With the new DeviantArt user pages my old journal looked kinda crappy and I was getting sick of looking at it all the time, so I've done a quick redesign using some of the CSS techniques I've picked up as well as using some of the journal source here on DevArt. It's simple and clean, unlike my other one.

At the moment I'm enjoying just messing around with my tablet in Photoshop, so hopefully over the Christmas break I'll get some more paintings done I would love to start to paint some more conceptual pieces, without reference, as I reckon it's the best way to practice colour theory, light, forms etc, I might perhaps dabble in Nebula painting and the like . I'm also getting to love 3D and especially Maya, I've been going through Digital Tutors Maya training and It's damn fun! As I'm hopefully planning to go to Uni to study 3D animation (Bournmouth), I want to get as much practice in as I can. My philosophy on all this is that I want to develop my skills in all these different areas with the eventual intent to combine them all in my future projects. For example using 3D I'd say model and render out some sort of futuristic craft and combine it with a photoshop painted backplate, and then even use mattepainting projection techniques to animate it. So we'll see what happens

So it's nearly 2009! It's crazy how quick this year has gone! Looking back It's been an alright year, not to much to complain about. Back in the summer I had all my high school final exams, which in the end turned out quite well. But from September onwards the year kinda went down hill! I started college and although it was good at first, it's now getting to be a little tedious and boring. I'm not to sure I chose the right subjects to study, and so I'm not particularly enjoying all of them, although Maths is good But I've been told this happens with most people at this time in the year, and come February, after the exams, everyone perks up again!

I joined DeviantArt back in August 2006, wow nearly two and a half years ago! Which I guess was about the time I discovered Digital Art, so you could say I've had two and a half years of experience. And what I've got to show for it is very little. Sure I pretty proficient with Photoshop, I'm a lot better at traditional art, I know a fair amount about programming, mainly actionscript and I know a fair amount about 3D. BUT, in my opinion knowledge isn't enough. I could tell you the basics of 3D, how particular film scenes were put together and stuff like that, but I could not actually do it. And looking back that's what pisses me off, and not just in the 3D side of things, but with digital painting and matte painting, I'm not saying I should be amazing, but given the time I should be a lot better. Take for example =Akajork who joined two years ago, 4 months after me, and I'm going to assume that's when he started practicing digital art. Then compare his gallery and what he's done with mine, and that's my point exactly. I'm not saying I should be at his level of talent, but I should be at least better than I am now, and at least have something to show for the last two years and a half years. Considering the fact that I want to pursue 3D animation/modeling as a career, the lack of motivation, and the slowness in progression is what gets to me. So instead of sitting around moaning and bitching about it I'm going to force myself to get motivated, make up for the last two and a bit years, and actually get somewhere. I don't want to be a spectator anymore, so 2009 is the year for me! (sorry for the lameness).

My rambling is over! It was really for me, I justed need to put it in writing so that I will be constantly reminded of what I've said, and hopefully that's what will motivate me.

Anyway Christmas is nearly here! It's come around way to quickly, seems like yesterday when we were celebrating Halloween. I really need to buy some presents, every year I seem to leave it until the last minute! So yeah, if you reading this before Christmas or after in which case this is for the next Christmas , have a great time, enjoy the little break whilst you can, and look forward to 2009 (the recession year!!!).

2009 here we come!