08023289217
glad to assist

@follow
well, it depends on how much resources that r available to u.....(time and money)
master d basics of digital art, that involves constant access to a computer and access to various learning aids- tutorials.

aim at getting comfortable with the tools of the trade by learning the major software, adobe photoshop, coreldraw etc.
artworld is very vast, as u learn d basics n get comfortable u will begin to discover the areas that interest u more.

attach urself to a busy studio/ artist/ reputable school and read....read....read!
d internet is ur friend, youtube for instance contains tutorials on almost anything u can think of.
cd's and learning dvd's can also b gotten in most areas... where r u located presently?

ur unique situation will determine ur first step, but it starts with learning d software and reading a lot.

also, if u prefer experimenting as opposed to planning, u can use basic primitives as placeholders and animate ur scene camera.
by studying d playback of d rendered scene, u will get a better idea of d actual elements u need to focus on, and the required resolutions based on distance from the camera.

goodluck

@nzem
dis is wot I was trying to point out in our earlier posts.
u don't need all d elements that u r modeling to b in d same scene at d same time.
u model d individual items and save them as assets in individual, seperate files.
u only import them into d scene as needed- based on wot is within ur camera shot, as read from the storyboard.

also instead of duplicating, use instances....they use less memory.
also delete ur construction history frequently, and optimize ur scene size.
work with low polygon models until u r set to render, using polygon proxy mode u can switch between hi and lo res models wheneva.

many models r repeated in ur scene, if it was my work, I would render the sides of,say, d house model...I would then use d image as a texture on polygon boxes for the other houses to reduce my scenes polycount.
also use layers to organise ur scene, dat way u can turn off d visibility of items to improve scene interaction.

more memory isn't always d answer, learn to optimize ur workflow for efficient memory management.
Let me know if it helps.

cheers...feel free to ask questions.

@follow
welldone. it really doesn't matter how much or how little u know or d quality of ur work presently, u r yet to officially start ur art journey. and there's a lot to learn.

strong passion usually goes wit some talent- so I assume u have some, and u seem to have an eye for colour..so I would say, if uve got d discipline n determination for it then go for it.
just find d area u excel in n develope it.

remember its a tough journey, u were warned!
goodluck bro

@obi
green and blue r commonly used cos experience shows its easier to isolate them from most scenes witout affecting too much, but really any color can b used.
u just have to compensate by a little scene planning.
ensure no other item in ur scene shares d same color as ur screen and make d color even.

achieving uniform lighting of ur screen and eliminating shadows is ur real challenge, not d shade of green.
like I said, with planning, any shade will work.

if its ur first time, consult an xperienced hand before u waste investments on unnecessary materials.
goodluck

@follow
there r lots of mediocre grafx artists out there hustling to barely survive.
the road to excellence and financial stability in dis line of work is long and very hard.
the only thing dat will keep u gping through the tough times is pure determination and a love/strong passion for d art.

if its people telling u to pursue it as a career, then I doubt ur passion...but I may b wrong.
forget advice, examine urself n gauge ur passion...only u can do dat.
u have to have a STRONG passion, not merely an interest.

if u r told dat u'll never b truly rich thru grafx, will u still pursue it as a career path?
if u can truly answer yes, then u'll probably excel in it.
if no, pursue another line n keep art as a hobby.

true artists r born, not made n they know exactly who they r.

my opinion.

yeah, u just have to balance ur awesomeness with affordability cos d industry is still in infancy state dis part of the world.

@hazel
there r too many factors to consider, u cant leave them all to d artists discretion.

duration?
style?
budget?

without a brief of some sort there is nothing constraining d artist, i could propose, say, a very stylised animation wit lots of effects for N20...i cld propose a different, but equally effective one for N2.
d difference will b d content, which is in turn a matter of clients preference.

so ur client needs to set parameters/preferences dat guide d proposals or he/she may not quite understand price differences he'll encounter (since storyboards r not included)

unless cost is immaterial...lol

@vivid
wot is ur render software?
do u have backburner installed?

@oxygen
ya, i get ur concern n understand.
well its ur call, besides by now d response ur getting in ur private mail should have proved or disproved my point.
normally tho, when plagiarism is a concern, u give a time frame for all d designers to work (mayb a week witout submissions) and a shorter window, say, 1 or 2 hours for submissions.
besides u call d shots n reserve d right to disqualify an entry dat u think is a copy.
just my tots, but goodluck any which way.

just dat i know some kickass designers on dis forum who wont fly wit dis arrangement.

@spyware
lol...dat was back in d day, thankfully we'v all grown.

nice work.
to me, its ok....not particularly creative, but it could be a lot worse.

I don't know d feel or look u r gunning for, but if I had to write 'proudly 9ja' on a shirt, id look for a more creative way.
for example, write it end-to-end repeatedly and use it to form the map and also colour them to form the flag.
dat way all u see is the map from afar, the write-up closer, and the flag from the font colours.

but like I said, this is safe and ok.
well done

lol....funny
its kool tho, y'all go ahead n b d best (while ignoring biz sense)...dat way I'll pay n hire ur broke (but awesome) butts to do d grind while I'm playing golf with Beyonce.

mi familia hail me when they see my work, but they hail me louder wen they see food...lol

no offense, but because of credibility issues i think submissions should also b sent here or on a public forum so theres a credible trail and lots of witnesses to d process- just to reassure d artist.

i wouldnt send a design to a private addy wit no proof of receipt...no protection...deniability.
but dats just me.

unless d site generates some sort of electronic acknowledgement wit a sample of d design.

Besides it generates visibility/contacts for d artist if its in public view

@kazuna
lookin good..well done.
my minor observation has to do wit ur shadows, if d fire is d only light source then d room is too brightly lit for d size of d fire.
also given d position of d fire, the shadows cast should be higher than d subjects casting them (cos d source is low)
d light cast by the fire seems to b directional rather than uniform (d light is not cast to d left of the fire)

a little bit more expressiveness in d fingers wld b nice.
would love to see a moving clip cos a frame may not capture d essence completely.

again, great stuff...where have y'all been hiding?

check under preferences whether u checked OpenGL, dats d first suspect.
Let me know.

well, I don't mean to offend, but unless its a personal website (in which case ur d client) id suggest u farm out d graphics part to a graphics professional.
u can't efficiently design anything without at least a concept.
if we suggest images, wots next? d concept? actual design?
d question doesn't sound like wot a graphic artist would ask.
browse images online and see which ones spark a creative idea....dats a beta route to follow.

having said dat, howeva, if I were to design such a site, id look for pix dat reflect each major area of interest.
warm, friendly n confident ppl for d contract part...handshakes...people sitting around a table for a biz meeting and they r smiling, relaxed n obviously having a good time...a well dressed man entering a high rise building

choices r endless, depending on d look and feel u want for d site. id employ lots of flash animations too.

d restructuring could have a bizman with his sleeves rolled up, wearing a hardhat...different ppl corporately dressed all standing on ladders working on a large scale model of d word RESTRUCTURING, (some compositing may b required for dat)...a close up shot showing half a man rollong up his sleeves...an executive working late at his desk with piles of paper...

d event planning could show shots of different events showing happy clients in d background with an attractive planner in the foreground in sharp focus.

d choices r infinite d way ur going about it, decide on a concept first, then find pix to match not d reverse.
cheers, hopefully I've suceeded in confusing u d more.

for clarity sake, pls r u d one designing the graphics interface for d site, or d behind-d-scenes stuff?

nice, real nice.

If u clean up ur lines a bit more and introduce d effects of light sources in ur colouring, it will b more impressive.
Good one.

Let d strike continue....lol

@reid
maya just best suits d way i reason, d choice isnt based on technical superiority.

All 3d apps achieve d same tasks via different means, mayas approach just works best for me.

Its an individualistic choice, tho im open to trying new things...i dont get swayed by popular opinion. Dont switch cos ur friends r telling u 2, switch for personal comfort.

Actually there r more max users than maya, n theres beta support for max too.

@shady
again nice work.
I understand pressures n deadlines, so its impressive under d conditions.

If i had just 200 frames, id dedicate most of it to d more important elements.
In my opinion dat wld b d interaction between d fone n d xter.

Xperiments show dat d average person needs approx 3seconds to grasp a situation/concept, so if its too fast ur best effort/fx may b missed entirely.
I had to play in slo mo, to even notice d lovely smile on d xter before his exit.
U get? But like i said, great integration.

08023289217 (round d clock)
of course ill b glad to aid u in any way i can.

@reid
just reacting to a comment u made.

from a financial point, being best at wot u do is not as important as being best at SELLING wot u do.

Its a common mistake artists make.
We have to learn to balance our talents because it is possible to be an excellent animator but be out-of-work constantly.

Dats where agents and agencies r meant to come in n protect everyones interests, but in dis part of d world...they r more of a rip off in my xperience.

Id rather b an average animator that is constantly working cos i'm able to sell my meagre skills, than an awesome animator that has to drive a cab to survive...lol, but dats just me.

well said guys, i daresay theres a lot to digest, n i think our general positions r clear.

maybe different perspectives from other contributors will help.

goodtalk

@peter
yup. i get u, n largely agree...my basic mindset is based on d dynamic nature of market/business/different personal challenges.

my closing statement is... a group of artists can only have a uniform minimum charge for a service if they face uniform n similar challenges/xpenses/xperience/costs/growth plans etc.... d list is endless.

so yes, it is possible, maybe even beneficial to some, but remember, an importer/ wholesaler can always afford to sell goods at a lower rate than the end retailer.

An established business may offer price slashes dat a startup may not be able to afford to do.

if my xperience/ assets enables me shoot 3 videos simultaneously (for example), minimise costs/ logistics, optimise my existing workforce n hence charge clients half of wot my peers do, u may argue that im ruining ur business...i may counter dat im reaping d benefits of my present growth/ stability n past sacrifices.

So, is it fair?
Am i hurting d industry?
Well, i guess dats wot dis talk is all about.

Cheers

@peter
I get d point, but truth is there r several strategy to break into d market.
check dis...
I have a studio wit a staff strength of 20, I have fixed monthly overhead whether I get jobs or not...
if a client walks in offering to pay less than id normally charge for a job, id ask myself 'can I afford to do it at d price he's willing to pay?'
as long as it is not a financial loss, n I can accommodate it in my workforce...I take it on.

there r different variables to consider.
I may already have assets dat simplify d job dat d nxt studio doesn't.
if by unionizing I lose d job altogether, is there a welfare scheme or compensation dat the union guarantees its members monthly.
d cost of goods n services wil always vary based on diff factors, but d bottomline is, poverty n an uncertain future will cause me to do all I can not to lose any job dat walks in my door.

u can only call a persons bluff when ur d most convenient alternative, we haven't attained dat status yet.
one of my best paying clients today had his first job wit me done totally free of charge- just to prove dat I could do it n get his business.

again, being art, outputs will differ as will quality..hence cost.

lol
@reid
d same reason y u drive a benz n I drive a beamer.
doesn't matter, as long as we both make d meeting on time.

@ero
sorry, no bb...nokia for life!

@silverng
thanx. yeah, 3 weeks give or take a day or two.
its nt dat much of a biggy, I've watched 2 hour real-time video tutes with more animation than mine.
break down my scenes n ull see not a lot is really happening. if I were to finalise n polish for production, that would prolly take another 2 months.

goodluck on ur career path, id advice u grasp maya before poser...its like learning manual transmission before automatic....lol
post some clips or shots let's trade tips.

@shadyshaz
good to see ur still in d game, ur an old timer.
great shot, d clip is a tad short to assess properly but it definitely has promise.

I don't know wot ur focus was on for d project, d cg interaction is pretty cool in my opinion, if I had any suggestion it would be introducing some follow through motion to the characters arms as he enters d stage...its a bit stiff.
holding his reaction for a second longer may also help, but great job n like I said, I dunno wot ur objective was.


cheers

@spyware
really man, u need to work on ur attitude.
d artist ddnt ask for ur opinion or anybody elses, even if u feel compelled to remark...choosin d right words is a sign of maturity.

its bcoming a habit that u subtly run down anybodies work and try to introduce ur own, u have adequate threads showcasing ur own work.
those logos may not b to ur taste, but terming them as not good on his thread is just plain wrong.

our work is for clients not fellow artists, and there's a thin line between being motivational and just plain undermining.
u may not take d above well, but it needs to b said.

open a thread sharing wot u think u know of d qualities of a good logo, dats more effective than ur current self appointed destrutive art-policing.

@reid
no, I'm not shying away. I tot id addressed dat particular question.
differnt projects have different production pipeline schedules n timelines, again depending on various factors like:

project planning style
preference/work style of the art director
client specification
estimated release date or completion time
volume of other pending projects......the list goes on

no two projects r totally alike, so its difficult to set fixed output.
I hav been on projects where 1minute of blocked animation was my daily target, others where I had a week to create a xter.

its determined by d producers taking various factors into account.

@reid
lol
of course u know that's not wot I mean.

simply put, when 3d artists can produce a predictable level of output CONSISTENTLY all d time, then and only then, can they tag any kind of fixed price to it.

every newbie in d industry knows d pay structure of d big atudios employing our couterparts abroad, but most, if not all of us lack d same ability to deliver the expected output that those studios expect.

until then, I assess my artists n pay them based on my perception of their value and wot d project budget can accommodate.

rate of output is project specific, I dnt know any studio dat has fixed expectations, but almost all projects run d deadline/crunch time race.

@reid
lol... u dnt start in d middle.
if theres to b minimum rates or schedule for evaluating skill, will there also b rules determining or ensuring clients increase their budgets appropriately?

dis is d private sector bro, provide a relevant service at good quality n ur value appreciates.

budgets differ for different projects (for various reasons), so naturally will renumerations.

unions enforce uniform payments, true, but to do dat they often 'fight' clients, eliminating alternatives and crippling competition. u cannot unionize a fledgling industry dat is already being largely ignored and is under-developed.

i still think d way forward is to become so relevant in d industry that d threat of inactivity carries some weight. presently, it doesnt...we r still battling to prove we can deliver similar or superior jobs as our foreign counterparts.
when we have made dat point, then we can start battling for wot we think we r worth.

again, my tots.

@peter

well said, n i get ur point.
these r still my tots tho...
if ur talking minimum wage generally, it differs country to country, n its set by govt. but if ur talking minimum wage to pay particular professionals in a sector of d labour market (especially d art industry) different dynamics come into play.

i believe every capable artist should earn enough to survive on from their labour, but i believe that the value of their earning power should be proportional to d skill of d particular person in question.

yes, there shd b minimum qualifications for employability, but in nigeria if we followed dat, half of our 'experts' shd still b in training.

and dats still my point, d industry is too disorganised, young and mediocre for standardization of pay structure...not until a predictable level of professionalism and excellence in output can b guaranteed.

guys, theres really no fixed wage and in my opinion, ratifying art is impractical.
unlike other disciplines, two 3d artists doin the same job will come out with uniquely different output based on their individual skill levels.
3d artists r paid for their skills....that unique individuality they bring to d job, not just for getting the job done.
and evaluating skill is highly subjective. d value is determined by d studio/client(s) perceived value of d skill.

the mundane jobs r filled by interns, and their rates vary with studios or d project budgets...in cases they r happy to forgo pay for d opportunity to work n learn from the greats.

we don't have enuf professionals for pay to b an issue, I think we shd work on improving our content and output first of all, truth be told, most of our best efforts wouldn't even get us internship positions in d good studios (self included)

demand creates value/worth...high quality/relevance creates demand, so we have to create high quality product, then the laws of commerce will kick in, only then will dis talk bcome relevant. d laws of self survival will sabotage any collective decision as regards rates until d industry becomes relevant n visible.

these r my tots.

@chief

let d client decide, show him all d options.
personally, i think ur students should keep working on creating a better sample, unless u r out of time.

cheers.