CG Artists: Let Your Team ‘Add Value’

What Has Twitter Done For You?

Connecting with your fellow professionals is important in the CG Industry, when you connect and build up a relationship with others in the same industry, it allows you to see things from a different perspective.

Twitter (in my opinion) has proven to be a fantastic and effective platform for CG Artist to connect, build relationships, network, share ideas, share tips/techniques and all much more exciting stuff.

Twitter is so many things, it’s a central HUB for people to announce pointless things, such as ‘I just got in the bath’, ‘I’m picking my nose’ and other stupid stuff, but it’s also very ‘value adding’.

There are tonnes of CG Artists adding value on Twitter, sharing tutorials, CG News, looking for work…Twitteris a discussion board, a forum, a chat, it can be whatever you want it to be.

The reach Twitterhas is extraordinary, you can ask a question and expect a reply from people that aren’t even on your follow list, this is because on some occasions some of your followers spread the word by RT (Re Tweeting) your questions to ‘their’ followers, and the followers of ‘their’ followers, exponentially until the question, which (in your eyes) was only intended for a few hundred people, can be seen by thousands.

Now that’s a very powerful reach.

I personally have met some very good people (CG Artists and other) through the use of Twitter and I can say that a few of them, have opened me up to a world that has literally changed my life, Twitter has given me the chance to connect with my fellow professionals and individuals who share the same passion and outlook on life as I do.

I have grown as an artist by interacting with my followers on a level I wasn’t presented with in any ‘forum’ format, Twitter has given me a platform to create CGTweetUP, which is a CG Networking community aimed at helping  CG Artists / Digital Artists to better connect and build relationships with their fellow professionals.

For me Twitter has a very strong CG community which is thriving and one I hope to add value.

If you’re a CG Artist, Digital Artist, VFX Artist and you’re not on the Twitter Train, YOU’RE MISSING OUT!

There are some very approachable, WORLD CLASS talented Artists out there ready to connect with you, so what are you waiting for?

Sign up for an account today, introduce yourself to your fellow professional roaming Twitter and make the most out of this amazing and FREE networking TOOL.

The opportunities which will present themselves will be endless.

What Has Twitter Done For You?

Doug Hogan Interview - Lead Nuke Compositor @ SpeedShape

Hi Everyone,

Here is the Doug Hogan Video Interview I promised, CG Artist, Aspiring Compositors and anyone interested in CG Art must watch this interview.

Doug, gives some great advice about breaking into the CG Industry, he talks about his Lead Nuke Compositor role at VFX Studio Speedshape, the programs he uses and a whole bunch of other REALLY cool stuff!

Watch this Video Interview with Doug Hogan, Lead Nuke compositor working out VFX Studio Speedshape.

Check out the finished spot for Transformers 2 - enjoy!

‘Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen’ Camaro TV Spot from Doug Hogan on Vimeo.

Here is some other cool stuff Doug and VFX Studio Speedshape have created

Mustang Burnout (Part 1) from Doug Hogan on Vimeo.

Mustang Burnout (Part 2) from Doug Hogan on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoyed this interview.

Special thanks goes to Doug Hogan for giving up his time to be interviewed.

Doug Hogan (Video Interview) *UPDATE*

Hi Everyone

I apologise to my all my visitors and to Doug for not uploading his Video Interview, I’m having major problems with my FTP server tonight and I’m working hard to resolve the issue.

I aim to get the Doug Hogan Video Interview uploaded as soon as I can get the problem resolved.

again,  I apologise

Anthony Filice

CGTweetUP London Update:

 

CG Artist Community

 Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to give you an update on CGTweetUP London, CGTweetUP London will have some fantastic guest speakers attending this event on the 25th of September, if you’re an aspiring CG Artist, VFX Artist, Matte Painter, Concept Artist or anyone who wants to work within Visual Effects or Games Industry, CGTweetUP is the place you need to be. 

One of our guest speakers will be ‘Award Winning’ CG Artist, Ian Wharton a Director at The Mill (The Mill is a world renowned, Oscar-winning visual effects company, based in London, New York and LA, which specialises in high-end VFX.)

 Ian will be speaking about his role at The Mill, some of the Art Direction he’s done at The Mill in the past year, about Directing CG Jobs,  and some other really good content.

 

 We Also have Escape Studios interested in giving a talk, I’m sure you have all heard of  Escape Studios and what they do for the CG Community, (if you don’t know who Escape Studios is, here is a little extract from their website) Escape is one of the most successful and well-respected CG academies in the world. We’re the proving ground for a new generation of computer graphics stars breaking into film, TV, games and commercials. We’re a vibrant community of professional artists. We’re a unique outsourcing resource for leading CG studios. We’re a specialist creative recruitment agency for entertainment, advertising, architecture and manufacturing businesses. We’re an authority on all things CG, offering informed opinions on cutting-edge creative, commercial and political issues. We’re host of the acclaimed Escape talent awards. We’re a specialist IT consultancy and technology store. We are all of these things. We are CG. We are Escape Studios. 

 I’m a huge fan of what Escape Studios does for the CG community and it’s a real honour having them as guest speakers at this event.

 If you’re attending CGTweetUP London on the 25th of Sept@ Parker Mcmillan and you have some friends or colleagues who would be interested, let them know about this growing CG community (make sure they sign up though) - they can’t miss the chance to meet these fantastic people and be part of the CGTweetUP community.

 If you have any suggestion for CGTweetUP,  please let me know and I’ll do my best to make it the best possible event for all who attend.

I look forward to your comments and to meeting you in person.

Thanks guys,

Anthony Filice

*more CGTweetUP updates coming soon*

CG Artists: When to Hold or Fold Ideas

MudBox Tutorial - Wayne Robson

Hi everyone

Today I thought I’d share an amazing Mudbox Masterclass tutorial by no other than CGTweetUP member, Wayne Robson.

Wayne Robson is an awesome Mudbox Artist, just check out some of the cool stuff he does in this Mudbox timelapse tutorial.

Enjoy the video and tune in for more tutorials next week.

Mudbox 2k9 ‘Requiem’ Dutch Masterclass timelapse from Wayne Robson on Vimeo.

If you have any suggestion as to what tutorials you’d like to see here at CGArtistDaily.com please let me know and I’ll do my best to get them for you.

To see more tutorials by Wayne Robsonand MudBox check out MudBoxHub

Special THANKS goes to Wayne Robson who let me post this video on CGArtistDaily.com today.

Thanks for visiting

Anthony

Are you the Pencil or the Artist?

Are you the Pencil or the Artist?

Are you the ‘Pencil’ or ‘Artist’?

 

Artist Mastermind Groups

What is a Mastermind Group?

Some of history’s most successful businessman, such as Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison and Henry ford used the concept of mastermind to achieve the great success that they did. Napoleon Hill’s 1937 classic Think and Grow Rich states “No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind].”

A Mastermind Group is where a group of like-minded individuals form a team and leverage each of the member’s skills to achieve a common goal or simply leverage the skills of others to achieve your goals. 

Each member is an expert in a specific role/skill which will be fundamental to the success of the group in order to achieve the set goal. 

As part of a Mastermind Group and having such a fundamental role, you are accountable for your actions and involvement. Not being on the ball or not pulling your weight can easily cause the group to fail. The fact that you are accountable for your mistakes raises the bar to new heights, your quality of work gets better and you become more focused.

It is imperative that each member in the group trusts one another, respects one and other on a personal and professional level, each member knows their role and that the goals are set well in advance.  Having all these qualities creates perfect group harmony which is integral to obtaining success.

What is the purpose?

Every artist I know has one or more projects they are working on and although they can create a visual image of what they want to create, they do not have the skills to complete each necessary individual task. So begins the slow and time consuming labor of learning all the necessary programs to produce the work which will make up the end vision.

There are thousands upon thousands of artists out there each looking for like-minded artists to form creative alliances. Although each member will have differing perspectives and unique experiences when approaching the tasks, they will all share the willingness to work and add value to a common goal.

The overall goal for an artist would be to create a body of work which holds real artistic value, innovation and to be unique in a cramped uninspiring industry stifled by profits or corporate massaging. 

If you have been working for a company/house for many years and you feel that your creative flair is not being used to its full potential, you should consider joining a mastermind group for CG artists.

How can it help me as an artist? 

As a member of a Mastermind Group you will be able to bounce ideas off one person to another on a regular basis. Receiving unbiased comments is another benefit which help towards the growth of you and your group members.

This raises the bar to new heights and it creates definite purpose and meaning to your goals.

By speaking and spending time with talented artists with different skills sets, you become knowledgeable of their skills, this allows you to constantly learn as you progress towards the goal.

 

 

You can finally work on a project that is thought up by artists with similar mindsets and goals and as you work towards these goals you will create a body of work which is not compromised by money or corporate structure.

A Mastermind Group is where a group of likeminded individuals form a team and leverage each of the member’s skills to achieve a common goal or simply leverage the skills of others to achieve your goals.

The experience you get by being part of a mastermind group will only serve you well in the future. It raises your quality bar to new heights, it gives you self confidence, it gives you voice, and it allows you to network with other artists.

Where can I find a Mastermind Group?

The Internet is full of artist looking to create Mastermind Groups; I have set up www.CGartistDaily.com as a hub for Mastermind Groups and artist collaborations.

 

What is your biggest strength and weakness – Could you use that to decide what you want out of a Mastermind Group? 

Using Social Media to Gain Exposure

A decade ago trying to gain exposure in any career was a difficult task. It was difficult to get the word out quickly, difficult to coordinate action and difficult to grow quickly.

  

 Before the Internet it was hard to connect                                                The Internet eliminates geography

with large amounts of people                                                         

                                                                                                                                  

In the last decade however many things about marketing have dramatically changed such as how we do it, where we do it, and how many people we can target.

 

So what has changed? Firstly, we now have one the most powerful devices in the world…the Internet!

 

The introduction of the Internet and the tools that have evolved from it, such as Social Media applications like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and various other community hubs, now give you the opportunity to connect with whoever you want, whenever you want and wherever you want with very little effort.

 

 

The Internet has give us the opportunity to connect with whoever we want, where ever we want whenever we want.                                                   

 

Communication with your audience is immediate, it is cheap (if not free) and you have the chance to communicate with most of the modern world all at the same time. Now that is powerful!

 

Most Facebook, MySpace and Twitter users see these applications as a mere social median. They use it just to meet friends and to communicate with existing ones, but then there are other people. These people see social media as a way to build an audience which they can leverage, exchange ideas with and help.

 

Twitter, gives you the opportunity to search and connect with others and to spread your work, instantly! If you’re a concept artist looking to show your work off and you only have 20 people following you, then you will only have 20 people reading your updates or clicking on your threads, cultivate your audience, start following people you may be able to help, or may inspire you, don’t just add anyone to your list, always give first and receive later.

 

Imagine you are an artist, and you post some work on Facebook just to your friends, one of your friend’s think it’s cool so he/she sends it to another friend (which is not on your friends list). From one friend to another you might have gone through several hundred before they lost interest, but in the meantime a buzz was created, that was just with one friend, image having several hundred friends. 

 

Using Facebook pages to promote your work can be immensely powerful, the amount of people who share the same interest as you are in great numbers. Go out and find them!

 

Google loves all these social media hubs, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter (just to mention a few), all get into Google search result quicker than any other website you create. I’m not suggesting you NOT create a website, but definitely use social networking to generate interest, followings and admirers, because all these things will bring traffic to your website and when you get traffic to your website it’s because you have something other people want to see, want to hear, or want to buy.

A good product will spread through social media networks quicker than anywhere else. If there is something remarkable it won’t stay hidden for too long and there is a good chance you will receive it in an email within days. That is the beauty of the internet and social media; everything is out in the open. The larger your audience is and the larger it will get.

If you’re worth talking about, you will gain momentum and your viewer base will grow and when your viewer base grows, you are able to expose your skills.

The tools to successfully market you or your product online are all there, but that’s not enough, action is required to set the cogs in motion. Tapping into the power of all these social media can be the difference between success and failure. If you don’t ‘get’ social media, it’s about time you did. 

       

             

Are you using Social Media applications to gain exposure for your service or talents or are you using social media applications to connect with old friends?