Random thoughts

[Enigma X]

I dunno, I just don't have that sense of accomplishment i used to have with my models, I sit and stare at them for hours on end, but i am never satisfied, i never complete anything i start, no matter how hard i try i just can't get it to be "right", i don't know if you guys follow this at all.

But all of my ideas are usually seen as copies of something else that someone has done, Or they aren't even viewed by anyone.

This is a massive blow to my already dizzy persona, i don't know maybe it's just all of the stress lately, maybe I have lost my creativity.....Or maybe i am just paranoid.

It just seems so hard to come up with a truely origional design that isn't at least inspired by something else.

Ugh, I'm sorry if this is lame or whatever, but i am a guy trying to get into the industry, and pointers from those in the industry are great, and i readily accept them.

And i'm not just talking about me, i see this alot, people post a model up, and it gets overcrowded by all of the cookiecutter designs from ST,BSG,SW, and other stuff like that(not that this is a bad thing, it's just a tad bit discouraging), i don't know, i guess the thing that bothers me the most is the fact that folks seem to make models that are in essence easy(read cookie cutter), and there just doesn't seem to be as much of a creative spark in designs as there used to be.

I'm not raggin on anyone in particular, but the last time i saw an origional design get noticed was when it was done in a contest.

This, BTW, is not just confined to here, i see it on cg talk, and other such places all the time.

I dunno, it just slightly annoys me that the "newbies" tend to get hidden and ignored for "prettier" models(and they are pretty).
I have a high repect for those who are experienced, but practice alone cannot get you anywhere, guidance is essential.

And who better to guide than those more experienced than us???
And even those less experienced who know more on the subject than we do?

My personal demon is the texturing and lighting, i have read books, i have done tutorials, my lighting is improving, but my texturing SUCKS(always has), i mean a gorilla can texture better than me, i have recently been only using stock textures on my models....Mybe this is why i don't feel satisfied...

Either way all i am saying is help out those who need it.
Give a newb a pointer here or there.

Don't be a stranger to the mic folks, even the smallest of tidbits can aid a screaming modeller in dire times.

(literally, when i found out that i could viw just bounding boxes on models by simply hitting "O" I was amazed and very very thankful, it took my model about 15 minutes to rotate once, with the bounding boxes only.....about a milisecond).




Anywho, thats my piece.

And a final question:
what is your personal modelling demon?
What would help it?

[BoogerMc]

I know what you're saying. I've been working on my carrier ship for several years now and as I'm nearing completion, it's becoming more problems than I know what to deal with and when you make a half dozen posts of updates and noone responds to them you start feel like "does it even matter anymore?"

As for comparison to others things, let's face it, everybody out there is going to see something familiar in something else. I designed the NAVAJRON as a test bed for textures and materials, it started out as chopshop work. I built several types of guns and missle launchers then set them onto some generic plating. I worked the plating together to form a basic ship, a great big flying block. How could this possibly look like anything else, well some said it reminded them of another ship they had seen, there you go, no matter what, there are going to be comparisons. Let's face it you can only put certain basic shapes together som many ways before you start to repeat yourself or someone else. Don't let it discourage you, let it instill in you the knowlegde that you design is atleast recognizable. If I post a big box with a bunch of junk stuck on it, somone is going to say "Nice Borg cube" but in reality, it's just a big box with a bunch of junk stuck on it.

There was a guy aroung here sometime back, Crimsonline, who constantly inspired me to keep going. He's been a bit busy in real life lately, but boy do I miss him around here, he was one of the greats and the best part is, he was one of us, the newbies.

As for finishing things, don't get me started, if I had a dime for every project I still need to finish, I'd be richer than Bill Gates.

Just keep at it and do your best, that's all anybody can ask of anyone. If you need help, we're always here somewhere.

[JeffrySG]

Well we do have a tendency to focus on the modeling and detailing WAY before we work on really fine tuned design concepts here... myself included. There was someone who posted some GREAT design sketches a while back (I think it may have been headered) and they were kick ass designs that looked pretty original. I find that I will think of an idea and just start to model it rather than take the time to really do concept work first and really work out the base idea / design flow.

I also think it's ok and good to be inspired by other people's work. The good thing is that we all like different styles so we will be inspired by different things. Realistically many times the concept designers are not the people that are actually doing the final 3d modeling and texturing / anim, etc.

I too have about a million small projects that I've started that I'll probably never finish... doh!! That's why I do like some of the challenges here especially if they are only a few weeks as they get me to focus on one project and I know it won't drag on for months or years...

Every once in a while I'll start a side project that I will just force myself to finish no matter how long it takes me. It doesn't happen too often but when it does, I'm pretty happy with my self. I try to remind myself that I'm working on these side projects for enjoyment, so if I don't want to finish it, well so be it. I have to work on projects all day long at work that I don't have a choice but to finish...

--Jeff

[iOSYS]

People I know who frequent Sfm talk to me alot about that too. Post an original thing, it gets 2 replys, post a star destoryer, thousands. It's not like I'm modeling things just to show them off, but it's nice when people comment.

It just takes time to become a household name. Coolhand, Nutsy, others who get lots of time in the limelight frequently post original things, they're just good enough that people are egour to add their thoughts. I think it goes like this

The newbier you are, the more people post, because people want to help out. Then once you become sort of average, people stop posting for awhile, then as you get stronger and stronger, more people post, regardless of content. You just have to stick to it.

[Dann-O]

Another thing is once people know what to expect from you they will tune in if they like that sort of thing. Which is why I think it is like IOSYS said too. Once people see your name and say oh he does this kind of stuff then they will tune in. When you are in between they don't know what to expect. Keep it up do yoru pictures for you and look at the number of hits too. Often people look and don't comment that is cool too.

Personal modeling Demon. Probaly greebles and high detail. My stuff ends up looking a bit cartoonish because I like to just build the forms and then not go digging deep. Also I think a lot of what I do is too soft edged.

[DarthMaya]

I was thinking about this earlier today, I remember back when I first came to sfm (pre-crash) and I knew no one. Not even the big names..

I was uncomfortable when I first came. It took me a while to realize that if I posted alot, and worked hard on my models that I would get some buds...

I still don't get alot of comments that say OMG THATS AWESOME! on my threads but thats ok, what I do get is very good crits that help me to get better...Its nice that people now know me but I didn't automatically get that way.

Nick

[Tovette]

^Get back to work!!!

/cracks wip.

[JeffrySG]

DarthMaya: where is your avatar from? it looks like Keira Knightley but I couldn't figure out where it was from....

[Tovette]

Originally Posted by JeffrySG

DarthMaya: where is your avatar from? it looks like Keira Knightley but I couldn't figure out where it was from....

It is Keira Knightley. It's a publicity photo from the 3rd Pirates of The Caribbean movie.