My apologies if this question has been asked previously or if I’m asking it in the wrong area. I’ve wanted to learn computer animation since I was young but sadly I let family make my career decision which got me nowhere fast. I’m currently 30 years old and I’ve only touched up on some of the essentials of computer animation a few years back. My question to you all is: Do you feel I’m too old to learn computer animation (starting from the beginning again)? I want you all to be completely honest (don’t pull punches). It’s a passion I didn’t pursue in my early teens and I’m hoping it’s not too late to pursue it now.
… I think the only time when you’re too old for anything is when you’re dead.
Okay, there’s the stuff like becoming a topmodel, but that’s not really what this thread is about.
Take it up as a hobby for a year or so, learn as much as you can, follow training dvds if you have to, and then, summer 2014, you should ask yourself this question again.
I’m 48 and just starting with blender. Hell, I don’t even have any art background, just a bit of technical drawing when I was about 14 or 15 years old.
Do I feel too old… Naaahhhh. I’m more mature now, more patient. I may not ever be a Picasso but I’ll enjoy drawing and modelling just as much. Nobody should set their goal too high. You don’t learn to play piano to become the next Mozart. You do it to enjoy the medium and music. Drawing/modelling or any other art form is the same. You do it because you like it.
Don’t worry, if you persevere you’ll do some great pieces. Maybe not masterpiece, or maybe you will, you never know if you don’t try, but I’m sure you’ll be proud of them.
Dude, Im 44 and didnt own my first PC untill Mar of 2002.(I didnt need one of those fancy boxes.
I now write all the excel spreadsheets for my company as well as do all of the autocad work. Basically, anything computer related I can learn pretty fast. I may have missed my calling…
I started tinkering with Blender 3 years ago.
Your never too old…
A friend of mine spent most of his life as a mechanic,he quit his job and decided to study animation online at animation mentor.
he now works full times as a professional animator.He was about 28-29 at the time he quit.
bare in mind that he was experimenting with animation/digital painting for years before he quit his job though.So he had at least some artistic experience beforehand.
There have been people that started the program older than him.Do you have a family? might be harder if you do.
I didn’t start with 3D until I was in my early 30s and 10 yrs. later, I have no regrets what so ever. Go for it. There are plenty of mature people here to hang out with.
Dude, I am 60+ years old. One of the most difficult things that I had to admit to myself is that I am still learning! I don’t believe that it ever stops once you start.
Thank you for the replies everyone. They were very helpful and well appreciated. I will definitely begin training right away and see where it takes me.
I think you just have to be realistic about your prospects. Are you in this to try and get a job in the industry? What type of job do you want?
Personally, I turn 43 this year. I just graduated from art school a couple of years ago. But, I’ve been in my current position so long that I cannot afford the paycut to get a job in the industry if I can find one. So…I have a really cool hobby that makes money. What can Blender do? Well…that depends on you. Remember that Blender is a tool…the ideas and imagination have to come from you.
You’re not too old to do anything, as far as I can see. I’m not old yet. I’m matured enough to know that there are things in life that I can’t do without taking on too much risk. But…I’m still man enough to take those first steps and see how things are and how they’ll work out in the end.
It’s all about managing your risk. How much can you afford??? Answer that question…and the sky is your only limitation.
If memory serves me I started with 2.48. Anyway I was in my late sixties. And, I turned seventy five recently. So in answer to your question I wouldn’t think you are to old. As far as breaking into the industry I wouldn’t have a clue. Although I suspect if you had a killer portfolio at forty or older… . tc2466 has a point about starting over with obligations and financial considerations. Many years ago I attended a junior college while working full time. Commercial art and design was my interest. Then several years later a reality set in. I was top rate in a fairly well paying job with family obligations. It’s a story many have on this forum without a doubt. Obviously I’m not working up to a career. But, I just love the program and do animations for family and friends. And, occasionally throw my two cent worth in here. You have some concerns learning any 3d graphics program young man but non have anything to do with being thirty. Can you say learning curve from Hell. LOL Best of luck and have it. Happy Blending. ghost
As someone who worked in the game industry (but not as an animator) you’d find it harder to pick up full time work as you get older, mainly because the cost of a 22 year old is nothing compared to an older person with a mortgage and family to look after, and people with families don’t generally put in 80 hour work weeks for kicks.
But for learning, and doing freelance work or model sales, your age is irrelevant. It’s the hours you put in.
Expect to be a quality user after about 1000 hours, and by 10,000 you should be an expert.
I started learning 3D when I was 31 and, at that time, all that was available was DBW Render. It necessitated writing out vertex coordinates in a text file and then waiting three days to see if it worked. Compared to that, you shouldn’t have any trouble with Blender.
But with that said, I understand where you’re coming from. Since I was 20, almost everything I’ve learned or wanted to do made me feel I was too old to start. It takes more courage to dive in anyway when you think you’re too old or that you’re running out of time, whether it’s real or just some subconscious weirdness that just won’t go away.
Take heart; dive in. Learn to be patient with yourself and know that no matter what your subconscious tells you, you have a long life ahead of you in which to learn and do those things you’re interested in.
Working knowledge of a 3D application can be applied to many different fields, and situations. Hell, even in my dead-end day job, I was asked recently to grab a piece of paper and put up on our notice board an ad for a Quiz night team for the department. That night I went home and whipped up an A4 poster in Silo and Max as an exercise. It wasn’t great - spur of the moment kind of thing - but it surprised the boss who was only expecting a 10-second pen-and-paper job…
And here is a tip to save you time: don’t worry about what software you use. So long as you are able to practice the general things like model in quads and composite in layers, then you are on the right track. The important thing is to be making art, not fretting over which brand of tool to use…
Ha, you are never too old! I started when I was 27, and I think I was considered a bit of a “spring chicken”
I think with Blender you either have the really young users, or the other end of the scale - most peeps trying to start animation in their teens etc switch straight to the industry “standard” or Maya / Autodesk etc. where as those of us round here tend not want to spend the money (due to “real life” like a mortgage / kids etc) or don’t want to spend our pocket money on expensive software!
As mentioned in the thread already - you’re only too old when you’re dead! I think you only really have the patience for the…er…‘quirks’ of blender as you mature anyway!
I never liked the concept or saying “I am too old for this, too old for that”… No such thing, you do what you enjoy to do, overcome the obstacles that you might run into.
