Skinner's Block?

[Shaboba]

This question is directed mainly at the veteran skinners here.

Have you ever reached a point where you just felt so totally demotivated and you felt like all your work sucks and you never want to skin again? Yeah, that's where I am now. How do you get through that? x_x

[deano_ue]

hell bloody yes

[Amazo Version 2.2]

I've attempted to skin a few mainstream characters, but realized that any character I want to use in game has already been skinned a hundred times by skinners who outclass me. I'm to the point where I'm saying "Is this worth the time and effort?"; but I keep going by telling my self that it isn't the end result that matters, but anything I've learned in the process is well worth it.

I'm rambling now, but I hope you can get past this point, I think alot of people on the boards go through this phase. I would guess that it's just a natural thing to question ourselves and our abilities, but hopefully we can all work this out in a way that benefits each of us the best.

[daglob]

It's not a competition. If it were, I'd be competing with C6, AA, Murs...

I still do skins because I want to. If someone else likes it, fine, if not, fine too.

Do skins of your favorite characters; if they have already been done, so what? Do them to please yourself.

I've been doing obscure characters, but then, they have always been my favorites. I've looked into the golden age characters because if you want obscure, you can't bet much more obscure than a character who appeared as a back-up feature in some obscure titles from a small obscure publisher in the middle of World War II. (If that appeals to you, PM me and I'll send you some links; it's not like there isn't plenty for everybody.). Is there a genre you like? Do characters from it. Do all the costume your favorite character has had. Do all the characters your favorite artist has ever done. Do all the characters your favorite writer has ever done. There may be some you never release, or there may be several that you decide are worth it.

And you never can tell, it may be a skin that someone has been wanting since forever...

I'm not doing much right now because I'm in the process of getting FF1 up and running (and the alpha channels still don't work). Of course, it seems like I've been doing this for quite awhile now. Maybe I ought to take a break and do some skinning...

[spydermann93]

Very well said daglob. I always admire people who encourage others. I really do like your skins, btw. They are truly original.

@Amazo Version 2.2: As daglob said, don't stop what you like just because somebody else did it. Do it because you like it. And with practice, it will get better. Everybody has to start somewhere.

[Tomato]

Heh, I think I can say with confidence that we've ALL been there, done that. Skinning is one of those art forms that no one just "picks up" and runs with... you don't become the next C6 overnight. Just keep doing what you enjoy skinning, and keep trying to learn... look up some tutorials (Murs has been doing some, and I have to say even I'm learning some new tricks) if you want to learn some more basic techniques, but even just look up how other skinners skinned something (boots, swords, shields, etc.) before doing it yourself.

The main thing to focus on is doing what you want to and why you want to do it. I skin because I enjoy it, and I have enough ego by now to say I don't really care if someone comes back behind me and does a better job on something (*cough*C6's Cyclops*cough*), except that now I can use the better skin AND be content with the knowledge that I put my best foot forward.

Beyond that too, every skin I do is another step towards getting better. I don't think there's a single skin I can look back at and say "I learned nothing," even though there are plenty I can say "that skin stunk" about. For instance...

-this is my original skin done of my avatar. This was done something like, 2 years after I started skinning, it's just the earliest I still have. It sucks. But I attempted to try techniques out with this skin that, to a much more muted degree, I still use for skins like my most recent Marauder.

[murs47]

Have you ever reached a point where you just felt so totally demotivated and you felt like all your work sucks and you never want to skin again? Yeah, that's where I am now. How do you get through that? x_x

All the time. In fact, I dislike the majority of my work. Improvement is my motivating factor I suppose.

It's not a competition. If it were, I'd be competing with C6, AA, Murs...

I still do skins because I want to. If someone else like it, fine, if not, fine too.

Do skins of your favorite characters; if they have already been done, so what? Do them to please yourself.

Quoted for truth.

[laughing paradox]

Yeah, I think everyone's been through that.. I certainly have when it comes to writer's block.

And I'd like to share, as many characters that have been created for the game, there are still so many others that haven't been! Ultraverse, Image, Marvel, DC... lots of characters not created yet. Just sit yourself down with one of your favorite comics and get inspired. I've said this before.. I get more excited when people enjoy the character I choose to skin than the actual skin I make.

And like Daglob said, this isn't a competition. Except for when Murs skinned Darkstar. Now it's on.

[Podmark]

Demotivated? Sometimes but more often I just get bored. I have explosives bursts of attention where I'll devote most of my time and energy into something, then it will wane and I'll move on to something else. Plus skinning can be hard so sometimes I need a break.

I've never felt like all my work sucks, but often I'll wonder if skinning is worth the time I put into it. I'll wonder if there isn't something I'd be better off doing. But I enjoy skinning characters I like so I still keep coming back to it.

[murs47]

And like Daglob said, this isn't a competition. Except for when Murs skinned Darkstar. Now it's on.

Prev said it would make you happy!

[Shaboba]

Well the thing is, I mostly do skins of my own original characters, and I often get frustrated because I always have an image in my head of how I want it to turn out but my skill level is not quite at that level yet. I imagine anyone who skins original characters (anyone who skins, period) has had this problem at some point or another, especially if you know exactly how you want it to look... but I suppose practice makes perfect.

PS: Murs' hair tutorial was a godsend.

[daglob]

Look at everyone else's stuff; try to reverse engineer what they did.

Do the unthinkable: kitbash a skin that is close to what you want. Add pieces parts from other skins. Cut and paste faces from pics on the web. Then, when you get it the way you like it, you can re-do it all your own work.

Keep two or three skins going at once; that way if you get tired of one, go to another. If you get stuck on a skin, put it aside so you can go back to it later. Then start another skin. Boredom breeds inertia, and inertia is a killer. Frustration breeds more frustration, and a lot of dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction also breeds inertia. See previous comment.

Re-do one of your older skins. Then compare them.

Post pics for comments.

Work up an elaborate 2D version.

[laughing paradox]

Prev said it would make you happy!

When is Prev ever right? Hehe.

[Previsionary]

Prev said it would make you happy!

When is Prev ever right? Hehe.

The majority of the time you wimps come to me with your problems.

"Oh Prev, save me from my dilemma! I obviously need your superior wits!"

Haters hating is horrendous. Take that alliteration to your corner and weep!

[BentonGrey]

Prev said it would make you happy!

When is Prev ever right? Hehe.

The majority of the time you wimps come to me with your problems.

"Oh Prev, save me from my dilemma! I obviously need your superior wits!"

Haters hating is horrendous. Take that alliteration to your corner and weep!

If we did need you to save us, we'd all be in trouble....

Shaboba, I may not be a skinner (by ANY stretch of the imagination), but I flatter myself to think that I am something of a content creator, and there have been points were I felt burnt out, unappreciated, or what have you.  Like many of the rest of the gang have said, you've just got to do it for yourself, not for anyone else.  If you are working to improve your art, to tell a story, or realize a character, and you can enjoy that process, nothing else matters.  Daglob's suggestion of multiple projects at once is precisely what I do with mods to keep myself from being burnt out.  Well, here's hoping that you find your spark man.  Good luck.

[Tomato]

Well the thing is, I mostly do skins of my own original characters, and I often get frustrated because I always have an image in my head of how I want it to turn out but my skill level is not quite at that level yet. I imagine anyone who skins original characters (anyone who skins, period) has had this problem at some point or another, especially if you know exactly how you want it to look... but I suppose practice makes perfect.

PS: Murs' hair tutorial was a godsend.

Oh lord yes. It's even worse with originals, because on top of not doing the skin exactly how I want it, I often don't have the design exactly how I want it. Like, some looks have been pretty much consistent after the first few drawings (I've changed like, 2 details on Tomato from the first full-body design I did of him.)  whereas others have gone through like, 20 redesigns a year since 2004-ish and are just now finally clicking into place (Marauder). Things do come out right... eventually.

PS: Agreed.

[John Jr.]

I began to skin just because I needed characters no one had skinned yet. I'm never satisfied with my skins, but skinning is fun and someone may want a different skin anyway. I have different versions of guys like Superman, Batman and Captain America in my HD, so sometimes I use a Superman from The Gryphon, others a C6 version, or Afghan Ant's and so on. We didn't need to be the best skinner around (I know I'll never be one of the top 10, or even top 20), but if you have your own style and make some different characters you'll be helping the community.
Anyway, the veteran skinners are very kind and they taught me a lot since I began to post my skins, I'm sure they'll help you too.

[Courtnall6]

I've been in a skinners block for many months now. These blocks(or burnouts as I call'em) hit me every once and a while. Much less in the beginning and never really lasted that long. These days they are far more frequent and last much longer than my skinning bursts. When I'm in a burnout...I have zero desire to skin anything. I can get inspired by a cool new mesh or another skinner posting a pic of a great looking skin. Gren's Puck mesh was the last thing to get me out of my funk(Puck rocks!)...but that didn't last long sadly.

Skinning is one of those art forms that no one just "picks up" and runs with... you don't become the next C6 overnight.

It only took me 6 or 7 years.

[ElijahSnowFan]

I've been watching Murs' video tutorials, and I have been reading the other tutorials, so I know, at some point, I'm going to try to make a skin. It likely won't be good -- hey, I know it won't be.

My point is this: Freedom Force is an old franchise, by pretty much any gaming standard anybody would want to apply. So really, any time someone puts out anything, I've always appreciated it because of the time it takes and the fact that really, sharing is the only reason this community still exists.

So when I finally put one out, it won't be good...but I still think that because this community is about sharing, all that can be expected is that you do your best, don't kitbash for release, and attempt to get better.

That's a metaphor for life. Michael Jordan, as the story goes, was cut from his high school basketball team. I'm going to put a skin or two out one day, as I learn a little more, and that's because it's really not about me. It's about the community, and putting forth effort, as others have in the past.

Soooo...Murs! Get back to work with those video tutorials! I've been learning from those!