

Reading this interview and looking at some poor character models help me understand that what I am about to do concerning anatomy I’ve not really seen in many if any show reels. It’s a risk but if it’s something different I hope it gets me noticed.

If not it will be an excellent technical exercise that will never go out of date and can be constantly in my portfolio.

I see this as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. I will still have game models, the Star Wars ones I’ve been working on plus the gamorrean guard I’m working on for Phil.

However If I just show game models it doesn’t truly show the true extent of my ability. I’ve looked at other graduate student artists who do characters and noticed most of them are game models and many are their own concepts.

The problem with this is that your own concept can never be wrong, you can put it down to artistic styling.

Which is why I’ve chosen easily recognisable characters and human anatomy for my portfolio because you could see and source material quickly that could prove or disprove the accuracy and quality of the model or sculpt.

options and opportunities

2010-12-21T02:01:00.000-08:00

Options and opportunities for employment

All of the website links below are good examples of where a character and creature artist could work

As I was thinking about where I may work, it occurs to me to make my options as wide as possible it’s easy just to get caught in the trap that you can only work in games but through my research I have found there are far more options if you’re open minded than their first appears to be.

Related industries:

Game

http://www.bizarrecreations.com/jobs/

http://www.bioware.com/careers

http://jobs.zenimax.com/index.php?a=view_job&jobid=7

http://www.crytek.com/career/offers/overview/nottingham/art-animation

Film

http://www.dneg.com/

http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/about/faq

http://www.wetafx.co.nz/reels/characters/

http://www.themill.com/work.aspx?loc=London

http://www.3d-imaging.co.uk/

Advertising

http://www.3-da.com/?gclid=CLGg4Yf48qUCFQse4QodXlXzoQ

http://3danimation.e-spaces.com/characteranimation.html

http://www.kingbee.co.uk/animation-services-uk/commercial-animation-studio-uk/UK-fusion-3D-commercial-animation-studio-uk.asp

Illustration

http://www.linkism.com/graphic-design/illustrators/index.htm

http://www.lunarstudio.com/portfolio/illustration-renderings.html

http://www.designzzz.com/10-outstanding-3d-character-designs-and-illustrations/

http://www.childrensillustrators.com/?gclid=CO67tNSP86UCFc0e4Qodwwsupw

Issues faced as an artist & requirements

2010-12-21T00:59:00.000-08:00

Issues faced as an artist: The main issues of concern is having enough time to create the art assets to high enough standard and having enough character and creature assets to show in a portfolio and webpage to show my quality as a potential character artist.

I work for as many hours as I can, up to fourteen hours a day seven days a week, across all my university tasks, I would like to dedicate more time to creating characters and creatures and learning new techniques yet this isn’t possible at this time due to the demand of various course modules and the extra content they require.

New process to learn: It’s more a continued learning and development that’s needed, across all fields of discipline. I would define this more as refining the workflow pipeline. This would entail any new process which helps the artist accurately and effectively achieve an artistic result to an equally high or higher standard than before yet in a quicker time.

Example

A good example is when using Z-Brush and Maya learning how to use Go-Z in Z-Brush to speeded up my work flow rather than importing and exporting which can take a few minutes and making sure all the texture and normal maps are properly applied reloading them.

Now with the Go-Z you drop the model in Z-Brush to its lowest sub division level and click the Go-Z button you’ve installed and Z -brush opens up Maya with your model and all the maps applied. Then when you’ve made your adjustments you use the Go-Z button you’ve have installed in Maya and then Maya sends the model back to Z-Brush with everything updated automatically this process takes only a few seconds. Also say if you are working on a model in Maya you can click Go-Z in the Maya tool shelf and it will open up Z-Brush with your model ready to go for sculpting in the correct position even if it’s never been into Z-Brush before. You don’t have to export it as an obj it does it automatically and assigned the necessary groupings for the sub tools.

I believe that updating and refining my workflow like the above will enhance my efficiency of the product in my portfolio and the quality of my work skill-set, helping me become more confident and refined as a 3D artist therefore more employable.

Choice of technology: The choice of technology is dictated by the requirements of the field; my preference is Autodesk Maya, Photoshop and Z-Brush.

Requirements for field: Knowledge of a 3d application such as Maya or Max, knowledge of 2d application Photoshop and knowledge of sculpting package Z-Brush. You can sculpt characters using Autodesk Mudbox, yet the expected industry standard for gaming and film is Z-brush so as a character artist who is looking to make their selves employable as possible, Z-Brush is by far the more important of the two.

Evidence of chosen area of practice

2010-12-21T00:54:00.000-08:00

Evidence: Here are some of the sculpts I have done Han Solo is nearly finished the Gamorrean Guard is for Phil’s Advanced Modelling and Animation is only just really started about a quarter done. The Tauntaun head is finished but I may return to it next semester before its part of my final two Star Wars portfolio scenes, with C-3PO and Jabba the Hutt.

Chosen area of artistic practice

2010-12-21T00:49:00.001-08:00

Chosen area of artistic practice: Character & Creature artist.

(Long term Goal: 3D Character & Creature Concept Artist).

Rational

Achieving a Personal Goal: Over the last two and a half years after seeing a sculpted model at my at my interview with Dave Wilson at Derby University done in Z-Brush, I only ever actually wanted to do anything but characters.

All my sketch work is and was character and creature concepting but I wasn’t confident enough to pursue my dream of being a character artist, I only decided fully in September 2010 to peruse characters fully, the reason it was so late was I hadn’t had a chance to use Z-Brush until then on my own projects and had only just finished doing Z-Brush tutorials from over the summer, so wasn’t going to risk saying I would do characters if I didn’t have the ability to model them in Maya and sculpt them in Z-Brush.

As soon as I had started using Z-Brush for myself I felt confident to pursue my long term goal and I made my mind up. I hadn’t shown any of my sculpts to any one so I decided to show what I could do at my Alpha presentation, with Han Solo in carbonite and gauge the reactions. Han was only the fourth thing I had ever done in Z-Brush.

The reason why I hadn’t tried Z-Brush before was because I have been learning all the other programs to a good level of competence and understanding, all the tutorials I had done previously relate to Maya Photoshop and Unreal and all their many intricate facets. I have enjoyed doing props as well and will use that as a backup but characters and creatures are all I really want to do. And I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals.

show reel plan part 1

2010-11-19T07:19:00.001-08:00

Initial thoughts on my show reel

Name on screen 3 seconds fade 0-3secs or keep name subtly on screen throughout

Title of piece 4-4secs

Pan across model 5-6secs

Show whole model turntable revolve 6-1secs

Close in on detail revolve around specific detail 17-27secs

Pan out to show whole model again fade transition to show occlusion map, normal maps, specular, and wire frame mesh also show 2d texture maps on screen at same time accompanying each phase in view 27-36secs

Zoom in on detail rotate 36 to 42secs fade to next model scene

Show characters within scenes

Scene 1; props/setting: Jason vs slain of the hydra [Jason and the Argonauts] Greek columns stone work, possibly Corinthian type armour swords trident or spear net and shield hill top or temple outside

Scene 2; characters: Jason detailed lean athletic show muscle structure anatomy. Skeleton show bone tendon & ligament structure some underlying muscles correct anatomy partially decomposed

Scene2; props/setting: Jabbas throne steps, BBQ, dais/throne

Scene 2; characters: (1b) Jabba, (2b) C-3po, (3b) Gamorrean guard [possibly (4) salacious crumb]

My show reel

2010-11-09T00:54:00.000-08:00

For justification of what should be in my show reel please see the previous blog and comments attached to that blog concerning each show reel and possible does and don’ts.

In brief

Good quality models

Good topology

For a concept, show concept through to model

Clearly defined content

Timing 2min to 2min 30 max

Display details at beginning or end or possibly all the way through in a none destructive way

Show clearly topology and maps

My chosen piece of work

I have chosen Professor grim was a second year project and my first attempt at character modelling

Elements that wouldn’t meet a show reel standard

The model had no sculpted detail, due to the fact I did not have the knowledge of Z Brush, to test out the work flow I brought the model into Z brush to look at it, found some issues with geometry that would need sorting out in Maya.

Found some stretching in a couple of area in UV’s need to re UV the whole mesh after modelling adjustments

High level Plan

Re-define the concept with sculpting in mind especially the finer details

Rework the mesh in Maya correct topology errors the mesh would need splitting up into sub tools this would help define them better e.g. separating the head from body

Sculpt in Z brush

Re-texture

Set the character in a small turn table scene so he is not just in a T pose

Show maps clearly e.g. Diffuse, Spec, AO, Normal

2010-10-22T02:51:00.001-07:00

Professional Practice (show reels)

Poor character show reel

3d modeling show reel - rajini kamal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwNjr67teKE

Rajini Kamal show reel above shows what not to do. 13 seconds in to before you see any models, there are no textures on any of the models only materials applied. Some of the models are actually ok yet they are mixed with awful ones with bad topology. However its length of the show reel is its only real redeeming feature being 2min 44 seconds long.

Amazing character and 3d show reel

3D Demo Reel 2008 HD mancubus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKNboyddxA&feature=related

Every model beautifully made, textured, wire framed, seamless transition between models. If it was game art show reel the models uv and texture maps displayed would be needed, but even though it’s not game art it is so well done as an example of excellence of cg art. You can learn a lot from it concerning overall presentation and timing.

My thoughts on show reels

Possible Don’ts

Don’t make it too long 2min 30sec is enough.

Don’t have your contact details on screen for ages if someone really wants to see who you are they will pause it.

Don’t put poor work in with good work; it makes it look like you don’t know what good and what’s not. Using bad work to fill time is time wasted.

Don’t send mixed signals what are you? An environment artist, prop artist, character artist, concept artist, rigger, animator, vehicle modeller...etc. (If you feel split between a couple of them why not make two separate show reels).

Possible Do’s

Do think about your target audience who are you trying to sell to and what are you trying to get them to buy. If you trying to get them to buy your skills show what makes you a desirable choice make it as easy for them as possible.

Do think about what order your pieces of work go in. generally your second piece should be your strongest and your first piece should be your second strongest and you need to finish on another strong piece like your first.

Professional Practice Blog 1

2010-10-15T02:12:00.000-07:00

My Professional Goals

(A) My goal is to be a games character artist.

(B) Fitting within this is also my desire to eventually do 3D character concepts

Character Artist Research: I’m looking into the role or a character artist within games and different online character artist portfolios.

Here are some of the links:

Character Artist Roles Part 1

http://www.bioware.com/bioware_info/jobs/positions/austin_senior_character_artist.html

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=77724

http://www.bizarrecreations.com/jobs/character_art.php

Portfolio’s Part 1

http://dorothyballarini.cgsociety.org/gallery/724814/

http://www.tutorialboard.net/interview-3d-character-artist-blitz-game-studios-jose-lazaro/

http://www.anshinchu.com/

http://www.drawingyourdreams.com/

Brief review initial thoughts: Its interesting looking at roles seeing that companies like bizarre creations look for people who don't necessarily have experience with other games companies, and welcome applications from graduates, so it seems there are opportunities for people who work hard and have ability how many other companies do the same remains to be seen.

Regarding portfolios there is a good combination of low poly work with details created through textures and high poly work to create details, which show s you need to develop skills in both to seemingly make you more employable.