So long and thanks for all the fish!

Well - it's been a long year! This will be the final update to my honours blog. Beyond this, you'll be able to track my progress at

http://sophiebrennan.com

&

http://sophiebrennan.wordpress.com

So, without further ado - let's see what I've done!





And here's a little quick video to show the process. The music is Army of Assholes by Jim Guthrie.

 




So, let's recap:

What have we learned this year?

1. Technical art is still growing, but it's crucial and will always be around in some form.
2. Being a technical artist isn't about the final product at the end of the day - but the process behind how you got there. Most things you will do in this role are going to be new ground that no one has covered before - so it's all about figuring stuff out!
3. Technical artists ARE the interface between artists and programmers, but they mostly work FOR the artist. Remember your audience. Design your tools as such.
4. Technical art is wide and varied in skills - but one thing a technical artist should never do is limit themselves! They should always be learning! While this is true for all other disciplines, technical art has to be on the cutting edge!
5. Despite reading, learning and absorbing so much info about technical art this year - no isolated educational study can compare to the real thing. As Jason Parks of THQ said to me "DOING is technical art"
6. Technical artists seem to have their fingers in all the pies! Contributing to every step of development is an exciting prospect!

More generalist stuff

1. Learned so much - I taught myself (with the help of some others) MELScript, how to think more like a programmer, vital artsitic skills, communication skills and SO MUCH about the industry - I'd have no idea I was where I was today this time last year!
2. Met and talking to some really great people from around the world. The games/vfx/animation industry is full of some wonderfully brilliant and helpful people. I'm grateful for what I'm going to go in to.
3. So much more to learn! Now the doors are wide open and in my spare time I'll endeavour to learn all I can, as well as live a good and healthy life.


Hopefully, the video spoke enough for the process behind what I've done. I know in the last few weeks I've neglected the blog - but I'd rather do the work than write about it!

For the people who have seen my journey throught the eyes of this blog - I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did. It's been a wonderful learning experience, but I can say I'm quite glad to be let into the big bad world of work! In little more than 1 weeks time, I'll be moving down to England to start a new job at Blitz Games Studio as technical animator. I can't even begin to say how excited I am!

Also, thanks to all those who have helped me on my journey. To my lecturers at university, the people around me, the city of Dundee and those in the games companies here and those people who I've spoken to all around the world - thank you!

Signing off,

Sophie.