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3DTotal: I just checked out Shane’s website (http://www.shaneglines.net/) and you’re right, there are some really cool characters there! Have you heard Martin Abel? (http://www.martinabel.com/) My colleague interviewed him a while back for our 2D mag and his work is along similar lines too.
Andrew: I've not heard of Martin Abel, but his work looks really good. I've bookmarked it and will get round to saving the pics in my reference folder! It’s important to keep a good library of pics for inspiration and reference. I’m constantly finding new artists to be inspired by thanks to the various creative forums, portfolios and blogs I look at.
3DTotal: One of the things that makes your characters stand out from others is the amount of life you seem to have given them with the poses and facial expressions, can you tell us a bit more about this?
Andrew: I have often believed that a brilliantly made model is nothing unless it is presented well, and shown off effectively in the manner appropriate to the characters intended personality. A posed character is much more interesting than one in a “T” pose. I try to incorporate the liveliness, flexibility, appeal and impact of cartoon art whenever I present a character. |
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3DTotal: Do you have any key tips in this area that you would recommend students to concentrate on in bringing their characters to life?
Andrew: I would recommend studying good 2D artwork/cartoons, as well as some of the leading 3D movies out there by Pixar etc., to see how good posing “makes” a character and gives it the intended appeal. Just pose your characters around until you find one you think suits it. When producing poses, I often have about four or five unused poses that I don’t think fit. Composition and a clear silhouette are important things to consider too. |
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3DTotal: Have you ever had an urge to create a photoreal scene or character?
Andrew: No, not really. I feel that today’s modern photoreal effects have more or less reached perfection when at their best. Reality can be boring. Being able to model a superbly detailed ZBrushed monster or render a muscular barbarian using fancy shaders requires lots of talent, but it just doesn't appeal to me stylistically. It is a great skill for getting into higher end 3D such as the movie and FX industry, but it’s not really my cup of tea. Another thing that puts me off photorealism is that because the technology in rendering and modeling moves so fast, and the standard is set higher every year with the latest blockbuster movie or game, it is a difficult artistry to excel at and stand out in.
3DTotal: Yes this makes a lot of sense and you get to spend your time on your art and not learning new technologies. That said though are there any software improvements you would like to see to make you job easier?
Andrew: I’m pretty sure that every software improvement I can think of already exists in the form of a plugin, application, or simply through an advanced process in the programs I use. I just get on with the processes I am familiar with to speed things up. I find that fiddling with technical issues can impede creativity when you have an idea in your head that you need to realize while you are fully motivated and inspired.
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3DTotal: What’s on the horizon Andy, you have so many fans waiting to see what’s coming next, any chance of a sneak peak?
Andrew: I have a few ideas for new characters and styles bouncing around my head, but little free time to do them when I am freelancing. I am also quite keen on getting my 2D skills up to scratch, as I feel it will make me a better artist overall. In terms of long term ambitions, I am keen on trying out ZBrush and mental ray and seeing how I can incorporate their features into my style. I would also like to learn animation and make my characters move, then try to do more work on my short film, which I will probably never get round to finishing!
3DTotal: Well whatever is it you come up, myself and thousands of others are looking forward to seeing it! It’s been great chatting with you; hope to do the same again soon – Tom.
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