This animation narratives module has been interesting to say the least, and has really tested my patience and mental strength with the whole 3D animation. There is a lot more work that goes into 3D animations than what I hoped there would be. However I do have to say that the end results of assets and animations really make the workload seem worth it. The satisfaction I got when seeing the finished result was relieving, very much so. It is also very interesting to see all the different things you can do with 3D, you can even make rain which was definitely surprising, and it’s something I wouldn’t have considered even attempting.

I am happy with what I have done with 3D work, but I have to say that my proactiveness within this module could have been more than what I gave. Compared to last semester’s group project, I was far less involved with the team with this module. I would like to say that I would have done better if the team could have met in person to sort out the details, and perhaps that is true. It was easier to disconnect from the team while everything was online, but honestly my lack of enjoyment of 3D, and the idea the team chose, did deter me from helping out the team the best I could. I did help out the team, but at that time we were close to the end and things really needed to get done, so I did my part. However I know that maybe we wouldn’t have cut things close if I had been more proactive at the start.

With this knowledge and experience I now know for the future that efforts have to be made from the beginning from everybody, and clear communication has to made. There were several points along the project that I had no clue what was happening with the workload and the idea the team had, had a lot going on than originally thought, it was difficult to even get a clear picture of what the idea was actually about.

Well, all groups have their advantages and disadvantages and I have learnt that I must adapt to each group as they come along, and not compare present groups with past ones as that is not how a good teamplayer works.

 

Yearly Reflection

My first year of university has been an interesting one, a year a didn’t expect to have, but made do with what was available. The Covid virus made in person classes impossible so the entire year was spent online. Which to be honest I didn’t mind that much. However I do wish I got to meet my classmates and tutors in person a lot more than I did. I got one day in the building and it really was not enough to establish a friendship with people I didn’t know. Over the year I have built relationships with people, but I know myself that online selves and in person selves can be two different versions of a person and so when we do go in person, things could get awkward, or they could be very happy moments.

The work that we were tasked to do were easy enough to accomplish, some things were rushed maybe, but that’s probably due to the different work ethic of being at home rather than being in the university building. For me, I definitely would have been more productive in person rather than online, and communication would have been much more smoother in person. It is very awkward having silence when trying to have a conversation, mainly between people who type and people who speak. This year, when it came to big group projects, I was in a group who would use their voices to converse and a different group who used texts as their main source of communication. Honestly voices are much more relaxing. The most awkward thing is when a tutor would talk and then would have to wait for a typed response, when talking would have been more efficient and less awkward for all parties.

I have to say I enjoyed the first semester a lot more than the second, although there were some benefits to the second than the first. What I mean is that, the first semester was all 2D work, and that was something I could really get into and what I prefer doing. Second semester involved 3D work and it is not a fan of mine. Yes I enjoyed making the magic staff model, but that’s really it. Only good thing about second semester was that there was no history of art section or art analysis. I can do that stuff but it is not enjoyable.

So overall, first year was a success, I did things, I learnt things, I made things, I made connections that hopefully will continue in second year. Yeah, it has been a good time.