Theft 👎🏽

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I may have said this before. I REALLY believe this:

Plagiarism is theft. Simple. I’ve been in the industry a very long time. And I’ve seen way too many people attempt to pass on another person's hard work as their own. One time, a friend was reviewing a portfolio with it’s artist there. Only to come across her own art being passed off as the interviewee’s pro art. Needless to say, it did not go well for the interviewee. My friend conducted herself professionally and let the interviewee dig his own grave. 

When I was teaching we conducted interviews of potential students. One of my fellow teachers was very suspicious of a 3D piece and asked to see the original. Needless to say, after the piece was inspected the candidate was rejected with prejudice and it was recorded why.

In the industry plagiarism is one of the ultimate sins. In fact, plagiarism anywhere is a very bad thing that WILL come back on the person who commuted it. Especially if they are expected to replicate it or its quality.

Remember, it not only the theft of the item. It’s the theft of the hard work leading up to the item that was put into it by the originator of the item. Additionally, it’s the theft of the years of schooling and , potentially, pro work done by the originator.

And you never know who will see it. 

Like the person who created it.

Enlightenment 🌟

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I am firmly convinced the world is entering a new Age of Enlightenment. Call it Renaissance 2.0. It’s going to be very painful to get there. Some people will not want the world to change. 

We will be able to understand each other more easily. New tools are being developed all the time.

What dose that mean for us as digital artists?

It’s a bit of a double edge sword:

The new tools will make creating art much easier to make!

Some people in charge will see this as you being able to deliver art faster or make more art, aka, more work. 

If the person in charge understands you as an artist, new tools simply mean that you’ll be able to do your work better.

For artists, AI is not to be feared. It’s, currently, a tool. Like a paint brush or a pencil. AI is written by humans, and humans are limited. It can’t be creative. Artists will ALWAYS be creative. That is something AI can’t touch.

I’ve played with some image making AI tools. It’s really bloody tough! The final result is only as good as the input from a human. Even then, I had to go in and adjust the final to my specs.

I don’t think that the “machine overlords” will take over creativity. Artist will remain for sure.

We are made for creation 😬🖌️

Normal Map Tut for Affinity

 Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I usually don't post any tutorials. However, I found that it was very tough to find a decent tutorial concerning the proper blend of normal maps for Affinity Photo. It took a couple of weeks to figure out the right way to do this in Affinity. So I decided to share what I learned. I can't make a vid due to my vocal disability. Hope this works for you. Please contact me with any questions.

Affinity Photo Norm Tut:

A simple overlay of the detail layer is ineffective as the result is a washed out blue channel and the z-depth info is flattened. This way is inaccurate.

For those of us in the industry that don’t use Photoshop/Substance and want to blend normal detail into a standard normal map, the following will be of good use. This uses layers in Affinity Photo and is very easy.

Start with 2 normal maps: a standard main normal and a detailed normal.

When you start, always remember to duplicate the base layer you're going to manipulate.

Remember the basic of how normals are determined in 2D space: x, y, z = r, g, b

• You will need to use the Layer Pallet in order to control the layer type. You will also need to use the Channels Pallet to manipulate the rgb channels. You’ll need to create the Spare Channels here in order to properly manipulate the rgb channels. I like think of the Spare Channels as an extra clip loaded with the right greyscale/white image ammo to be used upon the correct rgb channel.

• Open the normal map that needs normal detail. This will be it’s own untouched layer and the foundation.

• Bring in the detail normal on a new layer. Set it below the foundation normal layer so its hidden so that its ready to be used and hidden.

• Duplicate the Detail Normal image twice and group them above the main Normal layer. Rename this group layer to something appropriate. You’ll be able to change the opacity of this group layer of the details to your liking.

• Now for some organization:

• Rename the two duplicated detail layers so that they make sense to you.

• I renamed mine to r/g_overlay (red/green channels overlay layer) and b_multiply (blue channel multiply layer).

• Make a fill layer as the top layer (this will be temporary) with medium grey (128, 128, 128).

• Make a fill layer as the top layer (this will be temporary) with white. This will be the top layer.

• Select the topmost visible fill layer:

• Select the red, green, or blue channel (they should all be the same level of grey/white).

• Right click the r, g, or b channel and select Create Spare Channel. A new spare channel will appear.

• Right click it,  rename the channel (to keep organized).

• Delete the topmost fill layer that corresponds with the color you made the Spare Channel for.

• Repeat the above steps for the next Fill Layer.

• Select the first Detailed Layer dupe (r/g_overlay):

• Select the white Spare Channel,

• Right Click and select Load To r/g_overlay Blue

• Set this layer to Overlay (this image should have the Blue Channel as white).

• Select the next Detailed Layer dupe (b_multiply):

• Select the grey Spare Channel,

• Right Click and select Load To b_multiply Red

• Right Click and select Load To b_multiply Green

• Set this layer to Multiply (this image should have the Red/Green Channels as grey).

• The final result is the normal image now has detail where the opacity of the detail can be controlled.

 The steps ablove seem lengthy, yet after doing this a couple of times it will get very fast.

Its always best to keep the original layered master file in case changes need to be made.

Adaptability ⚡️

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I’ve had this happen: you have a very well researched plan and will execute it exactly. Then something goes wonky and your beautifully made plan is destroyed. 

It’s ok to be angry and frustrated. It’s human. There are a few things to keep in mind:

You’re going to screw up and you’re not in a bubble. Others can see and hear you. Exploding with adverse emotions in public can have a negative effect on others. Especially if you’re a lead. The folks you manage will end up emulating you. Once I made a huge mistake, where my plans imploded, in a game company. It put a hold on progress for the whole studio. I was managing 5 junior artists at the time. I was able to correct my mistake rapidly and things returned to normal within a very short amount of time. Things in the studio proceeded as if nothing happened. The artists I was managing kept working like nothing happened. I did notice how they were observing me, though. I wanted to stay calm and they did so.

Being adaptable and appear to be chill in whatever industry you’re in is a must. Skills you can only develope over time with experience. Throwing a tantrum in public will not help. What will help is to continue to do the best you can. Even if you’re screaming inside 😬

Offer and Accept Help 🙏

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

One of the items that came up relating to this blog is that there will be times that you will need help, no matter what industry you’re in. And it will happen. There is no shame in getting the help you need to save an issue. Especially one that can be solved by other person rather quickly. One person can't do everything. I'm not a coder, yet a coder may have a good solution in short time. Or someone may have some across the same issue you have and may know the solution. 

I needed help while I was reaching in order to finish a lesson so I could present it. One of the other teachers had a brilliant solution that sped up the fishing of the lesson. In fact, I was able to incorporate what I learned not only into the lesson, I was able to incorporate it into my standard personal work flow.

It’s important to have the final goal of the project in mind, Not just what you’re working on at the moment. There are always going to be a lot more things happening around you that need a bit of help too. You’re never the only one that needs help.

Rewarding 🏆

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I've seen this way too often in the industry: a person's goal is to win an award. That really is the wrong attitude to have. It's self centered and myopic. Your team will never do a good enough job in your eyes and and you'll always miss something important because you'll be obsessed with your own vision of how it will look/sound/feel. In the industry, there were times where a college only cared about what lay beyond the end goal. o the point they ignored issues right in front of them! And it caused the team a great deal of problems.

The goal is to make the best product you can as part of a team. 

Rewards are temporary. The experience will bring you to the next level of your career.

I recently got a small dose of this when I learned that a game I worked on over 20 years ago just won a Peabody Award! I had no idea it was submitted for review! My goal was never to get any awards. It was to make the best art I could and to work seamlessly with a talented team. 

All else was gravy. Even if the gravy is over 20 years old 😏

https://youtu.be/MfndfjyrTe8

Was away

 Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I had to be away for a while due to health issues. I will be back more frequently with new posts.