I've been meaning to update since I started my job as an art intern at Intelligent Decisions, here in Orlando FL.
So, my first full-time job, ever...
Gotta say it's quite the experience. Not to gush and say how perfect it is and how everything's so gift-wrapped and wonderful for me, but, honestly, it was probably one of THE BEST job moves/situations I could have landed. Getting paid to work full time making high-resolution game assets AND learn 3DS Max, CryEngine 3.0, and more Photoshop tips with mentoring from my boss and other professionals has been (quote) Quite the Awesome-Sauce. No I don't really talk like that now, but my boss does, haha. Probably more importantly, the company has a great head on it's shoulders. Everyone's really pleasant, understanding, and entertaining to be around, and I don't feel like I'm being overly-pushed or going trial-by-fire. And I've made friends, which is always a plus :)
Getting used to the work-week was definitely a battle, it's just so different from being back at school where you feel like every waking hour you Could be over at the school building working and studying more ("Could" translates to "Probably Should Be"). The whole 9-5 thing threw me for a loop, like...wait....really? I...go home at 5? I dont just stay until I become petrified until 6 am like I used to? (Cant believe I seriously used to do that every week...worth it though (kinda))
The work itself is great. Creating 3D realistic military weapons is challenging, high standards are in place, and knowing I'm contributing really make's it special, especially seeing someone's character holding your gun model and going trigger-happy, haha. I'll post pictures as soon as I can, I'll be taking some screen-grabs for the FIEA Internship presentation next week, I'll put some up. The project itself is honestly really cool, it's definitely got some fresh simulation technology. (So fresh)
Updates as far as side-project work: I've been re-doing the base sculpt of the H.A.R.P.I Unit, aka "BLACK SWAN", aka "Robo Bunny Girl", aka "Wonderful, Mike did another female character." The good news is, I've been working carefully on it, and have actually improved my eye in sculpting human anatomy. No, not in a pervy way, but I've been understanding muscle structure, proportions, facial bone structure and details like skin-scars and emotion-expressions, as well as breaking down overall appeal and presentation. It's helped me with understanding iteraton in design, since I re-did the design for this character like 4 times now in the past 5 months.
The end result is what you see in my 2D gallery, under "Characters", the first image with a woman in a black mechanical suit. When I look at the image now, I dont think about "Hmm, this could be better, that doesnt seem right, whats going on There anyways?" Instead it's just "Yeah......Cool pic :)" This says a lot for me because I think I learned how to break down the character and simplify the design into "only what it needed" and not a "jamboree of ideas." Not to say it's a huge success, I'm sure plenty of people don't like my style or choices, to each their own opinion, but it was nice to know that I could convince myself that something was really looking complete and fresh.
All for now. Take care
-Mike
So, my first full-time job, ever...
Gotta say it's quite the experience. Not to gush and say how perfect it is and how everything's so gift-wrapped and wonderful for me, but, honestly, it was probably one of THE BEST job moves/situations I could have landed. Getting paid to work full time making high-resolution game assets AND learn 3DS Max, CryEngine 3.0, and more Photoshop tips with mentoring from my boss and other professionals has been (quote) Quite the Awesome-Sauce. No I don't really talk like that now, but my boss does, haha. Probably more importantly, the company has a great head on it's shoulders. Everyone's really pleasant, understanding, and entertaining to be around, and I don't feel like I'm being overly-pushed or going trial-by-fire. And I've made friends, which is always a plus :)
Getting used to the work-week was definitely a battle, it's just so different from being back at school where you feel like every waking hour you Could be over at the school building working and studying more ("Could" translates to "Probably Should Be"). The whole 9-5 thing threw me for a loop, like...wait....really? I...go home at 5? I dont just stay until I become petrified until 6 am like I used to? (Cant believe I seriously used to do that every week...worth it though (kinda))
The work itself is great. Creating 3D realistic military weapons is challenging, high standards are in place, and knowing I'm contributing really make's it special, especially seeing someone's character holding your gun model and going trigger-happy, haha. I'll post pictures as soon as I can, I'll be taking some screen-grabs for the FIEA Internship presentation next week, I'll put some up. The project itself is honestly really cool, it's definitely got some fresh simulation technology. (So fresh)
Updates as far as side-project work: I've been re-doing the base sculpt of the H.A.R.P.I Unit, aka "BLACK SWAN", aka "Robo Bunny Girl", aka "Wonderful, Mike did another female character." The good news is, I've been working carefully on it, and have actually improved my eye in sculpting human anatomy. No, not in a pervy way, but I've been understanding muscle structure, proportions, facial bone structure and details like skin-scars and emotion-expressions, as well as breaking down overall appeal and presentation. It's helped me with understanding iteraton in design, since I re-did the design for this character like 4 times now in the past 5 months.
The end result is what you see in my 2D gallery, under "Characters", the first image with a woman in a black mechanical suit. When I look at the image now, I dont think about "Hmm, this could be better, that doesnt seem right, whats going on There anyways?" Instead it's just "Yeah......Cool pic :)" This says a lot for me because I think I learned how to break down the character and simplify the design into "only what it needed" and not a "jamboree of ideas." Not to say it's a huge success, I'm sure plenty of people don't like my style or choices, to each their own opinion, but it was nice to know that I could convince myself that something was really looking complete and fresh.
All for now. Take care
-Mike