I'm learning a lot from this flow, but I have to wonder: is this too much too soon, considering (if you're doing the Intro to Blender course) we've only JUST learning the basics of mesh modeling? How are we supposed to know about digital painting at this point? Why wouldn't it not be better to have us create a cube, modify it somehow, then texture it to make it look like a cardboard box, a treasure chest, etc? Don't get me wrong; these tutorials are very good (in fact, this exercise is helping me appreciate the previous tutorials in the flow more than I did from just watching them). However, I feel slightly overwhelmed. I have a very limited understanding of digital painting, so this is taking me more time than I'd like to at this point. I know it's important to learn these skills (and I want to!), but at this point in the flow, I just feel like this is a little too much. Shading, lighting, color selection, etc. It's assuming you have a basic understanding of these concepts that haven't been explained anywhere in the flow yet. We're just wanting to get to know Blender and its functionality at this point.
Hey there, good question!
Why wouldn't it not be better to have us create a cube, modify it somehow, then texture it to make it look like a cardboard box, a treasure chest, etc?
This project comes with the ax model as a starting point, so it's already less work than what that would be. If you're feeling overwhelmed (which is totally normal when starting out), I would suggest taking a few days (or a week or two) in between courses to mess around with what you've learned so far and just have fun playing with whatever piques your curiosity.
We'll update the flow in the future, so this feedback is definitely appreciated! It was designed to throw you into the deep end right away (it's by far the fastest way to learn this stuff), so don't feel like you have to have everything memorized since many of the concepts will come in time simply by being immersed. The only real way to learn Blender's functionality is by doing.
I would also recommend watching the videos more than once before following along if it feels like too much. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask over on the Community! This stuff typically takes over a year to learn, so you're getting an intensive crash course. Keep following along, don't rush the exercises even if you need many days to get it right, follow the resistance (if digital painting is tricky, try a couple Concept courses for a bit), take breaks when you need to, take some time to explore and play around in between courses, and it'll all be second nature before you know it.
Good luck, and keep up the progress!
