What do you get when you mix a 3D artist’s eye for photography with gritty, neon-soaked sci-fi worlds inspired by Blade Runner? The environments and objects of TurboSquid artist 3denvironmentmodels.
Read on to learn more about 3denvironmentmodels’s influences, what considerations he makes when selling models on TurboSquid, and advice he’d offer for other 3D artists. Just crank up some synthwave music and settle in to learn more!
What draws you to 3D art as a medium?
Freedom. Basically, the idea of being able to create the worlds and environments that I daydream of is the reason that I am attracted to 3D art. I’m also a photographer and compared to the world of photography, the world of 3D art is relatively limitless. The only limitation is the artist’s imagination and (sadly) the hardware they are using.
How did you get to where you are now in your career?
I’ve never given up. I love what I’m doing and that helps a lot in terms of keeping up the motivation. If you love what you’re doing, if you believe that it’s the right thing with all your heart, then keep going. Listen to the advice that Henry David Thoreau gave in Walden: “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
Some of your recent work has dark, cyberpunk-influenced themes in their environments. What excites you about these projects?
Cyberpunk culture, art, and literature have always been a huge influence on me. Movies, books, and computer games with cyberpunk-influenced themes have their own unique and captivating atmospheres and storylines. For me, it was hard to look away from that. And being able to touch that world is very exciting and inspiring by itself.
While they’re not particularly cyberpunk artists, Rodney Matthews, Roger Dean, and Frank Frazetta have amazing characters, environments, and storytelling to study. Also, among the younger ones, Zack Snyder — an artist, photographer, and filmmaker — inspires me big time.
What considerations do you make when selling your work on TurboSquid?
Quality and reliability are at the top of the list. Even though originality and creativity are important, an artist selling models on TurboSquid is responsible for offering a good product. The 3D model’s file has to open without errors and the render results need to be exactly the same so the customer/buyer feels fulfilled and knows they invested wisely.
To be honest, the most important thing for me, when I put my head on my pillow at night, is that I’m offering 3D model products that are reliable. And profit from my sales is legitimate, licit, and lawful.
How long have you used TurboSquid? Are there any benefits to using it as an artist?
I think since 2010, a very long time. I always had a great relationship with TurboSquid — the staff is just stellar. They are always helpful, supportive, and friendly. As a contributor, I can not be happier anywhere else than I am with TurboSquid. The staff cares about customers AND contributors big time, and I think their sincere, helpful spirit is behind the success of TurboSquid.
Where do you look for artistic inspiration?
Mostly from books, music, and movies I love. Sometimes from history itself, especially if I’m working on a historical visualization. My main inspiration and information source comes from the book Mythical Ireland by Anthony Murphy. Besides his great books, I also read his articles, and follow his livestreams and documentary photography to learn more about Irish history and mythology, which inspires me in my historical visualizations.
Can you tell us about your workflow for your 3D environments? Is the workflow any different when creating vehicles or other objects?
My workflow for creating a 3D environment is simple and it is almost the same as any other model. I begin by creating a concept on paper and then when I start modeling, I first block out the environment as a whole before starting with the easiest and smallest parts. Depending on my mood, I sometimes prefer to start with the bigger and harder-to-model parts to finish them off at the beginning of the project. Sometimes it is good to eat the frog first.
Since I started freelancing, I’ve used Blender 3D and Adobe Photoshop. When I was working in a local design office in Istanbul city, I used to work with Cinema 4D and sometimes Maya. But I don’t believe the software itself is that important. One must study and internalize the methods, techniques, and tools, and combine them with their imagination.
What advice would you give new artists that want to follow in your footsteps?
To not follow anyone’s footsteps, including mine. Spend time discovering your own unique abilities and work on improving them. Getting advice and suggestions from veteran artists is always good, but in the end, the decisions that rule your life must be your own. Don’t waste a second worrying or being sad because you are “not like that artist” or “can’t make 3D models like him/her.” Find yourself and be yourself: remember there is no one else on Earth like you.
If you’re an artist who is interested in being featured on the TurboSquid blog, email our content team at marketing@turbosquid.com.