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As with any industry, if you have been working in the 3D or VFX industry for any amount of time you will be asked by someone how you got into that industry. It seems to happen a little more vigorously with a creative field like game development and Visual FX which are associated with so many of people’s memories and current love of playing video games and watching movies. What is the best way to break into the 3d modeling, game development, and visual effects industries?
Most CG artists are asked that question at least once, but more likely between one-five times per week. Whether the question comes face to face, or through an online message board, or even just an email, it always happens. The funny thing is, for the most part, the answer is always the same. The answer is,” there isn’t a best way, there is no key, there is no shortcut”.
The budding artist will ask, “What software did you create that awesome render/model/animation/painting in!?”
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The established artist replies, “I created it in software X”
Budding artist replies again, “OMG I need to get software X so I can make cool arts like you! And do what you do!”
I may be exaggerating slightly for effect, but I imagine there are many of you nodding your heads at having seen many a similar post on different forums. There is nothing wrong with asking what software was used, or asking technical questions, or even for software recommendations. The problem is the, perhaps unconscious, assumption by young budding 3D and VFX artists that it is the software that makes the art, and not the artist. It isn’t important what software you use, but rather how you are using it. 3D and VFX software are simply tools, very complicated tools, but tools none the less.
Each tool has its strengths and ‘weaknesses’, but the more important part becomes how you use the tool. All artists, whether digital or not, will tell you the only way to get good with a tool is to use it, a lot. Similar to a painter using oil paint, or acrylic, or watercolor, you can achieve very similar results with each of them, but they all have tasks and workflows that they lend themselves better to.
Pixar Lighting artist and Technical director Jeremy Vickery says on his website:
“What software do I use? Firstly, let me say that it doesn’t really matter. No tool will make you a better artist. I’ve seen people make awesome art on a napkin with a crayon, and people make terrible art with $10,000 software and all the latest gear.”
So then what should a young budding artist do to help break into the industry? Well Jeremy had an answer for that as well.
“Draw, create, draw, create! Spend more time creating than talking about creating. Draw and paint as much as you can and create from real life. Find inspiration everywhere you can. Oh… and one more thing…. create some more.”
I couldn’t agree more with Jeremy. There is inspiration everywhere around us, and the only way to get better is to do it. The software and technology side of VFX and 3D art is getting more and more powerful, while also freeing artists to be more creative, so focus on creating better and better art. In an interview with CGChannel, Weta lighting artist, Matias Menz, while talking about the Tintin film mentioned how lighting artists need to be more creative and artistically trained similar to cinematographers,
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“After all, we’re in the business of making a good image. Which implies that software tools need to be easy enough for creatives to handle scene complexity, and workflows made easier so they can focus on what they do best.”
The better you are with traditional mediums, the more of that knowledge and those skill sets you can translate into a 3D software package. Enough talk, hit the throttle because its time to create.
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