At the ripe old age of 35, I decided to learn 3DS Max, Zbrush, and Substance Painter to have a career in modeling. Because I don't wanna spend the rest of my life sitting at a cubicle typing up tps reports for 8 hours a week.
While it certainly makes a difference, motivation is also derived from improvement. The snowball starts rolling when there's something that can initiate a feedback-loop, after which your surroundings will become irrelevant.
Another great outdoor break is to have a veggie garden at home. Even if it is an indoor herb or mushroom garden, it helps when you actually break up soil and get your hands dirty. Great episode guys!
Numba one thing that really be getting me back on the horse is listening to these podcasts, idk what it is but through out hearing others journey I'm able to be inspired to keep going
I feel that your channel here is the only place where I can hear something is really honest and at the same time Inspiring. you are helping a lot of people here. Thank you very much.
By the way, it's been ages since I wanted to learn MARI (In fact since it became public, I've been waiting for a magical never coming moment of "absolute solitude"!!! to begin the process.), you were the last push that I needed to make it happen. After 2 weeks of hard work, last night as I was listening to your video my first "Artwork"! with MARI has finished. Even before this video, your approach toward teaching was in a way which made people develop those "motivational" skills that you mentioned.
Man another great video, thanks guys for keeping it real. I started getting into 3D modeling back when I was around 15. Back then tutorials were ether written on a blog somewhere or you could purchase the DVD's. I managed to get myself some DVD's from 3Dtotal and started on my journey, but unfortunately as I got older life got real and I got distracted by many other things such as (caugh) women. I kept circling back to it time and time again and even went to college with the hopes of doing and learning more 3D modeling, but it turned out that I was kind of mislead by the admissions officer and there really wasn't much modeling in the curriculum. I am now 27 and still hope to brake into the industry at some point, but I keep getting semi discouraged doe in great part to my age and the many years I've wasted not doing 3D Modeling. After hearing that bit about the guy wanting to be an engineer at 46 really put things in perspective to me. I am 27 now and I can ether be a 33 year old who's not a character artist or one that is. See you in a few years, I'll let you know how it went. As always, great job and great talk. I am really learning a lot about the industry and the field from you guys. I don't miss a video, they've all been great.
That's awesome comment - thank you so much for your insights. For me, the engineer-example has really been one of the things which has made a huge difference when it comes to getting my ass in gear. If you really do work hard now, you WILL make it as a character artist. Maybe not in a year, but if you keep it up, you'll get there for sure. Best of luck to you! /Henning
One thing would be to reduce or stop watching angry right winger TH-cam videos. It will save time and prepare you for a work environment where most people don’t share those ideas.
chamade166 why do you care what I watch and why are you politicizing this? I am very well aware that most people don’t hold my same views I am fine with that, thanks.
@@Adnel Chamade heard Jordan Petersons name and lost their shit, lol. For some perspective about your hang up on your "old age" ;) I'm 42 and just started pursuing a career in CG arts, currently working in Maya and Zbrush my only previous art background was traditional graphite drawings(finishing concrete might be considered art so... that too) the only real hang up about age and pursuing a different career for most is the trouble and stress that financial ability may cast on you. I'm fortunate and dont have to stress too much but regardless it can be scary especially if you are not only supporting yourself but a family. If you are not then Its really not a big deal at all but the same . The 42 year old wanting to be an engineer story is something I figured out through my own trials and tribulations and really enjoyed that story. I cant say I'm a successful CG artist yet but at some point in the near future I'm sure that I will be doing CG professionally, maybe not Blizzard but who knows!? Good luck on your journey!
I'm 33 and I've been a software developer for the past 25 years. I started very early (8yrs old) and worked on thousands of different projects - I can do almost anything with closed eyes, let's say I am a "very" senior software developer. BUT I've been very frustrated and I see myself procrastinating all the time looking at art and watching art tutorials. The thing is: I've been doing this "procrastination - art appreciation - frustration" cycle for the past 10 years or so. It's killing me, mental health wise. I feel like just pulling the plug of software development and starting art from scratch, where I would give me 3 years just to study and practice full time, burning through my savings. But then I ALSO GET FRUSTRATED because I think "c'mon you can do anything as a developer why start another thing from scratch". And then the frustration cycle never ends, I'm in a CAREER PARADOX.
Being a game developer and switching to game design and becoming an artist is hard but you guyz help a lot. You guyz are awsome. Very thanks from Pakistan.
thank you for making this! I tend to go into a rabbit hole of constant studying but never applying. Rarely creating my own pieces to apply what I learned. So having a goal of why you're doing this is a good reminder.
I came here because my art teacher told us to and point out the main ideas, but this is actually great. I´m excited to see what other content you have, and apply these advices to my proyects. Tysm for this, ya'll awesome!!
You guys are a great motivation and pick-me-up I'm in a cubicle modeling 8 hrs a day and have no one to talk 3D with. Hearing your passion and banter seriously brightens up my day. I'm so glad I stumbled across your channel!
I really have to say (might sound cheezy but...) you have opened my eyes with this video. I'm the last person who buys into all that motivational crap they try to sell you generally on linked in or other sites. But just listening to you guys talk I've been able to think about my mishaps and things I have been doing wrong recently and improve on that. Thank you for amazing content. Keep on it!
I love how this video points out the things that you shouldn't do and sets you up to find YOUR own way through life in general even. Really good job guys, thanks a lot!
Thank you! Thats one of the issues we have with these motivational gurus. Hell, we definitely screw up and have bad days, and it's important to acknowledge that :)
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I am feeling much better and confident now, this video was a wake-up call to me, thank you, guys!
I think the most important thing that i have to say to u guys after this video is a big THANK YOU! The amount of effort that u guys put on FlippedNormals, making all these videos, all these posts, keeping us "little plebs" inspired and teaching us all these awesome knowledge, and for free, thats beautiful! Thank you guys so much! Videos like these makes me remember the privilege that i have on my daily basis, having internet access 24/7, this time where i can learn basicly everything without having to go to a library to find an old book that was released like 10 years ago (nothing against old books, but in this field things move so quickly) when the key to being "sucessfull" is Patience, a grind of tons of potatos to the "masterpiece" that we want to produce. I think most of the people, including myself, lose the constant battles against patience, as u guys said in this video, with the amount of effort and time, things will get done! Again, THANK YOU! :D PS: Sry for bad spelling, english is not my main language, cheers from Brazil!
Hey! Thanks a lot for your very kind and sweet comment - it means a lot to both of us :) It's really motivating for us to hear that the effort is helping. Your English is great btw!
Another great listen while working on a project. The thing which i found most relating to was that consistent hard work being the key to improvement as an artist. The thing about keep trying to take a crack at difficult subject matters, things which are dragging you outside your comfort zone is something really important; coincidentally this something which is being applied on the current project i am working on.
i love hearing about your guys' background and previous work experience, it definetly adds more depth to your content! Would love to see more of that in your content. Amazing video though overall, didn't feel like an hour one bit!
Im 17 at the moment and want to get into the 3D or concept art industry the moment i leave high school or atleast know i have a chance at getting into the industry after studies. I've made flash games, unity 3D games, Pixel art games, 3D models, Learning maya, Learning Zbrush and drawing everyday and asking for criticism on twitter. Can i just say the reason I've done this to myself is because of you two, you've inspired me to the extent that i spend all my free time doing this. I know it doesn't sound good doing this all day but i dont, resting has proven to help me a lot, and locating weeks or evens months to a project whether it be 3D or 2D has helped me grow stronger. Thanks again for all the help
I usually become motivated by being in contact with people that are like minded and are also in the industry, not necessarily the exact same field but someone that understands what your talking about. I noticed that when im working on projects when i dont have motivation because i mustered up the discipline to just keep at it, the more i worked on that project when i wasn't motivated the more i became motivated as i saw the progress come along. But even i have problems with motivation like most people out there, especially when I have the free time to work on it. Generally speaking when i come home and have the free time I have this awkward mental state where i want to work on 3D but at the same time just want to relax and chill because i dont have the time when im, lets say, at work. Whilst while im actually at work i become really motivated to do 3D as soon as i come home, but then i come home and have the same problem again, where I struggle to balance the things i want to do that i only can do when i have free time and working on 3D. Idk maybe thats just me.
What you said about sleep is pretty eye opening, specifically the numbers. I once saw a video of Arnold Swartzenaeger and he said 8 is too many hour, sleep faster, sleep for 6, which makes me feel guilty for getting 6.5-7. Also, i think the biggest thing that equally motivates and demoralizes me is the concept of age. Blows my mind to hear you say people in their 30s are young. At 26, i work in advertising as an editor and (mostly 2D) animator, but i want to get more into 3D and the games industry specifically. I think my biggest fear is the notion of some fresh college kid taking the job im looking to learn. Right now, my plan is to work on a character dev udemy course (currently base scrulpt and am onto my first retopo) during downtime at work and do more random, fun concept sculpting at night (which maybe i can overpaint) even if it's for 20, 30s mins. Havent been day to day consistent, but at least ive gotten past turning a sphere into oval
Hey guys, I'm catching up on your videos after vacation. This was a nice one for a start for sure! More and more I realize what makes your stuff compelling to me. I really like your down-to-earth, no-nonsense, no-bulls##t approach. The fact that you guys seem genuine in what you're saying doesn't hurt either. Thank you for sharing your perspective. cheers
Yea!!! I'm not even a huge gamer but playing Dark Souls actually gave me a different outlook on life, as absurd as it sounds. Love this video..I'm apprenticing at a tattoo shop, but I've been getting a bit discouraged lately. I have a decent foundation in drawing, I've always kept sketchbooks and drawn from life, but I've been avoiding color because I'm red/green colorblind. I've always used this as an excuse for why I don't paint, but I feel that I could learn to use a limited pallett, but my ego is too wrapped up in my work, and I'm worried that I will litteraly be blind to be able to critique my own work. I already feel that way with just ink and graphite and sometimes I feel like a hack.
Here it is. I'm 34yrs old. I started to pick up Zbrush Jan 1st. 2020 and I've been at it everyday(including weekends) and my art skills has increased but not only that...I could sculpt things I never knew I could. If I keep at it..by 2022 I'll be much better at it. I gotta buy a Wacom Tablet though...
My professor sent me here, currently listening while I'm modeling my first human head and it is difficult for me. But listening to this is helping out quite a bit.
I think a lot of the time i'm just overwhelmed by the huge variety of the whole "3D stuff", which makes me feel like its an imposibly big mountain to climb... i mean just to make a "simple" realistic human character, i have to be good at anatomy, sculpt an incredibly detailled mesh, retopologize it, smash it into substance painter (which i dont know how to use yet), and then rig it if i want to do anything with it...And that makes me really question where i should even start, because no matter what i do, i hardly feel like i'm progressing as an artist in a meaningful way.
Ty so mush for this video, it’s the best! I had those thoughts in my head and I thought on how to make myself to do what I need, and it really was discipline! Everything you said hit bull’s-eye. I do really hate grinding games, but I guess that’s how our wold works. 😅 Thank you for all advices, you guys are awesome!
You guys have been such a great channel to catch a wind of. I'm delving into XR Art from a mural painter background. Thanks for the epic advice and tips. Thanks
Great video. Wanted to say that I am also trying to think about 3d learning like a playing a game when I'm sometimes becoming bored or something like that and It helps me keep moving forward, cuz everything its a game with different restrictions and goals. Also I noticed that changing activity is influence in a positive way on productivity ( like learning 3d for example and gym or dance trainings)
Thank you for this video guys :D It really help us to stay motivated. I'm 21 yrs old studying game design and development. When i heard the "21 yrs old part etc etc" It make me realized that i'm too young to give up. I'm practice every single day to become a better 3D artist (Mostly environment) but sometimes i'm thinking if i do environment or character first because it's really exciting if you want to learn something and sometimes it makes you overwhelm if you want to do it all. Most of my problems are thinking of which of the two should i do first because it's hard to do both in the same time. 😅 My knowledge in environment is much better than creating character. All i can say is that i need to have a good discipline in planning and milestones so that i'm not overwhelming myself. LOL :D
You guys are so inspiring! I'm forty now, and finally doing my old project, 3d animation and got funding for it. I worked like crazy, for years in studios, studied in Canada, and now it finally paid off. But man it's still hard!But I'm enjoying it! :)
im so thorn apart cos on one hand i realy wanna get into film making and like VFX and Animation etc. but on the other im feeling like i reached my peak yeares ago.. and had this phase of non progression now.. wich kinda sucks.. i still have my dream goals.. but its hard to find the track again .. let alone discipline. But i Realy wanna Get there at some point in my life.. so i can be proud of the things i made.. and let people feel things when they look at them.. so i guess thats kinda a message for my future selfe, saying.. Get your shit done and focus on what you wanna accomplish! You made it one time, so there is no problem in making it again. Just stop keeping distracting your selfe and alredy start making stuff. Also i hope you'r good future me.. and dont judge your art so hard.. its about the process and the experience you gain on the way. Much love.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on all of these topics guys! I can relate to pretty much all of them. As a parent the challenge becomes even more difficult. How do you tackle motivation when you are exhausted at the same time? Whats working for me currently, is that I accept that it is totally ok NOT to do any personal/portfolio work at all some days. Its liberating when I'm not feeling motivated or am just to tired to do 3d after 21:30. The evenings I relax, gives me space and energy, just like sleep(though lacking with 3 small children) to nourish that motivation from time to time. The acceptance that motivation comes in waves, for me at least, has really helped me dealing with stress, lack of motivation and to remove that bad conscience. Its pretty much what you guys are talking about regarding the small break every hour, but just in a weekly or monthly perspective. Anyways, great that you guys are talking about these topics. Keep it up!
Thanks a lot for your comment, Jimmy! It's very honest and interesting. I think youre right about how motivation comes in waves too - accepting that can be a great help :)
6:35 " Ive been doing this for the last 10-15 years, its just a thing that's so engrained in me now that I cant remember a time where I didnt feel motivated to do the things I do" They made it a habit!!! Once something becomes a part of your life, its hard to break it. I made going to the gym a habit and now if I miss a day, I feel horrible. I cant do it. I made sculpting an everyday habit, now I need to keep working and improving and my passion grows stronger everyday, Im obsessed with it. It doesnt feel like a burden. It takes 66 days to form a habit into your life. Have discipline and create new habits.
Guys, you did it again! Great thoughts, clear explanation, positive and funny, no (linkedin) bs - the “I will become a good character sculptor in 4 years or I will just not” thinking is a game changer to me, something so simple but it actually works - I’ve been constantly finding reasons not to do 3D stuff or concept art every day, but when I say this to myself, it beats all the excuses and makes me realise how stupid they all are. I’m looking forward to the sleep-themed video - I must say that I have sometimes been neglecting sleep when crunching but that’s mainly because I’m a night owl and work better creatively at night. Also I wish you guys had a language collective learning/teaching channel - I feel like learning Japanese or Chinese along with you two while watching you sculpt scary looking dudes would be a great thing to do during sculpting breaks :D Anyway, thank you, keep it up!
Hi Guys as always awesome video.I am in my late 30s and the idea of becoming a top graded character artist was brewing in my mind and u guys really gave me a good perspective to my thought process
Awesome video. Wished this video was out before I came to this conclusion. It definitely help breaking the time up to help your mind refocus. Definitely keep it up. Looking forward to more.
Nothing pseudo-motivational about this video. :D The points you touched on all hit the nail on the head, of accepting there will be times you have the potato-day/potato-week time and that you just need to keep working consistently - just like grinding in a game to level up. Having milestones to reach are also a good way of keeping you motivated as well as making the big goal you're aiming towards more more manageable and attainable, and breaking it up in this way prevents you from going insane with feeling overwhelmed. It's the same with breaking down a large project into smaller manageable chunks, bite sized pieces... rather than trying to look at what the project is supposed to be when it's finished and having a nervous breakdown because it's so much work. The only thing I could really add on what you said is that, as well as how important it is to sleep, it is also important to remember to take a breath- don't get stressed or anxious if things aren't going to plan. Take a breath, relax... then try again. Thank you for these videos, as well as your tutorials. They're really helping me on my own 3D journey, which has been going for 8 years now but has hit a bit of a rocky patch the last year or two. For even when you have the motivation and the inspiration to work, none of it does you any good when the universe is conspiring against you to make life as difficult as possible with family emergencies and computer failures.
I think overpracticing also breaks the motivation. That happened to me when I started learning anatomy. I was just practicing the same bone, same muscle over and over again. After some time, thoose practices felt like torture instead of fun. I felt like I was back in the highschool, doing homework day and night. My solution was practicing the muscle a bit and jumping to real life drawings. And the other advantage of doing this was, I could see thoose muscles on different postures and angles. It made me understand better, and made me motivated. I'm a self taught artist. I had to figure out things on my own. I'm also learning japanese like you guys are, and practicing kanji before drawing is an awesome warmup ^^
The moment I understood that I know English was not when I got my C1 diploma, not when I was freely talking to my international co-workers, but when I listened to Eminem rap from my old phone and actually understood what he was rapping about. Back ten it was just a cool beat. Amazing feeling.
Great video! So great to work alongside and just listen. I really enjoy your approach of this video. Just hearing a small glimpse of those days where you are not feeling like doing things and how you go about it and seeking ways to stay motivated. So good! Props to you guys, putting a lot of hard work in all you do. That is truly inspiring! It's about the grind! Thank you guys for keeping us motivated and talking about being disciplined! Currently working on that... 😅🙄
I was afraid to watch this, thinking you would tell me I had to take up a terrifying regimen. What a nice surprise! And GOOD JOB, guys. I love watching you guys build your wonderful edifice. Other remarks: A) You have a Discord?! Want! B) In my sixties, here, so doing art for work is probably not going to happen, and frankly what I want to do is just do honest work that others enjoy. I've loved learning my whole life, so gaining new skills is always a joy. However, the artistic motivation game changes a bit, now, for sure, because burnout has become a huge issue. Getting around burnout now...that's tricky. Sometimes you have to walk away for a little bit, with the intention of coming back. I recently started getting totally crispy and spent more time beating myself up about not working than actually working. So, I decided to just doing something totally different (like playing an immersive RPG video game, taking a mental vacation) for a while has been beneficial. As you might say, a potato month. Now I feel about ready to focus again and think about motivation. I would say that the daily mindset is /not/ to constantly fret about being/not being a whatever by whatever time. Just go ahead and do it and take joy in the doing, a bit at a time. A certain amount of bloody-mindedness is a requirement, but killing myself gets me nowhere.
For me i started doing a couple of hours at first, so that i don't "force" myself. Having a pleasant experience when creating 3d was top priority, so i gradually increased my working hours to a point that i always have this feeling of "hobby" rather than "working". Of course there are times when i'm so bored of completing the next task but at that point i just do stuff, or do less stuff per day, till that boring task is completed.
Awesome video as always. this is very relate able. currently building my career as 3d modeler in video games field and has been struggling to get work life and portfolio balance. this is very insightful. thank you
One trick I have used is to set a timer for 20 minutes and tell myself that I may be tired but I can still manage to take 20 mins and see how it goes. If it’s not going well after 20 mins I can go do something else. Often just overcoming the resistance by using a small goal is all I need. If you have a smartphone with a timer it can be very handy to keep track of progress. Most people have 20- 30 mins. Just start and work smart. 40 minute chunks are good for checking progress. Normalize the process of just making art with whatever resources you have using manageable goals. This will always be a challenge throughout your life as an artist.
Thank guys for the words of wisdom, I thought your point of making milestones and grinding upon the things you are shit at to improve upon we're the best points
Sometimes just watching "stuff that you like" could give a nice burst of motivation, make yourself say "oh my Glob this is soo cool, i've to make it myself". And this can be anything like a fight scene from a comic, illustrations or videogames stuff, this works for me.
i did start learning sculpting\anatomy almost over a year i have one thing in my mind i am now at 25 i am thinking if i get to 30 i want to be good sculpture idk if i get a job or not idk for all all i know if ur work really good for sure u will get atleast one client in a year it's hard for me now i know but sometime something will clicked u will be level up in on week it's been for me just keep it up keep working hard
I have thought about this a lot until i discover i should use my brain energy into work lol. I agree with everything basically, people try to find a method for something that no one understand, even people who secure their method works... maybe works for them? i dont know. What works for me is understanding myself. Understand that i am not a machine android robot from the future designed to never feel any kind of "negative" feeling. When you start a project or something, this thing happen: You will feel very motivated at the beginning, this can last a few days or even a few weeks, but sure thing is that, that feeling is gonna disapear and you will feel emptyness and you will want to start a fresh project and abandon that one, and that is over and over unless you understand this process and understand that the initial motivation is just a something that the brain create for some reason. You have to be like a soldier, kind of, you need discipline and work around this concept. You need an objetive and your mission is to complete that objetive. You will learn how to go through all the process and identify what you feel, the downs and the up times. Is just a normal thing, just keep going and finish the project. THERE IS NO EASY WAY OR TRICKS, DONT GET TRICKED BY ANYONE TELLING YOU A LIE.
Great video with great mentalities. Many of them I knew and apply to my current studies and work, but they were described in ways I hadn't thought about, and that inspired me. 1+ hour well spent :)
The mentality of "Where do I want to be in the next 5-10 years?" I really liked. I hadn't really thought of it in the way that "Do I want to Try and be something greater like i'd hoped in 5 years, or am I going to not try and be in roughly the same place I am today?". Of course i've always told myself that I want to have fun and be successful with my job in the next 5 years, but I hadn't really thought of it in the contrast to "What if I just let my mind consume me with laziness, and i'll just be in the same place?" This shows the importance of the hunger for improvement, to get out of your comfort zone and dare to take on new challenges, because like you said, that's the only way your brain is going to evolve.
Good tips. I myself come from the programming world but I also always enjoyed 3D. I am not 100% sure this is what I want to follow but at the moment, for the past one month and a half I have been interested in it, so I figured out about you guys, bought a course of 3ds Max and tablet for ZBrush because what I like the most is to create characters. But as you said in the video and I agree, to do other things to become a better professional in general, I also intend to purchase courses that teach how to use Substance Painter.
As an artist that does 3d, poetry, writing mini stories, acting and other creative ventures. My view of the world of people being 3d objects and the world being filled with depth, makes me feel alone and unmotivated alot. Finding people that see the complexities of life, not just surface b.s is very lonely.
Another informative video as always! I’d like add some book recommendations that I’ve read, and hope will help others: The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield talks about overcoming creative resistance. Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon explains how to reinterpret pre-existing work. Mastery, by George Leonard talks about the training plateau and working with frustration.
I agree with everything overall great video, its important to have a purpose i started from zero 2 years ago with the goal to make a game when i started it felt like i was back 13 years ago when i first went to the sloups looking up and telling myself ill never be able to do this 10 years later i have 15 medals in alpine ski now am 80% done with my game and i learn little from everything i know that i want to do hard suffice modeling for my career and i also know that with discipline and good habits ill get my first medal eventually
Great video guys! You tackled the topic in a very interesting way and highlighted many important aspects about the concept of motivation. Something that, as you've mentioned yourself, is not an easy topic to discuss. Personally, one point that really hit home for me was when you used the example of the 42-year old man who wants to be an engineer because I've gone through that same situation myself. I had wanted to get into 3D art for years but was afraid of doing so, and I kept putting it off to do other things I knew I didn't enjoy as much as I would have enjoyed that. As time went on, the thought of starting to learn 3D kept getting scarier because I kept thinking of how long it was going to take me and how long I had waited to do it. Then it finally clicked. I thought: "I'm 26 now... this course I'm looking at takes 3 years. By then, I'll be 29. I can be 29 and not be doing what I want... or I could be 29 and be doing what I actually want to do.". That thought process of "I could either be doing, or not" was what helped me finally understand that it was time to stop pushing it away and just get on with it. Now, I'm 2 years into a 3 year course for 3D art focused on videogames and I couldn't be happier. Heck, it was actually one of my teachers at this school that showed me this video, and in turn introduced me to your channel.
Hi Kristian! Thats awesome - I'm really happy that you felt this video was useful. :) For me, the engineer story has really changed my outlook on so many things in life, where Im much more open to trying new things instead of thinking Im too old. Keep it up, buddy! /H
Thank you guys for another amazing "podcast video timelapse - relaxed - peer to peer" talk! Great content and advices as always. Are you guys the "flipped normals" that have a lighting setup scenes for MODO?
I love to hear you guys when i'm keep practicing, i really feel like if i was just talking with my friends :P PD: You have a great youtube channel really!
I am from the 60s, and today I made a skull at 4 am. I can't sleep anyway. I wish I could upload an image of my "motivated" work. By the way, thank you very much for your videos. They are always stimulating! You are young but you are advising exactly as I would.
when I'm creating stuff I always make a list of the to do, if that list is too complicated and it will take lots of time than the rest then I'll just make it as my last to do or probably will just do it in the next project.
Great stuff, I really appreciate how you not only provided definitions for the terms, but also how they relate to each other. I got a lot out of the grinding insight you guys provided. I have been reading a web novel on cultivation and once thought how awesome it would be if that was me. Then I realized I can and should take the same approach to learning 3d art by putting the discipline into it as I would cultivation, or game grinding as you guys put it. What is your perspective on a late 30s person just getting into 3d art as a career? Are there unique issues in this situation? I am tearing through your content, and really enjoying it. Looking forward to what you put out next.
I personally think you should use your energy to get yourself to the high point where you naturally want to do what you want to do, rather than force discipline onto directly the task at hand, it has more nuance and specifics for each situation and person, but once you are in the state where you just want to do it, you will be much more efficient and enjoy the time. the state im referencing is what is mentioned early on in video "it's easy to go to the gym when it's perfect weather and your in perfect mood, and stars are aligned etc" I say, if it's so easy to do in that state, then you should get yourself to that state as your goal and the rest will follow. I say this as i've spent years trying the discipline and forcing what I wanted/needed to do, and it just ended up being very poorly done done ultimately wasting time and feeling like garbage doing it, and extra-burning me out. my advice would be to delay studies or other things in life that you struggle to have the drive for and spend that time working towards being in that positive mental state where it's "effortless"(lack of better term) to do your work and do it with full focus and enjoyment, /+ making that state of mind a more common occurrence, for me it was totally possible to work and train towards this goal, and I still work on it as it's own separate skill. also, one important thing to know is to figure this stuff out on your own, and synthesis your own answers for your personal self, this is what worked for me, and might not work for you but It might have some helpful insights or help you gain some insights onto yourself. (and hey it might work for you too) personally I haven't found the following useful for me "oh it's just how it is, work sucks, doing these things is just hard and sucks and you just have to put your head down and do the work, there is just no way around it, you just need to do it even though there is issues" I challenge that idea and say you can go around it, this is a solvable problem, and I disagree with the thesis and basis on which work and hard and complicated things just suck. I believe you can change it from sucking to being awesome through deliberation like any other skill. ultimately I find I rely less and less on "discipline" as I improve this skill, and my quality of life has improved immensely. want to say again, this is what worked for me, and what I found works for me personally after many years of struggle and work, and I post in hopes it saves you some time and helps you on your journey, whoever is reading this.
Good stuff guys. Very tricky topic and very individual as well. Personally I haven't felt motivated to do any personal art at home for several years. After 8 hours of work in Maya/PS/Zbrush etc at work, I generally don't feel like doing the same at home.
Sure is. I tried to force it during my first 2 years in the buiss (games) and it almost killed my interest in it completely. 7 years later, I'm older and wiser. :P
At the ripe old age of 35, I decided to learn 3DS Max, Zbrush, and Substance Painter to have a career in modeling.
Because I don't wanna spend the rest of my life sitting at a cubicle typing up tps reports for 8 hours a week.
How are you doing with your new career field?
Ditto on Absolut, how you doing?
yea hope its going well for you!
Great on you man best of luck.
You are inspiring me
I think staying motivated is about who you're surrounded by. When you're the only one you know who does 3D, it's really hard to be motivated to do it.
While it certainly makes a difference, motivation is also derived from improvement. The snowball starts rolling when there's something that can initiate a feedback-loop, after which your surroundings will become irrelevant.
ohh Hello! it was a long time ago but are you still a 3D artist? Do you want to send me your Artstation name so I can follow you? ^^
Another great outdoor break is to have a veggie garden at home. Even if it is an indoor herb or mushroom garden, it helps when you actually break up soil and get your hands dirty. Great episode guys!
You guys are a big motivation to all of us. Thank you for these wonderful discussions :D
Thank you so much!
Numba one thing that really be getting me back on the horse is listening to these podcasts, idk what it is but through out hearing others journey I'm able to be inspired to keep going
I feel that your channel here is the only place where I can hear something is really honest and at the same time Inspiring. you are helping a lot of people here.
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much, Matin! It means a lot to us :) It's a balance we're still trying to find, but glad you liked it.
By the way, it's been ages since I wanted to learn MARI (In fact since it became public, I've been waiting for a magical never coming moment of "absolute solitude"!!! to begin the process.), you were the last push that I needed to make it happen. After 2 weeks of hard work, last night as I was listening to your video my first "Artwork"! with MARI has finished.
Even before this video, your approach toward teaching was in a way which made people develop those "motivational" skills that you mentioned.
Man another great video, thanks guys for keeping it real. I started getting into 3D modeling back when I was around 15. Back then tutorials were ether written on a blog somewhere or you could purchase the DVD's. I managed to get myself some DVD's from 3Dtotal and started on my journey, but unfortunately as I got older life got real and I got distracted by many other things such as (caugh) women. I kept circling back to it time and time again and even went to college with the hopes of doing and learning more 3D modeling, but it turned out that I was kind of mislead by the admissions officer and there really wasn't much modeling in the curriculum.
I am now 27 and still hope to brake into the industry at some point, but I keep getting semi discouraged doe in great part to my age and the many years I've wasted not doing 3D Modeling. After hearing that bit about the guy wanting to be an engineer at 46 really put things in perspective to me. I am 27 now and I can ether be a 33 year old who's not a character artist or one that is. See you in a few years, I'll let you know how it went.
As always, great job and great talk. I am really learning a lot about the industry and the field from you guys. I don't miss a video, they've all been great.
That's awesome comment - thank you so much for your insights. For me, the engineer-example has really been one of the things which has made a huge difference when it comes to getting my ass in gear.
If you really do work hard now, you WILL make it as a character artist. Maybe not in a year, but if you keep it up, you'll get there for sure.
Best of luck to you!
/Henning
Adnel Ma very same situation here bro
One thing would be to reduce or stop watching angry right winger TH-cam videos. It will save time and prepare you for a work environment where most people don’t share those ideas.
chamade166 why do you care what I watch and why are you politicizing this? I am very well aware that most people don’t hold my same views I am fine with that, thanks.
@@Adnel Chamade heard Jordan Petersons name and lost their shit, lol. For some perspective about your hang up on your "old age" ;) I'm 42 and just started pursuing a career in CG arts, currently working in Maya and Zbrush my only previous art background was traditional graphite drawings(finishing concrete might be considered art so... that too) the only real hang up about age and pursuing a different career for most is the trouble and stress that financial ability may cast on you. I'm fortunate and dont have to stress too much but regardless it can be scary especially if you are not only supporting yourself but a family. If you are not then Its really not a big deal at all but the same . The 42 year old wanting to be an engineer story is something I figured out through my own trials and tribulations and really enjoyed that story. I cant say I'm a successful CG artist yet but at some point in the near future I'm sure that I will be doing CG professionally, maybe not Blizzard but who knows!? Good luck on your journey!
I'm 33 and I've been a software developer for the past 25 years. I started very early (8yrs old) and worked on thousands of different projects - I can do almost anything with closed eyes, let's say I am a "very" senior software developer. BUT I've been very frustrated and I see myself procrastinating all the time looking at art and watching art tutorials. The thing is: I've been doing this "procrastination - art appreciation - frustration" cycle for the past 10 years or so. It's killing me, mental health wise.
I feel like just pulling the plug of software development and starting art from scratch, where I would give me 3 years just to study and practice full time, burning through my savings. But then I ALSO GET FRUSTRATED because I think "c'mon you can do anything as a developer why start another thing from scratch". And then the frustration cycle never ends, I'm in a CAREER PARADOX.
your videos calm me when i working on my project, thank you!!
Thats awesome to hear, thank you!
Also my go-to background noise while i work :D
Being a game developer and switching to game design and becoming an artist is hard but you guyz help a lot. You guyz are awsome. Very thanks from Pakistan.
thank you for making this! I tend to go into a rabbit hole of constant studying but never applying. Rarely creating my own pieces to apply what I learned. So having a goal of why you're doing this is a good reminder.
I came here because my art teacher told us to and point out the main ideas, but this is actually great. I´m excited to see what other content you have, and apply these advices to my proyects. Tysm for this, ya'll awesome!!
You guys are a great motivation and pick-me-up
I'm in a cubicle modeling 8 hrs a day and have no one to talk 3D with. Hearing your passion and banter seriously brightens up my day. I'm so glad I stumbled across your channel!
You two hit at very true and important parts of working as an artist, I am so glad that this video exists!
Thank you so much! It really means a lot to us :)
Whenever I start to play one of your videos, even though I'm not planning to work on my sculpts I start to work and listen you guys.
I really have to say (might sound cheezy but...) you have opened my eyes with this video. I'm the last person who buys into all that motivational crap they try to sell you generally on linked in or other sites. But just listening to you guys talk I've been able to think about my mishaps and things I have been doing wrong recently and improve on that. Thank you for amazing content. Keep on it!
As I'm completely new to everything in this field, and self teaching myself, this video helped me tip the scales to not give up. Thank you
I love how this video points out the things that you shouldn't do and sets you up to find YOUR own way through life in general even. Really good job guys, thanks a lot!
Thank you! Thats one of the issues we have with these motivational gurus. Hell, we definitely screw up and have bad days, and it's important to acknowledge that :)
I am feeling much better and confident now, this video was a wake-up call to me, thank you, guys!
Thanks for watching! We're glad you like it
love listening to this kind of discussion while I sculpt at work. Keep up the good work on the channel!
Thank you! :)
I think the most important thing that i have to say to u guys after this video is a big THANK YOU! The amount of effort that u guys put on FlippedNormals, making all these videos, all these posts, keeping us "little plebs" inspired and teaching us all these awesome knowledge, and for free, thats beautiful! Thank you guys so much!
Videos like these makes me remember the privilege that i have on my daily basis, having internet access 24/7, this time where i can learn basicly everything without having to go to a library to find an old book that was released like 10 years ago (nothing against old books, but in this field things move so quickly) when the key to being "sucessfull" is Patience, a grind of tons of potatos to the "masterpiece" that we want to produce.
I think most of the people, including myself, lose the constant battles against patience, as u guys said in this video, with the amount of effort and time, things will get done!
Again, THANK YOU! :D
PS: Sry for bad spelling, english is not my main language, cheers from Brazil!
Hey! Thanks a lot for your very kind and sweet comment - it means a lot to both of us :) It's really motivating for us to hear that the effort is helping.
Your English is great btw!
Best thing to listen while sculpting :D
Another great listen while working on a project. The thing which i found most relating to was that consistent hard work being the key to improvement as an artist. The thing about keep trying to take a crack at difficult subject matters, things which are dragging you outside your comfort zone is something really important; coincidentally this something which is being applied on the current project i am working on.
I really agree with you here: It's all about consistency. Just keep hitting the problem time and time again, and you'll get there :)
i love hearing about your guys' background and previous work experience, it definetly adds more depth to your content! Would love to see more of that in your content. Amazing video though overall, didn't feel like an hour one bit!
Happy to hear it!
Im 17 at the moment and want to get into the 3D or concept art industry the moment i leave high school or atleast know i have a chance at getting into the industry after studies. I've made flash games, unity 3D games, Pixel art games, 3D models, Learning maya, Learning Zbrush and drawing everyday and asking for criticism on twitter. Can i just say the reason I've done this to myself is because of you two, you've inspired me to the extent that i spend all my free time doing this. I know it doesn't sound good doing this all day but i dont, resting has proven to help me a lot, and locating weeks or evens months to a project whether it be 3D or 2D has helped me grow stronger. Thanks again for all the help
Wow, thanks a lot for your very kind words. We both really appreciate it.
Feel free to join our discord too, which might help :)
discord.gg/uXtDUqs
much appreciated
Hey how are things going?
Thanks guys! I`m so glad I`ve found your channel. Your videos are real inspiration for me. Keep on great work!
Thank you so much!
I usually become motivated by being in contact with people that are like minded and are also in the industry, not necessarily the exact same field but someone that understands what your talking about.
I noticed that when im working on projects when i dont have motivation because i mustered up the discipline to just keep at it, the more i worked on that project when i wasn't motivated the more i became motivated as i saw the progress come along.
But even i have problems with motivation like most people out there, especially when I have the free time to work on it. Generally speaking when i come home and have the free time I have this awkward mental state where i want to work on 3D but at the same time just want to relax and chill because i dont have the time when im, lets say, at work.
Whilst while im actually at work i become really motivated to do 3D as soon as i come home, but then i come home and have the same problem again, where I struggle to balance the things i want to do that i only can do when i have free time and working on 3D.
Idk maybe thats just me.
What you said about sleep is pretty eye opening, specifically the numbers. I once saw a video of Arnold Swartzenaeger and he said 8 is too many hour, sleep faster, sleep for 6, which makes me feel guilty for getting 6.5-7.
Also, i think the biggest thing that equally motivates and demoralizes me is the concept of age. Blows my mind to hear you say people in their 30s are young. At 26, i work in advertising as an editor and (mostly 2D) animator, but i want to get more into 3D and the games industry specifically. I think my biggest fear is the notion of some fresh college kid taking the job im looking to learn.
Right now, my plan is to work on a character dev udemy course (currently base scrulpt and am onto my first retopo) during downtime at work and do more random, fun concept sculpting at night (which maybe i can overpaint) even if it's for 20, 30s mins. Havent been day to day consistent, but at least ive gotten past turning a sphere into oval
Great discussion as always. No bs. This is as sincere as it gets. Thank you guys.
Hey guys, I'm catching up on your videos after vacation. This was a nice one for a start for sure!
More and more I realize what makes your stuff compelling to me. I really like your down-to-earth, no-nonsense, no-bulls##t approach. The fact that you guys seem genuine in what you're saying doesn't hurt either.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
cheers
Yea!!! I'm not even a huge gamer but playing Dark Souls actually gave me a different outlook on life, as absurd as it sounds.
Love this video..I'm apprenticing at a tattoo shop, but I've been getting a bit discouraged lately. I have a decent foundation in drawing, I've always kept sketchbooks and drawn from life, but I've been avoiding color because I'm red/green colorblind. I've always used this as an excuse for why I don't paint, but I feel that I could learn to use a limited pallett, but my ego is too wrapped up in my work, and I'm worried that I will litteraly be blind to be able to critique my own work. I already feel that way with just ink and graphite and sometimes I feel like a hack.
Here it is. I'm 34yrs old. I started to pick up Zbrush Jan 1st. 2020 and I've been at it everyday(including weekends) and my art skills has increased but not only that...I could sculpt things I never knew I could. If I keep at it..by 2022 I'll be much better at it. I gotta buy a Wacom Tablet though...
My professor sent me here, currently listening while I'm modeling my first human head and it is difficult for me. But listening to this is helping out quite a bit.
Thats awesome! :) Tell your professor that we're really grateful for sending his students our way. Best of luck in your studies.
Very informative video with extremely helpful tips! I love listening to you guys while sculpting.
i'm really struggling with a lot of these things, but its really refreshing to hear other perspectives on these things.
Thats great to hear :) We're happy to help. What parts are you struggling with?
I think a lot of the time i'm just overwhelmed by the huge variety of the whole "3D stuff", which makes me feel like its an imposibly big mountain to climb... i mean just to make a "simple" realistic human character, i have to be good at anatomy, sculpt an incredibly detailled mesh, retopologize it, smash it into substance painter (which i dont know how to use yet), and then rig it if i want to do anything with it...And that makes me really question where i should even start, because no matter what i do, i hardly feel like i'm progressing as an artist in a meaningful way.
Seriously, this video was very needed. So glad you guys did this for us.
Ty so mush for this video, it’s the best! I had those thoughts in my head and I thought on how to make myself to do what I need, and it really was discipline! Everything you said hit bull’s-eye. I do really hate grinding games, but I guess that’s how our wold works. 😅 Thank you for all advices, you guys are awesome!
You guys have been such a great channel to catch a wind of. I'm delving into XR Art from a mural painter background. Thanks for the epic advice and tips.
Thanks
I can really relate to this, the struggle it is to keep on going on and on... i felt relieved hearing you that i got tears in my eyes
Great video. Wanted to say that I am also trying to think about 3d learning like a playing a game when I'm sometimes becoming bored or something like that and It helps me keep moving forward, cuz everything its a game with different restrictions and goals. Also I noticed that changing activity is influence in a positive way on productivity ( like learning 3d for example and gym or dance trainings)
I think that's a great way of looking at it! :)
I want a shirt with "You can't put this on a T shirt"
We'd buy that!
Thank you for this video guys :D It really help us to stay motivated.
I'm 21 yrs old studying game design and development. When i heard the "21 yrs old part etc etc" It make me realized that i'm too young to give up. I'm practice every single day to become a better 3D artist (Mostly environment) but sometimes i'm thinking if i do environment or character first because it's really exciting if you want to learn something and sometimes it makes you overwhelm if you want to do it all. Most of my problems are thinking of which of the two should i do first because it's hard to do both in the same time. 😅 My knowledge in environment is much better than creating character. All i can say is that i need to have a good discipline in planning and milestones so that i'm not overwhelming myself. LOL :D
You guys are so inspiring! I'm forty now, and finally doing my old project, 3d animation and got funding for it. I worked like crazy, for years in studios, studied in Canada, and now it finally paid off. But man it's still hard!But I'm enjoying it! :)
im so thorn apart cos on one hand i realy wanna get into film making and like VFX and Animation etc. but on the other im feeling like i reached my peak yeares ago.. and had this phase of non progression now.. wich kinda sucks.. i still have my dream goals.. but its hard to find the track again .. let alone
discipline. But i Realy wanna Get there at some point in my life.. so i can be proud of the things i made.. and let people feel things when they look at them.. so i guess thats kinda a message for my future selfe, saying.. Get your shit done and focus on what you wanna accomplish! You made it one time, so there is no problem in making it again. Just stop keeping distracting your selfe and alredy start making stuff. Also i hope you'r good future me.. and dont judge your art so hard.. its about the process and the experience you gain on the way. Much love.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on all of these topics guys! I can relate to pretty much all of them. As a parent the challenge becomes even more difficult. How do you tackle motivation when you are exhausted at the same time? Whats working for me currently, is that I accept that it is totally ok NOT to do any personal/portfolio work at all some days. Its liberating when I'm not feeling motivated or am just to tired to do 3d after 21:30. The evenings I relax, gives me space and energy, just like sleep(though lacking with 3 small children) to nourish that motivation from time to time. The acceptance that motivation comes in waves, for me at least, has really helped me dealing with stress, lack of motivation and to remove that bad conscience. Its pretty much what you guys are talking about regarding the small break every hour, but just in a weekly or monthly perspective. Anyways, great that you guys are talking about these topics. Keep it up!
Thanks a lot for your comment, Jimmy! It's very honest and interesting. I think youre right about how motivation comes in waves too - accepting that can be a great help :)
My aim is to become a Animator, but my way changing to game dev, thankyou. I want to be a best 3d modeller. This video given me confidence.
Awesome, Alex!
Yup, we love you guys!!!
Thank you! :D
Awesome video!
Thanks!
Super interesting discussion!
i love hearing you guys when i am modeling
6:35 " Ive been doing this for the last 10-15 years, its just a thing that's so engrained in me now that I cant remember a time where I didnt feel motivated to do the things I do"
They made it a habit!!!
Once something becomes a part of your life, its hard to break it. I made going to the gym a habit and now if I miss a day, I feel horrible. I cant do it. I made sculpting an everyday habit, now I need to keep working and improving and my passion grows stronger everyday, Im obsessed with it. It doesnt feel like a burden. It takes 66 days to form a habit into your life. Have discipline and create new habits.
Yes! This is spot on. It's all about making GOOD habits.
FlippedNormals Exactly!
Hmm... Dude, motivation is overrated.
Patience and Discipline is all you need to master to overcome yourself.
That's essentially what the message of the entire video is :) Completely agree with you
I really love your content and I think I watched almost all of your video.... Thank for the amazing videos
Cheers! Appreciated
I listen to all of your videos while drawing :) you two are definitely a motivation!
Guys, you did it again! Great thoughts, clear explanation, positive and funny, no (linkedin) bs - the “I will become a good character sculptor in 4 years or I will just not” thinking is a game changer to me, something so simple but it actually works - I’ve been constantly finding reasons not to do 3D stuff or concept art every day, but when I say this to myself, it beats all the excuses and makes me realise how stupid they all are.
I’m looking forward to the sleep-themed video - I must say that I have sometimes been neglecting sleep when crunching but that’s mainly because I’m a night owl and work better creatively at night.
Also I wish you guys had a language collective learning/teaching channel - I feel like learning Japanese or Chinese along with you two while watching you sculpt scary looking dudes would be a great thing to do during sculpting breaks :D
Anyway, thank you, keep it up!
Hi Guys as always awesome video.I am in my late 30s and the idea of becoming a top graded character artist was brewing in my mind and u guys really gave me a good perspective to my thought process
Hey! That's awesome to hear! You can do it.
Awesome video. Wished this video was out before I came to this conclusion. It definitely help breaking the time up to help your mind refocus. Definitely keep it up. Looking forward to more.
Thank you very much from France 🇫🇷😊👌
Thank you guys, for great advices!
Useful video guys! I have the same opinion on many things as you have.
I really needed this video, thanks guys!
Thank you guys, this has been an eye opener for me.
Nothing pseudo-motivational about this video. :D The points you touched on all hit the nail on the head, of accepting there will be times you have the potato-day/potato-week time and that you just need to keep working consistently - just like grinding in a game to level up. Having milestones to reach are also a good way of keeping you motivated as well as making the big goal you're aiming towards more more manageable and attainable, and breaking it up in this way prevents you from going insane with feeling overwhelmed. It's the same with breaking down a large project into smaller manageable chunks, bite sized pieces... rather than trying to look at what the project is supposed to be when it's finished and having a nervous breakdown because it's so much work. The only thing I could really add on what you said is that, as well as how important it is to sleep, it is also important to remember to take a breath- don't get stressed or anxious if things aren't going to plan. Take a breath, relax... then try again.
Thank you for these videos, as well as your tutorials. They're really helping me on my own 3D journey, which has been going for 8 years now but has hit a bit of a rocky patch the last year or two. For even when you have the motivation and the inspiration to work, none of it does you any good when the universe is conspiring against you to make life as difficult as possible with family emergencies and computer failures.
couldnt agree more. great discussion
I think overpracticing also breaks the motivation. That happened to me when I started learning anatomy. I was just practicing the same bone, same muscle over and over again. After some time, thoose practices felt like torture instead of fun. I felt like I was back in the highschool, doing homework day and night. My solution was practicing the muscle a bit and jumping to real life drawings. And the other advantage of doing this was, I could see thoose muscles on different postures and angles. It made me understand better, and made me motivated. I'm a self taught artist. I had to figure out things on my own. I'm also learning japanese like you guys are, and practicing kanji before drawing is an awesome warmup ^^
Alican Bagbek oh man this is so true, I am going through same stuff
Yeah man, try not to overpractice. Do some finished drawings in between the practices. That worked for me.
Lots of thanks for this interesting motivation/discipline topic. I really enjoyed it and helped me in a way to keep my goals with confidence.
The moment I understood that I know English was not when I got my C1 diploma, not when I was freely talking to my international co-workers, but when I listened to Eminem rap from my old phone and actually understood what he was rapping about. Back ten it was just a cool beat.
Amazing feeling.
Great video! So great to work alongside and just listen. I really enjoy your approach of this video. Just hearing a small glimpse of those days where you are not feeling like doing things and how you go about it and seeking ways to stay motivated. So good! Props to you guys, putting a lot of hard work in all you do. That is truly inspiring! It's about the grind! Thank you guys for keeping us motivated and talking about being disciplined! Currently working on that... 😅🙄
Thank you so much, Adriana! Really appreciate the words and your enthusiasm :) Let us know if we can help out in any way.
I was afraid to watch this, thinking you would tell me I had to take up a terrifying regimen. What a nice surprise! And GOOD JOB, guys. I love watching you guys build your wonderful edifice.
Other remarks: A) You have a Discord?! Want! B) In my sixties, here, so doing art for work is probably not going to happen, and frankly what I want to do is just do honest work that others enjoy. I've loved learning my whole life, so gaining new skills is always a joy. However, the artistic motivation game changes a bit, now, for sure, because burnout has become a huge issue. Getting around burnout now...that's tricky. Sometimes you have to walk away for a little bit, with the intention of coming back. I recently started getting totally crispy and spent more time beating myself up about not working than actually working. So, I decided to just doing something totally different (like playing an immersive RPG video game, taking a mental vacation) for a while has been beneficial. As you might say, a potato month. Now I feel about ready to focus again and think about motivation.
I would say that the daily mindset is /not/ to constantly fret about being/not being a whatever by whatever time. Just go ahead and do it and take joy in the doing, a bit at a time. A certain amount of bloody-mindedness is a requirement, but killing myself gets me nowhere.
For me i started doing a couple of hours at first, so that i don't "force" myself. Having a pleasant experience when creating 3d was top priority, so i gradually increased my working hours to a point that i always have this feeling of "hobby" rather than "working". Of course there are times when i'm so bored of completing the next task but at that point i just do stuff, or do less stuff per day, till that boring task is completed.
Awesome video as always. this is very relate able. currently building my career as 3d modeler in video games field and has been struggling to get work life and portfolio balance. this is very insightful. thank you
Really glad it helped, Davin!
One trick I have used is to set a timer for 20 minutes and tell myself that I may be tired but I can still manage to take 20 mins and see how it goes. If it’s not going well after 20 mins I can go do something else. Often just overcoming the resistance by using a small goal is all I need. If you have a smartphone with a timer it can be very handy to keep track of progress. Most people have 20- 30 mins. Just start and work smart. 40 minute chunks are good for checking progress. Normalize the process of just making art with whatever resources you have using manageable goals. This will always be a challenge throughout your life as an artist.
Thank guys for the words of wisdom, I thought your point of making milestones and grinding upon the things you are shit at to improve upon we're the best points
Sometimes just watching "stuff that you like" could give a nice burst of motivation, make yourself say "oh my Glob this is soo cool, i've to make it myself".
And this can be anything like a fight scene from a comic, illustrations or videogames stuff, this works for me.
i did start learning sculpting\anatomy almost over a year i have one thing in my mind i am now at 25 i am thinking if i get to 30 i want to be good sculpture idk if i get a job or not idk for all all i know if ur work really good for sure u will get atleast one client in a year it's hard for me now i know but sometime something will clicked u will be level up in on week it's been for me just keep it up keep working hard
I have thought about this a lot until i discover i should use my brain energy into work lol. I agree with everything basically, people try to find a method for something that no one understand, even people who secure their method works... maybe works for them? i dont know. What works for me is understanding myself. Understand that i am not a machine android robot from the future designed to never feel any kind of "negative" feeling. When you start a project or something, this thing happen: You will feel very motivated at the beginning, this can last a few days or even a few weeks, but sure thing is that, that feeling is gonna disapear and you will feel emptyness and you will want to start a fresh project and abandon that one, and that is over and over unless you understand this process and understand that the initial motivation is just a something that the brain create for some reason. You have to be like a soldier, kind of, you need discipline and work around this concept. You need an objetive and your mission is to complete that objetive. You will learn how to go through all the process and identify what you feel, the downs and the up times. Is just a normal thing, just keep going and finish the project. THERE IS NO EASY WAY OR TRICKS, DONT GET TRICKED BY ANYONE TELLING YOU A LIE.
Great video with great mentalities. Many of them I knew and apply to my current studies and work, but they were described in ways I hadn't thought about, and that inspired me. 1+ hour well spent :)
Thanks a ton! What were the new things which you hadn't thought about before?
The mentality of "Where do I want to be in the next 5-10 years?" I really liked. I hadn't really thought of it in the way that "Do I want to Try and be something greater like i'd hoped in 5 years, or am I going to not try and be in roughly the same place I am today?". Of course i've always told myself that I want to have fun and be successful with my job in the next 5 years, but I hadn't really thought of it in the contrast to "What if I just let my mind consume me with laziness, and i'll just be in the same place?"
This shows the importance of the hunger for improvement, to get out of your comfort zone and dare to take on new challenges, because like you said, that's the only way your brain is going to evolve.
Hearing your own stories about motivation was really helpful, it felt a bit like "woo im not the only one!!"
That's awesome to hear - thank you!
Good tips. I myself come from the programming world but I also always enjoyed 3D. I am not 100% sure this is what I want to follow but at the moment, for the past one month and a half I have been interested in it, so I figured out about you guys, bought a course of 3ds Max and tablet for ZBrush because what I like the most is to create characters. But as you said in the video and I agree, to do other things to become a better professional in general, I also intend to purchase courses that teach how to use Substance Painter.
As an artist that does 3d, poetry, writing mini stories, acting and other creative ventures.
My view of the world of people being 3d objects and the world being filled with depth, makes me feel alone and unmotivated alot. Finding people that see the complexities of life, not just surface b.s is very lonely.
Another informative video as always! I’d like add some book recommendations that I’ve read, and hope will help others:
The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield talks about overcoming creative resistance.
Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon explains how to reinterpret pre-existing work.
Mastery, by George Leonard talks about the training plateau and working with frustration.
really thanks guys!
I agree with everything overall great video, its important to have a purpose i started from zero 2 years ago with the goal to make a game when i started it felt like i was back 13 years ago when i first went to the sloups looking up and telling myself ill never be able to do this 10 years later i have 15 medals in alpine ski now am 80% done with my game and i learn little from everything i know that i want to do hard suffice modeling for my career and i also know that with discipline and good habits ill get my first medal eventually
Hi spiting your big task in to smaller ones point is really helpful guys
Great video guys! You tackled the topic in a very interesting way and highlighted many important aspects about the concept of motivation. Something that, as you've mentioned yourself, is not an easy topic to discuss.
Personally, one point that really hit home for me was when you used the example of the 42-year old man who wants to be an engineer because I've gone through that same situation myself.
I had wanted to get into 3D art for years but was afraid of doing so, and I kept putting it off to do other things I knew I didn't enjoy as much as I would have enjoyed that. As time went on, the thought of starting to learn 3D kept getting scarier because I kept thinking of how long it was going to take me and how long I had waited to do it. Then it finally clicked. I thought: "I'm 26 now... this course I'm looking at takes 3 years. By then, I'll be 29. I can be 29 and not be doing what I want... or I could be 29 and be doing what I actually want to do.". That thought process of "I could either be doing, or not" was what helped me finally understand that it was time to stop pushing it away and just get on with it. Now, I'm 2 years into a 3 year course for 3D art focused on videogames and I couldn't be happier. Heck, it was actually one of my teachers at this school that showed me this video, and in turn introduced me to your channel.
Hi Kristian! Thats awesome - I'm really happy that you felt this video was useful. :) For me, the engineer story has really changed my outlook on so many things in life, where Im much more open to trying new things instead of thinking Im too old.
Keep it up, buddy!
/H
Thank you guys for another amazing "podcast video timelapse - relaxed - peer to peer" talk! Great content and advices as always. Are you guys the "flipped normals" that have a lighting setup scenes for MODO?
Hi! Thanks a lot :)
Yup - we are.
FlippedNormals why aren't you posting Modo stuff? :)
I love to hear you guys when i'm keep practicing, i really feel like if i was just talking with my friends :P
PD: You have a great youtube channel really!
Thats awesome to hear! Thank you! :)
@@FlippedNormals youre welcome! :D
I am from the 60s, and today I made a skull at 4 am. I can't sleep anyway. I wish I could upload an image of my "motivated" work. By the way, thank you very much for your videos. They are always stimulating! You are young but you are advising exactly as I would.
Thank you so much Pablo! We really appreciate it :) We'd love to see see your work
You guys are the best 😁
Thanks a lot :D
i am really enjoying your channel guys , keep up the good work
Cheers Mohamed! :D
when I'm creating stuff I always make a list of the to do, if that list is too complicated and it will take lots of time than the rest then I'll just make it as my last to do or probably will just do it in the next project.
Thank you it seems that what breaks my motivation to do things is exactly the Interrupted Sleep
Ah yes! We cant stress how important it is to take sleep seriously.
AH this is superb, ive been really thinking about this lately, funny how the puzzle is slowly getting together! jævlig bra!
That's great :D Glad vi kan hjelpe.
/H
yes! i knew it! as i was listening i was so sure they were influenced by Jordan Peterson and at the end they mentioned him! amazing, great video
He has a lot of really interesting points! If you listen carefully and truly listen to his words, he can be very motivational.
Great stuff, I really appreciate how you not only provided definitions for the terms, but also how they relate to each other. I got a lot out of the grinding insight you guys provided. I have been reading a web novel on cultivation and once thought how awesome it would be if that was me. Then I realized I can and should take the same approach to learning 3d art by putting the discipline into it as I would cultivation, or game grinding as you guys put it.
What is your perspective on a late 30s person just getting into 3d art as a career? Are there unique issues in this situation?
I am tearing through your content, and really enjoying it. Looking forward to what you put out next.
I personally think you should use your energy to get yourself to the high point where you naturally want to do what you want to do, rather than force discipline onto directly the task at hand, it has more nuance and specifics for each situation and person, but once you are in the state where you just want to do it, you will be much more efficient and enjoy the time.
the state im referencing is what is mentioned early on in video "it's easy to go to the gym when it's perfect weather and your in perfect mood, and stars are aligned etc"
I say, if it's so easy to do in that state, then you should get yourself to that state as your goal and the rest will follow.
I say this as i've spent years trying the discipline and forcing what I wanted/needed to do, and it just ended up being very poorly done done ultimately wasting time and feeling like garbage doing it, and extra-burning me out.
my advice would be to delay studies or other things in life that you struggle to have the drive for and spend that time working towards being in that positive mental state where it's "effortless"(lack of better term) to do your work and do it with full focus and enjoyment, /+ making that state of mind a more common occurrence, for me it was totally possible to work and train towards this goal, and I still work on it as it's own separate skill.
also, one important thing to know is to figure this stuff out on your own, and synthesis your own answers for your personal self, this is what worked for me, and might not work for you but It might have some helpful insights or help you gain some insights onto yourself. (and hey it might work for you too)
personally I haven't found the following useful for me "oh it's just how it is, work sucks, doing these things is just hard and sucks and you just have to put your head down and do the work, there is just no way around it, you just need to do it even though there is issues"
I challenge that idea and say you can go around it, this is a solvable problem, and I disagree with the thesis and basis on which work and hard and complicated things just suck. I believe you can change it from sucking to being awesome through deliberation like any other skill.
ultimately I find I rely less and less on "discipline" as I improve this skill, and my quality of life has improved immensely.
want to say again, this is what worked for me, and what I found works for me personally after many years of struggle and work, and I post in hopes it saves you some time and helps you on your journey, whoever is reading this.
Good stuff guys. Very tricky topic and very individual as well. Personally I haven't felt motivated to do any personal art at home for several years. After 8 hours of work in Maya/PS/Zbrush etc at work, I generally don't feel like doing the same at home.
That's also completely fair - it's really hard to keep the intensity up after a full working day
Sure is. I tried to force it during my first 2 years in the buiss (games) and it almost killed my interest in it completely. 7 years later, I'm older and wiser. :P
Greeting from Hongkong. Thank you for the talk. Good to know you are learning Chinese
exactly what I need today, thanks
Really glad it helps :)
Thank you guys For this Video, Greetings from Chile