art wise my life is improving. at work i feel like i'm taking my models to a more professional level, though i still have a crapload to learn. there are a few modelers at work that i really admire and respect a whole lot. i don't want to gush or be a pansy or anything, but my fellow locomototive modeler tom is really inspiring to be teamed up with and yeah i know that he'll probably read this (since he's on deviant as well), but whatever, i'd type it regardless if he could or couldn't. i'm kind of excited to part ways with him when railroads is over, but i'm also really disappointed that we can't continue working together on the same projects because i think we really have a good working dynamic of sharing tips and tricks that we each learn and keeping eachother motivated. analyzing my own process, i think i need to get critiqued more and sooner. that's one thing that i kind of save for more towards the end, but one thing i'm learning from tom specifically is the true importance of critiques and second or third pairs of eyes on his or her work. i've talked to a few people about my work and alot have mentioned the details and how i can miss some bolts or rivets or even how something specifically curves too easily. i think thats true. i've been focusing on getting these trains out really quickly, but 90% done to save the last 10% for polish time that i've missed certain things and want to go back into them for myself and my portfolio rather than for work's benefit because i want to make myself a better artist. with a few trains left to go and the time to do them in decreasing, the weeks are going to get more chaotic. late nights and long hours await. this is definitely the best looking firaxis game by far. i can't wait to look at it about 6 or 7 months from now when i'm off the project, its shipped, and i haven't looked at it everyday for 9 or 10 hours a day. i was really impressed with how civ 4 looked 5 months after the project shipped whereas when i was working on it, i was seeing it way too much to not be critical of it. anyway, sorry deviant readers for the long ass rant, but i sometimes need to get my thoughts down and let some stuff out. hopefully i'll have more personal stuff up sooner. its hard with crunch in effect and i'm also helping a co-worker with a short film of his, modeling props and what not, so maybe i can put some of that stuff up when he announces his movie.

take it easy everybody.