Should I even attempt it?

# 1 31-01-2008 , 09:29 PM

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Join Date: Jan 2008

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So, I currently work as a compositor and editor, sometimes a videographer.

I've composited plenty of stuff from the 3D guys onto live action, and I've always wanted to learn how to do the animations myself.

Now that I have some time off between jobs, I've been watching a whole bunch of Maya tutorials. I'm starting to get used to the interface, but there's a problem - I can't draw to save my life.

Should I go on learning Maya?
What do you guys think? Is 3D modeling/animation really dependent on someone's pencil-and-paper artistic abilities or is it more like problem-solving (something I see compositing as)? Is character modeling, rigging and animating, etc something that can be learned? If not, should I learn Maya anyways to try to do logos and other simpler stuff whenever possible?

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# 2 31-01-2008 , 11:28 PM

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Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Chicago

Posts: 1,712

There is no doubt that having an art background and being able to draw can help enormously when using a 3d app , but it's not essential and you can learn Maya and achieve whatever you want but it requires effort and dedication.
You can learn the interface pretty quickly but modeling , texturing and animation require practice and then some more paratice oh and then some more paractice.
To be honest I don't think we ever stop learning, there is always some new way to achieve a desired result or unique way to use a tool and that is apart from new tools or features released with updates.

If you plan to model characters then it would be a good idea to learn human anatomy or at least get a basic knowledge of it, this too can be learned without having to go to art school but just by reading and gathering reference material.
Working with reference is essential when modeling ect, take time to collect it and study it before starting to model and most of all use it in Maya so you can keep preportion.

Maya can be frustrating at times but can also be very rewarding so don't give up .Most of all it is supposed to be fun so if you are struggling at any time just take a break and come back to it later with fresh eyes.
12 months down the road you will probably wonder why you even asked this question ... good luck with the learning.

regards J.S.

2 x Modeling Challenge Winner

Last edited by jsprogg; 01-02-2008 at 04:24 AM.

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# 3 01-02-2008 , 04:01 AM

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Join Date: Apr 2005

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aint that the truth, hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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# 4 01-02-2008 , 10:51 AM

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a friend wrote this to me last night

I think the future for 3d is increasing fragmentation. Its a natural progression based on software complexity. 20 years ago it was totally possible for a 3d artist to say he knew every aspect of Alias or TDI or even Softimage but as complexity increased people had to specialise particularly when shader writing became so complex.

take it easy and life will be easy

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# 5 01-02-2008 , 03:09 PM

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I went to a local junior college to get my start in Maya. I do alot of litigation work in the construction field and found myself paying "artists" alot of money to make exhibits. I wanted to be able to make them myself, and a strong background in Autocad was a big plus.

If you have a reason to use Maya, hang with it. If you're not sure, hang with it anyways becuase it is a blast.

On the art background subject, I think Maya is the rare time in life where you can put a nice dress on an ugly chick and end up with a hottie. In other words, if your modeling is great, you can often make up for it in texturing. The reverse of that is quite true as well.

To date I have spent hundreds of hours learning maya and have made exactly $1,200.00. That works out to well below minimum wage just about anywhere. I can honestly say it has been worth the time.

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# 6 06-02-2008 , 04:51 PM

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YOu should definetly continue with maya. its not abt drawing well though it can give a better perspective. but mAYA modelling etc is really all about practice and the more you work on it it becomes better. so keep going.

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# 7 07-02-2008 , 12:09 AM

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I'm just learning Maya myself, but I am a artist and a sculptor and I do believe drawing aiblity helps you sculpt. And vice versa. I'm hoping this helps me model in Maya.

But is seems there are other aspects of modeling or working with this medium that don't require as much artistic ability. Like maybe set designing in Maya or animating objects and characters or things like that?

If you feel you aren't artitistic don't let that stop you though. I think anyone can learn anything. It might just take you longer to learn it than someone else.

I also believe that sometimes it takes someone longer to learn something intitially but once they break through they can be better than the person that it came easy to in the beginning.

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# 8 07-02-2008 , 01:22 AM

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can you repeat that please??

user added image

ill take the bait .., ill throw in 5 cents worth and say all art has a basis in observation and is the expression of a/the culture at a certain period of said culture's times..,

what appears art to one may not to another.., what was considered a novelty once is art now.., ect.., its a.., err.., very subjective.., but one thing is definite.., as they say.., art is 1 percent inspiration and 99% perspiration.

so many new to the forum.., and very deep thinkers..,

out of curiosity.., whats an 'extrudedDingus???' how did you come up with that name?? whats a 'dingus??"

take it easy and life will be easy

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# 9 07-02-2008 , 01:39 AM

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haha Extruded Dingus comes from a line in a movie called The Hudsucker Proxy.

It's a Cohen brothers movie and the main character invents the Huila Hoop.. which he calls an "Extruded Plastic Dingus" at one point.. lol

I thought it was the perfect nickname for a Maya message board. haha

There are a lot of meanings for Dingus though..

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dingus

It's funny though because I have heard this word used a couple times on Letterman in the past couple days too. My username on Youtube has been ExternalDingus for a long time as well.

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