08-14-2015, 10:35 AM
@Punk. Yeah I was keen since I was young. I loved drawing especially with pencil . I was good at art compared to my peers, but I was also very good at and liked Math and English and Physics...well just everything really. When it came time to choose what to study at final years of high school and then onto university, Art wasn't even an option, even in my own head. My parents were totally ignorant about art so no luck there. Now it is so cute, when I show my parent's what I'm up to and doing, they keep saying "we had no idea this was possible" lol. They've come around :) )
I had no idea art could be a career, since I grew up in Africa, no tv, no internet, no magazines, no exposure at all besides fantasy and sci fi book covers.
I did do a film and 3D animation course after my Physics degree, and was working under the table in Montreal as a 3D lighting TD for almost a year, but I screwed up my visa, so had to leave. Couldn't go anywhere else but back home. Eventually did a systems programming degree in Sydney, was going to switch to animation and film again but decided to get a degree, and work/ do my own animation in my own time. Never happened, ended up in a tech career for almost 10 years. Life eh?
Long rambling answer to your short question.
About focus in learning, on short term, I have focus like crazy. I totally get immersed. On the longer term I jump around quite a bit, and I still do. Unless I am accountable to someone else, my self discipline is absolutely the worst in the world (this is changing with freelance, Sink or swim!). What I did do at some point though, was realise that I loved environments and decided to make that a niche focus, and I actually think that is why I am getting work today, because I focused on something I really enjoyed.
@Z, I think we are all different, so it is hard to say. The habits you make with study will totally inform how quickly you improve. I would not recommend to anyone to do it the way I did it...half assed, one arm tied behind my back, running backwards, but even then it is working out for me :) I always felt that I learned principles quite quickly without a lot of grinding, but then I have never capitalised on that. I hate to think how much better I might be if I went to a school.
I think the key point to realise is, that while gaining skills are such a large focus of self teaching, they aren't the actual reason for doing anything. They are a means to an end. The reason is something else, dependent on you, and I feel it is just as important to be clear on that.
I had no idea art could be a career, since I grew up in Africa, no tv, no internet, no magazines, no exposure at all besides fantasy and sci fi book covers.
I did do a film and 3D animation course after my Physics degree, and was working under the table in Montreal as a 3D lighting TD for almost a year, but I screwed up my visa, so had to leave. Couldn't go anywhere else but back home. Eventually did a systems programming degree in Sydney, was going to switch to animation and film again but decided to get a degree, and work/ do my own animation in my own time. Never happened, ended up in a tech career for almost 10 years. Life eh?
Long rambling answer to your short question.
About focus in learning, on short term, I have focus like crazy. I totally get immersed. On the longer term I jump around quite a bit, and I still do. Unless I am accountable to someone else, my self discipline is absolutely the worst in the world (this is changing with freelance, Sink or swim!). What I did do at some point though, was realise that I loved environments and decided to make that a niche focus, and I actually think that is why I am getting work today, because I focused on something I really enjoyed.
@Z, I think we are all different, so it is hard to say. The habits you make with study will totally inform how quickly you improve. I would not recommend to anyone to do it the way I did it...half assed, one arm tied behind my back, running backwards, but even then it is working out for me :) I always felt that I learned principles quite quickly without a lot of grinding, but then I have never capitalised on that. I hate to think how much better I might be if I went to a school.
I think the key point to realise is, that while gaining skills are such a large focus of self teaching, they aren't the actual reason for doing anything. They are a means to an end. The reason is something else, dependent on you, and I feel it is just as important to be clear on that.