Thank so much for sharing @Injaw. I relate to your journey deeply. In fact I’ll bet there’s a substantial portion of this community (and the broader 3D community) that relates the same. The technical hurdles of 3D can be a major speed bump to creativity.
For me, the creativity is something that bloomed later. As a teenager I was enamored with the craft of 3D first and foremost. Figuring out how to push and pull verts, set up materials, lights, rigging and render – these tasks were more rewarding than self-expression or stories I wanted to tell. To be honest, I didn’t have any stories to tell until my 20’s. As I’ve grew older, a self-expressive / story-telling inclination has developed. This has breathed fresh purpose into my craft and I finally feel it’s accurate to say I’m an Artist and not just a craftsman.
All that to say, I can imagine how frustrating it would be to have stories / artistic expression ready to be let out but lack the skills to execute them effectively.
This topic is so fascinating and I hear folks mention it commonly. I hope more people contribute their own experience. I’m even inclined to try and turn this into an interview-style deep dive video for our YT channel. I think I’ll draft some questions and get that ball rolling.
