Self-Assessment Sheet

• The most honest I can see my skills at are they are all, at best, 5/10 across the board for each.

• Thus far I’ve only done or understand enough for each item to get my ideas, but I don think i’m particularly skilled in any one of these items.

• In school, i’m great at copying with drawing or painting anything that is a reference, but I don’t think it necessarily transfers to an imaginary project.

• Oddly enough, creature design was my best in school.

• Hard surface design is probably still my weakest, because it was not a topic covered in school, and I don’t fully understand it.

• What used to make me happy was inserting stories into school assignments, so doing story comps was second.

• DEPENDENCE ON CRUTCHES - I’ve compensated for skill gaps in my fundamentals with 3D and photobashing. My style of even ideation and using reference is dependent on using my PC. One the whole it was taking too much time to become a drawing god since there’s literally no shortcut to drawing skills except putting in the years to do it.

• LACK OF DIRECTION - Now, I do know for a fact that the moment i do not have a strong idea of how I want my projects to go, the project is likely to fail. The The Hogwarts project was more successful is because I’ve been thinking about it for a longer time, and had some idea s how i wanted it to be like.

• INEFFICIENT WORKFLOW - i don’t know. I think its more if an inability to make better ideas right at the start. The issue with Shrine Design is that i hace no idea what i wanted, AND also could not come up with more interesting designs

• AVOIDANCE OF DIFFICULT SUBJECTS - LOL, i dont run from it, that’s for sure. I probably should be scaling back instead.

I’m adding two more things for myself:

• IMPATIENCE - I lose interest in a project if it takes too long to progress or i get stuck at a wall. I strongly dislike storyboarding because its too damn slow to finish and its not pretty to look at after all that effort. Drawing or painting techniques that take too long to finish also drives me up the wall after a certain point.

• I FREEZE UP WHEN I’M STRESSED/AFRAID - I think this might be the same as burnout people procrastinating? Like facing a blank page in a sketchbook, i have difficulty moving pass the stress and fear of failing or sth? *shrug. It’s probably trauma from the last couple of years. Not shortcut but to face it head on, or trick myself or figure out how to relax more.
  

Needs more thought….. Stay Tuned!

What Do I Like to Do?

• My initial art career goals in 2022 has a whole page of its own —-> LINK

• I’m just not feeling very confident I’ll ever reach it

• Still would like to work as a concept art in games or movies

• What if I expand on my art direction when to comes to to worldbuilding?

• Example

• Joon Ahn and Runeterra’s World

• Gabriel Yeganyan - Jedi Survivor

• I think also on some level I don’t know how to make art for myself anymore?

• But I still have stories i wanna make for myself, maybe publish them. Some have gotten really big in my head.

• I’m not confident about tackling them, I’m not skilled enough yet.

2022 ART GOALS DIRECTION AND ART STYLE SCALE

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS RUNETERRA MAP

STYLES OF ART -

• My portfolio had different styles because I was trying to get different jobs. Not a lot of options in Singapore, was trying to prove I could copy different styles.

• I am more interested in more realistic art still?

• Into the Spiderverse, Arcane and Dragon Age Inquisition Concept Art might be the furthest I’m happy to go?

• Maybe expandd my interested into these versions of stylised?

• I used to love making stories, and juicy atmosphere and lighting in scenes.

• I guess i still do, because i still have stories in my head

• In any case I cannot get the stories in my head out if i can get my concept art and design skill right

Old Art

What Next?

DIRECTION OF SMALL WINS FOR IMPROVEMENT

1. to combat work overload

2. skill gap issue

3. consistently unfinished/non-production quality work

4. Make stuff for myself?

What seems to be absolutely important to not get stuck? :

• Clear idea/story direction with the designs(?)Idea direction

• style of working

  • (on PC to sketch and hold/view/photobash reference, use 3D)

  • as seen with my struggles with shrine design, what should have been easy became one hell of a struggle, handicapped by my clear direction and workflow dependency. I don’t feel particularly inclined to repeat the experience tbh. Hmm…

• Need to work fast and move on fast

  • the longer i noodle, the worse it becomes

  • Quantity over quality? To get used to working like this, and then I have more images for critique and learn how to refine my ideas

For now, I just wanna try and work with what is faster for me?

Why Am I using these images from Feedback:

I think these images are very good examples of what I cannot seem to do, but should aim to at least reach.

Focus on being able to:

1. create production standard of sketches (only lines and basic tones)

2. sketch interesting ideas/iterations props and environmental elements as in Stage 1 (Top Left)

   1. Before moving on to sketching bigger environment aspects in Stage 2

   2. and finally , before moving on to Stage 3 Complex environments

3. improve my ability to come with cool designs

ACTION PLAN

Steps for Stage 1, Part 1 (Stage 1 top image):

1. Selective reference (pick the combinations, with most important, to elements/small details)

2. Studies of subject(s) in sketches

3. Sketch out design shape language/elements you like from reference

4. Thumbnail blockin shapes

5. puzzle out designs of blockins

6. Clean up and create detailed sketches

Important:

• No more than 1-2 rounds of critique before i have to move on?

  • only break this rule if i know i have a good idea.

• Have a list of topics? Subject focus on Environment and props

OTHERS:

1. Make art for myself for fun, block out time for it (30-60 mins, once a week)

2. Make a reasonable damn schedule and stick to it