نسخه فارسی
Interview by: Amid Rajabi
Hi Jeff! We hope you’re doing well.
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get interested in 3D and how did it all begin?
Hi Amid! I'm doing well thanks, and I hope the same for you.
I became interested in computers in the late 80's. I started learning basic programming. However, I quickly discovered that I preferred to use programs rather than write them. In the 90's I started reading some computer magazines that had articles on computer graphics. For some crazy reason I was fascinated with the idea of creating realistic images with the computer. One day while reading an article on CGI in a magazine and a nearby family member said "Those programs have to be crazy expensive and difficult to learn. Even if you can afford one someday, I don't think you would be able to learn how to use it."
That triggered something in me. At that exact moment in time I became intensely driven to learn how to use 3d programs. I explored various programs for several years and in 2003 I had saved up enough money to purchase a copy of 3ds Max 5.1. From there it's been a whirlwind ride filled with up's and down's along the way.
We know that amongst all 3D software, you’re working with 3Ds max and from all the renders, you’ve chosen to work with mental ray. Why did you choose this softwares and why didn’t you choose the others?
Two main reasons. One, I remember seeing a lot of cool renders created by Neil Blevins with the Ghost plugin (later became Brazil R/S). I wanted to create similar images so I figured I using the same software as he was using would help. The second reason was just personal preference. I found 3ds Max to be the most intuitive to learn (for me) and use out of the few other applications I had tried.
How did you get interested in “rendering”? How did it make you work more in this field?
While learning 3D I discovered that I really enjoyed trying to mimic real world lighting scenarios and recreating various materials. I was forever taking photos of things like concrete, bricks, asphalt, etc., and interesting lighting situations wherever I went. Then I would try to recreate those when I was back in front of 3ds Max. It was almost like having class tests or assignments that I would give to myself.
You’re one of the most active artists in forums. Can you tell us more about your activities in forums?
I'm not as active on the public forums as I was a couple of years ago. I still try to help when/where I can but family life & work consume a great deal of my time these days. That being said, forums can be a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about CG. People will often go out of their way to help explain something or assist with a question. I can't think of any other profession that is so willing to help each other. The CG community is a great community to be part of.
Tell us about your experience in Gnomon Master Classes. How did you hold those classes and how did you see the attendees’ feedbacks?
The Gnomon Master Classes & videos were a great experience for me. I have to say that I TOTALLY felt out of place around such high level talented artists. My classes were pre-recorded videos on various topics that people could view and then ask questions about via a forum. The feedback I received from both the master classes and other videos have been positive overall. With that being said, I greatly appreciate the more constructive comments I have received from people in regards to areas I can improve upon.
Could I ask where you’re working at the moment and which companies you are co-operating with?
I work from a home office as a freelance CG illustrator. I don't like calling myself a 'freelance artist' as I don't consider what I create to be art. I primarily work with Mercedes-Benz USA to create images for use in online advertising/apps/vehicle configurations/etc..
Nowadays, there are so many interested people who are really interested in this major, but they don’t know how to start properly. Do you have any especial advice for them?
Definitely. Start out by learning 3D programs in a linear fashion. Something like: modeling > texture/UV > particles > lighting > rendering > post work. When I started I just wanted to jump right into creating 'pretty images'. Therefore I spent more time on learning materials, lighting, and rendering because that was far more fun for me than say UVW unwrapping (does anyone actually enjoy that process??). Anyway, I've had to backtrack a lot and teach myself things that I should have known by now had I learned how to use 3ds Max properly from the start.
What’s your own idea about online trainings and activities of cgphd website?
The content offerings at cgphd look great! Generally speaking I believe that online training can be an excellent resource for anyone. When it's combined with a live aspect where people can interact and/or ask questions as they view content it becomes a very powerful learning tool.
• Thank you very much for your time indeed.
• Thank you for taking the time to interview me!