3ds max video tutorials and community

Student fees can be as little as 17 Euros to almost 8000 Euros for one years training for a full-time course at http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/.


Yesterday I spoke with an EC student who said that she was given a hardship grant, the college each term basically gave her back a third of the money she paid so effectively she got the course in 3DS MAX for nothing.

I've been in education as a student and a teacher and I can say that that all educational institutions are not out to make money. They want you to be serious, and so they charge they minimum they can, basically an administration fee.

One of the great things about studying in the UK is that you'll find that everyone hates beaurocracy and hates filling out forms. Its not pretentious and a lot of what is done is based on mutual trust.

Obviously you can't beat education if its free and as jelmer said their are lots of provisions for training on all subjects in all formats. But whats makes this site special and other sites like it is the friendship, support and mutual respect for each other.

The biggest benefit of going to a classroom is knowing you're not alone is having the support of other students and the structured and guided approach to make certain you achieve a level of proficiency.

I mean I can follow vidoes and I can follow tutorials, the problem is the motivation, the why, how, when and what questions. A classroom creates the cinema, gives the preview of how to apply learning in the future. Its a practical laboratory where you get to experiment and what others experiments and have someone sit next to you and give you personal instuctions.

Basically, its not just knowing what you do and how you do it, but building up personal relationships and strengthening your confidence in your field. If you want to ask me any more questions about the course feel free.

ABC Diploma in 3D Modelling and Animation
This course will introduce candidates to the creative use of video and the impact of sound on the visual images
Full Time
Further Education
London College of Communication

Software Skills for 3D Modelling ( 3D Studio Max) Saturday and Vacation Course
This course focuses on the features and processes associated with creating images in 3D within a computer environment

P.S.

forgot to mention one other thing that was off an added bonus considering some of the students I know who applied to do degrees in animation, they were rejected because they didn't do or have life drawing skills. You'll be pleased to know and I was, that the college gives you what are called Bolt on courses

Bolt on Courses
As I found out these courses were not compulsory, but optional. What do you do when someone offers you a course for free and if your were to do privately you would be charged 20 Euros an hour to study? You take it, I was offered life drawing skills, I went from not being able to draw to being able to draw.

How has this helped me? I can draw my own reference models for modeling, and storyboards for animations with great confidence.

I also took the option of doing tradtional 2D animation skills, and man, oh boy, did I learn a hell of a lot? Ease in Ease out, walk cycles, lip synching and much more. The best part was being taught by someone who worked with 3DS MAx for a games company so we were being taught what was being applied in current games.

But one othe reason was the college is international, we had or have people from everywhere, in a sense it was a bit like spot the english, out of say 70 people on all the courses, perhaps 10% were English. Also the other best bit, I don't think I ever wrote more than my name and address, I've never been on a course where iI did so much but wrote so little and learn so much.

Its not what you write but what you put into practice

There are two ways to make it in the CGI business, make a name for yourself by developing a phenominal showreel of your work and develop a network with other professionals.

Whether you choose to go through private training or state training, you will have to show that you have what it takes. Normally this guarantees an employer some measure of your capabilities as a CGI artist.

But we are coming to what's called a crossover point. Businesses have to take a risk and they want to have some insurance against their investment. Whilst the world of CGI was relatively small and much work was found through networking.

Many of us are aware that much work on major projects is given to various studios around the world. Before Colleges and Universities began to offer mainstream courses, you had to either teach yourself or pay privately for tuition.

Dave King, 'fastest 3DSMAX modeler in the world' heard about 3DS Max and waht it could do andleft London to go to Adelaide Australia to get training. Thankfully you won't have to go that far, although there are students at my college who have come from as far as China, India, Slovakia, Italy, Germany, and Spain to do the a course in 3DSMAX.

Where as qualifications don't mean everyting and doesn't guarantee a quality of service, it does reduce the employers risk and protects their investment. Also it protects you as we all know an idustry can die and change overnight so its good to have qialifications just to open up the door in other fields because not everyone goes into a profession relating to their qualification, eg, History, Mathematics, Physics, Art or Music.

You can do qualifications in any field and work in another. Scott Eaton, who teaches at Escape Studios, is a qualified engineer and you probably know of many professional CGI Artist who trained in other disciplines but found the world of CG just to addictive to do anything else.

Most of you are going to be put to the test in the near future and find yourselves in much demand and very much spoilt for choices when it comes to finding work in the CG Industry.

I have friends who work as Web Developers and they get an average of about 20 Euros an hour, where as 5 years ago they there getting almost a 100 Euros an hour because of the internet boom.

There were no courses, no qaulifications, you either taught yourself or you went on private training courses. Now most employers want to see the websites you've developed and what qialifications you have before taking you on their books. Thats's the same process that's taking place right now with CGI. Incidently China has stated that 63% of all animations shown on t.v. must be home produced, with 46,000 Chinese graduates gaining qualifications in Animation last year fulfilling that directive is not going to be a problem. lol

As in many industries there will be many opportunists seeking to jump on the gravy train and want a decent fast return for their investment, you being qualified gives them some insurance that you will have done the basic training and also guarantees you a basic and minimum wage.

Currently there are many CGI Artists and really good ones going from project to project, freelancing, but what do you do when you have credit card bill,s mortgage, monthly rent, overdrafts, loan repayments, and kids to look after, oh as well as yourself.

You need to be realistic and extremely critical of your wants and capabilities. Make a list of whats needed in your chosen profession, research your career choices, be aware of up and coming devlopments within the industry of your choice.

You need to decide are you 'going to live to work or going to work to live', I'll finish, now, with this, I saw this on some ones msn name and it made me smile.

'I bought a car to drive to work, now I drive to work to pay for the car'

A member of the Anime & Manga society at the college posted this in the animation section and I thought I would share it here as well. There's also another added advantage to doing this course.

You'll not only know and learn how to draw characters for animation but your character modeling skills will go through the roof, not to mention your general modeling skills as well as having the opportunity for greater exposure and more networking with your peers and professionals in industry.


Animated Character Design (Summer school, 1 Week in July or 1 Week in August)
http://courses.csm.arts.ac.uk/summer...AT=126&CSM=yes

taught By
Vincent Woodcock has animated, directed and designed for Richard Williams Animation, Walt Disney and Warner Brothers amongst others. He has directed for cinema and TV, and his Cartoon Network idents have won several Promax awards.

Although its only about 340 Euros, there are discounts but you have to call to find out what they are.










I have put together a list of courses I found out about that the college will be hosting this summer. In fact there are courses I did not know about so it looks like my whole summer will be booked.

If you are under 18 or unemployed the fee for the courses are only £10. I tried to book on some of the courses for this Easter and the places were all booked up earlier this year. I am not surprised, they have all sorts of discount schemes for the fees but even if you are paying the full fee; £155 thats not alot, not for 5 days or more training by professionals in a subject which will help you go further.

For courses of interest:

Multi-Media Software Skills (Flash and Director) - Saturday and Vacation Course

Study Mode: Part Time

Course Length: 5 Saturdays from 26th May or 5 days from Monday 16 July. 10am-4pm.

Start Date: 26th May 2007, 16th July 2007.
-
Web Production Skills - Saturday and Vacation Courses

Study Mode: Part Time

Course Length: 5 Saturdays from 21st April or 5 days from 19th July and 13th August. 10 am - 4pm.

Start Date: 21st April 2007, 19th July 2007, 13th August 2007

-
Animation Skills - Vacation Course

Study Mode: Part Time

-
CAD for Interior Design (Vectorworks) - Saturday and Vacation Course
Study Mode: Part Time

Course Length: 5 Saturdays from 21st April and 26th May or 5 days from Monday 2nd July and 30th July .10-4pm.

Start Date: 21st April 2007, 26th May 2007, 2nd July 2007, 30th July 2007.

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3D Studio Max - Saturday and Vacation Course

Study Mode: Part Time
-
Digital Modelling for Architectural Environments - Saturday and Vacation

Study Mode: Part Time
-
3D Design CAD Skills for Interior Design

Study Mode: Part Time

Course Length: Saturday and vacation courses

Course Length: 5 Saturdays from 26th May or 5 days from Monday 13th August. 10am-4pm.
-
3D Digital Animation Techniques
Study Mode: Part Time

Course Length: 9 weeks Evenings - Autumn, Winter and Summer Term Thursday 5.30-8.30pm


Start Date: 26th May 2007, 13th August 2007.


I'll find out what other courses are going on elsewhere and post details on those as long as the fees are not to high :eg:




London College of Communication
Elephant & Castle
London SE1 6SB
Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7514 6500

Download a PDF map showing how to get to London College of Communication

Prospectus Requests and Course Enquiries
Location: Information Centre, Ground Floor, LCC
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 6569
Email: info@lcc.arts.ac.uk
Or request a prospectus online

Professional Training Enquiries
Location: London Artscom, T54, 5th floor Tower Block, LCC
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 8193
Fax: +44 (0)20 7514 6563
Email: shortcourses@lcc.arts.ac.uk

Saturday and Vacation Courses
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7514 6578
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7514 6535
Email: satvac@lcc.arts.ac.uk

International Office
Location: T86, 8th floor Tower Block, LCC
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7514 8138
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7514 8101
Email: international@lcc.arts.ac.uk

Student Services
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 6590
Fax: +44 (0)20 7514 6476
Email: studentservices@arts.ac.uk
Website: www.arts.ac.uk/student    

Nice article, quite useful if you're thinking about doing a Computer Graphics related course, thanks for writing this.

Thanks!!! Really usefuL!

I've merged them all in to one post for easier reading

thank you, that's really helpfull

Just to add to the infromation above the ABC 3D Modelling and Animation course website is www.lcc3d.com

I have some envolvement in this course and its a very exciting group as I am sure geldslaw will testify to

the above link is the show reel of the work achieved by the students who completed the course I am currently doing. I'm also currently working on my animation for this years show reel as well.