Working Hard..or Hardly Working?

Well half of us have just had our week 7 review and the other half are probably really not looking forward to theirs. The stark realisation that we just aren't working hard enough is the result of our assessments.

So the question I ask myself is am I working hard, or hardly working?
Up till now I thought I was working hard, but it clearly isn't enough. I'm doing OK in 3D but not so much in Visual Design and Critical studies so I want to take this opportunity to review myself and self-assess why that is.

3D
I've enjoyed 3D right from the first day and we made our Church, I found 3ds Max a new and interesting challenge with endless possibilities. I was daunted by the Dalek project but threw myself into it and felt I did a good job and learnt alot along the way. Our first project with texturing, the wheelie bin, also went well. I made 2 bin models as I wasn't happy with the first and spend several hours unwrapping trying to find different more affective ways of doing...stubbornly refusing to watch tutorials ¬.¬ I found making the textures relatively easy once I had the UV mapped out and was pleased with the overall outcome.

My Finished Wheelie Bin

 For the future - I need to be more careful with naming assets as its a basic procedure that is required for importing assets into a game engine, and something I should ingrain into myself at this early stage. I also need to accept my status as a n00b and just watch some damn tutorials! Despite the bin going well future projects are going to be more complex and I need to make sure I can unwrap a UV efficiently or I know I'm going to struggle down the line.

Visual Design
Despite not passing visual design in the assessment I feel I've personally made some improvements since I started. Visual Design is easily my weakest subject area and I don't have as much experience in it as I'd like. I've got quite frustrated by drawing over the last 6 weeks but think my approach and drawing technique has already changed. I'm pleased we haven't been using lots of different mediums and colours yet because I've enjoyed the opportunity to progress with pencil, a good foundation for later progression.

First week final

I think the problem I've had is time. It takes time and effort to improve and despite feeling I have put alot of time into my drawing so far but it just isn't enough. I can say 'I've been out drawing all day' but actual time spent with pencil to paper is less than I realise. I probably could say "I've done the 76 hours required" *smug face* but its not true. I've been outside all day several times with the good intention of spending it drawing, but then not really drawing for most of it, and that's just wasted time.

 Anyway 12 hours, 12 thumbnails and 1 final a week is minimum....who ever gets where they want to in life by doing the bare minimum. I'm not here to just about scrape by, I'm here to learn, improve and get where I want to be. Doing the minimum isn't going to be enough, so I'm going to have to increase those numbers to personal goals and then stick to them. So far I havent been dedicated enough to my work...the release of several big title games recently really hasnt helped...but playing games isnt going to make me better at making them. So I'm going to have to release Ive entered a new stage in my life, I can't just sit around and play games doing the minimum and expected to get by and magicily improve. If I ever want to be in the industry I have to manage myself better and accept that work needs to become what I do first thing in the morning and last thing at night...hopefully with an hour or two of games in there somewhere.

Critical Studies

Critical Studies and blog writing is something I thought I'd do OK in. I don't find writing a particularly difficult thing to do and when in the right mood quite enjoy it. But I was foiled again by thinking the bare minimum was ever going to be good enough. I play games, I watch films and then like most people I discuss it with other people, we review it with each other, comparing and analysing.
I just need to be writing it down and posting it up! I'm doing it everyday anyway but writing about it and posting is showing the active interest I have.
I don't have an excuse not to, I don't find it hard and it doesn't take too long.
So I just need to remember to do it...oh and add pictures heh...not everyone likes big blocks of writing.