Thursday, 12 February 2009

This is how I became involved in 3D Art

Is there something you do regularly, at the heart of you that you would feel a lesser being without? It may be music, sport, work, art tools or software? I’ll be asking that question at the end of this post. I looked back the other day in my blog to discuss how I came to use filter forge – one of the programs I use most on my PC, both as a tool and recreationally. If you read the other post on how I used it in my own self prescribed art therapy then you will have realised that I have an emotional and well-being links to my artwork and the programs I use. As a result of that I discovered I wanted to disclose the path I took to use the 3D programs I use regularly. So it all started with me having a sort of story in my head with quite distinct pictures, I have developed this a bit more over at TheRailwaychild.com, but not as much as I should have due to time constraints. I really could do with a 55 hour day and only need 2 hours sleep, and a 3 day weekend away from work (or not work at all!). The story idea and main thread came about after a short burst of mentor/counselling I had. So I had pictures in my head. I have a natural ability to draw, and a good degree of training but the pictures in my head this time I knew were not going to be satisfied with what I can produce with my own hands so I waited and they were in my head developing and growing, the ideas pushing on with no outlet that was satisfying. A few weeks into this I opened my PC Pro magazine and there was a give-away of Bryce 5 – I always have installed such packages and never seem undeterred that my experience is often poor and that if I don’t “get it” in the first half hour then I stop and give up. My computer gaming is the same. I won’t persevere unless I can completely foresee that I could with some effort make it work and fun for me. Bryce somehow clicked and I was excited I could immediately make something and it looked stunning. So I read the manual (yeah I bet loads of people ditch software without even reading the manual) and I went to the website of the company who had just taken it on and were now giving it away. Daz3d. From that website Daz3D.com I instantly realised that they not only had a cheap upgrade to Bryce 6 from 5 but they had a whole stash of wonderful things (people, trees, vehicles) that were precisely what I needed to get the pictures out of my head and in a format I could share with others. It was like walking into a little software paradise. If I put my business head on here and look at what happened to my experience I can only congratulate Daz on their business sense in their ability to realise that giving something away (loss to them) would lead me to spend loads of money with them (leader). Bryce 5 was a loss leader for Daz. So glad I took it. In my next post I want to develop my stages through various software packages and how I use them. I’d love to know how you came to be connected with the tools you use. Is it pure business or is there an emotionally affinity. This does not have to be about art or software either. Is there something you do regularly that is at the heart of you that you would feel a lesser being without. It may be music, sport, work, art tools or software?