Juanma Montiel, 3D modeling expert at beon. Worldwide, talks about his work methodology and about the importance of having a general idea of every project.
What is the most important thing for a 3D modeler?
The most important thing is to have a global idea of the type of modeling the client needs: a prop, a stage, a vehicle, or a character. Knowing the morphology of what you want to model from any point of view is essential to process the big picture.
Fortunately, nowadays, thanks to intenert, it is easy to find visual references of almost anything that facilitates the visualization of the model. With the reference images we can start to model the object or character from initial basic volumes to the smallest detail. It is a process similar to the sketch of a drawing with very simple strokes before drawing the final forms.
How would you define your work process?
Logical understanding of model forms, search for references, making sketches in pencil if necessary, and modeling process with 3D software.
What is the most demanded in the field of 3D design?
In our department, most of the 3D contents we generate are designed for virtual reality glasses and material for videos and projections: brand logos, new car models, or new tech products.
Are details a crucial part of your work as a 3D modeler?
Depending on the project, the forms to be modelled can be more basic or complex and realistic with a multitude of details. In any case it is not always necessary to model everything to the lastest detail, since the photographic textures that we apply on 3D models save us many details that do not need to be modeled.
And what is the importance of the study of anatomy in the creation of characters?
It is something essential. Anatomy is required for any type of style: cartoon, realism, geometrical… Any modeler needs a deep understanding of this subject.
Where do you find inspiration for your daily work and projects?
To answer to that question I would like to quote a laureate author I deeply admire, who reflected on this when he was once asked about his creative process: “One writes such a story not out of the leaves of trees still to be observed, nor by means of botany and soil-science; but it grows like a seed in the dark out of the leaf-mould of mind: out of all that has been seen or thought or read, that has long ago been forgotten, descending into the deeps. No doubt there is much selection, as with a gardener: what one throws on one’s personal compost-heap; and my mould is evidently made largely of linguistic matter.”
Obviously my mould is basically visual material: animation films, art books, comics, video games, posters, products packaging…
