Reply To: How to decide what to focus on?

Great question, finding what to focus on can definitely be a challenge. It’s like blank canvas syndrome in a way, where there are so many possibilities that it can be difficult to get started on any one in particular. I decided by finding which core skill would open up the most possibilities for me in the future. 

If you’re still passionate about 3D printing, improving your modeling sounds like the best way to go since it’s the main foundational skill that will then in turn allow you to create realistic renders, make characters to print, and create more complex jewelry designs all at the same time. Focusing on that one area will allow you to easily expand into any other domain of 3D later on, and whichever path you choose you’ll be better off for it.

I’d encourage you to continue branching out from jewelry like you’ve already been doing. Characters, environments, anything that interests you. Even if jewelry design is your end goal, messing around with other topics will stretch you in new ways and give you fresh ideas for how to approach your designs. You don’t have to become a master in these other areas, but do give them a shot. It’s less about the subject and more about refining the core skill. 3D modeling is all about problem solving, so experimenting in these other areas will help you solve problems you might not even know you have yet. Plus, you’ll be able to practice your lighting and texturing as you complete each project, which in turn could help you advertise your jewelry in new ways. 

Learning to code also sounds like it would be good for you, but from looking at your portfolio I think continuing modeling would be best. You’re off to a wonderful start but haven’t hit the limitations yet where coding would be most helpful. 

That’s all opinion of course, but hopefully it helps.