ZBrushCentral

Any tips for getting out of a funk/getting into the right mindset

Community
#1

I recently started sculpting after being intimidated by it for a long time. I had some time off a couple weeks ago and made a few pieces I was really happy with and one I was exceptionally happy with. I was really enjoying it and since this is something I would love to do for a living very enthused by my progress.

Over the weekend I kept trying to do different sculpts but no matter the project I couldn’t get past the first few stages. It would look a bit crap at the lower poly stages and I get really dejected and bin it.
Has anyone else experienced this and does anybody have tips on how to get out of it? Whether it be exercises to practice, fun projects to do, or just something to help me get out of this creative funk.

Thanks in advance.

#2

In my experience, particularly with a project looking crappy early on, the best thing you can do is accept the state that your project is in, and just know that as you spend more time working on it, it will ALWAYS get better and improve if you just stick with it long enough. I’ve gotten discouraged so many times from working on projects cause they looked so ugly in the beginning but I started to realize that most projects look ugly in the beginning and if you let that get to you, you miss out on making some of your best work. Just accept it as part of the process and keep chugging.

One thing that really helped me is take screenshots of your project at different stages, especially those early stages, and the later stages as it improves and take note of how much progress you make. When you see how something that starts off really ugly can turn into something so awesome, it gives you a lot more confidence and you don’t get as bummed out in the early stages cause you know it’s just part of the process :slight_smile:

#3

Thank you so much for replying. I’m going to start a new sculpt tonight and really try persevere to carry on with it.
I think perhaps I need to spend a little less time looking at others works on Zbrush Central. They can be just as intimidating as they are inspiring sometimes.

#4

It’s super intimidating! I know the feeling 100%

Always remember when you come to sites like this you’re seeing the final product from someone who is most likely a professional in this field with tons and tons of knowledge and experience. It takes a lot of time and effort to get to where a lot of these people are and I’m sure many of them still go through those same phases in the very beginning of their sculpting process where they think their model looks ugly.

So don’t let it get you down! Just keep making stuff and never stop practicing and learning and you will get better I promise :slight_smile:

I also saw you started a sketchbook on here which is another great way to improve through peer feedback. I’m still fairly new to this stuff too so that’s something I’m planning to start doing to get better as well.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work!! Good luck and have fun :smiley:

#5

As far as the FUNK? > I have some tips for artists of any kind:
Go outside for a few minutes. Let sunlight enter your eyes, and your lungs take in fresh oxygen.
PLAY MUSIC. Seriously, sometimes this is a huge help for your own mood, and creative potential.
TAKE BREAKS!!! You may be able to work for 6 or 8 hours at a time comfortably in Zbrush, but if you are burning yourself out, then you might be taking longer to produce crappier work. Remember to take breaks and focus on other things (besides your computer monitor) throughout the day. Your back will thank you too, for taking these breaks from the chair.

And finally, ever have a day where you completely suck at something you are normally good at? It may be a rarity, but it CAN happen with art / music… Learn to recognize when to admit ‘I guess I am just not feeling creative today’, & catch up on some other things instead (like your online presence, or studies, or more administrative tasks), and then try your hand at art again this eve, or maybe even tomorrow… Good luck! :+1:

#6

Thank you Vaztor and Level Head3D for the replies. I’m going to take what both of you said on board. I think in my rush to become good at sculpting a jumped farther ahead than I should have, managed to create something probably a bit more advanced than I should have been able to then burnt myself out trying to recreate it.

I’m going to take a step back, slow down and spend some time learning Anatomy and building my fundamental skills up a little slower. Maybe practice sculpting individual facial features so they are more second nature when I go back to more advanced sculpts.
At the moment I’m sculpting what I see by scrutinizing refs and not sculpting what I know the underlying structure should be.I think a good amount of time learning anatomy should help.

Definitely going to start listening to some music, I mostly have tv and youtube videos on in the background now but I think music would help focus me more.

#7

Try dynamesh sculpting (clay buildup) without smoothing anything. Or at least only smoothing very little. It will force you to see the forms through your roughed up strokes and will keep you from immediately trying to dive right into details. Keeps you out of the technicals. I really like dynamesh sculpting when I get into the funk.