Workshop #1
This workshop took place on September 30th, 2024, in the SET building at Alfred State. The host of the workshop was Randy Bantog, a visual development/concept artist currently working in the industry. He currently has experience on several major shows and games, ranging from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to Call of Duty. He utilizes a combination of 3D software (Blender, ZBrush) and 2D software (Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint) to create his work.
The presentation was about making our portfolios marketable to places we're applying to. Randy brough up several important points and tips, such as showing how he presents his work on his portfolio. For each of his projects, he broke down each stage of the process so potential employers could understand his work pipeline. One example he used was a prop car in a background - the car was originally modeled in Maya, drawn over with more refined details in a separate program, and finally, digitally painted and finalized.
My major takeaways from this workshop are the importance of breakdowns, and how they can aid in fleshing out your portfolio. I mainly work with 2D character rigs, so including a breakdown of those functions allows potential employers to see my workflow.
My major takeaways from this workshop are the importance of breakdowns, and how they can aid in fleshing out your portfolio. I mainly work with 2D character rigs, so including a breakdown of those functions allows potential employers to see my workflow.
Workshop #2
This workshop took place on November 5th, 2024, on Microsoft Teams. The host of the workshop was Mike Hanchett, a freelance FX artist currently working in the industry. He currently has experience on several major motion pictures, such as Thor: Love and Thunder. He utilizes After Effects for a majority of his works.
This presentation was about his experience in the industry. Another key point in the presentation was the importance of networking, and how networking allowed him to get his foot in the door for the industry itself. Additionally, he allowed people to submit their portfolios to be reviewed. He provided meaningful feedback and gave us tips to flesh out our works.
My major takeaways from this workshop are to take advantage of networking and utilize it. Forming connections with other individuals on LinkedIn can pay off in the long run, and they can potentially open the door to opportunities I wouldn't otherwise have. Additionally, I've applied some of the feedback I've received from him to my portfolio - mainly, I cycled out most of my old work, and put more emphasis on motions and expressions in the new work on my site.