Thanks to this awesome place, I've reached a point where I now feel like I can start to create and publish some Blender projects and maybe create some online visibility for myself, while I continue learning. So I'm kind of thinking about the best ways to do that.
For a while I've lurked on the Blender subreddit and at BA, and I've noticed that there's at least some CGC members who post the same projects in both places, as well as in the gallery here. So I'm prepared to do that.
Are there any other sites, forums, whatevers that people like to post their stuff to? Any other approaches I could or should take to maybe establishing a rudimentary online presence? Or do you think less is more at this point, and posting at only the above-mentioned places, or maybe even just here on the Cookie, is good enough? Advice, recommendations, reality-checks, etc?
Giving this kind of advices is hard, since everyones journey is different (what works for someone doesn't for the next fellow), so take following with grain and salt, because thats mainly my small observation on what i've seen myself and come across in the forums and net. :)
the more places you post the more chances are that someone will see your work. If you are serious of getting into the 3d industry, check artstation, and see the quality people are posting there. that's pretty much the level of what you should aim for when you post your work. that also is a mindscrewup at the same time, you see awesome work of other people and might start to think you never get there, however when posting work with the intent that you get hired you have to be critical of your work.
I know some people sit on their projects few weeks or longer just so when they look at it again later with fresh eyes, they can see if its going to make it in their portfolios, though those people have established their quality level so not sure that applies when startin out.
Cant remember where i read this, but only keep the best work in the portfolio, reasoning for this is that people who do look your portfolio only wants to see your skill level, they are not interested what you did past, unless its obvious there is comparison shot past and present. but main gist is that if they see crappy stuff they think you are not consistent. (yeah, its not easy, you spend hours to produce work and it might be decent on its own, but compared to other works it might drag you down).
Ditto for what Kaj said.
Just to add a little. See if you can get outside the Blender eco-system. Artstation is the industry standard right now, but do remember that it is intended for professional work, not tutorial work, if you will. As my one 3d artists mag issues has stated (and I paraphrase) "Your portfolio is only as good as your weakest piece."
If you're just looking to get your name out you could go poking around for contests. http://weeklycgchallenge.com/category/challenges/ is a well known one in the blender community. As for other cg sites polycount.com is a popular one for games. I know cgsociety.com is well known, but I don't know the current industry stance toward it.
Of course the usual, facebook, twitter, etc.
As for advice I offer the following consistent tips gleaned from years of youtube binging and digital/physical articles
-DO NOT ignore the importance of lighting
-Daily work gets you very very far even if it's just a few minutes a day
-It's not the software, it's the artist. (I hear this one especially when it comes to blender)
-Steal like an artist. That is to say, inspiration doesn't come out of thin air. Originality stems from somewhere.
I also noticed you're a level four (dang) with very few projects posted. I would imagine you have a good backlog of personal work. To end, I recommend just poking around google for some relevant sites, posting those and asking what the universe thinks. (I'm personally curious also)
Sorry if I rambled a little too much 😶
Happy blending
neode louhikarme Glad I read this thread. Whilst I don't think I'm there yet I feeling within a few months I'll be good enough to start putting my name out there so this is simultaneously informative and reassuring. Thanks guys.
Thanks for the responses, guys. Yes, I've taken a look at Artstation and I don't think I'm quite ready for an account there yet. Elsewhere, though, just for the sake of getting some artwork out there and getting feedback, I'm ready to start creating and posting some stuff. The challenges sound like a good idea, I hadn't considered those.
Not so sure polycount.com is for me. My personal interests and goals lay toward animation and/or VFX more than the game industry - though I think that vast majority of members here are indeed aiming for games. I suppose I wouldn't hurt myself learning the game pipeline as well anyway, since the material is here and I have access to it.
neode :
I also noticed you're a level four (dang) with very few projects posted. I would imagine you have a good backlog of personal work.
Sadly enough - not really! Everything I have done up to this point has all been coursework, or exercises, or CGC-related in some way. Even the two gallery projects I have posted so far, were done for CG Cookie classes. I've been learning and completing work well enough, but I've had trouble finding the confidence to start my own independent projects, having a lot of doubt that my work would be "good enough" to justify putting out there for people to see and critique. Thanks to this last live class though, I've think I've found that confidence, or the beginning of it anyway, and I'm already well into my first "personal" project and looking forward to posting it when it's done.
jakeblended Another way of putting stuff out there is going to r/Blender, I've gotten quite a bit of feedback there myself.