Reply To: What “deep seated” advice helped you throughout your 3d modeling journey? And how do you keep going?

[Laura]

I would definitely say the first thing to do is start posting your work!

Show us your work because 1) it will help you get the feedback you need to improve and stop feeling like your work is mediocre, and 2) you may be surprised to find your work isn’t as bad as you think.

I remember I was so scared to post my work online because I felt mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised by the responses and encouragement I got, and I think this helped me improve faster than on my own.

I still feel like my work is mediocre at times, but I think all artists feel that way! The important thing was that I got eyes on my work other than my own, because you can only count on yourself so much until you need outside opinion to move forward. (And CG Cookie is one of the best places for feedback I’ve come across in all honesty.)

The other thing is, yes, it’s important to always keep comparing yourself to the competition out there — and I’m not talking about the ‘gods’, those guys are on a level that most artists will never achieve. That was my mistake. Look at the average artists employed at companies/studios that you admire, see what their skill level is, and come back and compare your work along the way. Now, on the other hand, I know it can be extremely discouraging to look at their works. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword in a way.

So the point is this: It’s important to keep in perspective where your skill level is at, but don’t let it drag you down. Remind yourself of the level of skill you need to achieve, but don’t obsessively worry about it. I often get demotivated when I look at my work then look at amazing works on places like ArtStation or ZB Central or etc. So I don’t. Because I already know the level I need to achieve, and I just need to try to make my next work better than my previous one until I reach that level of skill. I’ll compare now and then, and be happy with the progress I’ve made as I look back on my previous pieces. And on days when I feel good about my work and progress, those same pieces that demotivated me are suddenly extremely inspiring and encouraging. 🙂

Finally, remember that your art journey is one of constant improvement and learning. The moment you stop learning, you stop improving, so keep going. You may take a step back now and then, but you’ll take 3 steps forward the next time.

I feel like I repeated myself a bit in that second point, but I hope you get the idea haha! Most importantly, I hope you got a bit of encouragement out of it. Don’t be scared to show us your work or to ask any question; start a polybook (if you haven’t), and get posting!

Cheers!