Reflection on year one and ambition for year two
As they say ‘Here we go again’. Having had several months off from University I feel that my batteries are recharged and I am ready to go again, albeit by Christmas I’m sure that I won’t still feel the same! Still I am looking forward to the whole year and all of the challenges that come with it.
Last year was a strange one for me. I had, the previous year, been at Derby University for the first semester and things hadn’t gone as well as I had wanted them to. This was mainly due to the commute that I had to make each day. It was taking me two hours to get there and the same to get back, so as you can imagine I was extremely tired and had little time to work at home. Also I had to learn to use Maya which kind of put me at a disadvantage considering that I had been using 3ds Max for two years. I made a decision and left with the intension of enrolling at De Montford or Coventry University.
So back into the wilderness I went, looking for a new home! I managed to get interviews at Coventry and De Montford Universities. I looked at both Universities but decided that De Montford had the better course all-round. Luckily I had my interview and was accepted at De Montford, I had a new home! This course was going to give me what I needed as an aspiring artist, also my new home was considerably closer compared to Derby and I had the advantage over other students there with my prior knowledge of 3ds Max.
Now previously I knew in myself that I had a good basis to build on in respect to my 3ds Max knowledge but what I was, and indeed am , seeking from my time at De Montford is to improve my 2d skills and my texturing abilities, in order to become the well rounded artist that I want to be.
I have no doubt that I can achieve this. My drawing skills have progressed alot since I started and my understanding of how this crosses over to my 3d work has become clearer. I’m at the stage in my studies where I know what I need to progress.
Looking back at year one I feel like I have picked up several skills which should help me in year two and into year three, with any luck. Year one was interesting, fulfilling and trying all at the same time. Due to my need to better myself in terms of my 2d skills, I think that it hindered my progress in other areas, especially when Chris told me that I needed to redo all of my final pieces! But nevertheless I did them and they did improve I think. I think that this showed that I am committed to this course to.
However this year I need to harness all of my skills and start to polish them up. I particularly want to improve my UVW’s and texture mapping, which I didn’t get the chance to last year because of my heavy 2d work load.
Managing a healthy balance between Uni work, family life and social life is the key to success in my mission. This year I have made a giant calendar and stuck it on my wall so that I can keep a clear track of what needs to be done. If I don’t get something done on a particular day I shift it to the next available slot. So far it is working!
So my ambition for this year is to be happier with my finished pieces of work, especially my 2d as I felt and still feel intimidated by some of the other students work. I know that I will never be as good as some of these students but I will keep trying to improve enough to be worthy of my place on this course. I really need my 3d work to start to shine now as the area that I wish to enter into, once qualified, is primarily 3d orientated, whilst still incorporating 2d skills for design and texturing. Unlike some of the other students who wish to go into concept art and obviously don’t need 3d skills nowhere near as much, I want to work as a Vehicle Artist.
I am very proud to have made it onto the second year, especially when I think of the fallen few that didn’t, still I need to worry about my path and not other peoples so I will be focusing on my end target now, just a little more, as I edge closer to the finish line.
For now.....’Its bin emotional’
