Damn kids these days… When I started there was no tutorials, the only thing you could find on youtube was Weeeeeeeee… or Hamster Dance… and we were working as 1 artist on a production. We had no idea what we were doing, but fortunately no body else did anyways…
At the very core of it all, is being tasked with the impossible and banging your head on that wall until literal breakthrough happens. So with that being said…
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Start small, make a damn camp fire. This is your “hello world”.
1.a) Tutorial on particle system can help, don’t blind copy them, internalize what they show for how it will help your camp fire. -
Ask advice, reviews and direction. Go back to step 1.
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When you are more confident in your fire and smoke… make a more gameplay like FX like a fireball spell. Forget about the casting or impact parts… just focus on the flying fireball.
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Ask advice, reviews and direction. Go back to step 2.
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When you think the fireball is cool enough, build an impact FX for it. Maybe even a casting build up if you feel up to it but… Iterate! make 5 version if you must to have basis of comparison.
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Congratulations you have the beginning of a portfolio. Make some more stuff and apply for jobs.
Doing all that process will help you a million times more than chain watching tutorials all day. And you will also start to build your own experience and toolbox.