Learning is a Skill You Already Have
Artist and Author Leah Kopke
Editor Ezra Blocker
Learning something new can feel daunting. It can be best compared to a long hike. I’ve felt that overwhelmed sensation as I started something new many times in my life and I’m sure you have as well. When going for a long hike, each step is progress towards completion. An individual step may feel minimal, perhaps even insignificant, however, if any step were removed from the journey the destination wouldn’t be reached. Each step is significant. The act of doing something small consistently can lead to something valuable and meaningful over time.
Reflect back on something you learned. Remember each instance of progress that led to learning. One skill that comes to mind for me was learning to play an instrument, one note at a time, and then one musical phrase at a time. With small steps I was able to play in a larger orchestra. What comes to mind for you? Whether you are skilled in an artform, sport, or other endeavor, it is easy to lose sight of progress made. Remembering how far you’ve come learning something else, can help you see your potential as you begin a new journey. While there may be a skill you have yet to learn, you already know what methods, and environments helped you improve from your past experiences. This knowledge applies to new experiences too. Learning in itself is a skill and it applies to anything.
I take the same approach to learning software or skills for work. I learn a new mesh tool, deformer, generator, or node per week to further my understanding of Cinema 4D. I read it in the manual and practice. As a visual learner, I have wished someone could show me the technique like the tutorials I watched to learn SolidWorks. That experience inspired me to teach one tool a day for Cinema 4D on YouTube for others who need that visual. Learning hasn’t always come easy for me and I wanted to make it easier for others.
When I was still an industrial designer, I learned the 3D software SolidWorks for manufacturing. During an internship working in a model shop creating vending machines prototypes, I found ways to keep busy when work slowed down. I’d clean the model shop, organize hardware, and sweep the floors. When I ran out of areas to clean and organize, I bought some SolidWorks tutorials and watched them. My boss seemed impressed by this ambition and would let me 3D model abstract forms to cut out on the CNC machine for practice. I loved that job. The sweet sound of David Bowie playing on the radio while we joked as we sanded prototypes are vivid in my mind. Creating prototypes and jobs like that have become more sparse as it became cheaper to prototype abroad in places like China. Reflecting on my experience learning SolidWorks, I decided to make videos for tools in Cinema 4D, teaching one at a time, to make it easier for people to learn. Learning should be fun like seeing your 3D models carved out of high density foam on a CNC machine. I hoped to reach others who wanted a fun learning experience like that too.
That is the origin of how I decided to make tutorials. I believe anyone can learn if they have the resources they need, some passion, and the perseverance to try. There were times where I didn’t feel like I had what I needed to learn, and I remember that frustration. If I could help solve that for others, at least in a software I know, I’d feel that I made a difference. My most recent series on YouTube teaches how to 3D model with nodes in Cinema 4D. I’m working on another one on how to use Sketchbook Pro. If you want to up your 3D modeling game or explore new 2D software for sketching, please check out the YouTube courses below. One small step is as significant as the destination. I look forward to helping you get there.
