A beginner’s guide to basics of Clay sculpturing

Sculpting is an extremely satisfying hobby and will have a calming influence on the budding artist in you. It involves working with hands and creating a figure/sculpture out of a glob of clay, thus providing a highly therapeutic effect on the doer. If your plan to join any clay sculpting courses that are available, make sure you have checked out the basics of clay sculpturing.

What is clay?

Originally, clay is a distinct kind of earth that is created due to the decomposition of rocks by weathering. However, the clay that we use for sculpturing has been refined and fortified to make it an ideal material for this purpose. Clay needs to have good plasticity to be moulded into a sculpture and this can be easily tested by rolling a piece of clay in your hand, roll it into a coil or bend it into the ring. If the coil or ring does not fall apart or crack, it can be considered ideal for sculpting.

Sculpting- A beginning

For beginner’s understanding, sculpting is divided into two areas i.e. additive process & subtractive process. Additive sculpting includes adding materials to build a structure, while subtractive process does the opposite, i.e. removal of material to reveal the sculpture.  While additive sculpting uses materials like clay, plasticine, and wax, the subtractive process uses wood, marble or plaster.

Materials to be used for Sculpting

Additive Sculpture process can be carried out using the following materials:

• Plasticine Clay: This is an oil-based, coloured clay and does not dry out very easily. This clay is costly and can be used for smaller sculptures. 
• Polymer Clay: This is actually PVC with pigments and other liquids added to give it flexibility and colour. It is ideal for making delicate jewellery.
• Air-dry Clay: This is ideal for children as it is non-toxic, cheap and can be painted for a great effect.

Subtractive Sculpture process can be carried out using the following materials:

• Soap: Soap is the best material that is available for carving and some great work can be created by using rough blades. The bonus, of course, is that it is very cheap.
• Plaster of Paris: This is easily available at most hardware stores and can be set into blocks for immediate use.
• Balsa Wood: This kind of wood is soft and the best wood to begin carving/sculpting on. However, children may not use it as it needs to be sculpted with a knife.

Enrol yourself at a reputed institute that offers clay sculpting courses to give wings to your hobby and turn it into a profession.

Game Development Courses – Pave your Way towards Mobile Game Development

The calendar says more than half of the year ‘2016’ has passed and it’s advancing towards the next year. However, taking mobile gaming into consideration, it’s a long way to go along with advancements that come up almost every day. Isn’t it? With new technologies showing up all the time and mobile gaming evolving every minute, it’s hard for any particular thing to last long. Therefore, if you are interested in going ahead with game development as your career, you should go for Game Development Courses. There are a number of reliable and reputed institutions that offer such courses. All you need to do is find one! 

However, before you begin with mobile game development, it is very important to learn about the latest trends surrounding the same.

The evolution of games and devices

First of all, you need to understand that both games and gaming devices are evolving; they have become more sophisticated in comparison to the previous years. So, it is quite obvious that the expectations of the gamers would also increase. As the technologies advance, audiences look for more refined, impressive as well as an innovative gaming experience.

Let’s check out what’s trending –

• Gameplay becoming simultaneous

Simultaneous gameplay, what does it mean? Well, it means playing the same game on two different devices, for example – a mobile phone and a desktop computer, using the same application. This concept of gameplay is one of the most popular trends in mobile gaming, where gamers can enjoy both convenience of mobile phones and visual satisfaction of desktops.

• Mini-games are rising 

In order to eliminate what you say, game fatigue, mobile game developers are incorporating mini-games or snackable games into their gaming apps. One of the best features of such games is, gamers don’t need to download any kind of additional content. According to the industry experts, this trend is here to stay and grow. Moreover, mini-games, if used moderately, can serve as great tools for gamer engagement as well as retention.

• VR or virtual reality is making is way

You might be aware of the hype and hoopla VR is making around. Although you need to power them up with the help of computers and virtual reality headsets, although it’s a bit expensive, sooner or later, it is likely to become integral to mobile gaming.

• 3 Dimensional touch – the name itself is enough 

It is among one of the latest developments that have the potential to transform the entire experience of gaming altogether. It not only can add new elements to the existing commands but also the additional ones too.

Besides these, there are many other aspects of mobile game development that are trending these days. To learn them and leveraging them to develop new-era mobile games, Game Development Courses is the best answer.

Jumpstart your career as a Game Designer

Game designers create and develop games for computers, gaming consoles and now mobiles and tablets. Their involvement begins with the conception of the game idea and goes on to the execution of the game creation. They are responsible for the concept, story, the coding and the programming and many times spill over into audio, visual arts, and production. Basically, the game designer does everything to put the game together, from creating a sample up to its implementation. This is precisely what top-class Game Design Institutes in Singapore teach their students and mold them in expert game designers.

Grab as much knowledge as possible

Game designing is a pretty wide and dynamic field and it is important to have deep knowledge about the technologies used to design games. If game design is your passion then you should enrol yourself at selected gaming institutes so that you receive education and knowledge about the right way to design video games for mobiles, computers, and consoles. The internet is a wonderful source of information and best of all, is free. Use this resource sensibly as there are thousands of videos, blogs, articles and tips to create games. Follows blogs of gaming enthusiasts to understand the trends and to grab as much knowledge as possible.

Skills that will help

Although it is not necessary to equip yourself with a coding degree/diploma, but knowing coding will definitely give you an edge over others. As a skill, coding is respected in the gaming industry and you could do well to learn the basics of coding for future benefit. Game designers are also known to be passionate about the art of sketching so that it is easy to put your ideas on paper. It helps one to visualize and present it to others.

Take up a professional course

A game designer has to be professionally qualified to land a job at a prestigious organization and also pay a suitable salary package. Large organization in the field of gaming are always on the lookout for talented individuals and are willing to pay for this. If you have equipped yourself with a diploma in gaming design or Animation, there is a huge possibility of you landing up this job. Prep yourself with knowledge of programming languages along with various computer systems as that will be highly useful during your working life. The best part about game designing is that apart from theory, it is very important to know the practical side of designing.

While taking up a game design course from a professional institute, make sure you complete the background check about it and the course details. Understand the course portfolio and check it aligns with your interests and requirements. It is always better to focus and select institutes which apart from the theory, give a lot of importance to the practical knowledge which is so important in this field. Game designing is a highly competitive field so you can expect a lot of competition when you are out seeking a job. Get admission is one of the leading and best Game Design Institutes in Singapore so that you can become successful and expert game designer.

Learn How to Create Better 3D Character Designs

Now that you have completed your 3D character design course you need to channel all your learnings to find better ways to create production ready game figures. Here are a few tips that will help you build low-poly models in a much more efficient manner –

• Understand your Limitations 

The first thing you need to look into when starting work on any 3D game character design is your set of working restrictions. Take into account factors such as the environment settings and how the character will be seen and used in the game overall. Environment setting refer to variables like working units. Consider whether you will be working in meters or centimetres, for instance. Make sure this stays constant all through the game to avoid any scale issues. 

Also, understanding how the character will be used and what they should be able to do can have a significant effect on the modelling process. Will your character be animated? Will it need to bend, open its mouth, use a specific movement when working with a weapon? If you give your character a hat, will you ever need to see what is underneath? 

• Spend Time Researching 

Starting a character design project with absolutely no research is a redundant exercise. While working from memory is fine, it is always better to have a folder of photographs handy or a wall of concept work in front of you that allows you to stick to your path.

• Take Baby Steps 

When you begin work on your character, avoid rushing into creating a very detailed one complete with tattoos on the hand, accessories and more. It is recommended that you first block out the whole figure using basic primitives and then stitch them together. Many designers like to start by using a simple cylinder. This is a great way to get a broad overview of the proportions of your character and a feel of how it will look eventually. 

• Work with Subdivision Surfaces 

A great way to create smoother models with an initially low polygon count is to work with subdivision surfaces. This approach allows you to create a very detailed model from a low-resolution ‘cage’ mesh allowing to you continue working without having to push a lot of geometry around. Once you are satisfied with what you have created, you can bake out the model and then convert it into a fully polygon-based mesh that can be optimized and edited. 

Finally, it is recommended that you add detail only where it is necessary. It is common for first time designs to cave into their impulse of putting details into all aspects of their creation. While you want to do your best in creating an amazing character, in the world of gaming, your efforts may go wasted, especially since many of your details may go unnoticed. With an understanding of how your character will be used and seen from a distance you will be able to add relevant details to it that add to the aesthetics of the game character. 

Using Serious Game Design to Enhance Product Knowledge via Online Training

Online training for product knowledge is often considered to be dull and boring among most employees. To be able to change this perspective, it is your job as a designer to find an innovative way to integrate serious game design techniques into your client’s online training strategy.

Making Product Knowledge Fun

The key is to find ways to help employees brush up on the product specs in an engaging manner through online training simulations and presentations that are interactive and complete with game mechanics. You need to go beyond forcing employees to simply read out features and give them a chance to explore the product in an immersive environment. Here are a few things you need to consider when working on a product knowledge project after completing your serious game course in Singapore –

• Making the Game Mobile Friendly and Bite Sized
  

The most effective serious games in the market are the ones that are convenient and quick. Most modern learners don’t have the inclination, concentration span and time to engage in a game that drags on for hours. Even if you are offering them critical skills and information in exchange, you want to make sure that the micro-learning online training courses are easy to access and digest.

Your game should be engaging enough to motivate employees to repeat them again and again for the purpose of learner retention and reduction of cognitive load.

• Focusing on Product Specifications and Features 

It is obvious that the focal point of your serious game needs to be on the features, specifications and benefits of the product. A common mistake developers make is to prioritize game mechanics over product knowledge. The idea is to make sure that every eLearning situation, character and challenge is linked to the product and game design elements are used as purely a performance support tool to make the process more engaging.
 

• Encourage Competition with Leader Boards

Competition can be powerful motivation tool. It often drives employees to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Leverage this core human nature by putting up a leader board. Employees who know the product or take the time to get to know it better will rank better. This provides a great source of motivation for employees on the top as well as bottom end of the leader board where the leaders will want to keep their spots while the others will want to prove themselves to their peers.

• Incorporate Sales Skills
  

Understand the difference between learning about a new product and learning how to sell it. Your online training serious game should be able to explore not only the features of the products but also provide tools that help employees to negotiate various aspects of the transaction. You could find ways to help employees re-enact common sales challenges allowing them to deal with difficult clients, enhance communication, etc.

By channelling the right skills from your serious game course in Singapore, you will be able to help you clients create the perfect product knowledge training solution for their employees. 

5 Short Portfolio Building Programs for Gamers and Digital Artists

Whether you are pursuing gaming as a hobby or looking to build your resume as a digital artist, School Holiday Programmes can be amazing way to put your free time to good use while picking up some essential skills needed to succeed. Here are some interesting and unique courses that can add great value to your portfolio of skills-

Digital Sculpting for Artists

The main focus of this program is on creating various complex organic models and textures that are utilized in video and gaming industry. This course will allow you to learn skills such as surface texturing to help you give your object a more realistic appeal. During the process of this course you can also learn various techniques such as cutting or building soft and rigid surfaces. With an aim to have a sculpted 3D organic character complete with colors, accessories and textured elements, this course covers all the essentials of the topic.

Digital Comic Design

The thrilling picture version of depicting a story, comics, is an industry that is making a comeback. With modern applications such as online comics, they are only growing in demand. This course is perfect to delve into the world of graphical story telling that makes use of both images as well as words. This course will allow you to discover the importance of using art to set the right tone while giving it a complete look in order to be reviewed by publishers. Learn all the essentials of creating a good comic with this short course.
 

Digital Painting and Concept Art

For those with a streak of creativity embedded in them, this is the perfect short summer course to take. This program has been specifically designed to teach students the essentials of designing digital characters and environments. From being able to get the right proportion to understanding elements such as tone, light and placement, this course is the best way to cover it all.

Level Design for Games

The rapidly expanding field of gaming makes this a well timed course to take. It is important for prospective game developers to have a basic understanding of developing levels. This course focuses on factors that make level games interesting, Architecture Theory, and incorporating storytelling into the model. At the end of this program you will not only be planning and drawing basic gaming levels but also be a master of concepts such as balance, flow and interactivity that makes you a professional.

Games Programming for Windows, Android & iPhone

If you have been dreaming of a game that hasn’t been created yet, why don’t you just do it yourself? This workshop will enable you to create games for both mobile phones and PCs with ease. The comprehensive workshop covers everything from using 2D & 3D game engines to learning the game mechanics and how to test your final game.  

These short courses are not only perfect for summer but also for working professionals who wish to upgrade their skill set and retain their competitive edge in order to succeed. 

Inspiring Children through Game Design

Video games today have been integrated into the daily lives of children across the globe. Today some of the best gamers are not adults but passionate children too. While curbing the use of these games for health reasons is essential, if used in the right manner you can ensure your kids can use it as a successful educational tool. Here are five essential skills that can be learnt through game programming classes for children:

Encouraging Creativity

Allowing children to indulge in the gaming world opens many doors such as exposure to new worlds, their rules and characters. Encouraging them to explore these new worlds and solve their problems will help them achieve success. Allowing them to develop their own games and levels can unlock creativity and let their imagination roam free. They not only learn essential skills as a gamer but also improve their artistic abilities. Forcing them to think in a creative manner, designing games can give children a chance to indulge in their passion in a positive manner.

Communication Skills

Designing a successful game involves various elements. When children are made to design creative games they are forced to think artistically while clearly defining how it works and the various elements while communicating their goals. Making mistakes during the process is even better as it helps them understand problems and devise solutions on their own. By giving the freedom to create story lines no matter how abstract, they can communicate their new world and let other users experience it too.

Technology Skills

Since incorporating cutting edge technology with brilliant stories is key to successful games, game development can be a great way to develop technological skills among children. Using their imagination as a tool to conceptualize and technology to provide tangible results, children pick up skills that are great not only for potential gamers and artists, but for life as well. Enrolling them in a formal gaming program can enable them to use powerful tools such as gaming engines and advanced artist applications to create graphics. It also allows them to explore the world of game development in all its glory and challenges.

Collaboration Skills

In an environment where they are surrounded by like-minded children who share the same passions, all the inhibitions and walls come down. They are not only a lot more comfortable making mistakes and asking questions, but seek help from peers as well. Working with others gives them an opportunity to discover new ideas, trends, designs and technology while understanding the importance of diversity.

Problem Solving Skills

The process of designing a game involves various challenges that crop up eventfully. Most of the gaming world involves creating problems and then finding solutions for them in order to make them exciting and thrilling. Logical thinking and problem solving skills can be developed in an interesting manner through engaging your children in such activities.

 These skills are applicable in every walk of life, making them all the more important for children to develop as early as possible.