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3DTotal: So how do you make sure your concepts stay original and fresh? Do you seek inspiration from other sources, such as books, movies, real life etc.?
Patri: In life, everything is an inspiration. People around you, stories you hear, the streets of the city, the flies on the wall. Your toe nails! I love movies. And I love reading. I adore great art, done by great artists. I have a huge collection of art books: classic to fantasy to modern-art to contemporary illustration. Roaming the CA.org forums almost daily gives me a boost of inspiration and motivation like you would not believe… there’s always somewhere one can find fresh ideas to work from, one just needs to look!
3DTotal: I’ve noticed from your blog that you’ve also been experimenting with some 3D sculptures using ZBrush. Have you found that you’re able to transfer your 2D skills easily to this package, with it being intuitive sculpting software? What advantages does 3D have for your 2D work, if any?
Patri: I’ve never been a 3D kind of guy. I tried once or twice to learn some 3D software, but I couldn’t quite get my head around it. A few months back a friend introduced me to ZBrush, and it immediately clicked. I found the interface fairly easy to understand and the tools very entertaining and simple to use. I started out sculpting heads of characters and animals and cartoon-like beasts. I then explored the software some more and went on to sculpting whole figures and creatures. I guess working in an intuitive, organic, interface gave me the ability to transfer my knowledge and experience in 2D creating, rather easily. I guess, as far as an advantage of working with a 3D software goes, it gives you another point of view to
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how 3D objects handle themselves in a given space; how they react to light etc. It gives you another perspective and tool when you go back to creating 2D images and painting.
3DTotal: It must give you great ‘artistic freedom’ to now be able to utilise both 2D and 3D software! So how do you feel you’re going to push your artwork now and in the future, with this new-found knowledge?
Patri: Well, I already found it to be a lot of fun creating images in ZBrush, then exporting them into Photoshop and using them as a basis to a whole new piece. The 3D software provides the light and shade – I just take it up to the next level – colour, composition and texture work. I still prefer doing it all in 2D form, though. For me, knowing how to incorporate 3D with my 2D is just another tool in the box. I don’t think any 3D software could ever replace the appeal and punch of a brush stroke.
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3DTotal: Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time? Will you still be an artist and, if so, what type of projects will you be working on and who for? What do you hope to have achieved by this very day tenyears from now?
Patri: Heck… I’ve always drawn and painted. I love it! I can’t really see myself doing anything else. Hopefully, ten years from now, I’ll be doing some conceptual artwork for the gaming industry, or perhaps the animation feature film world. Who knows? Currently I’m working for a small animation studio here in Israel, and sadly enough, I don’t really get the recognition or respect I deserve in this country. I keep pushing myself to be the best at what I do, and since in Israel I’ve more or less |
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achieved that, I think it’ll be an educative and cool experience to broaden my
horizons abroad, working alongside the ‘big dogs’ out there. I could use a good kick in the butt in that sense.
3DTotal: So how do you feel that working in Israel differs to working in the rest of the world, and where exactly would you like
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your next job to be? Or are you pretty much open to going wherever in the world the ‘right’ job is? How much do you think a change of country will help you to “broaden your horizons”?
Patri: Israel is a fine country. Really. But, as far the animation/gaming/film/illustration/concept art work opportunities are concerned, there are no work opportunities. The level of execution and work flow is poor no matter where you go. The clients and employers alike are both clueless to say the least. The pay is a joke. The projects are boring and minuscule for the most part. A guy like me in Israel is like a Microwave salesman trying to sell Microwave ovens to a small third world village community. There are no buyers for anything I have to offer here, sadly. I always hear great things about Canada. How nice it is up there, how lovely are the people, and how much work in my field can be found there. There are tonnes of amazing artists working in loads of amazing studios. But I would go anywhere where artists are respected and appreciated for what they do. Anywhere a conceptual artist and illustrator might be needed, and can make a good living for himself. Anywhere I would work in a nurturing and friendly environment, learning from the best.
3DTotal: What do you personally feel has been your strongest piece to date, and why?
Patri: I can’t really say. I know I progress and learn with each and every work that I do. I try and enjoy myself while creating, otherwise there’s really no point to any of this. I don’t have a personal favourite, or any work that I feel is the strongest one. I like certain little things that I managed to achieve in some of my works, be it technically speaking, design-wise, or in the conceptual content.
3DTotal: Can you give us any examples of those “certain little things” that you feel are the strongest elements of your artwork?
Patri: I like it when I manage to convey form and volume in a few brush strokes, in a couple of value “blobs”. I enjoy it when a not-so-good design work (be it a weapon, a costume, a character…) in the early stages becomes a cool design as I get closer to the finish, without me even noticing it ‘til almost the very end. I love it when a composition (and compositions are something I like experimenting and toying around with a lot…) is working tightly in a piece of mine, or if it tells a story within the story, simply by doing its “thing” well. I feel satisfied with a piece when all the colour patterns work well together, making the viewer content, and just having plain fun with what he’s looking at!
3DTotal: Thanks for this interview Patri, and we all wish you the very best of luck with your future ambitions. Take care and keep up the good work! |
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