So now that everyone is experiencing the COVID-19 epidemic, and everyone has to stay indoors all day long: Everyone has an amazing opportunity to upskill. And I took a good opportunity to learn Blender so It can become gradually the main modeling tool to be used.

Now I have fully taken comfort at knowing what is most of the Modelling Tools in Blender, how to set up Materials. Learned a fuck-load of shortcuts. I think I now know more shortcuts in Blender than Max due to its nature to so shortcut responsive. Next in the tutorial that I am following I'll learn how to set up Particles and Lighting. https://academy.cgboost.com/p/blender-2-8-launch-pad 

After I get really comfortable in Blender, Ideally to a level that I can be Mid going towards being an expert. I need to consider where I take my self as an artist to focus.

Looking for work has been incredibly hard due to the massive amount of competition out there (you guys are so freaking amazing!). And now it is becoming a trend that unless you are amazing at doing one thing (Prop/Environment artist), you need a second set of skills that comes along with what you can do as a role as an artist with many hats.

Some models I have been doing in Blender following a tutorial

I have been applying to so many jobs out there that either ask that you can do: animations, characters, or provide examples of making full fleshed out Environments. And I can't do either of that. I have done some basic characters and I have done some simple animations. But it is not enough. So when I finish learning Blender as I become a Mid from a beginner. I have thought of the following options. But I would love of course in time to be able to do all of them just well enough to be able to do it if it comes to it. 

So the options are:

1. Be fucking good at making environments and this composes of: 
   • Learn Speed Tree. Making procedural trees is just a must.
   • Learn Gaea. It is a recent terrain editor that just looks insane.
   • Master Substance Designer. By Master is, be able to create procedural textures of any type of form by following any real-life example and re-create it within Designer. Maybe follow 5 different examples and recreate it.
      
2. Be insanely fantastic at just making props of all kinds and levels
   • Learn Hard and Soft surface skills
   • Make tonnes of hard surface objects
   • Be a master at Substance Painter
   • Learn to be decent in Mari
     
     
3. Be decent at making Characters (Modelling):
   • Learn Anatomy. I can follow something like Proko and be a gun.
   • Master Zbrush. I am pretty comfortable with Zbrush and I love it. But if I am going to get super good at it. I might need to breathe in Zbrush to have an edge. And while at it after I learn Proko well do an anatomy studies in Zbrush.
   • Get comfortable with Marvellous. I mean, be able to know to do some common patterns and think as a fashion designer when I create clothes and costumes.
   • Do a bunch of Characters (I can definitely do that in a project where there's is a number of characters that has to be done)
   • Learn how topology should flow in characters, especially in the face, Ear, and then down the body with rigging in mind.
     
     
4. Be a comfortable Animator and Rigger. By comfortable, it means just good enough to do basic indy projects. But also be able to grow and do better if I get in bigger projects as a sole Animator or Rigger.
   • Follow a number of tutorials that fully focus on being able to animate
   • Learn to create Character controllers in Unity.
   • Be able to learn how to rig both humanoid and animals
   • Do a basic collection of types of animations to know (walk cycle, run cycle, shoot, dodge, etc)
     
     

So you can see why I had to do this list. A magic wishful list of things that I would fucking love to do. However, there is no way I can learn all of these things, right away, overnight. But I think it is very important to pick your battles and eventually be able to reach where you want to be. In the last few years, I have been trying to do all of these things here and there, but never good enough to be amazing at it or to show that I can do it. 

I am mostly terrified at being a good rigger/animator, followed by being great at anatomy. 

But after following this impossible list closely I think the smartest order to pick follows: Number 1, 2, 3 and then 4.

So to rephrase, be fucking good at Environments, Then make some amazing examples of Hard Surface Modelling with Mari. Followed closely with making some characters. And then do rigs and animations for them. 

But I think this whole list and following it, it is a fantasy. But it is not a fantasy by starting to focus on just one of it at a time. And sticking to it until it is finished. That is the point of this blog post. To break it down at one thing at a time. 

I do have intention in creating up Blog Posts on how I make a forest environment. I still haven't picked what Biome or Area to do. It has to be easy and simple so I do not find it overwhelming, but at the same time, It would be good to have a good list of Plants/Flowers/Bushes and Photographs so I can follow it as closely as I can. 

This assignment would be focused primarily that I can make a realistic environment. I will focus on making it pre-rendered first and then finding methods on optimizing it for a game environment. 

If you have read this, perhaps it is time for you to consider: What is your Career Skill Road? Do you want to refine some fundamentals? or do you want to stir in a different direction? add an accent? Focus on creating some Portfolios? Now it is such a fascinating time to Just do that. Make a plan and press the start button!

So now that I got a small gap, I finally took courage to Dig a really old portfolio piece that I started some time ago. I was very ambitious with this project, but I wanted to make something that felt that the entirety of it felt hand-made. At the end of work and just laziness I never got to finish it.

I would like to however give another shot at this work of progress Piece and see if I can finish it for once an all so I can clear my space to make a new piece.

I'll see if I can show progress Next by Introducing some windows for the Tower, Some Preview Rocks, And a tree.

I added a ground with the aid of Quixel's Megascans but I did not just "slap it in" I did Load the tool in Zbrush. Smoothed and Stylized some of the details as it is a very Stylized Piece. Did some color corrections to replicate to the colors of the Illustration. 

Bottom Door Piece. I haven't shown this to anyone yet but I worked on this a few months ago alongside this other version of the Upper Door.

I am honestly pretty new with Unreal. So after I do the remaining pieces I may learn deeply how to create materials for Terrains and how to introduce foliage with brushes. I hope I can show you the next update soon.

I understand that the piece has its problems but I will make amendments after the entirety of the pieces is in place. And currently, I am not really looking for feedback until it is complete and then I desire to make further changes.

Problems that I am aware:

• Bricks have an odd "ring" AO on them ( have just edited the pieces that have this linework to make it substantially less dark )
• Pieces have unique textures but they could benefit from simply having a repeating texture and using vertex color to make color differences.
• "its too much rock" Let the Eye rest
• Post-processing effect is "too pink"

https://polycount.com/discussion/152156/jabberwocky-tower-ut4 

Concept art  by Graeme Base

Been Experimenting with doing a very basic and common Lighting Exercise. This is however real-time and the lighting is baked on to the mesh. I have used a really neat and recommended plugin for Unity. (Bakery)

I would like to at least make another 2 or 3 lighting (and basic) Scenarios and play with lighting a little bit. Any suggestions are welcome as long as they are plain and focus on Lighting.

Most of the time was used to get the lighting look correct... Looking forward to keeping experimenting.

Although I must confess that I am really happy with my website and I have put a lot of time and dedication to it, it is becoming to a realization that perhaps the time it takes for maintenance and also the performance issues is perhaps, best, to realize that it is ok to move across.

It will take some time as I am still working as a freelancer. And I will move the job's that I have done across eventually one by one.

I always considered Artstation too cool to be part of it, as the works seen on here is always so spectacular. But It is ok to finally jump the wagon.

My Blog is more of a Work-In-Progress kind of Blog and I think that is ok! I'll show you a screen-shot of what AI mean.

I have been really busy doing freelancing in a lot of areas that I can't share work but I am getting really itchy to do some amazing things.

Currently, I am doing an Augmented Reality Map for tourism in Victoria (Australia) and I am pretty excited to get it finished to I can show you better Progress.

Wanted to show some client work that I have been doing in the past month on my Sketchbook, I have been working for Carlton Union Breweries, Foodworks, and Abbotsford Convent.

I am doing a 4D app with Phoria at the moment, before and after in the land of Abbotsford Convent.

Might do some tree and bushes cards but after we do some testing and implementing

Did some animations for AR for Plattar

I did not texture/model the machine however This is just to show how the infographics animate around the model in 3D

So I just realized, although I have been pretty busy with freelancing work, I am barely posting the stuff I am doing lately. I wonder why? well to be honest, maybe it is not crazy exciting work? Or I do not feel like entitled to show? or maybe it is not good enough to show? But I would like to change this. I have a website that I am pretty proud of. And I would like to use the Sketchbook Book to show exactly that. Work in Progress shots that are simply ordinary and simple work. Does not have to be mona lisa. But I would still like to show that I am active and doing a bunch of stuff.

Projects I have been working for Plattar: make a Product showcase for an Olive Oil with a cooking recipe animation in Augmented Reality, and an Engineering company doing some animated infographics.
I have also been working for Phoria, making a before/after scenario for a gallery in construction in Abbotsford Convent.

I converted scan dense complicated data into Low poly to use for Mobile and then created a variation on what it would look life after it has been repaired and use for functions and Galleries.

In the meantime I have also been making a world map view of the convent to complement with the Laundry, an art style is still in need to be set for the map view.

I might show some work in progress shots for the other projects I have worked for. Keep tuned!

Wanted to give a bump on talking a bit more about what Paco has been going through in the past four or so months.

I have been incredibly busy all for the right reasons! And I wanted to give a summary of different things that I have been working lately:

Since coming back from Spain in 2017 I…

• Did render compositions for Library State of Victoria
• Did a VR Road environment for Vic Roads
• Worked on a VR Interactive Documentary called: A thin black line
• Worked in an AR project for a Foam and Shaving company
• Did a fantastic 4 week project making a Xmas AR experience for City of Melbourne
• Worked on an VR project for A shoe store in Paris
• Did two experimental AR projects for HM Group
• Did a virtual table set for Provincial and Plattar
• Doing an AR Architecture app for Crown Casino
• And while in between I have done a Game Jam and also worked on my side project with my team on Time Frame

So I must say it has been a beautiful year and I hope I can give out more updates to keep you up to date.