Personal Development - Reflection on 3D Practice

I have decided that I need to write myself a personal reflection post in order to highlight and fix, issues I have with myself and my development techniques. The reason for this is I have realized similarities between two unfinished tutorials that I have started but do not wish to proceed with and realize that this is a bad habit and needs too be addressed.

The two tutorials I am mentioning (which have been blogged about previously) is the music stage (a few weeks ago) and the Sci-Fi environment (a few days ago). Both of these have been left incomplete due to frustration. I started doing them in the first place in order to refresh my mind of Maya and too hopefully learn a few other useful techniques. Looking back at them I have found too discover the common irritation I have with them causing me too stop mid way and put them aside.

Reason 1

When it comes to online tutorials on Digital Tutors they will often show you how do carry out a task on one object, then expect you to carry out these methods on the other objects in the scene. When it comes to the next tutorial they have already done this (obviously to save time). For example (basing on the stage environment) they showed you how to create basic versions of the guitar and keyboard etc however later on in a tutorial, they have clearly added more detail and done a lot more too their items and have expected  you too do the same.

I understand fully the reason for this. This is to allow you to learn new skills and apply them youself in a sense of 'self learning'. My issue is, when I get stuck and can;t get help, I struggle to figure it out, get frustrated and just don't bother finishing it.

Reason 2

This is in relation to reason 1 but with these tutorials, all I am looking for is some new helpful techniques that I can use and apply to my work and perhaps carry out some tests on. When I am unable to do this due too getting stuck I find it such a waste of time, especially when the tutorials have no relation to what my environment is going too be. This is also why I stop as I do not wish too waste hours on something that is not going too help much.

How I am going to fix this

In order to fix this issue, I have decided to take a step back and leave these two tutorials behind. The frustration developed through them just leaves me at a stand still every time I attempt to sort them. I have some future tasks i wish to carry out (in this order) in order for a more comfortable, efficient approach:

1. Reading Books - I have a few books that I can look into to help understand the general progress of 3D game environments.
2. Speak To Lecturer - Speak to a lecturer in order to help home in on my issue and provide guidance to useful resources
3. 3D Artist - I have recently discovered an artist named Kevin Johnstone who has an extremely interesting presentation slideshow on his website which I want too make use of as it looks exactly like what I am wanting to achieve.

Hopefully after carrying out these three tasks I will feel much more confident about carrying out some 3D work and can make much more progress than I have so far.

In terms of 3D environment I am really wanting to learn efficient modelling techniques such as Modular Design and Deformation. With this two skills I can quickly and easily create various environments which I can test certain aspects on. I am also wanting to learn about creating a story through environment. If I am able to create quick environments then - once I have learnt the techniques - I can test my environments and assess my development much more easily.