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Concept Art courses and my Graphics Tablet :(

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Submitted by souri on
Forum

What kind of courses would one try if he were to get into concept art, but not in a full-time burn-a-hole-in-your-pocket capacity? It'll deal with the sort of things you'd expect game (or film) concept artists have to deal with. An ideal course would cover proper perspective, architecture, human anatomy, colour/lighting etc and all the theory behind it. Are there many decent places that offer this part time? (I know these kind of courses such as industrial design can go for 4 years, full time, but that's just too long (and probably overkill))

Also, my Wacom graphics tablet seems to be playing up. After I lift the pen off the tablet, it'll still draw these thin lines as if it could still sense the pen. It's hugely annoying and wrecks anything I draw. Has my graphics tablet come to the end of it's line (beore I've even played with it much [:(] Anyone come across this before?

Submitted by Kratos on Mon, 19/09/05 - 6:13 PM Permalink

Umm you should try finding some art short courses provided by either TAFE or UNI, which are open to the general public. I've been doing a beginners arts course at ANU. Though doesn't go to much into theory part, most of it is practical. You might want to play around with sensitivity setting for your tablet thru the tablet setup program to fix that up.

Submitted by Jason on Mon, 19/09/05 - 10:05 PM Permalink

Hmm i dont know of any courses over here that cater to concept art so exclusively. You're more likely to find courses that are related or have a few subjects that skim the surface, but nothing that actually teaches 'concept art for games and film' in a full package.

If you want something like that, go to Art Center in California and pay tens of thousands for tuition!

My advice would be to take some technical drawing, figure drawing, painting classes etc at a TAFE or something similar. Most of the classes will skim the surface and start you on the right track. They're good for getting feedback and interacting with other artists.

But really, no matter what you do, you'll learn the most by how much you study/practice in your own time.

Submitted by Kalescent on Tue, 20/09/05 - 4:40 AM Permalink

I agree totally with Jasons final words.

I would invest a few hundred bucks into the Gnomon workshop dvd's by Feng Zhu and a few of the other blokes from gnomon on various concept related studies and get stuck in on trying your hardest to replicate the skills of master artists, and then use the techniques in a way that suits and works best with you Souri! [:)]

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/

Submitted by Kratos on Tue, 20/09/05 - 5:27 AM Permalink

Or if you really want to learn from the masters i would recommend importing some Feng ZHU dvd's from http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com This guys is a legend when it comes to concept art.

[img]http://www.fengzhudesign.com/char/char_feng_image06.JPG[/img]
One of his many cool art works

I think it would be wise to begin with the "quick sketching" dvd first. They also provide a 10 % discount from your complete order. so if you get 2 or more dvds, they will take 10 % of total amount.

To learn more about Feng ZHU and how he got to where he is now, you should read the Meet the Artist: Feng ZHU thread at cgtalk http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=234608

I love these threads because Feng gives out so much advice on how he got to where he is today. Hope this helps

Submitted by Kratos on Tue, 20/09/05 - 5:28 AM Permalink

oops .. you bet me to it ..

Submitted by souri on Wed, 05/10/05 - 1:55 PM Permalink

Some great advice there, guys. Will have to look into those Feng Zhu DVDS when I have some cash.

Submitted by Johnn on Fri, 14/10/05 - 9:00 AM Permalink

I don't know if any exist, but a short course in industrial design focussing on visualisation would be essentially a concept art course under a different name.

re the wacom tablet... just a thought, might be the pen that is cactus and slightly sticking in the 'on' postion? Might be worth trying someone elses pen... and if that works give them your's back, and say the problem fixed it's self ;)

...I didn't really say that last bit.

Submitted by Makk on Sat, 15/10/05 - 1:58 AM Permalink

There might be some interference coming from somewhere. Have you tried it out on a computer in a different location?
And goodluck finding a decent short course for ID. I would say grab some DVD from gnomon workshop instead, you be learning from highly skilled professionals.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 19/10/05 - 4:30 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by JohnN
re the wacom tablet... just a thought, might be the pen that is cactus and slightly sticking in the 'on' postion? Might be worth trying someone elses pen... and if that works give them your's back, and say the problem fixed it's self ;)

I got really peeved with it and ripped the nib out after nudging it here and there. I placed it back in and now it works fine. [:0]

Posted by souri on
Forum

What kind of courses would one try if he were to get into concept art, but not in a full-time burn-a-hole-in-your-pocket capacity? It'll deal with the sort of things you'd expect game (or film) concept artists have to deal with. An ideal course would cover proper perspective, architecture, human anatomy, colour/lighting etc and all the theory behind it. Are there many decent places that offer this part time? (I know these kind of courses such as industrial design can go for 4 years, full time, but that's just too long (and probably overkill))

Also, my Wacom graphics tablet seems to be playing up. After I lift the pen off the tablet, it'll still draw these thin lines as if it could still sense the pen. It's hugely annoying and wrecks anything I draw. Has my graphics tablet come to the end of it's line (beore I've even played with it much [:(] Anyone come across this before?


Submitted by Kratos on Mon, 19/09/05 - 6:13 PM Permalink

Umm you should try finding some art short courses provided by either TAFE or UNI, which are open to the general public. I've been doing a beginners arts course at ANU. Though doesn't go to much into theory part, most of it is practical. You might want to play around with sensitivity setting for your tablet thru the tablet setup program to fix that up.

Submitted by Jason on Mon, 19/09/05 - 10:05 PM Permalink

Hmm i dont know of any courses over here that cater to concept art so exclusively. You're more likely to find courses that are related or have a few subjects that skim the surface, but nothing that actually teaches 'concept art for games and film' in a full package.

If you want something like that, go to Art Center in California and pay tens of thousands for tuition!

My advice would be to take some technical drawing, figure drawing, painting classes etc at a TAFE or something similar. Most of the classes will skim the surface and start you on the right track. They're good for getting feedback and interacting with other artists.

But really, no matter what you do, you'll learn the most by how much you study/practice in your own time.

Submitted by Kalescent on Tue, 20/09/05 - 4:40 AM Permalink

I agree totally with Jasons final words.

I would invest a few hundred bucks into the Gnomon workshop dvd's by Feng Zhu and a few of the other blokes from gnomon on various concept related studies and get stuck in on trying your hardest to replicate the skills of master artists, and then use the techniques in a way that suits and works best with you Souri! [:)]

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/

Submitted by Kratos on Tue, 20/09/05 - 5:27 AM Permalink

Or if you really want to learn from the masters i would recommend importing some Feng ZHU dvd's from http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com This guys is a legend when it comes to concept art.

[img]http://www.fengzhudesign.com/char/char_feng_image06.JPG[/img]
One of his many cool art works

I think it would be wise to begin with the "quick sketching" dvd first. They also provide a 10 % discount from your complete order. so if you get 2 or more dvds, they will take 10 % of total amount.

To learn more about Feng ZHU and how he got to where he is now, you should read the Meet the Artist: Feng ZHU thread at cgtalk http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=234608

I love these threads because Feng gives out so much advice on how he got to where he is today. Hope this helps

Submitted by Kratos on Tue, 20/09/05 - 5:28 AM Permalink

oops .. you bet me to it ..

Submitted by souri on Wed, 05/10/05 - 1:55 PM Permalink

Some great advice there, guys. Will have to look into those Feng Zhu DVDS when I have some cash.

Submitted by Johnn on Fri, 14/10/05 - 9:00 AM Permalink

I don't know if any exist, but a short course in industrial design focussing on visualisation would be essentially a concept art course under a different name.

re the wacom tablet... just a thought, might be the pen that is cactus and slightly sticking in the 'on' postion? Might be worth trying someone elses pen... and if that works give them your's back, and say the problem fixed it's self ;)

...I didn't really say that last bit.

Submitted by Makk on Sat, 15/10/05 - 1:58 AM Permalink

There might be some interference coming from somewhere. Have you tried it out on a computer in a different location?
And goodluck finding a decent short course for ID. I would say grab some DVD from gnomon workshop instead, you be learning from highly skilled professionals.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 19/10/05 - 4:30 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by JohnN
re the wacom tablet... just a thought, might be the pen that is cactus and slightly sticking in the 'on' postion? Might be worth trying someone elses pen... and if that works give them your's back, and say the problem fixed it's self ;)

I got really peeved with it and ripped the nib out after nudging it here and there. I placed it back in and now it works fine. [:0]