Probably you´ve already heard the term tutorial hell.

If not, this term implies that we are stuck in a tutorial loop.

The main problems that we encounter with tutorials are these:

• We risk little by following tutorials
• We fear bad results if we try something on our own
• We lack direction

The biggest issue here I would say is the lack of direction.

So… let’s discuss it.

A common case is that the only thing we can create is made from watching tutorials.
Without tutorials, we can not make anything on our own.

So how do we escape this cycle, and why is it bad?
This cycle can be bad because it’s not letting us grow.
We are dependent on the thoughts and rules of the tutorial.
The thinking is done for us, we just need to follow the steps.

Following the step-by-step methods is fine in some cases (like learning the software tools, their location, etc).
In others, step-by-step may rob us of a valuable lesson which is learning from our mistakes. This is the case where we have to engage in results.

With tutorials, we outsource our certainty of the outcome.
We transfer responsibility.
The responsibility for the outcome becomes our own when its up to us to create something.

The ultimate job of a tutorial is to provide value in information.
Our job is to absorb and create value from that information.

So how do we create value out of a tutorial?
Our knowledge gain, and what we do with that knowledge is the value.
A tradeable currency.

What we want are results.
What we search for is the information that can close the gap between current results and the results we aspire to do.

We do have some sense that improvement is necessary.

The first step to getting out of the tutorial cycle is getting rid of your starting fear.

Your very first results might be rough.
Your very first designs might look bad.

That is not a bad thing.
Treat your results as a benchmark, a starting point.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and bad results are a standard starting point.

Before we get good at creating good results, we have to understand what makes a good result.

Before making good designs, do we know what good design is?

Here is an example.
If you feel your topology work is bad, it will stay bad if you do not see a problem with it.
If you compare your work to a standard you wanna reach, now there is a clear contrast.

Think of the progress like a puzzle.
The puzzle is not assembled in one attempt.
The bigger the puzzle, the more tries it takes.
Understand why some pieces do not fit, and you´ll find the pieces that do by process of elimination.

Knowing why some things don´t work, will bring us closer to solutions that do work.

As dumb as this sounds, all we need to do is try and fail.
Through failures, we´ll figure out what works and what does not.
So in short, do not be afraid to fail in the beginning.

Small daily improvements are always better than no improvements.

Here is another important factor that is not taken into account, when we talk about tutorials.

Skill level.

Tutorials can save us time in building our skills.
They can help reduce learning curves from months to weeks.

However, how we approach the tutorial may reverse those numbers.

Many times we follow tutorials outside of our skill level.

We see a cool result so we try to make it ourselves.

Instead of a cool result, what we get is a random mess.

The issue is that we´re missing all the intricacy of what makes a good design.

We may follow the steps exactly, but that is the problem.
We follow too closely without any critical thinking of our own.

We may lack the thought behind the steps.

We have holes in our knowledge which eventually leads to frustration.
Frustration comes because we do not know yet which holes to close.

Car tutorials are famous for this so I´ll take it as an example.

Many people want to create cars in 3D.

So instead of learning how to design any car, they may learn how to design a car.

Do you notice the difference?

Creating a car in 3D is not the same as creating any car in 3D.

That is our gap in the knowledge.
Making one car will not make us a car modeling expert.

I´ll compare this to learning a new language to illustrate a point a bit better.

Modeling a car is like learning words of a new language.
Modeling any car is participating in conversations.

That is a big difference.

For us to speak the language fluently, we not only need to learn the words but also make sense of the wording.

By watching language learning tutorials we may hear and understand the words, but unless we participate in conversation, there will be no improvement to measure.
Learning 1000 words is not the same as having conversations.

Through conversations, we learn how to connect the words and express our thoughts.

Proper wording brings meaning, and with meaning, we can tell stories.

If we participate in conversations, others may correct us if we say something wrong. This is the way our language skills improve over time.
Creating art is not only about holding conversations but also about storytelling.

To tell a story we have to hold a lot of conversations, gather experiences, and use our lingual skills to tell the story well.
Tutorials may teach us words and grammar, but true understanding comes from reading and expression.

This connects to creative work too.

So to model any car, we´ll have to follow not just one or two tutorials.

We´ll have to try and fail by ourselves.

Our failure is our experience.
Some will fail in different places than others.
Once we fail, we learn where and why we failed.
Our failures become our future time savers.
If we save more time, we can become more efficient.
With better efficiency, we can focus on polish and precision in our design.
The faster we do quality work, the more we can charge for our service.

But it all starts from those simple fails on which we base our growth.

But what if we´re afraid of bad results?

If we´re afraid to test what we learn, we will not learn at all.
If we´re afraid to fail, we won´t know why we failed.

To understand results that work is also to understand and avoid results that don´t work… and that comes only through practice.
Practice a lot. Start simple and keep practice simple.

You only need to start and not worry about the results in the beginning.
Your main focus should be on pursuing your ultimate plan.

Why are you learning in the first place?

Define a clear direction for yourself.
With direction comes clarity.

Once you´re clear in your intent, you will not waste time.

Ask yourself this.

Do you watch videos because they are recommended by random chance, or are you clicking on them with intent?

Do you wanna learn anatomy, or do you watch random anatomy videos?

Do you mindlessly scroll or do you scroll with a mindful purpose?
One has a goal in mind, other does not.

Without your goal, you are participating in other people’s goals.

Even though YouTube tutorials are free, they have ways to hold users’ attention.
That is their goal. You are the user, and your attention is currency.

Your goal might be to absorb the information provided in the video.
Now the currency is knowledge.

Even if you do not watch it all in one sitting, you may come back to it because the content has something of importance to you.

When you have a plan, the purpose of why you´re watching a tutorial changes as well.

Your search is purposeful.
You know exactly what type of artist you are trying to become.
Every video answers some type of question and you are ready to implement it into your workflow.

If you have a goal, each video you watch may have something that improves or adds to your existing knowledge.

Learn to read other people’s designs.
Same as we read a book to understand the full story, we have to read other people’s designs.

Which artists do you admire?
Which artistic level you would like to achieve?

Imitate what you see to test how good your storytelling is and how good your design skill is.

Same as in learning the language, we have to speak it to see how good our pronunciation is.

In a design sense, this is very similar.
How well can we translate what we see from the reference to our viewport?

To be a creative artist, we have to absorb a lot of information through imitation. Through that imitation, we create a mental library of forms and established designs.

For example, if you wanna be a car designer, you need to imitate a lot of established car designs.
If you wanna be a weapon artist, you need to imitate a lot of established weapon designs.
To make your designs believable, you need to “borrow” parts from already believable designs.

Borrow but also observe the real world.
If you do a sci-fi weapon, understand first how the real one works.
If you wanna do a sci-fi bike, understand how the real bike works.

This approach will make your designs believable.

This is the purpose of the mental library of form and information.

This is something I see often from my tutorials.
Beginners would often watch a class, and immediately “test” the approach in their designs.

The problem here is that the mental library of form is still empty.
There is not a lot of information to pull from so the results are showing exactly that. An empty library of form in our designs.

Tutorials are there to guide us.

Without the destination of what we wanna become, the tutorials become the destination.

To make our tutorial sessions more efficient, here is the final breakdown.

• Decide what type of artist you wanna be.
• Make a list of skills you would need to master.
• Set a clear learning plan.
• Imitate, and build your visual library.
• Share your work and ask for professional feedback.

Decide what type of artist you wanna be.

Do you enjoy making hard surfaces, characters, or weapons?

Whatever the choice, be clear. Set it as a goal you´re trying to reach and orient your efforts around it.

If you do not know yet, get to know your top three favorite fields, and see which one resonates with you the most.

Make a list of skills you would need to master.

Once you know what type of artist you wanna become, make a list of skills you need to master.

For example, if you wanna be a character artist, start with an understanding of anatomy.

If you´re interested in hard surfaces, probably you´re starting with topology.

So the list should look something like this.

Hard Surface Weapon Artist for Games/ Skills to learn

• Topology High Poly
• Topology Low Poly
• High to Low Poly Workflow and Baking
• Texturing
• Rendering and Presentation

Each of these skills may require some time to learn so focus on one at a time. Once you master one, the growth curve should be already familiar so others may be easier to learn.

Especially if you went through the process once or twice.

Some tutorials may have the full process explained, but if that feels overwhelming, break it down.

Make it simple for yourself, and learn in small steps.

Set a clear learning plan.

This is now the tutorial part.

If you are clear on your plans, finding and following tutorials now makes more sense. Start with things you do not know.

Make a list of all the things you are interested in learning.

For example:

What I do not know about making cars in 3D?

What I do not know about topology?

• What is topology in hard surface
• How do I know which topology is clean
• How to get clean topology
• Why clean topology is important
• Basic topology exercises

To find answers to your questions, make your thoughts clear on what you do not know and what you would like to learn.

Writing things down will crystalize your thoughts.

Imitate, and build your visual library.

Eventually, you will reach a limit on what can you learn from tutorials.
Remaining learning comes from building experience.

Implement and test what you learn.

Find the top artist in your field you admire the most and try to “copy” their work. Their work is your benchmark.

How close can you get to their execution level?
Over time your work will improve and you will develop your style.

For example, I copied a lot of car designs and automotive parts which today I use a lot in my designs.

Establish a daily routine of 2-4 hours of deep focus on the topic you´re interested in and dedicate the time for practice.

Share your work and ask for professional feedback.

Ask for feedback not from your friends, or people on your level, but from people who will have use of the skills you´re providing.
Please remember that feedback like “awesome work” or “this is ok”, is not feedback.

People commenting on Artstation or Instagram may leave a comment for their exposure so do not be discouraged if there are none below your work.

You need feedback that tells you what exactly is good or bad and why.
Professional feedback is more aligned with what would you hear from future clients or art directors.

It may provide you with direction in which you can improve your art style, and workflow efficiency, or increase your skill level.

So in the end, tutorials are just that. Tutorials, guides and information resources.

Real-world experiences like where we fail, and how we act on the things we fail, will also define our growth as artists.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Thank you for reading!

-mario

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