Feedback

I wanted to get constructive criticism to help better my work and to see what I might not be doing "right" when it comes to recreating the Warcraft style.

There are a lot of online forums that could be suitable for this, but I was thinking if there might be some.. or one that would be the best choice for this specific project. There are several CG websites that could point out technical issues or just generally say if the work was good or not, but I figured that the biggest World of Warcraft fansite would be a great choice in order to get honest opinion.
The people over at MMOChampion.com are amazingly helpful and the community is huge. I've gotten loads of replies and people started to really build up interest around my work.
I've felt that it would be embarrassing and wouldn't help my reputation much if I don't keep the community updated, so I have often posted work-in-progress images
The forum thread can be found HERE.

This was a good way to test if I've applied the theoretical elements correctly. People over here did not care about the technical stuff. For the technical feedback, I have used websites like Polycount, CGArena etc.

Autodesk certified

Earlier this month, Autodesk held their Open Doors events throughout the globe. During this event, they offer completely free software exams, which if you pass receive an Autodesk Certification.

This was a great opportunity to measure my technical knowledge and get a better picture of where I am at right now with 3D Studio Max.

I`ve decided to take 3 exams, 3DSMax Associate's, Models to Motion Professional and Professional.

These three exams tested me in every way possible regarding this software. From basic user interface questions, to the purpose and function of all the different animation Solvers, right down to the Composite software with which 3DSMax ships.

Here are the scores and the Certificates I've managed to get:

Associate

Models to Motion - Professional

Professional

These certificates are held in high regard by recruiters and it shows commitment to your work. Now, I have a document proving my technical skills, it's not just my word. Although, what's most important in this industry is the portfolio, having such certificates never hurts.

This was also a good occasion to network with other people and I did make a few acquaintances.

Online community contacts and feedback

Since the start of third year, I have started to pay more attention in developing relevant contacts withing the CG industry. In the past I had uploaded my finished work to popular CG websites like cgarena.com, 3dtotal.com, evermotion.com etc. I have gained valuable feedback from this experience, but I am planning to make my contact with the online community a bit more interactive.

I not just want to upload finished images, but I am planning on starting forum threads which will be like a digital sketchbook, showing my progression with each of my projects. This is more beneficial than just uploading a final piece as you will gain essential tips, suggestions, criticism etc. as you continue your work, but it also makes people more aware of your art.
I feel that I have enough experience to start such threads on very popular websites like Polycount, CGSociety, 3DTotal etc. When I first started learning CG I`ve uploaded my work to a smaller, Hungarian website called World3d.hu, where I made many new friends and acquaintances with whom I still keep contact. They helped me enormously back in the days to develop myself, so going ahead and sharing my work-in-progress (WiP) work on bigger, international websites sounds like a good idea.