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Steven Stahlberg's FAQs
I've used 3d Studio Max for several weeks, it seems very hard. How do I start a model? What software and books do you recommend?
If you're a complete beginner, there are a few things you should know about 3d cg. Most people who have no close-up experience with it have the impression that it's much easier than it actually is, this illusion comes from only seeing the end results
of thousands of man-hours' work. This myth is also fostered by the software companies, who all try to make their software seem easier to use than the other guy's.
Learning to create good 3d cg doesn't take a few weeks or months for most people, it takes years. To start with, if you haven't done so, you must read the manual over and over again, and test all the functions over and over, and do the tutorials,
until you understand it. Experiment with all the variables. Do endless tests, each time changing just one small thing. Subscribe to an email list for your software. It doesn't really matter what software you use in the beginning.
As for what books I recommend, first the manual - then - any book that makes you better at traditional arts - anatomy, design, lighting, acting, photography, painting etc, these come first, before any third party books on how to use a particular
software. Here's a good link to books and many other useful things: Jeremy Birn's website.
I'm aiming for a career in 3d cg, but I have no idea where to start. What are some of the best schools to go to get a diploma in cg?
In the US, Ringling, and CalArts are very good I've heard, and in Canada Sheridan. There's more help for beginners at 3D Ark.
There are other ways to go, though. Here's some reasons why I think art schools generally speaking might be better than cg schools (note this is for artists, when it comes to programmers I don't know much except that if you can combine art skills with
programming skills you've really got it made!) -
1 - Graphics are graphics, whether done on computer or not, and graphical knowledge is more important and harder and slower to come by than computer knowledge. And you learn more about graphics in art school than in cg school, I think.
2 - the most important thing, even more important than graphical ability, is motivation and long term commitment, and taking part time art classes for a while might be a better way to find out if you have enough of that. If you find that you're good
at it, but hate it and can't be bothered with it - or if you find that you're not good at it and still can't be bothered - you probably don't have a future in any graphics related business. (It IS possible to raise your level of competency, to
increase your apparent 'talent', quite a lot if you're motivated enough to practice a lot!)
3 - a cg school diploma is not as important as they'd like you to believe (I've heard from recruiters the showreel is sometimes the only criteria used when hiring.)
I've never attended a cg school in America so you could say I'm not qualified to offer opinions on them. Still, I have attended 2 art schools for a total of 3 years, and I've discussed US cg schools with students, and I've taught cg at one Malaysian
and one Singaporean university.
I think learning to use a software to the point where one doesn't consult the manual too often is comparatively easy, something a motivated person can do at home in their spare time in a few weeks or months. After that, to really learn how to use it
fluently in a production environment, is just a matter of a few thousand hours of practise... for that a school or even a tutor is not strictly necessary, the only thing truly necessary is motivation.
Before you spend 80,000 US$ or more (not counting lost salary) on a BFA, go for a long walk somewhere and meditate on these very important questions: ask yourself 'Do I really want to do this? Am I motivated enough to give it a 100%?' For some reason
or other, many students in expensive cg programs seem to not have asked this of themselves, or if they did, to not have answered truthfully.
True, if you're Canadian and go to Sheridan for example you pay much less, but you still have to be just as motivated.
If you are motivated enough, one way to do it could be to have a part time job, or an easy full time job like postman or something, and take a few art classes every week (like Life Drawing, Typography, Painting, Design, Photography, Sculpture, Acting
etc), and practise the rest of the time at home on your own chosen software/hardware. This way there are no loans to pay back at graduation, and you can spend as much time as you like on perfecting the showreel. You can even start freelancing if you
want, whenever you want. There's much less risk if you for any reason decide to not follow through with a cg career.
Now if you're not motivated enough to do the above, you might not get a whole lot out of cg school either. With a lack of motivation, quite possibly surrounded by other students lacking in motivation, you'll soon start thinking you're supposed to
'have a life' outside the school - well, it's better you find out now rather than later - it doesn't work that way. :-) Only if you work serious overtime during those 4 years will you have a chance to become good. Whether you choose art school or cg
school, come early, be the last to leave. Work during the holidays. (All those who say 'No way man!!' to that, I recommend to drop out now - you'll save time, money and face, and free your seat up to someone truly deserving.)
The advantages of cg schools I think are 1) that you can learn the basics on several softwares (but maybe better to concentrate and excel on a single software though?), and 2) the friendly competing - extremely motivating - that may happen between you
and a couple classmates, and 3) the contact network you usually get - which can be quite valuable to have after graduation.
The disadvantages: 1) you may be blocked from access to the hardware by the crowd. 2) It's usually VERY expensive. 3) you only have a limited number of years. 4) you may be stuck with subjects you think are a waste of time.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, whatever you choose to do! And if you have a different opinion or experience than the above,
please email me about it.
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