Initiated and organized by the best render farm and cloud rendering services provider Fox Renderfarm, FGT Art becomes a platform for all Fox Renderfarm users to show their impressive artworks and get awarded monthly. Fox Renderfarm is willing to support more creative artists and students. We are proud to announce the FGT Art June Winner, 2022 came to Ming Chi for his work Gabriel and Sodom -- 19; 26 "Daniel's book". Congratulations!
Ming Chi is now a graduate student at the Academy of Art University (AAU). And Gabriel and Sodom -- 19; 26 "Daniel's book" is a fragment of the final thesis of his graduate degree. Here's the interview with Ming Chi in which we could find out how he made his artwork.
Fox Renderfarm: Hi Ming Chi, thanks for accepting our interview, could you please introduce yourself?
Ming Chi: Hello everyone, my name is Ming Chi. I am currently a graduate student at AAU in the concept art major and I’m interested in CG art for movies and games.
Fox Renderfarm: Congrats on winning the FGT Art June Winner, 2022! How do you feel about it?
Ming Chi: It's a great pleasure that my work can be recognized. I'm glad that I can have this chance to share my story with everyone.
© Ming Chi
Fox Renderfarm: How did you encounter CG? Could you share your educational experience with us?
Ming Chi: I got into the CG industry by accident. My original major was industrial design, focusing on sports cars and functional heavy machinery. And I met my teacher, Huang Fan, when I was an undergraduate. He is a CG artist full of creativity and ideas. However, he made me interested in the CG industry and let me know how it works. I really want to thank him for that.
Fox Renderfarm: What is the inspiration for this work - Gabriel and Sodom -- 19; 26 "Daniel's book"?
Ming Chi: My inspiration came from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. Since the records at that time were not very detailed, I hope to present this story completely through my understanding. 19:26 means the Pillar of Salt, chapter 19 verse 26 of the Bible Old Testament book of Daniel. He tells the story of the city of Sodom being destroyed and salted by God.
© Ming Chi
Fox Renderfarm: What is the progress of the final thesis for your graduate degree? Can you briefly describe what your project is mainly about?
Ming Chi: The Daniel book is for my graduation project. I want to use my own understanding to visualize this story. I still have two characters and four scenes to create. But the pressure is not as great as I thought at first.
© Ming Chi
© Ming Chi
Fox Renderfarm: What software and plugins did you use for this project?
Ming Chi: The main modelling software is Maya and the rendering software is Clarisse. However, the most time-consuming is to adjust the color and various designs in PS.
Fox Renderfarm: Did you meet any difficulties during your creation? And how did you solve them?
Ming Chi: The most difficult thing in the creation process is the interpretation of the original works. Since the Old Testament has been around for such a long time, many of the original works have been damaged and the content is incomplete. At the same time, its grammar is also very strange. Since I don't know enough about linguistics, a lot of stuff in it it’s hard for me to interpret. So I'm creating this story on my own understanding and my own design account for the majority of the final story.
© Ming Chi
Fox Renderfarm: Why did you choose your postgraduate course in game development?
Ming Chi: After being exposed to conceptual art, I developed a strong interest in this artistic expression. I often draw some sketches at home, combining the knowledge of industrial design I learned in my previous major, and gradually formed a style that I’m comfortable with. After completing my undergraduate degree, I decided to come to the United States to study as a graduate student to improve myself.
Fox Renderfarm: What parts were you responsible for during your internship in China NetEase? Can you share some memorable events?
Ming Chi: I participated in many different projects during my internship. In fact, most of the internships are about industrial design. I once worked as an intern at Guangzhou Automobile Group and CDS Automotive Design Center in Beijing. During my time at NetEase, I was honored to participate in the early concept of a multiplayer online game called Justice Online “Treacherous Waters”. I learned a lot from Thunder Fire Studio. Especially when I was designing Baidi City in the game, my team leaders taught me a lot about the dismantling design and structural design of the building. These are valuable knowledge accumulation for my future creation and practice.
Fox Renderfarm: How do you improve your CG professional skills?
Ming Chi: As for CG skills, I actually don't think I have made much progress as I expected. But I spent a lot of time studying the predecessor's works, including classical sketches, sculptures and paintings. Trying to use different ways to tell my own stories.
© Ming Chi
Fox Renderfarm: Any artworks or artists inspire you the most?
Ming Chi: From the perspective of design, I guess I am a relatively calm and rational industrial designer. My architectural design has been greatly influenced by Le Corbusier and Tadao Ando. In classical art, I am fascinated by the sketches of Fechin and Rabin and the paintings of Leviathan and Turner. And I think my teacher Huang Fan had the greatest influence on my art and work after I was exposed to CG art.
Fox Renderfarm: How do you feel about Fox Renderfarm’s cloud rendering services?
Ming Chi: Fox Renderfarm's cloud rendering service it’s a great way to help me with my work. Especially for students like me who haven't entered the workplace yet, when they can't afford a high-performance computer to do the rendering job, Fox Renderfarm's cloud rendering service really helps us out. Thank you for helping me create more freely.
Fox Renderfarm: Anything you want to share with the CG enthusiasts?
Ming Chi: Remember to take a rest while creating and painting. After all, good health is the most important.
