Reply To: Suggestions for new courses

[Kent Trammell]

I could not disagree more. While learning anatomy has many benefits the main two as far as I am concerned are these

1. Creating a sensitivity to details that you normally would not even notice (essentially improving your artists eye) 
2. Becoming less dependent on reference. (use it but don’t be dependent on it)

@3dioot We’ll have to amicably leave it at disagreement, at least in this specific context. I agree whole-heartedly with your first bullet, that training your eye to notice detail is crucial. I just don’t agree that studying/memorizing anatomy terms and structure is the only way (nor best way) to develop that skill.

My career as a 3D artist specializing in characters is built on 2 priorities:

1. Training my eye to notice and interpret detail on a purely visual basis.
   2. Informing my eye with head-knowledge about the subject. 

#1 has always done the most for me with helpful assistance from #2. #2 does little-to-nothing for 3D artist if #1 is lacking.

Becoming less dependent on reference is a rose-tinted goal. I used to think that’s what great artists did but I couldn’t disagree more at this point in my career. Talk to master artists and you’ll find that reference is a constant. If you’ve ever watched the extensive Lord of the Rings BTS, you know what I mean. The most recent example I’ve seen is Riot Games’ youtube series overviewing game art where concept artists discuss how important reference is. Based #2’s logic, as masters of their craft, these artists should be treating reference as optional at most.

The only situation I think #2 holds true is, again, in the case of a Ryan Kingslien. As someone who sculpts humans the vast majority of his career, I agree that by now he surely doesn’t need to look at a single reference image to sculpt a believable human body. Likewise for the artists out there that find satisfaction in creating one thing over and over, #2 should hold true for them. Where’s the fun in that though?