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3Dtotal : I’ll look into that film, Taxidermy! From your website we can see that your work has been published in various CG magazines, as well as in Digital Art Masters: Volume 2 and d’artiste: Character Modelling 2 books. How important do you find being involved with CG magazines, books and online communities to be, in your progression as an artist in the current industry?
Sebastien : I think that the publications which you speak of are essential to convey the current trends of digital imaging. Moreover, whatever one may say, books still exist – they are fundamental in order to leave a trace in time. It is always a real pleasure for me to see one of my images published in a magazine or a book. That said, online communities are also essential. They provide a fantastic opportunity for artists to receive criticism and comments on their artworks from other people – both novice and professional – and so allow you to keep one foot firmly rooted in the reality of your strengths and weaknesses.
3Dtotal :What is the most frequent piece of advice you offer to other artists, to help them in their studies? Do you find that, with having had lots of successful 3D works published, that many artists now turn to you for help and advice?
Sebastien : Since I started showing my images, I have regularly received emails from artists asking me for advice and tips. People often ask me to explain my skin shaders, for example, and so I put together several tutorials on this matter, hoping it might help other people. I don’t like the idea of selfishly keeping tips and techniques to yourself. It is by sharing with others that we are able to compare our work and techniques, and therefore evolve as artists. |
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3Dtotal : So out of all your 3D creations to date, which has been your most successful piece or the one that you’re most proud of? And what are your plans for future works – what can we look forward to seeing in the coming months?
Sebastien : My favourite image is always the one I’m working on! I also go back somewhat to the look or meaning of my images. Over time, I tend to become technically critical of my own images; all I’ll see is that I made a bad choice of light there, or hmm, the texture of the skin of a character is quite average there … Ultimately, this is quite unattractive. I am not a technician; I have mastered basic 3D software, but I put everything into the idea.
3Dtotal : Great, so how long do you generally spend on the concept stage of your artwork then? If you could divide up the time you spend on completing an artwork, how would your time be divided in percentages? For example, would it be 10% concept, 50% modelling etc? And could you give us a brief walkthrough of how you generally approach your artwork creation, from concept through to the finished piece?
Sebastien : Most of the time I will leave my idea for a picture to mature for a few weeks, before starting to implement it. I then begin to do some research on the Internet based on my image concept; for example, for the image called “Barfly”, which refers to the pathology of delirium tremens, I spent quite some time learning about the topic, reading articles and so on, so that I was better informed about the subject. Only when I am convinced of the merits of my intention do I proceed with implementing my
idea as a 3D image, which is usually a quick task
– a matter of just a few days. The longest stage for me is always the staging of the image (light, composition, and so on), which represents about 50% of the total creation time of one of my artworks. |
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3Dtotal : So with all the fantastic CG communities around today – growing by the day – artists are able to share their inspirations, test their works, receive feedback and give advice easier than ever! With that in mind, what has been a) the most memorable piece of advice you have ever been given by another artist, and by whom, and b) the most helpful criticism you’ve ever received – and how did it help?
Sebastien : With the extensive online communities around today, each image can potentially receive both a lot of criticism and advice. I do not think there is such a thing as good or bad criticism. I think if the person giving the advice is sincere, then every piece of criticism from them will be a small brick that will be useful for the next wall. However, from a purely technical point of view, some forums are real gold mines! On the assumption that each question has been asked at least once somewhere in the world, asking one is always a good way to find the answers that we seek! |
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3Dtotal : So do you not have a most memorable piece of advice you’ve ever received? I think we all have some little pieces of advice that we’ve been given over the years that we like to remind ourselves of in times where we feel a little stuck. What’s yours?
Sebastien : Yes, of course. I think the most practical advice I have ever received – which unfortunately I forget in most cases – is being able to take a step back from an image that you’re creating. It is important to move on to something else for a while in order to gain a fresh perspective on your image. When working on the same idea for several days, we tend not to see the work as a whole, but if we can take some time away from the work then we will often find some obvious things – mostly unsuspected – when we return to it.
3Dtotal : Great tip! That’s something that comes up a lot actually – taking some time out and then going back to your work with a fresh pair of eyes. So to round off this interview nicely, what are your professional goals right now? Do you have any specific plans or wishes for the near future? If you could be offered the perfect job – right here, right now – what would it be?
Sebastien : As mentioned, I am currently working as a freelance designer in the advertising industry for web and print. I am approached regularly by the video game industry for various project proposals, but unfortunately, I secretly nurture the dream of working for the cinema or television, as a creature designer. I think that to participate in a project built around a scenario of credible and specific artistic intent must be very exciting! |
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