Reply To: Your CG routine – how do you keep up the pace ?

[Jasmine Wongus]

Wow, such good insights, and I have little advice that differs. I started using Blender in 2005, because I wanted to do 3D and didn’t have money. Plus I wanted to show my classmates at university some cool things I could do! I got into tutorials and such, but a big habit I’ve gotten into since then, is trying to learn every facet at once. Never failed, and I ended up progressing so slowly from then, till even now, that I feel like I’ll never be a master at anything.

I sometimes hate liking so many things, because my discipline flies out the window! However, I like that I like many things because I can understand a good amount of the things I enjoy. So Blender, with all the modelling, lighting, rendering, sculpting, that iota of animating… I love playing with it, but can get tangled in the decision-making of focus. What thing shall I focus on now?

I also love to draw, but I’ve had to ease down on all the things that I work on, because I end up overwhelming myself, then envying those who have mastered so aspects of their work. Even when I have plenty of time, thinking too much really has gotten in the way of doing a lot.

I did make a “Sketchule” that a friend and mentor taught me. It was for concept art, but I could incorporate whatever practice I wanted, plus free days of fun. That might be a good idea, too! So, I’d practice on character, figure drawing for humans or animals, environment, objects, composition, colour, etc. I’d break this practice down into different days and durations. While I was really disciplined, this helped a great deal!

Now, when big things happen, whether good or bad (in which both happened and shattered my world in different ways), I won’t lie, it was really hard to climb back up and have the energy to do anything. But I’ve started again, and I feel like I’m new at Blender again, and everything else I enjoy. But I like the climb! I’m enjoying it this time, and I’m unsure why. 🙂