It's been a very long time since my first post in this thread.
While I can't say I made much progress in the Art School programme from when I initially set out, I did go on an art journey which brought me back around to buying the full Art School programme and wanting to learn more.
In 2024, I set out to get a really good grasp of Blender.
To achieve this, I decided to make something to post to Instagram every day of 2024. I maintained this routine through thick and thin, making and posting when I travelled away for work and even when I went away for my cousin's wedding. After a few months I ended up doing Max Hay's 3D environment course which I'd say contributed to my biggest jump in skill with Blender.
Here's a some of the pieces I made this summer along with a comparison of something I made back in January compared to something I made only a couple of months ago:
I kept this pace for a little, enjoying the results I got, learning and implementing new techniques, and finding ways to tell stories through images.
Unfortunetly this all came to a halt a few weeks ago when my work as a graphic designer piled up and I was creatively spent, resulting in a burn-out I hadn't felt before in my 9 years as a creative professional. (Instagram's algorithm refusing to show my work to even my friends and family didn't help either)
I took what I called a "personal holiday". I still went to the day-job but in the evenings instead of opening up Blender, I just played some video games, caught up on some TV and got some exercise, and I really liked it.
I also took that time to think about what I want to do in the future.
I'm not upset at myself for halting the daily post challenge. I never would have dreamed to get the results I was getting by the end of the year, let alone within 6 months. But I have to admit, I don't think fully 3D is for me. I'm definitely going to put what I've learned to good use in the future, but making in 3D sometimes felt more like being an engineer than an artist.
I've missed having a pencil (or stylus) in my hand while I create instead of a mouse all the time. So I've deciced to go back to basics and learn about art from the beginning with Art School.
Term 1 starts tomorrow.
