According to Andrew Price’s talk on ‘The habits of highly effective artists’ the Gnomon school is the #1 CG school in the world.
It has a 97% placement rate for its graduates (for comparison the 2nd best has a 50% placement rate).
Alex Alvarez, the founder of Gnomon told Andrew Price that in every year there is always 1 or 2 rockstars that stand head and shoulders above the rest of the class.
So, naturally, Andrew Price asks:
‘What separates the rockstars from all the other students?’
To which Alvarez replies with:
‘They seek criticism and actually listen to it’
On paper that habit appears so simple.
If that’s all that separates the rockstars from the average, why aren’t there more rockstars?
“Because what if they say my work is bad?”
I don’t think any of the average students would admit this but I bet it’s the number one reason why they aren’t rockstars.
It takes bravery to expose oneself to criticism.
Thomas Duggan 