Referring to September 2015 - May 2016
This year has been one of my biggest leaps in skill level and knowledge, We have undertaken many different assignments that forced us to try different skills and learn new things. I remember for my alternative techniques module when I was tasked to create a 3D model of a chess piece that we were actually going to print needless to say I was pretty exited about the process, we learned how important units and measurements was in that assignment otherwise we could accidentally print a huge chess piece.
I also learned a ton this year about 3DS Max all the short cut keys for quickly creating 3D models, loop cutting, extruding bevelling, the list goes on, I was able to create a few 3D models this year and it was great fun too actually hold something in my hand that I created.
But by fa the most fun module for me this year was Games Simulation, I was able to actually create a game level, and I did it by created all the assets, learning how to use the node coding modules supplied with unreal and watching enemy AI react to a player presence and understanding the work that allows it to happen is amazing to understand.
Both Tony and Murry have aught me loads for many of the subjects but I particularly enjoy when Tony teaches at the board and we draw along to his ideas, I have learned how to create a vast amount f things in Photoshop and even some tips and techniques he uses(and doesn't use).
I learned about lighting and shading and how to understand where lighting is coming from and how it effects different materials and textures, which is a very important skill to have when aspiring to become a concept artist.
I have been given the names of many different artists that I aspire to be like and the inspiration that they give me really helps my drive, I love seeing the work of talented artists, even my classmates are all impressive in their own way.
I learned a large amount of hotkeys for 3DS Max and Photoshop that greatly increase my speed when I am creating, I can get a drawing or a detailed model done in about a day, still a long time but I'm still learning!
This course has also increased my timekeeping and organisational skills, my room has never been as clean as it has been this last year, I learned that mess just confuses everything and hurts your time, not only has the course has an academic effect on me but also I find myself rather clean and tidy recently.
I learned at the start of this year how to create a proper model sheet for a character that is going to be passed up to a animator or a modeller, I learned that the character has to have facial expressions, a view from the front the side and the left, and also some poses for the character are also to great effect to the animators and modellers know what kind of personality the character has.
Environment design was more fun for me then hard, I very much enjoyed using my new-found skills using opacity and masks to help create loads of new effects.
My artbook was a very great assignment I learned alot about what is attractive to certain audiences, creating logos and a house style is typically something that you would see in graphics design, but it is greatly welcome or me as I found great interest and loads of fun creating my own logo for myself.
I was also able to create nice looking new business cards for myself and hopefully at final show people will take some off me, I would love to get some work over summer.
I also learned how to create a CV and even a creative CV I had heard about how to do these elsewhere but this course allowed me to further increase my knowledge and form a new nice CV,
I learned how to texture my 3D models using different maps and a thing called a texture atlas which is basically all the textures for a certain model on a single document that can be wrapped and applied to the model.
Murrey taught me how to create AI in Unreal engine to that they react to sight and sound, we were also able in that lesson to get the AI to patrol and move around, this was an amazing lesson and I only wish we could have done more that involved AI and unreal engine.
I also learned tons about modular design and the process in creating it, a very healthy non destructive way to create models/ designs/ illustrations allowing all the little parts to link together in the grand scheme of things is amazing because it is little effort for a big pay-off, I could create a whole game with the assets I created for Games Simulation and the Pixel Part of digital skills.
Collaborating in a team for the Alternative Techniques assignments was a very fun experience, working with the others to end up with matching chess pieces was very fun and it allowed us to gain more skills to allow the team to work in a diplomatic way, no fights happened and everyone (at least I hope) was happy with the end result
We used Facebook messenger to form a group so we could talk about our efforts and if we had any ideas for each other.
But to finalize and evaluate this ear, I would say that this as been a very effective year at university I have learned so much about the industry and expanded my own personal artistic skill so much that It is hard to be disappointed with the results.
So I will take my degree(Hopefully if these final assignments are ok) with my head held high waiting to learn more next year when I begin my honours degree,
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