Chris Goodswen - 3D Artist Lecture analysis

Website: www.tincow.net
Useful Programmes noted: 'Unity 3', 'Marmoset Toolbag', 'Sculpturist' on ZBrush.

It was clear that Chris's experience as an undergraduate proved beneficial to his development over the last few years, as an aspiring game designer. It was interesting to see how he progressed from the same course, into areas of the industry by broadening his skills and finding his specific specialisms. To begin with, he solely was a 2D concept artist, who with dislike for 3D design, avoided anything to do with it where he could. It was obvious to me that he got compelled into a comfort zone which resulted him not to find motivation to attempt 3-Dimensional designs. However, through working  on the course he began to artistically mature, and introduce himself to art forms he would usually avoid. This enabled him to get not only a better understanding of the industry, but also of himself and his artistic ability.

Chris began finding his conceptual style by pursing his passion on anatomy. With all art studies, he benefited by researching existing materials alongside traditional techniques to devise his own designs. by focusing on historical and cultural depth, Chris could  adapt his ideas further within keeping that backlog of research. This made me realise the importance of  researching thoroughly before you begin drawing or designing. Finding out more statistics would aid my knowledge within a conceptual study, as i would have a memory of useful and factual data.

The way Chris developed his work seemed very crucial to his personal progression. He learnt that constant exposure to playing with ideas and drawings, aided him into sticking with a solid concept. He would do mass amounts of 2-3 minute sketches until he found a silhouette that stood out for him. From there he would adapt them by doing 5-10 minute speed paintings, that allowed him to explore with tonal and textural structure. Through exposing himself to different arts such as animation, 3D and 2D, Chris was able to narrow down his strengths and create his specialism. However, this was not the only factor that helped with his progression.

'Working in Teams' was the most crucial statement he said in the lecture. Connecting with the other artists opens endless networks into various industries related to this course. It also allows you to become influenced by other works being produced, which is key for development and gaining inspiration for conceptual ideas. You can obtain all sorts of information from each other, as every individual carries some sort of unique style, or has a process you would be unfamiliar with. From this, you can have endless possibilities in your designs, so staying close to a team will always be beneficial.