So I got a client who wants me to add details to a base mesh and make it higher resolution. This is part of the project, a drum instrument named damaru. I'm not really satisfied with it myself but the client seemed to really like it. I don't like the clipping on many parts but this is due to the fact that 3D printing doesn't handle well small gaps and small parts like the ropes. If this was for any other purpose I would minimize the clipping and give it a more realistic feel of volume, but for this one essentially everything had to clip in order for it to work. I sent this small file to the client who inspected it and gave his approval. I'll update here when the rest of the project is finished. This is what this site is all about folks, this is what the contests are for. Without the site and contests I would still be very lost in the massive world of 3D and making even slower progress that I am now. Thank you @blendermania Cordebard for this wonderful community for beginners such as myself to learn and grow! (btw tagging is still being weird :P)
great job ! A damru is a Indian instrument related and acquired by Lord Shiva , one of the major Indian gods.
You did a pretty convincing job !
How can I get started with freelancing and more important than that , When I can consider myself ready for freelancing(on which skill level I should decide) ?
Yes the whole project is making a high detail sculpt of Lord Shiva! The damru is just a small part of it that the client wanted as a separate file. I’m also doing a bit of research on the side because I’ve been interested in Hindu Gods, culture and philosophy for quite some time. Some very interesting ideas and themes going on there I’d like to learn more!
Thank you for your kind words!
I don’t really have solid advice on that, it just kinda happened for me. I made a Freelancer account (that’s freelancer.com) and I’ve made a few proposals on a few projects I’d be confident to work on. Most got rejected, but I got in touch with one kind person who was unable to award me the project I bid on but liked my sculpting work and wanted to work with me, so he gave me his personal project and has offered to refer me to his team for future sculpting projects.
So I’d say just go for it and let it happen. I have a freelancer gig at this very moment and still don’t feel ready for it 
Like I said above I have a lot of personal issues with the work I did on this damru but the client likes it. Sometimes we tend to be our worst critics. So go for it and see what happens. Just bid on things you feel you can accomplish, have some of your works in your portofolio and it will happen for you. I have my freelancer account for 2 months I think if not slightly more so you may need to be patient with it
Other than that my advice is to stand out in some way.
It’s a very competitive and over-saturated market so either you develop skills that are rare and valuable (good animators are like unicorns for example :P) or make your work stand out by having your own style, which comes for your interpretation of the established styles but mostly from the story or emotional value your work has. This last part is were most fail. Everyone can learn how to model a chair but few can make a chair that invokes a feeling in you. Make art from your heart, not just pretty pictures.
This of course doesn’t mean that everything you do has to have some emotion or story to it, sometimes you do things for the challenge or the practical application of a skill you learned, but the work that will stand out from the crowd isn’t the most technical one but the most emotional one.
Last but certainly not least, if you start making bids make sure your bid stands out. That’s where your social skills come into play.
You will notice on the Freelancer site that most candidates just copy paste the same proposal bid to every project, most aren’t even individuals and they are small studios.
I think that most project creators will kind of glance over them because of how similar they all are to each other. Make sure to have a personalized bid that stands out. I just talk to people when I make a bid as I would talk to them in real life. If you come in contact with an employer be friendly and start a conversation, don’t be afraid to ask questions or raise your concerns/objections if something doesn’t seem quite right to you. Be honest and open it goes a long way.
DUDE this is so awesome! First of all well done to you and all the work you put in to getting better and getting this paid gig. Well deserved and here’s to many more! This is an awesome testimonial and I appreciate you sharing! This makes me happy beyond measure to see you grow through this site and end up getting a paying gig only shortly after. Well done man! It looks great btw and can’t wait to see the finished result! And yes fixing tagging as we speak
Forgot to replay to this…
Thank you Alex, without you this wouldn’t come to be…
Shiva in Meditation Final Sculpt
The client loved it and so did I
This has been an interesting experience, I have stressed and almost given up too many times on this, but in the end I just look at the result and I feel proud of what I achieved. While I still find some flaws or things I’d like to have done better, the client is thrilled with it and wishes to provide me with more projects as soon as I am available. Meanwhile I’m just happy that a little thing I made gave joy to someone else.
Once again, thank you Alex Codrebard, it is amazing how through a random moment I went on Instagram and saw an ad for the Blendermania site that said something along the lines of
“Would you like to belong to a family that shares the same passion as you? Then Blendermania is the community for you”
and decided to check this place out and make an account, through that seemingly random moment and decision was I able to achieve this… I saw an ad for a Blender family, somewhere to belong to… and that’s exactly what I got!
once again amazing work Alex
DUDE THIS IS AWESOME! So proud of you man! First of all congrats on getting the paid job and also on pulling through and finishing it, quite a bit project and looks amazing! There is a feeling like no other when you accomplish something you set your mind to.
Reading that second part of your post there made me have to sit down and absorb what you said because it really hit me that we are really building something great here…like you said, somewhere for people to belong! Everything happens for a reason and there was a reason you found this place, and I’m glad you did man! Didn’t know it was through an IG ad haha. So cool. Keep at it brother! Super proud and inspired by you!
Wow Alex, just… wow!!!
I love it brother 
Awesome. Brilliantly done. I look at those hands and go ohhh, so finesse.
Thank you Simon!!
Thank you Nim I'm glad you like it man!
Thank you Eladd! I like the hands a lot too