CCS detroit

[Clodhopper]

I got my hopes up fer studying 3d animation at College fer Creative Studies. I gotta get my portfolio together and i was just wondering if anyone could help me out with my entrance portfolio...how big should it be? what dementions for drawings? also, if i had 3d animaitons done. would i be better off submitting it on CD or Video tape?
any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanx

[sdbarber]

hi clodhopper-
i teach in the illustration dept at ringling- and have coordinated the precollege program for the past two years there, as well. from talking to the department head in computer animation- during his presentations for the highschool students at precollege-
he was pretty adamant about NOT placing any 3d animation stuff in your college entrance portfolio. the main things that they are looking for are drawing skills, observational drawing skills, life drawing skills, and drawing skills...
the point was that, as a highschool student, you only want to show your absolutely best work, and the department head for animation at ringling stated that he HAS NEVER EVER SEEN A GOOD / STRONG DEMO REEL come from a highschool student. they will see the flaws in your animation. they want to see the strength in your drawing skills. they will teach you the animation end of it...
hopefully you see where the focus should be...
and when submitting your paperwork, do a spell check first
as for size of drawings- no larger than 18"x24"-

shawn

[Avetice]

Hey Im going to CCS right now, just started. They want 10-15 art pieces at least one in color. Im sure you know that part already
Ok so basically I would say you don't need anything bigger than ..., yeah what he said 18x24. If you can paint well submit at least one painting it helps out. The major thing that will get you scholarship money here is your grasp on perspective, its like their drug here, they really push the teachers to teach it in foundation classes. So show at least one that clearly shows perspective do 2pt if you know it, if you really know it well do a 3pt thats only if you really know it well. Basically do perspective and observational/life studies (human figure or just still life either will do just fine as long as you show you know what you are doing.)
Do you know what envelope lines are? If you don't pm me I'll explain, if you do then be sure to use them to show you know it. Also if you know anything about composition theories show that too. A really well observerd/rendered skull or bicycle, etc will do just fine.

[Clodhopper]

ah, great feedback! thanks.

SdBarber- thats reasuring about the animation reel. I was kinda worried about it. but NO 3d at all? what about a 3d still?
and also, what about Wacom photoshop paintings? will those be accepted? I like to think I have some decent figure drawings. but perspective I'm gonna have to work on...

Avetice- i was affraid of that. I really need to work on perspective drawing. but its better that i hear it now than later. Thanks

There's a 3D animation program at CCS now? Shows you how long it has been since I've attended.......

Back then, CCS was primarily know for car design (my old major).

[ChenZan]

Well talk about raising a thread from the grave. jez, two years huh since last post.
CCS REPRESENT!

[ChenZan]

um....so.....quiety here huh... anyone else but me and Avetice go to CCS?

[ChenZan]

hey does anyone know of instructors who can teach stuff like Feng or Ryan Church teach at Art Center and Gnomon for painter at CCS? I heard there are like painter demos but i kinda want someone who is knowledgeable with the entertainment buisness?

[Fisa]

^^^^^ Ricardo Garcia. I went to school with Ryan and Feng...so did Ricardo .

[ChenZan]

Just to let everyone know, theres gonna be an entertainment conference on March 27th at CCS. Its going to have people from ILM, Pixar, Sony, Paramount, Rockstar and some more.
i know jay shuster is coming from Pixar but not sure who else but just thought everyone might want to know. Its rare to see stuff based around the concept/entertainment buisness show up at CCS, the automotive school.

[Avetice]

well then we have to change ccs from automotive school to entertainment school .....which is sorta happening now but not really

[ChenZan]

yup

[ChenZan]

Went to the entertainment conference today held at CCS. man it was the coolest event this year. My money is definetly well spent. Jay Shuster is the coolest guy ever. His presentation was funny as hell. Alex Jaeger from ILM was there too and his stuff was sweet. Tim Flattery, from Paramount has awesome stuff as well. John Bevelheimer from sony imageworks was another spectacular presentation. man im all tired out from so many sweet artist. just thought you'd like to know.

[Jadress]

I enjoyed the conference, despite getting up early and sitting in the uncomfortable auditorium all that time! I was very impressed by the guys you mentioned, although a little disappointed that everyone was an ID guy!:eek: Pixar, Dreamworks, and Bluesky sound like really fun places to work. And ILM, well, that'd be badass.

[Avetice]

alriggghhttttttttttt
another fellow ccs illustrator visiting this site we just need to get more of us posting here, lots to learn, and this is a great place for information. Don't let that little fact that those guys are ID scare you, Don't matter if your id or not, lots of guys on these boards haven't studied industrial design and are rockin the game industry. Just takes lots of dedication

[ChenZan]

Tom Dow wasnt ID he was illustration. Hes awesome!

Thing about CCS that makes it differnt from other schools for entertainment is that we arent given the entertainment ciriculum on a platter like others. the pioneers, Imran. Jason and I created our own ciriculum which Gil and I are hoping to solidify so other students like you guys and gals know that we can do that kinda stuff at CCS. illustration has figure drawing and compostion skills. ID has the conceptual rapid visual skills needed to bust out shit quickly. also ID teaches you how to draw spacially in 3-dimension. This brings us to animation which seems that everyone should get to know and use only as a tool. remember those elites said. You all need to know the tradtional skills and digital skills together. Also it seem like most game developers want the guy who can do it all.

man i sound like imran, jason, and Gil put together.....

[Espezito]

Chalk up another CCS student! I've been lurking this site for a long time and only just started posted when I began this assignment for my Sophmore Product studio. Yup, I'm ID :evilbat:
I went to the entertainment conference as well, and I thought it was really nice. I have to say that I was suprised by the guy from Rockstar. I think he gave the best presentation in terms of what to expect and how to prepare for that kind of work environment. As the conference went on, I kind of realized that ILM's presentation was more about how cool they were, and I really didn't learn anything from that guy, just eye candy
Anyways, I too am taking Illustration classes along with my standard ID crap. I've always been into illustration since before going into ID, and drawing cars all the time drives me nuts Right now I've got Casey Wise for Pictoral Problem solving. It's a really fun class. I think the first assignment was the most fun though, because it involed doing concept work for a space ship and space station, and then putting them in a composition...
I was talking with Rob Curedale (head of Product Dept.) and he said he's going to try and put Feng Zhu on the docket to come give a presentation and possibly do some workshops... Brian Fitzpatrik (head of trans dept.) was one of Feng's teachers at Art Center so Feng has expressed interest. I asked Alex Jeager from ILM after the conference if he wanted to come here and do a vis com workshop and he said maybe after Episode III lol.
Anyways, a entertainment major would be nice... All my ID friends think I should be in Illustration, and my Illustration friends think I should stay in ID... :p

[ChenZan]

ive seen your stuff on the second floor walls. its friggin sweet dude.

i think the catagories of id and illustration are bad for entertainment department. its rather both a mixture of the two departments. theres been talk about game/entertainment department.

oh and having feng come to ccs to talk concept art would be the craziest thing ever, he might as well bring with him ryan church and iain mcCaig too. *drool................

[some12kill]

RAWR!@!@!1
im from ccs too.
illustration freshman.

[ChenZan]

Illustration represent!!!

[Avetice]

is that you boyle? didn't know you were into entertainment stuff that much. I know Humza, don't know if you know him that well but hes an Id guy too. I keep trying to get him to post stuff here but he always says hes too busy. Although now that I think about it I remember humza mentioning you were into the entertainment stuff when I was asking him about who he knows here that is interested in that field. Anyway names ray, ill have to stop by caseys class and see what your upto.

[Espezito]

Haha, it's crazy how small our student body is... People know people who don't know they know them... haha.

Oh, my name is Dave :p

[Avetice]

weeeeeeeeeeee
hows everyone elses end of the semester grind going?
what classes decided to give you some extra work for the finish?

[ChenZan]

its not the art im worried about. those damn liberal arts classes and their papers. im a graduating senior, damn it, i dont have time for that bull. other than that im just riding it all the way to exit reviews.

[Espezito]

Blah... Well I'm sculpting this model... and working on damn kenetic sculptures for design theory, and doing orthos and getting other crap together, as well as damn essays and exams....... once thats all done tho I've already got everything ready for review.... cant wait for junior year :o

[some12kill]

i hope to get liberal arts out of the way this summer (most if not all that i can).
i sort of feel behind in many projects, but ill get shit done and ill go onward and conquer.

[ChenZan]

Heres a bummer, Cathy Karry just told me that Midway canceled their trip to CCS on 23rd. But she is still going to send samples that people gave her to give to Midway. Hopefully they like my stuff.

[Avetice]

what the, i didn't even know midway was going to come here, damn... who is the company coming out to check out people for storyboarding?

[ChenZan]

Storyboard Inc. is coming out from California and are looking for storyboard artist. they will be doing a presentation in the illustration department and are looking at portfolios on May 5th. same day as my review so ill look all fine and dandy for them.

Hes gonna kill me for this but im telling all you underclassmen to take Dave's storyboarding class. Lota guys from that entertainment conference referenced that they cant get enough storyboard artist, the ability to convey a sequential story is what makes our illustration department what it is.

[ChenZan]

the gang has graduated. here we come concept world.