The Rising Virtuoso: Josip's Meteoric Ascent in 3D Environment Artistry

Brace yourself for an extraordinary tale of artistic brilliance that transcends age and defies conventions. At a mere 17 years old, Josip has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the world of 3D art, his recent second-place triumph in Bad Normals's "Worlds Inside Glass" challenge, which is sponsored by Fox Renderfarm, a leading cloud rendering services provider and render farm in the industry, with the spellbinding "Velocity Vista" serving as a resounding affirmation of his immense talent. Josip's foray into the digital realm began in August 2022 when he first downloaded Blender, a seemingly innocuous step that would ignite a fervent passion for 3D artistry. Although initially drawn to the realm of visual effects, Josip's creative vision soon gravitated towards the intricacies of environment creation, where his skills truly blossomed. "Velocity Vista" stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication and remarkable growth, a masterwork that has garnered well-deserved acclaim, reassuring this young visionary that he is treading the path of artistic excellence.

Come explore the distinctive features that set Josip apart from the others.

Fox Renderfarm: Hi Josip! Thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you please introduce yourself to our reader?

Josip: Hi! Thank you for inviting me! My name is Josip, and I'm a 17-year-old 3D artist. My first experience with 3D software was in August 2022 when I downloaded Blender and began exploring. Initially drawn to VFX, my interest later shifted towards creating environments.

Fox Renderfarm: "Velocity Vista" won second place in the Bad Normals's "Worlds Inside Glass" competition. How did it feel to receive recognition for your work in such a prestigious competition, and how do you think this accomplishment has impacted your artistic journey?

Velocity Vista © Josip

Josip: I was genuinely pleased to see both the audience and later the judges appreciating it. "Velocity Vista" is a piece that came after a lot of experience, and receiving positive feedback on it feels like a significant accomplishment, reassuring me that I am progressing in the right direction!

Fox Renderfarm: Could you give me a quick overview of the project you entered into the challenge?

Josip: "Velocity Vista" definitely differs from my usual work, which made it quite challenging yet inspiring to create! It features a long racing track for toy cars, just like those many of us had or at least saw as kids. My goal was to capture the atmosphere and playful feeling of such moments within this piece. The challenge itself presented a fascinating concept: we were provided with a file template featuring a glass sphere and a camera, with restrictions on altering its location, rotation, and focal length. Our task was to craft a world both outside and inside the glass sphere within these constraints.

Fox Renderfarm: Could you take us through the creative journey of your work, from the initial concepts to the final product? Do you follow a typical workflow or pipeline? 

© Josip

© Josip

© Josip

Josip: I divided my workflow into two stages. Initially, I brainstormed various concepts, moving simple objects around the scene until inspiration struck. Several concepts emerged, one involving multiple spheres scattered throughout the scene, which I later discarded in favor of the final idea. Once I envisioned what I wanted to create, the fun part of the process followed! I began modeling several pieces of the track, experimenting with connecting them in different directions. Throughout the track's creation, I aimed to shape it in a way a child would do, featuring as many fun stunts and twists! I prioritized creating the foreground before considering the specific location of the toy. Thinking if it should be located indoors or outdoors, I envisioned the track going all around a bedroom. Upon completing the piece, it was further refined using Photoshop.

Fox Renderfarm: What inspired you to incorporate elements of both tranquility and excitement into this piece? Were there any particular experiences or themes you wanted to explore?

© Josip

 

© Josip

Josip: As mentioned earlier, the piece was inspired by a child's toy track for cars. During the brainstorming phase for the challenge, I got excited as I recalled moments spent playing with such toys. Motivated by these memories, I made the decision to revisit and visualize those moments in the form of a picture!

Fox Renderfarm: Could you share the duration it took to bring this piece from concept to its final rendered form and highlight which aspect of the process consumed the most time? And in your opinion, what do you think has contributed to this time investment?

Josip: When the challenge was announced, it seemed like we had a lot of time, so I approached it with a relaxed mindset. I dedicated a significant amount of time to processing ideas and refining them to align with the challenge's rules. It took me a week or even two to settle on a concept. However, once I decided what I wanted to make, I completed the picture in just a few days! The feedback from the judges was something I wanted to hear, so sacrificing some free time felt like a small price to pay considering its value!

Fox Renderfarm: Could you discuss the major hurdles you had to clear to achieve such intricate detailing in your work and explain how you navigated those challenges during the creation process?

Josip: Well, I didn't encounter many hurdles during the project, but I can share what enabled me to create efficiently! Considering I had already completed many projects, I had a library of assets saved that could be repurposed for this project. For instance, the books you see supporting the track on the table were simply imported from a previous project I had completed!

Fox Renderfarm: The title "Velocity Vista" suggests a sense of movement and perspective. How does the concept of velocity play into your artistic vision, and what do you hope viewers will take away from the visual dynamics of the piece?

Josip: Velocity mainly represents the high speed of cars and the change of speed that occurs during the twists and loops! I tried to express the excitement associated with the toy.

Fox Renderfarm: Were there specific AI-powered techniques or tools that you used in the creation of your work to achieve such rendering quality? How did these tools contribute to the final visual appeal of the artwork?

Josip: Although I have used AI in the past to create textures, this particular piece did not require its use. However, I did utilize Blender's image denoising feature, which could be considered a form of AI, to remove render noise resulting from low sample counts.

Fox Renderfarm: Could you share any behind-the-scenes insights, techniques, or experimental processes you employed in creating "Velocity Vista"? What lessons or discoveries did you make during the creation of this work?

© Josip

Josip: Given that I typically create work for Instagram, I'm used to adjusting the aspect ratio to fit mobile screens. Although it's not my first time making a horizontal image, the orientation of "Velocity Vista" was a challenge for me, as composition works differently in this format. As mentioned earlier, AI wasn't utilized in the creation of the picture, but it did play a role in visualizing concepts for the image.

Fox Renderfarm: Could you tell us about some of your favorite creative endeavors from previous projects, and explain what aspects made them especially rewarding or satisfying experiences?

Natural Flow © Josip

Josip: I have completed a lot of projects in the past, many of which revolved around themes such as traditional Japan, general nature, and rural cities. The house model featured in the sphere of "Velocity Vista" was also a model that I reused from one of my previous projects. I share all of my personal projects on my Instagram, and it's incredibly rewarding when people appreciate the work that I create based on my interests!

Fox Renderfarm: What are your typical sources of inspiration - do you draw from other artists, artistic movements, natural elements, or everyday surroundings? How do these influences manifest in your creations?

Josip: I often find inspiration from my personal interests and experiences, as well as from other artists! I follow a lot of people who make art similar to mine, which not only motivates me but also brings a sense of community!

Fox Renderfarm: Have you had any experience with Fox Renderfarm's cloud rendering services in the past? If you have, what is your opinion of our cloud rendering offerings? 

Josip: I haven't had any experience whatsoever with any render farm so far, so Fox Renderfarm will be my first experience with such a service!

Fox Renderfarm: Finally, as an innovative artist, where do you see future trends in the art world heading, in terms of themes, mediums, or approaches being influenced by emerging technologies or cultural shifts?

Josip: It's challenging to predict the future of art, but AI is certainly a hot topic among 3D artists and the general public! While some utilize this technology in their workflow, others prefer to avoid it entirely, and some rely exclusively on it. Undoubtedly, AI is a revolutionary technology that cannot be ignored, but I view it primarily as a tool. Those who create for the sake of creation will eventually adapt or find ways to incorporate it into their work, therefore it should not be feared!

Thanks again to Josip for accepting our interview! Wishing new heights in your professional career and keep up with your great work!

Josip’s social media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josipcgi
• ArtStation: https://josipcgi.artstation.com/