Observation Skills and CG - An Introduction to Computer Graphics for Artists - page 46

3.4 Conclusion

In the fi rst stage of your work you have to learn to trust what you see, even if it
confl icts with what you think it should be. It will more often confl ict with your
expectations than agree with them. Get used to this and rediscover what things
actually look like in your work as an artist.
To help you as you work, it is useful to constantly pose questions about your
target, and then answer as objectively as possible. If you have access to a helicopter,
for instance, ask yourself, “How many blades are on the primary rotor?” Instead of
walking around and counting them (which risks forgetting which one you started
with), see if you can get a photo of the helicopter from above, so that you can see
where they all come together, and all at once. If you are building a plane, and can't
see enough detail from a distance, and can't see the entire plane close-up, fi nd a
middle distance so that you can see which borders are perfectly straight and which
aren't. Ask yourself if an edge is convex or concave, or whether a border is longer
or shorter than another one. Ask anything you can think of to help you understand
your target better.
The number of questions you can ask to elicit more accurate observations is
too long to attempt here, but the important thing is the idea of doing it. If you are
drawing a pinecone, ask yourself, “Where is the double helix pattern that is supposed
to be a part of a pine cone's shape?” and you will fi nd it. Even better, when you
start asking questions like this, you may make original observations and discover
things that no one else noticed before.
Be careful to keep in mind the level of detail you are aiming for or you may fi nd
yourself bogged down. If your subject is a tennis ball for Wii tennis , then you do not
need to go to the trouble of checking the fuzz on the ball. Spotting the shape of the
glue strip on the ball should be enough to identify it as a tennis ball, and you can be
done with that part of your job much more quickly than if you worry about highly
detailed observations.
If you had to build a container of fl oss for an advertisement, you might be
surprised to fi nd on opening it that the container is far more complicated than
expected. If it is not going to be completely taken apart in the ad, you can and should
ignore this detail. The point of being observant isn't that you catch every tiny detail,
it's that every detail you catch is correct, and the details are appropriate for the
resolution you have decided to use.
The quality of your observations determines your maximum level of success.
After executing the exercises in this topic, your observational skills should improve.
Every exercise is meant to enhance these skills while simultaneously illustrating
important concepts about 3D graphics. Do not forget that your success as a CG artist
is more dependent on your observation skills than your technical skills. Technical
skills are easier to acquire than observation skills, so take advantage of every oppor-
tunity to improve the quality of your observations.
3D artists can practice their observation skills by making 3D models, drawings,
paintings, or even by writing down observations in words. If you learn how to