The podcast discusses common mistakes made by beginners in Blender, emphasizing the importance of seeking feedback and engaging with online communities. They also highlight the need for observation and reference in art, as well as the benefits of breaking norms and learning from mistakes in Blender.
Early sharing and receiving feedback helps artists improve their skills and grow.
Striking a balance between using new features and considering composition and color is crucial in Blender artwork.
Deep dives
The Importance of Sharing Work and Seeking Feedback
One of the mistakes made by the speakers and the artist community in general is the reluctance to share their work and seek feedback. They initially created artwork in isolation without connecting with people online or posting their work in forums. Over time, they realized the value of feedback and suggestions from others, which helped them improve their skills. They emphasize the importance of early sharing and receiving feedback, as it provides helpful tips, tricks, and encouragement, leading to growth as an artist.
The Excitement of New Features and the Danger of Overuse
The podcast discusses how artists tend to get excited about new features in Blender and often end up overusing them in their work. They give examples such as excessive use of bump maps or subsurface scattering. While exploring new features is important and can lead to cool discoveries, they also highlight the need to strike a balance and not rely too heavily on a specific tool or feature. They encourage artists to consider the overall composition and color of their artwork, as well as to be mindful of not letting the excitement of new features overshadow other important aspects of their work.
Finding Your Style and Unique Look
The speakers discuss the importance of finding a unique style or look as an artist. They emphasize the value of having a style that is unique to oneself and cannot be easily copied. They encourage artists to explore and make mistakes to uncover their personal style, and to have a clear idea of the direction they want to go creatively. They also emphasize the need to have an open mind, to be inspired by other artists' work, and to use references and observations to capture the details and complexity of real-world objects.
Balancing Technical Skills and Creativity
The podcast explores the balance between technical skills and artistic creativity. While technical skills are important for creating 3D art, they highlight the need to not get too focused on the tools and lose sight of the creative process. They encourage artists to follow their interests, pursue what excites them, and keep the learning process fun and exciting. They mention the importance of learning Python and linear algebra for 3D artists, as these skills can have a significant impact on their work. However, they also emphasize the value of finding a balance and not losing sight of the joy of creating.
Making mistakes is an inevitable part of learning any discipline, and we've all made more than our fair share while working in Blender. In this episode, Jonathan, Chris, and Martin talk about what tripped them up along their journey to becoming Blender artists and how to navigate the common traps most artists face when starting out.