Wednesday 30 April 2014

Personal review of the second year: Where do you want to go, and how do you get there?

Approaching the end of second year, the prospect of the final year is dawning on me fast. In fact, it has dawned and thinking about what is beyond university, is a near constant thought. University has shown and taught me the ways of the industry, that otherwise would go unknown. The experience of my first 2 years of Uni have also shown me just how much work needs to go into any career. Unlike any other area of education, higher education is all down to the individual. There will no one to pick up the grades and self-motivation is paramount as lecturers, will never go the extra mile to make sure you get a decent grade. This is a large, very dry spill to swallow and for many, the tipping point to their university career.

(Train station project final)

University holds a lot of life lessons, in so many aspects of life. A big life lesson for me, was that the world of work and especially a career, is a give and take process. You put in the hours to earn a pay check. This helps a modern day human survive comfortably. With a career, it’s an even bigger personal input, as your reward, as well as an income is the enjoyment and fulfilment for something you’re passionate about. Trying to make this happen however, can sometimes suck then fun out of the thing you once loved.


This link is a harsh talk on what is needed of somebody to work in industry. I’ve found, I get into the habit of hating the majority of the uni work I do. Whether this is because it is forced and has a time constraint or I just feel I can do better, is irrelevant. If I want to work in the industry, game artist, especially the 2D design departments, need work by a certain time and need to work efficiently on various types of work. They are a crucial link right that the base of the chain. Other departments are relying on your work to continue the project and move it forward to the next stage. With this in mind, I use it as an incentive to improve on the speed and efficiency of my work. This has something that I have learnt during my second year. Also I now realise just how much a need to rely on yourself to make my career happen. This is a scary but empowering thought at times.


I use current games and the art within them as inspiration, and also a window into further understanding when it comes to the world of work. I feel I’ve grounded my findings during my time at uni so far, and now over summer I really want to perfect them. With no pressure from grades and deadlines, but pressure from myself to improve and begin to feel real pride in the works I make. I’ve made a portfolio. even though I have very little to no confidence in the work I have to show. I decided to make it and use it as a goal. To create work that I feel is worthy and really captures what I can do, when I try my best.

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