Standing back up

My Journey as an Environment Artist

My journey began before enrolling into Gnomon. I was at SCAD struggling to get a hold of myself, very unsure what I am very good at. Before trying my hand at Gnomon, I have had to go through hardship to eventually decide what I wanted to do. The decision to become an Environment Artist, although very obvious, it is not until I made a submission for The Rookies to start igniting that passion. 

I was awarded Winner for my submission to The Circus Challenge, that was back in 2018 or 2019. Back then I was doing stylized and hand painted textures. Eventually I have decided to move back to PBR.

Discovery the love for Hard-surface modeling

While enrolling into Gnomon, I have the chance to rewrite my pass. The discovery to Hard-surface modeling is a very surprising one, as I never was into it. I think that is due to me now knowing what to do. After some guidance, I fell in love with it. Something about making detail and keeping typology clean, for me, that is my first turning point.

SSC Tuatara 2019

This is my first Hard-surface model, it started slow but eventually learning the right typology, it is extremely satisfying to get it all rendered in Marmoset toolbag. Modeled in Maya. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/eaLdBb

HK337

I have always loved guns, but never had an idea how to start. Do not under estimate how difficult it is to model, texture and render a gun. Especially the one that everyone have seen or at least have an impression of what it is. This is what I learn making this gun and has gone through the less is more scenario. Model in zbrush/maya, textured in substance and rendered in Marmoset.

Train station of the wild west

My first big project is a train station based on Helio Frazao's transtation, Here. It was a little late for wild west challenge, but I like it enough to make it into life. I was relatively new to modeling for big environment. When Unreal 5 releases, I decided to move my project from UE4 to 5 to try out Lumin. 

Since the whole environment is wood, I made a tilable texture and a shader that randomize them every time they are moved and place to add variation.

Invaded Quarter

During my time at Gnomon, I got really interested in Destiny 2 and wanting to explore the world of Sci-fi. Afterall, I love hardsurface, I think they might go very well. It is also for me do some practice lighting on interior. However, this project has to be one of the hardest project I have every done due to it being build on top of an original concept that doesn't made to the final of the game. I believe it is due to how tight the space is, the concept is abandoned. I try to forge a story of an invaded zone, and things in the concept is simply not enough to explain that scenario. Rendered in Unreal 4.

After Gnomon - Cyberpunk Alleyway

Before I left Gnomon, I have also started another project for Cyberpunk, this is intended to be a quick project but due to the amount of work I have for finals, I was swayed away. I got time after graduation job hunting. I remember very vividly although time were hard, I was dealing with a few art tests and interviews. This project sums up my whole progression at Gnomon. 

I did an interview with Game Artist UK on my breakdown 

Journey to Technical art

Being an artist is certainly fun, however there is always a void in me about making art. Don't get me wrong, I am aspired to be an environment artist working on levels. However, it has always been in my head that "what if I am the person to help others achieving the goal?"

This is when I began to learn about Technical Art, including Python, blueprinting, and shaders. I learnt most of the technical skills myself but I will never discover this interest if not for my teachers, I today still thank them all for seeing my technical abilities, although I never had an idea where to go with them.  

Final Words

I would love to thank anyone who stumble across my profile! I do have a few words. Recently I got hired by Infinity Ward. The amount of work that I have done at school, blood and sweat has finally been noticed! However, I won't forget the amount of hardship I have to go through, and none of these would happen if not for both Gnomon and SCAD. 

I would like to say, please don't give up, the industry is a great place to be in and it is worth every blood and sweat and tears and fire.