Hello guys, hope you’re doing well !
Lately I’ve been learning to use blender for modeling, I really wanted to work in the field but after a few months I realized that I didn’t want to work for 10 hours a day, and that it was hard to find a job in the field ( I wanted to work freelance/remote) So I started thinking about other job opportunities. Now the trouble is that now that I don’t want to do it for work anymore, I can’t seem to find the motivation to learn 3d modeling anymore, I even sold my tablet, I really loved 3d art and when I see beautiful artworks I still want to do the same but it seems that now that I don’t have “a goal” I lack motivation.
Has anyone of you been in this situation? If so, how did you get into it again, right now I can’t afford a new tablet but I can still run blender, if you have any advice on how to find inspiration I would be so happy if you could share it with me. Thank you!
I think, generally speaking, everything you learn adds to your quality as a person, not only as a worker. Add that most basics are shared between different professional areas.
Eg: to be a complete 3d artist you should have solid basics of anatomy, image composition, drawing, screenplay, modelling, sculpting, image editing, audio engineering and so on. Be sure that all these things would give you competence also in different jobs (think about advertising, illustration, scripting tv shows, game companies, photo editing… you name it).
So, in your shoes, I would focus on improving my skills even if there isn’t a clear, focused goal you can see right now. It will come for sure and - the more things you’ll have learnt - the easier will be for you to make it.
If you like DOING it, but don’t like the work environments (ten hours a day pushing a mouse? screw that shit), I suggest you find some indy people and volunteer your services.
Around here (PNW) there’s a thriving amateur horror/sf community, and they can always use help. Also, it’ll give you opportunities to get away from the desk and hang out on set, hold a boom, etc.
My objection to most production environments is the artificial deadlines they impose upon themselves, like masochists. No thanks. Especially when it’s some agency douche who just wants to prove he’s important by being a jerk.
This type of creative outlet is not for everybody. I think it’s perfectly fine to look for something else to do with your time if you’re not feeling it.
CG is hard work, and if you’re not feeling particularly passionate about it, there is absolutely no reason to force yourself.
A quick aside, there’s this old Carlin bit where he goes “THESE PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY MOTIVATED”; saying it’s mostly crimes that actually need a motive, if I remember correctly. HEH.
But going on topic, forget about goals. Matter of fact, forget about everything. You want to draw? Then draw. Don’t sit through endless hours of educational material and THEN try stuff out. Get a little new info into your brain, try it out, mess around with it, tinker, go off the rails into a tangent, have fun with it, then go back to absorbing some more new info. That’s how you learn.
I’m not particularily good at 3d by modern standards, I’m stuck on the PS1 era and do my own thing. But I’m used to working with a good number of tools because I play with them regularly. And the more you play with tools, the more your brain goes "what if… " and "how could i… ". That’s all there is to it.
Also, what is this about tablets? Just go full force with mouse and keyboard, like a champ.
Sorry for the late reply, to add to my op, I remember also hindering myself by saying things like " I need to learn anatomy first" or that I didn’t have time to commit to my other hobbies and that stopped me from improving so it’s probably related too.
As you said, I’m sure it’s all about mindset, like realizing that learning this will only improve me as a person,I’ll try to stick around here too, I don’t know but you guys seem really friendly.
Oh and I only bought a tablet because I wanted to try sculpting/texturing with one, I love the idea of creating characters.
Thank you again, friends.
I do agree that it is really though. I was in the same situation too. What kinda was a bummer for me is that finding affordable tutorial was really difficult. Well I did not find really good source, and it needed so much time to research it. Probably thanks to blendernation I managed to find great tutorial and also of course thanks to blender guru I managed to have a solid foundation to start my journey into 3d.
I gave up 3d art back in 2019, because of those technical issues. And also that it is really steep to learn Blender. I then wanted to give 2d art a go and also keep up with my daily job. And I realised that how great was 3d watching the art and blog of many artist. And also the tutors that kept saying stuff like you should never give up because they acknowledge the fact that it is difficult to master blender.
I learn that I suck at 2d and I loved 3d art more. I learned at my own pace, to really enjoy it. If i enrolled in a school, I would have hate it. I took some time to rethink what I wanted to do in 3d art. And I learned that I wasn’t into 3d hyper realistic stuff, PBR stuff. I felt in love with sculpting character and animating them. And also telling some stories through my art. So instead of trying to learn stuff that I would not enjoy, I just focused on the thing that I really loved in the end.
Finding something that I really enjoy in it. I tried to work for cg trade and making some props, but turns out that I hate doing that. I focused on what makes me happy in 3d. I will probably not be able to make cool great looking 3d art, but that is fine. I will do my own stuff.
We indeed have some points in common, blender guru’s donut was my first attempt to 3d art.I also tried 2d art, but instead, I really liked it too and for some reason, I thought that would have to make a choice (between 2d and 3d) even though I knew I was wrong I just dropped both and regretted it.
So yeah, my aim, when I began using blender, was to make stylized stuff and I probably asked myself too many questions about that too.
Don’t force yourself in something that does not connect or something you don’t have some passion for.
If this is just to have a job and make money, try to find something you have more love for.
Also finding the right tutorials is work, what you want to make ? Level design ? Characters ? Hard surface objects modeling Animations ? Textures ? Find a field, if you want to make all it will take lot more time and you won’t reach the same mastery as someone working every day one one field only.
Some advices :
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The most important, ALWAYS work with references, gather them on internet or draw them
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Start small and simple, make it look good before wanting to do more or go further.
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When learning work and learn small step by small step, spending half hour each day on a week is lot better than rushing 10 hours a day in the week.
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Make breaks every hour or half hour, 10 minutes leaving your chair and making something else.
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For level design it’s mainly incremental work, starting rough shapes and design, doing other passes later, going from environments to big structures to medium than smaller details. Same for characters, start rough before going on details.
You must feel you make progress even small ones, for example feeling you better understand how to do things and you do it better bettermeans you are on the right way.
If you like 3D models or scenes, and would be very happy making mastering making some, perhaps it’s just you want results too fast.
See if you enjoy the process, if you really does not like working on 3D ask yourself if this is because you don’t master tools and making what you want or it is really working in 3D that you do not connect, in that case it’s perhaps not what you really like to do so you should find something else that you really like.
You can post some picture of one work you did perhaps.
Just try everything and found what you really enjoy in it. And it is fine if it won’t be your full time job, you could that as a hobby. My opinion and what kinda works for me is that I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. Like I didn’t have the mindset “I must do it just because…” Just take your time.
when I began using blender, was to make stylized stuff and I probably asked myself too many questions about that too.
It seems your first goal is making stylized characters, it’s a matter of small step by small step learning, nothing incredible or not doable, the most important is just make general shapes.
Practicing on a regular basis, don’t aim to make good looking or great character at first, but aim for good enough general shapes with no details.
Repeat other day making new one from scratch, and you’ll quickly understand and automatically learn proportions.
After that you’ll be able to start working on details.
Yan is using Blender for stylized characters, you can learn pausing videos, he sells paid courses i think but i never checked.
As you can see it takes time to master something, if it would take one year for you don’t rush and take your time also.
There is lot more good tutorials, but if your goal is towards stylized characters Shane Olson tutorials is among the best.
Perhaps don’t give up, give it another try and see if it is more fun and if it does connect.
Good luck 
I think you just have to jump into it and do it. Work is work, who is motivated to do work? not many, most people don’t like their jobs and don’t want to be there, and that’s why they get paid to be there. How about do the freelancing but at the same time do a partime job, they are both work, and you are doing them in order to obtain income, but whilst you’re doing the other job you can muse over whether doing the Blender client work all day is preferable… At the same time you should have goals like productive and fun things you are going to do in your down time or weekends. And that can include fun Blender art of your own. If you ever get really bored and unmotivated in your work just think, “why am i getting paid”?? Also the idea of a job or career is not to find something you love doing, if you set that as your goal you might never accept any job.
Doing something you love for a living and getting paid for it, that is highly unlikely to happen in the real world. The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence and people like to boast and convey that they ‘absolutely love their work’ because it boost their ego and they hope to make others envious.
Work in the real world in general requires effort, time, blood, sweat, tears, sacrifice and monotony. And that is why people will pay you to do it. If you can find a work with less of these things and still get paid for it then great. 
I just want to note that its possible you like 3D but modeling may not be the right entry point for you. If you think of an analogous field - music - you may be something more like a producer/beatmaker not a sound designer or virtuosic performer. There are so many amazing models/photoscans in the world in every style - you could focus on making/compositing scenes with those existing tools then work as a generalist if you have more of a generalist mentality. Thats the route I’m on. I have much more interest in creating many different scenes than drilling down on the near infinite detail of models. Of course you need familiarity with some key concepts to adapt/augment things but the demand on your time isn’t even close. Good luck!
It’s all about lot of repetition work and findind ways to make it fun
Another usefull perhaps video when you should know when to quit if it really does not connect with you
OMG guys, you’re awesome, this is the most useful pack of advice I’ve ever had and I’m not joking. I promise that it won’t go to waste, I’m picking up blender again, especially after watching the last video sent by Ratchet(it made me smile instead of upsetting me ^^ ), I really love this and I don’t want to quit. My struggle was to find the motivation to start, or rather thinking that I needed motivation instead of just starting a new project.
Lots of good tutorials too thanks !
It’s a lot better to have a distinct look, than be one in an horde of competent technicians (and that’s effing hard enough). You’ll be happier, which means you’ll be more productive, you’ll make more stuff, and hopefully someday someone will be saying “I want that Randimbivololon LOOK.”
The food and rent is a challenge fer shurr though.