Comments on: Ignore the Anti-Learning Brigade. http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/ Jon Jones is an Art Production Manager at NCsoft Austin, one of the most respected and successful video game studios in the world. He's hellbent on learning to be a better artist, manager and human being, and has a penchant for writing about it. Here he shares his thoughts and advice on personal development with the world at large! Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:16:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Matthew Duhamel http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-351644 Matthew Duhamel Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:43:17 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-351644 Thanks for this Jon! My Fiance sent me this link and it has inspired me to keep trying. I've been busting my ass in my animation degree only to keep feeling like I am just behind the curb - when the attitude that I ear constantly is "unless someone says something about your work then you will never noticed" it is hard to go unnoticed all the time. I lived with a roomate these last few years who just had a gift - and not just art but everything - anything creative he could just make sing. I constantly felt like I wasn't good enough despite him never being all that arrogant about it. It is very good to be reminded that those who persist are those who succeed. Thanks for this Jon! My Fiance sent me this link and it has inspired me to keep trying. I’ve been busting my ass in my animation degree only to keep feeling like I am just behind the curb – when the attitude that I ear constantly is “unless someone says something about your work then you will never noticed” it is hard to go unnoticed all the time.

I lived with a roomate these last few years who just had a gift – and not just art but everything – anything creative he could just make sing. I constantly felt like I wasn’t good enough despite him never being all that arrogant about it. It is very good to be reminded that those who persist are those who succeed.

]]> By: Jon Jones http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-342896 Jon Jones Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:40:37 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-342896 Craig, right on. I've spent my life surrounded by people like that, and it's pretty poisonous. Craig, right on. I’ve spent my life surrounded by people like that, and it’s pretty poisonous.

]]> By: Craig Aoyama http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-341956 Craig Aoyama Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:18:06 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-341956 I think it's perfectly fine to know you are good at something but to say it just came to you in a divine bolt of lightning when you were born is retarded. I hear people tell me "only god can give you what you have" or "some people are just born with it i guess" and usually these are people I don't want conflict with so I just nod, but I really hate when they say it. It demeans everything I've worked for. They are saying I could've sat on my ass forever and just one day picked up a pencil and I could draw like I could now. (I'm not tooting my own horn, I'm just saying I can draw better than stick-figure folks). This is a much needed rant to be spread around. I think it’s perfectly fine to know you are good at something but to say it just came to you in a divine bolt of lightning when you were born is retarded.

I hear people tell me “only god can give you what you have” or “some people are just born with it i guess” and usually these are people I don’t want conflict with so I just nod, but I really hate when they say it. It demeans everything I’ve worked for. They are saying I could’ve sat on my ass forever and just one day picked up a pencil and I could draw like I could now. (I’m not tooting my own horn, I’m just saying I can draw better than stick-figure folks).

This is a much needed rant to be spread around.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-457 Anonymous Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:19:08 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-457 Ateliers are gonna kick your ass.......Jason Manley supports them. Ateliers are gonna kick your ass…….Jason Manley supports them.

]]> By: jonjones http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-446 jonjones Wed, 04 Oct 2006 15:10:51 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-446 I agree there, ConceptArt.org is fantastic and I've seen nothing but incredible work come out of Massive Black. I found my concept artist for Dungeon Runners on CA after weeks of searching, in fact. I agree there, ConceptArt.org is fantastic and I’ve seen nothing but incredible work come out of Massive Black. I found my concept artist for Dungeon Runners on CA after weeks of searching, in fact.

]]> By: Artist http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-431 Artist Tue, 03 Oct 2006 07:35:35 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-431 Art can totally be learned. I agree with the comment Jason Manley had previously about art schools not doing a great job nowadays. And BTW, Manley has done more for art and artists than just about any young artist alive right now. ConceptArt.org is a an amazing achievement and Massive Black needs no defending. Shauna "Tina" Peterson Laguna Beach, CA Art can totally be learned. I agree with the comment Jason Manley had previously about art schools not doing a great job nowadays. And BTW, Manley has done more for art and artists than just about any young artist alive right now. ConceptArt.org is a an amazing achievement and Massive Black needs no defending.

Shauna “Tina” Peterson
Laguna Beach, CA

]]> By: jonjones http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-320 jonjones Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:07:26 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-320 Thanks for the comments, guys! Sorry, been on a brief vacation. Chris, awesome! That's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. radioact1ve, well, I mean... yeah, online Donkey Kong game. There are some lines one simply does not cross. ;) GBGames, hey man! Good to hear from ya. :) I had only heard about the Thousander Club in passing, but that's an extremely cool idea. Had I some sort of specific project, I'd definitely join. I'm going to pass that one around to my friends! NoSeRider: You raise an interesting point, about not being certain if you can be humble in the game industry. I think you most definitely can... it's just easier to be extremely brash, bold and arrogant to make an impression than it is to be a total humble badass. At some point, yeah, you have to amplify the ego and make yourself heard, but I don't think it's necessarily a choice between EITHER talent OR superego. Or maybe the public forum for the superego isn't where the humble people ever need really aim to be... they just sit behind the scenes, cranking away and kicking ass without needing to be highly visible pompous assholes. :) JM, hahaha, you are correct. Ultimately all people want is to feel important. Most people are happy to get whatever basic validation they can get, and a few actually care about getting better and better and really want to push forward and improve. And thanks. :) Christopher, awesome! Thanks man, I really appreciate that. Is your rant online anywhere, by any chance? Would love to give it a read. Thanks for the comments, guys! Sorry, been on a brief vacation.

Chris, awesome! That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about.

radioact1ve, well, I mean… yeah, online Donkey Kong game. There are some lines one simply does not cross. ;)

GBGames, hey man! Good to hear from ya. :) I had only heard about the Thousander Club in passing, but that’s an extremely cool idea. Had I some sort of specific project, I’d definitely join. I’m going to pass that one around to my friends!

NoSeRider: You raise an interesting point, about not being certain if you can be humble in the game industry. I think you most definitely can… it’s just easier to be extremely brash, bold and arrogant to make an impression than it is to be a total humble badass. At some point, yeah, you have to amplify the ego and make yourself heard, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a choice between EITHER talent OR superego. Or maybe the public forum for the superego isn’t where the humble people ever need really aim to be… they just sit behind the scenes, cranking away and kicking ass without needing to be highly visible pompous assholes. :)

JM, hahaha, you are correct. Ultimately all people want is to feel important. Most people are happy to get whatever basic validation they can get, and a few actually care about getting better and better and really want to push forward and improve. And thanks. :)

Christopher, awesome! Thanks man, I really appreciate that. Is your rant online anywhere, by any chance? Would love to give it a read.

]]> By: Christopher McArthur http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-318 Christopher McArthur Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:22:37 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-318 Lovely Rant. I wrote one almost exactly the same one day about Math. I wholeheartedly agree with you here. Lovely Rant. I wrote one almost exactly the same one day about Math. I wholeheartedly agree with you here.

]]> By: JM http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-308 JM Sat, 02 Sep 2006 08:40:07 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-308 Jason Manley is the biggest douche bag I've ever met, and unfortunately 95% of people that say they don't want to hear 'gj!' are exactly the same that get upset when they get anything *but* 'gj', which is exactly why most people don't bother beyond 'gj'. Oh, btw -- gj on those posts. Jason Manley is the biggest douche bag I’ve ever met, and unfortunately 95% of people that say they don’t want to hear ‘gj!’ are exactly the same that get upset when they get anything *but* ‘gj’, which is exactly why most people don’t bother beyond ‘gj’.

Oh, btw — gj on those posts.

]]> By: NoSeRider http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/comment-page-1/#comment-307 NoSeRider Sat, 02 Sep 2006 08:02:55 +0000 http://www.thejonjones.com/2006/08/29/ignore-the-anti-learning-brigade/#comment-307 [quote]NoSeRider, I am not sure what you are upset about, but Jon’s post was mainly about people who say things like “You just have to be born with the talent”[/quote] No. I'm basically agreeing with Jon. My experiences are the game industry hires people based on networking ability....how you present 'yourself'. As long as 'charm' prevails over artistic ability, I think that 'you have to be born with it' attitude is going to prevail. That's where that deluded thing comes in......are you truly an artist if your art suffers at the expense of 'ego'? It's not a 'you have to be born with it'....but you have to be open to it. You have to think outside of yourself. Jason Manley from Massive Black is very underwhelmed by what is churning out from art schools.....so it's not some elitist attitude. People are failing to see art as a discipline. Being an artist isn't about crushing people. It's about communicating something that could inspire......you can't do that if your art sucks. Some of the best artists I've known have been humble....those are the ones that inspire, because they put their art ahead of themselves. I'm not certain you can be humble in the game industry? [quote]NoSeRider, I am not sure what you are upset about, but Jon’s post was mainly about people who say things like “You just have to be born with the talent”[/quote]

No. I’m basically agreeing with Jon.

My experiences are the game industry hires people based on networking ability….how you present ‘yourself’. As long as ‘charm’ prevails over artistic ability, I think that ‘you have to be born with it’ attitude is going to prevail.

That’s where that deluded thing comes in……are you truly an artist if your art suffers at the expense of ‘ego’?

It’s not a ‘you have to be born with it’….but you have to be open to it. You have to think outside of yourself.

Jason Manley from Massive Black is very underwhelmed by what is churning out from art schools…..so it’s not some elitist attitude. People are failing to see art as a discipline.

Being an artist isn’t about crushing people. It’s about communicating something that could inspire……you can’t do that if your art sucks.

Some of the best artists I’ve known have been humble….those are the ones that inspire, because they put their art ahead of themselves.

I’m not certain you can be humble in the game industry?

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