Hi everyone,

It feels so good to finally be on summer break! Like many people I know, I am working during the summer. This is partially to keep me busy, and partially to earn some cash over the break. But what else is there to do during my free time?

Many of us face the overwhelming challenge of keeping ourselves busy during the summer. Sure, we can sleep as late as we want to (as long as it doesn’t interfere with work). What happens after waking up? I often find myself wondering “What am I going to do today?”

This summer I have decided to challenge myself, and further skills I already possess. As a UB student in the Simulation & Digital Entertainment program here at USG, I have decided to perfect my 3D modelling skills, so I can add some interesting projects to my portfolio.

For 3D modelling, I use Autodesk Maya, a 3D modelling program. It is available on both PC and Mac computers and laptops. When you initially open up the program, you get a screen that looks like this:

I am still getting the hang of Maya’s many features. The great thing about this program is that you can create anything you want. Many people use this software for creating epic models and videos. For example, Disney’s Zootopia was created using Maya.

Fortunately, if you are a beginner like myself, you can look up various tutorials on youtube. One of the projects I want to create this summer is a tree. It is in its beginning stage, but hopefully will be complete by the end of the summer. Here is what it looks like currently:

After I am satisfied with the model, I will apply textures and lighting. I plan to work hard on this, so it can be a portfolio worthy piece. Feel free to leave any suggestions on what I can do to improve this project.