I'm trying to figure out the best method for me to learn and break into the field of 3D animation and modeling. I'm currently a paralegal that wanted to become a lawyer until I realized that it would eat my very soul. So I've decided to do something that engages my artistic and technical side at the same time and combines that with my love of gaming. I have a BA in Philosophy, took art classes in high school but very little in college (Chinese Calligraphy and Tao Landscape). I'm trying to decide if I want to go back to school, and if so what type of school, or if I want to try and learn it all on my own. My ideal is to end up working at a well established and well run gaming studio or doing similar work for a movie studio. It seems a lot of the advice behind going to a 4 year school is that it's comprehensive, but also shows a prospective employer that you can stick to something. Is it possible for me to get the comprehensive part at a place where I can go faster than a full 4 years of training (plus a lot of tuition costs) and have it still be of the same quality that I would need to achieve what I'm after? From what I have gathered so far so far my options are to go to: Full-time school Tech school or grab a bunch of books and tutorials and go to town on em What do you think would work best for me?

Get DVD's, go to Workshops (like real VFX workshops, not local university workshops), post your work on forums like polycount.com. Having gone through the 4 year school, you could teach yourself on your own much faster. The degree is important for the sake of having a degree- you already have a degree, so you just need the skills.

I agree. When it comes to art your actual skills are more important than a degree in that field (although the degree can be proof of your time working with that skill)

I've seen quite a few portfolios and demo reels of less than professional work by some artists but slap on their school's emblem on it thinking it will get them a job.

On the other hand I've also seen self-taught artists with great portfolios and end up getting better jobs.

For getting a job it's mainly having employers being interested in your work and making them believe that you can good the best job and that you can stick with it. (Most of this is shown in your job interview, your portfolio/demo reels and your resume)

There are quite a few communities you can look into for various categories of game art. Forums like polycount.com and gameartisans.org are great places to get professional input, improve through entering competitions, and helps set up an online portfolio or demo reel while getting your work out there for employers to see. (who sometimes participate in these communities.)