Been a few days since my last post, I've been doing alot of tinkering lately in Autodesk Maya 2010, I believe I am finally getting more comfortable in the software. I'm currently working my way through a character modeling video tutorial. Video is by far the best way to learn 3d modeling or...well, anything really. I mean I learned alot of terms and functions of Maya tools from the Basics book but to actually see them utilized on screen is just 100 times better. I think the trick is to watch a tutorial all the way through first and only then scrub back and forth with the video in order to follow along and avoiding any potencial curve balls.




When I first got a chance to get crackin on Autodesks 3d studio max this summer i went full steam into it. As soon as i knew just enough to get some wind under my wings I really went for it, I wanted to make a T-rex (just like every other 3d modeler ever!). I knew i needed three refeance images , front top and side so I drew those up and imported them. It took awile to understand how to move around in 3d space and its a lot for someone completely new to the software. I figured out how to deform primitive shapes and move them into the correct spaces to form an image but all patch work. Looking back now on my breif little attempt before taking the time to study up I realize that I didnt have the foundation. My trex had no solid mesh, dupicated vertices galore just general chaotic geometry. Ive improved quite a bit since the model above.

School was alrght today, we had actors come in to do some audio dialoge replacement for a movie we shot in class. It was kind of a fiassco like it always is with actors and i really dont want to hash out the details at the moment. i will tell you however that the day ended in a rap batttle. Getting a little concerned that Im not getting enough time to work with the pro tools software for audio editing. Im quite confident with my Final Cut pro skills and video editing, I was actually thinking of trying chop together a couple clips of giant robots duking it out over Black Sabbaths-Iron Man. cheesy I know but none the less awsome.

Also......drumroll plz !

Submitting my first piece of art for all the world to see. reworked an old sketch and brought it into photoshop. It took way to long to finish and gave me a wicked head ache but i think it was worth it. Those damn PS filters are so addicting one day ill post some art that hasnt been thru 3 cross hatch filters...sigh

Next post ill tell you guys a little about my 3d experiances so far, I know ur riveted right? hah someday ill have some readers!

My name is Rob and I have never blogged before. Upon hearing a story yesterday on NPR news station regarding the art of Blogging and its destruction of main stream media outlets I have decided to take up blogging. Don't get me wrong though I'm not here to destroy CBS or anything, Id just like to share some of my own news with anyone interested in hearing about my 3d Venture.

Whats a 3d venture you ask?! well you see I am slowly but shurely beggining to think of myself as an Artist. But first you need a little back story!

About a year ago I finally got fed up with the traditional college wrought that i have been on for two and a half years. I remember walking around my campus at Cal State East bay(Hayward) with the most hopeless feeling. Asking myself what I was doing there and looking at my half ass grades. I had to stop and take a breather, I did some time at a community colledge so I could slow down the pace but it was the same there too. I would start my class strong but as soon as the difficulty level rose I'd find myself asking why I should bust my ass studying anyway, whats the point. There was a time where I was considering just giving up on school altoghether. I know what your thinking, this poor sap needs a goal.

I thought long and hard about my future, about what I was good at and what I enjoyed. The answer was obvious to me from the start I was good at art, I was good at it and I loved it. I came to that conclusion over and over again. So whats the problem? Be an artist, right? oh, Ill tell you what the problem was, it was always that little voice in the back of my head that tells me
"I cant". That voice kept reminding me of every little negativive connotation of what it is to be an artist, to be broke for the rest of my life, to be judged negatively, the ever present uncertainty. Its the same voice that tells you not to take the plunge, to play it safe. I dont know about you guys but for me sometimes that voice can be very persuasive. On top of that was the cost of art schools, I had heard that they were expensive and boy was I right. My only option was compromise. If I was going to become an artist I would like to have the best possible chance for success and a decent carrer down the road. So I started doing some research and quickly found a medium in which i beleived that I could break the mold of what it means to be a traditional artist. That compromise came in a digital package.

I had seen advertisments for Expression college for Digital Arts before and I decided to check out one of their open houses. Soon enough after I made my decision to enroll in their 3d Animation and Visual Effects program in order to recieve my Batchelors in Applied Sciences degree. I decided to go back to my community college to knock out the last couple general ed credits I needed and did fantastic there (saved myself a nice 10k on tuition in the process). I was finally motivated. I have been pinching my pennies and doing great here at Expression. Ill post some of my art tonite. Its still 2d at the moment but Ill track my progress so you all can follow along and see if at the end of this windy road Im one of the 75% of my class who has a job waiting for me :D