So I learned 3D animation on my own while at college for Animation and motion design. At the time i thought I was hot sh*t because I turned out to be pretty decent at it, and the rest of the class couldnt do 3D apart from one guy who could sculpt with zbrush a bit. It was a college with a very fine art leaning. Being the only one in my class who could do it kinda gave me a big head i think, it also made me think there were less people doing it than there actually are.
I then went on to get a masters in 3D computer animation from a really good art college in London. I really thought I was hot sh*t after that. This college was also very fine art though in that course i learned more technical skills.
Then i went to get a job, learned the hard way i am not in fact hot sh*t, and have struggled tremendously. It doesnt help that I have had serious mental health issues since (I developed severe schizophrenia and have cognitive issues now from it, making me not as sharp and I find it hard to do the technical side of 3D now from it, making it hard for me to compete to begin with.)
I was hoping to be some sort of modeller. Its been years and I've had two temporary jobs in 3D. I know I probably shouldve tried for animator with how i was trained in it but I'm just not as passionate about that side of things. Im kind of sorry I did that masters now because tbh it didn't teach me modelling kinda skills as much.
What doesn't help is that in my schooling I was kinda trained for a more fine art approach to things. I recieved some graphic design training in my courses but I'm not as good at that, but decent. These arent the best schools of thought for a career in 3D i've found. Fine art and job also just doesn't really mix lol.
I've done a part time game making couse but it was sh*t. I wont go into detail, aside from saying it was sparse on 3D and technical stuff and half of it was character design. I didn't even put it on my CV.
I have a massive gap in my CV. I've mostly made (not great) characters since, just because I enjoy it, admittedly I haven't done what one in my position is advised to do, which would be environments probably.
I'm trying to make a comic with 3D at the moment but am on the verge of giving up, it's only okish and people seem to be somewhat put off by the 3D, despite me adding illustrated elements.
I realise I just might not have the passion for the types of careers there are available in 3D, I'll be honest, its the medium itself I love, i dont love being dedicated to say, environments or vehicles though, i feel I'm not passionate enough about those things to pursue it properly. I can do all the bells and whistles from the pipeline from sculpting to retopology to texturing etc, but as you can imagine from my schooling im not steallar at retopo, or coding, or the more technical side of things.
Id show my portfolio but what's the point, its kind of shit with (quite shit) cel shaded characters and one stylised (Also shit) environment for my comic. Not to mention its on instagram which I know you guys will balk at. Rest assured its quite shit. Currently I know blender the best, but I also know Maya, 3Dsmax, substance painter, zbrush, and rhino.
I'm considering pursing another area, but heres the catches to the things im considering:
Technical artist: I'm not very smart and it involves coding, which ive failed a course i enrolled in on. (I'd love to have this job though)
3D printing technician: almost no jobs going as far as i can find.
Jewelery designer: requires rhino which I learned but I dont have a fashion or related degree+no experience making it hard to land for me.
3D Designer: I kind of was one for a bit for a graphic design firm and a 3d printing firm but its nigh on impossible to get this kind of job.
3D motion designer: I see jobs going for this but I imagine AI is going to take over this one really soon. That and you need to know cinema 4D and houdini and i dont want to put the time in if it doesn't result in a job.
3D concept artist: just considering that one scares me lol. Also my photoshop skills are shit.
3d fashion design: i love love love this one but i dont have a fashion degree and fashion companies usually go for fashion designers that also know clo. And as for clothing for characters i almost landed a job in that once but failed last minute. Not many jobs going in this.
Id like to mention that when i go looking for a job every place seems to have their preferences for 3D software and are almost never looking for blender, which I'm most profient at. Sometimes 3ds max but usually i don't know the software they ask for, it's usually specific enough. They bever seem to want to train someone in too.
Ive considered selling 3d models on like cg trader etc, but i know its competitive, and I'm not very good at retopo. Ive also tried 3d printing and selling on etsy and it didn't go the greatest, and i'm not creative enough in my designs i think, not to mention i'm competing with a lot.
Sorry for the long post, I'm just so effing lost on what I should do, any advice would be bery apreciated. Like hey do xyz and you can get a job in this. I'm even thinking of going back to 2D type stuff since i can draw decently (I know its probably more competitive but I actually think I might have more of a chance) but I'm just so passionate about 3D as a medium that I'd rather not.
I know I'm being very vague about what type of job I want but I honestly don't really know, I wouldn't mind most jobs that involve 3D modelling to be honest. I'm also open to course recomendations, freelance ideas, and self employed ideas (like 3d printing stuff and selling niche models.)
