Learn From Seniors 🧷

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I was helping a friend with a logo. She wanted some changes and asked me if it was tough to do. Because I worked on insane stuff in the past what she asked for was simple by comparison. I found this image I worked on in 1998, as an example. Was done in Illustrator. Before layers, transparencies, etc. It was really friggen tough. I can’t remember exactly why it was done in Illustrator.  And it sparked this post.

It brought up something that I feel is very important: us old folks know our stuff. It might be a good idea to listen to us. 

Some of my teachers made a HUGE impact on me. My high school English teacher had me read Brave New World. It was the birth of my love for SciFi. She had me read other books that ignited my life-long sense of curiosity and critical thinking. One of my college teachers, who taught me airbrushing, helped sharpen my love of movie posters. My design teacher showed me to draw what was there, not what I think is there. My photography teacher saw that I was color blind. So she had me concentrate on black and white.

All of my teachers and mentors had a life-long impact that I could not see at the time. I use what they taught me now every day, now. What they lacked (like layers) was made up in problem solving. They pave the way for me and I didn’t know it.

Remember, even DaVinci learned from his teachers.

AI Drama Cont 😤

 

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  

The image you see was assembled with the help of an AI tool. I assembled it for a couple of reasons: I wanted to be familiar with this AI tool as a pre-vis tool and I wanted to see if I could match the lighting in photography with a light rig. The AI tool did a pretty good job.

This blog post was inspired by some recent conversations I’ve had with various folks. 

The AI controversy continues. I’ll stick to my view: people who call themselves “AI Artists” is insulting. It minimizes the creative process and skill that took years for one to develope.

Would you want someone to do brain surgery on you because they have access to AI even though they’ve never done surgery? My guess is the answer would be “hell no”.

A person who attempted to copyright an image assembled with the help of AI, failed to copyright it. You can watch a vid that explains it here:

https://youtu.be/5WXvfeTPujU?si=P_yXfQZSmwOf9ROT

I’ll be noting the games and film industry, which I’m familiar with: it takes a great deal to complete a game or a film. Writers, producers, programmers, artists, audio-designers/musicians, etc. are making choices in their craft to creatively finish their tasks at hand. They rely on their training to come up with unique solutions to problems that AI CAN’T develop on its own.

I follow a photographer who tests new hardware and software geared to photography. She was able to swap a sky in one photo with another sky shot she took (with a similar lighting) and using AI in the software she was testing. The final photo turned out great. Because she took the alternate sky photo, all art is hers. AI helped her with the composite. Totally cool. In this case AI is helping the artist in a very tough task. IMHO this is a very valid use of AI. It helped with images SHE made, ergo, the art IS hers. AI will be incorporated in the average software we use to help speed up our work. That is a given. When AI is used responsibly AI can be a boon.

AI tools can be used with abuse.

My son talks about other students who write term papers using AI. Yet, the students can’t string a paragraph together that makes sense, on average. Fortunately, their teacher saw this and the students were called out. 

There is no shortcut to genuine critical thinking, dicipline, creativity, and honed skills.

Muscle Memory 💪

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

It takes time and dedication to learn anything new. When you start anything that you've never done before it's frustrating. After a while you'll want to give up and not understand how other people do the same thing with such ease. Well, I'm sure they started with similar frustrations. The main difference between you and the expert is time. It takes about 10,000 hours to be good at something. As an industry pro you have to learn many tools in order to do your daily tasks. What we have to do now is way above what was available 10 years ago, let alone 20 years ago.

I remember starting with a really bad drawing that my mom framed and hung over her fireplace. Ugh. I hate looking at it now. New artists may only draw stick figures. Big deal. New coders may only be able to get the computer to write back "hello". And? Everyone starts somewhere. Do you remember learning to walk? What about learning to use a bike? Eventually these things can be done without thinking about doing it. Muscle memory is developed.

With enough time and dedication almost any skill can be achieved and you wont have to think about it. When I teach someone how to model the extent of their abilities at the beginning is a simple snowman where they have to think about every step on how to achieve a simple goal. A year later they can create very good models. Years later they can create elaborate CG scenes. You’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come in whatever you’re doing. It just takes time. 

The Hourglass Principal ⏳

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I’ve told this to my students from experience in myself  and colleagues. I call it “The Hourglass Principal”. When you start in whatever, the choices are endless. The goal appears to be across a massive gulf. Eventually, things get easier. Then, it gets really tough, even though you know how and what to navigate. Eventually, after the toughest part passes, things get easier. Then the options seem endless, and you begin to flounder because there are too many options. You may even overdo things. The same can be said in buisness

When I was in the game industry I did my best to not encounter this by testing the items I made and asking other people to look at my tests to make sure I stopped at some point. I rely on others to double check me in order to not work on something forever. I also watch others in their efforts getting through their hourglass. This will help develope knowing what is “good enough”.

It takes a great deal of time to develope the skills to know when to stop. It also takes patience as you will mess up.

And that’s ok, so long as you learn.

Respect is Earned 😇

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

Just because someone has been in the industry a long time does not mean they deserve respect. Respect must be eared (and given). Treating coworkers like garbage will only get you so far, and word travels fast.

I've known art/creative directors who think they are the top shit and expect to be revered. Even worshiped. I've seen people looking for their first jobs melting down into fanboys/fangirls when they meet the industry folks they revere. I’ve known junior artist, who happen to have good talent, expect to be respected and worshiped. Some of these folks (junior and senior) can't even do the simplest art tasks. Especially for what they are demanding from others.

It's wise, from the onset, to treat each other with grace and dignity. Don't get me wrong, Its alright to admire someone, especially if that person is your senior. So long as there is a mutual exchange of respect. Mutual respect goes a very long way.

Your First 👎

 Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

I encouraged my students to save images of the first item they modeled and not look at it for 6 months. Then look at it after. The reaction is always the same. Disbelief and shock that they made such a rotten model. This is important as it will demonstrate concretely how far one has come. and where one will be many years from now. I showed them a photo of the fist drawing I did in school and how much it sucked compared to my graduation images. Today, I can hold my own with pros (while I look at things I made a few years ago (and cringe).

It's not fair to yourself to compare your work (code, film, models, paintings, etc.) with high end pros. You won't be as good as them at the moment. And that's ok. It's good to favor them. To admire them. To emulate them. Learning their techniques will help develop your own. 

Remember: they all started just like you. DaVinci was not born with his skills. He had to start somewhere. He sucked when he started. It took years to develop his style.

You will develop your own style. Who knows. At some point someone will look at your work and be inspired by it 😊

Be The Change 👁️

Onegai shimasu (おねがい します)  🙇

Let's face it. Ours is a unique industry. While you're in it you will meet a wide assortment of people who like different things and have different view points. I’ve met good and brilliant people. And I’ve worked with assholes.

First off, this is becoming a very open and welcoming industry more and more. It’s becoming less and less of a “good old boy network”. There are more women and LGBTQ+ entering the industry than when I started. It’s growing more every day on all fronts. And it's awesome 😁

75% of my VFX class were women. About 1/2 of the Game Art class were women. It was about 20% women in the Programming Class (and growing every year). Culturally, all these classes are very diverse, and were getting more so.

Diversity can't be escaped. Yet sometimes someone can cause a problems. They will attempt to take it out on you, no matter who you are. I had the misfortune to have to work with elitist types. All I could do is respect their work and keep going. I don’t know where they are now. And I don’t care. 

It is the things that you WILL and WILL NOT do that will always speak as to what kind of person that you are (what you will of won’t do will ALWAYS come back to you). Sometimes, all a person needs is a little help. 
Or, said person may need to complete the struggle on their own, and they just need room. Don't carry a burden for them. This can be very difficult to detect in yourself.

This industry is getting more unaccepting of bigotry. I know that there are still issues everywhere. Personally, I’d rather be a part of the solution. And I really believe in starting with yourself. No need to attempt to change the world (you’d go mad). Just your corner of it. You’d be very surprised at how far the effects will ripple.