Best Universities for Computer Graphics/Animation?

but id like the option of being able to take it around with me and stuff. and dont say to me get an external harddrive. wouldnt it just be easier with a laptop? or do most people use pcs.
why should i build a desktop over a laptop? I could get the same power but just for an extra cost

You honestly couldn't dude, most desktop GPU's are the width of of a laptop these days.

At the end of the day its up to you, its your time and money but when i was thinking of applying to Uni i spent a lot of time hunting down students work on youtube and faculty sites and time after time you see half assed playblasts because "my computer couldn't render the animation" with a sad face which is really pathetic.

As an example if i was going to build a PC today it would look something like this:



To be fair i never spent a whole lot of time on this but its roughly the way i'd go, lots of hard drive space, decent CPU and the best GPU (non-industry) on the market. Housed in a nice case on a nice board with a quality power supply with an after market CPU cooler to enable me to get the CPU up to 4ghz with some breathing room.

Now i may be wrong but i seriously doubt theres a laptop on the market that would compete with the above in terms of bang for buck.

I don't know what the course structures like at Bournemouth but if the classes are intensive you'll probably be using the uni's hardware more than your own which given the uni's reputation i assume is pretty current. If the classes don't take up too much of your time the mobility of your work station is less of a concern.

Laptops are very rarely value for money and considering how the software we work with makes full use of RAM, CPU as well as GPU it makes sense not to skimp for the sake of style/convenience.

Well, to me at least.

Thx for the help and advice, uve done well to put me off buying a laptop.
Perhaps I could buy a cheap laptop to do work on at home or elsewhere and do the rendering at uni

Hello everyone.

After much forum lurking, I decided to join up. I got an unconditional offer from herts for 3D Games Art, starting September, and I wondered if anyone else here is doing Games Art? Seems like not many people really mention it.

Also, although I've been using 3D apps for nearly two years (mostly Maya), my traditional art skills are not really up to much right now. This is mostly because I haven't done any drawing since taking Art at school. I did get an A in it at GCSE, and was generally one of the better artists in my class. However, I'd just like to know how difficult it is to pick up these life drawing skills and such, since GCSE art is mostly weird pop art stuff. "Hey look guys, four cans of soup in different colours, yay!"

I did dabble in some perspective drawing, and I had no trouble with the concept of it really, but life drawing is something that worries me.

Thanks
ColonelMoore

Hi everyone,

I have been studying at Edge Hill university for the past year. Without saying too much, I would advise everyone to stay away from the course. Poor teaching and facilities.

I'm also looking at Hertfordshire. The reels are a lot better than anything I've seen anywhere else. I will shoot off some emails and phone calls on Monday, but I fear I may have already missed the bandwagon - is it too late for me to join? Can anyone tell me their experiences of process of getting into the uni?

You really don't need a computer at all. Like Marink said, we have 24/7 almost 360 days of the year open labs. you don't need a computer. When i was going to start i was freaking out about getting myself a computer, but when i got here i realized you don't actually need one. Save the money and get an epic one in the 2nd/3rd year.

Ok thx to you and marink.

you contradict your point by saying "Save the money and get an epic one in the 2nd/3rd year" what is you of meaning?

could use some suggestions:
need a laptop for uni, will be doing CA at bournemouth this year.
Whats the minimum graphics I need and stuff or just a recommendation would be nice.

since the consensus is i dont need to buy a laptop (or pc) for uni. any other recommendations? I have some books in mind

First things that come to mind are a wacom pen tablet, 3dconnexion mouse, and a external harddrive.

First things that come to mind are a wacom pen tablet, 3dconnexion mouse, and a external harddrive.

im taking this is the tablet? penis
so i guess they dont have them at uni, are these the tablets that you use to handdraw things through maya and stuff

since the consensus is i dont need to buy a laptop (or pc) for uni. any other recommendations? I have some books in mind

Yeah, I'd go with the tablet, they are so useful, saved my life a few times this year with projects. And yeah, the bamboo you looked at was really good.

Ermm, as far as books go, I'd recommend the Animators Survival Kit and also Code by Charles Petzold, that will be your Bible this year. Also possibly Mathematics for Computer Graphics by John Vince is also pretty helpful with the maths side of things.

Other than that I didn't really need much else for Bournemouth, other than art supplies, like an A3 sketchbook, pencils etc.

thanks a lot marink. i'm planning to get a tablet soon. if i'm lucky i'll get an intuos 4!

also thanks for the books advice.. i'll look for them once i'm in bournemouth! roughly 3 more months! so excited, can't wait to be there!!!