While many of us have grown up only knowing the digital age, where visual effects are created on computers using software that makes life much easier, there are many people in industry who were influenced by working with traditional animation, miniatures and other visual effects techniques.
When artists make the move from traditional media to digital media, there is an adjustment period, but the understanding of artistic values remains, and many traditional artists flourish when introduced to digital media. Angel Alonson is one of those artists, who started with illustration, comic book art and traditional animation, and is now a masterful digital artist.
- Your Name: Angel Alonso
- Your Age: 44
- Location: Spain
- Website or Portfolio: http://angelitoon.blogspot.com/ and angelitoon@hotmail.com
- Software you use: Organica, 3DS Max, Zbrush, Vue, Photoshop, Artrage
Thanks for taking the time to interview with us. First off, could you tell us a little about yourself?
I have been working in the animation and computer graphics industry for 25 years, doing a variety of different tasks. I have done art direction, concept art, matte painting, 3D modeling, storyboarding, compositing, digital FX, illustration and more. I’ve also directed a couple short films, and two feature-length animations and FX.
Dune Atreides
How did you get started with digital art?
I first spent several years working as an illustrator and comic artist, in addition to traditional animation. However, I founded R&D animation studio with a friend, and I spent time working with 3D and other new technologies to move the studio from working with 2D into 3D.
I’ve also worked with painting, using watercolors, airbrush, inks, acrylics, and more, which helped me when I spent several years doing backgrounds for 2D animated films.
I’m self taught, so everything that I know, I learned by myself. But, there are a few tools that are essential to my workflow. I use Organica (which is a metaprimitives modeling software that hardly anyone uses these days), along with 3D Studio Max, zBrush, Photoshop and After Effects. I also have started working with Vue for environments about a year ago. There are a good variety of plugins that I use in my work when I need to achieve a specific effect.
Kroft
When I started working with 3D, there weren’t tutorials around, and the internet was still coming into existence, so there wasn’t a wealth of information available for me. It was hard to even find books that covered the topics I was interested in learning, so my learning was all through trial and error.
What are your major influences? Any artists in particular who influenced you a lot, or other media such as music and movies?
I have a variety of influences, but most are not related to digital art. In fact, some of my biggest influences have been traditional authors, illustrators, painters, and comic book artists. I can’t name any specific digital authors who have influenced me because of the time period when I started working. I certainly like a lot of digital artists, however.
2.0W Thought Police
What film (or series of films) do you think had the best visual effects work?
One particular area that influenced me a lot was film. Most artists can talk about movies as a big influence, and I have a near endless list of films that have influenced me, including Alien, Blade Runner, Brazil, etc. The list is practically endless.
The Monolith
Are there any artists you look up to?
I don’t admire anyone in particular, I just hope that every day I can discover interesting people doing interesting things, whether it’s a professional artist or amateur artist.
From a creative standpoint, is it easier to work on personal work or client work?
I definitely find it more difficult to work for a client. When I’m working for myself, I get to choose what I want to do, with a client, there are customers who give you criteria and guidelines to work within, and they often like to contribute ideas and views. However, as long as the work is rewarding, the job will have a good result. There are times, however, when the client can get in the way and try to control artistic decisions and give unclear directions, which makes things difficult. When this happens, it’s difficult to know which direction to go in, and the end result might not be as good.
Does your heritage, ethnicity or current residency location affect your art? If so, how?
I have lived near a sea port for most of my life, so there is an industrial feel to the area, with large iron cranes, a bit of rust, etc. I have a fixation with this, rust provides an interesting feel for the passage of time on objects. Dirty and damaged environments provide excellent influence.
Dragon Mekaniko
How would you describe your style, in a sentence or two?
I think my style is simply fantastic art. Sometimes I make sci-fi art, other times, darker art is accentuated in my work, while other times I prefer more traditional fantasy styles. I like the fact that my work is varied, I see many other artists who repeat the same formula over and over, which makes their work less interesting to me.
Can you describe your typical workflow when you’re working on a project, whether it be personal or for a client?
Usually, ideas come quickly to my mind, because everything inspires me. I rarely have creative block, because I often have several ideas in my head, and I even work on several ideas at once. My work is almost entirely done in 3D now, because models are created so fast, and lighting and rendering can be done in 3D Studio Max. zBrush can help too depending on the image.
The Reaper
What program do you do the majority of your work in, and why?
I’m certainly not a single-program artist, instead, I work in whatever I need to for the work. But in the end, I do a lot of post production in Photoshop and After Effects.
Do you use any external hardware such as a drawing tablet?
I always use a drawing tablet in my workflow.
Do you have any advice for beginning artists out there?
There is only one bit of advice: work and more work. Be consistent and do not falter.
In Repair
Where do you see yourself in the future, and how do you feel that you will be growing as an artist?
My future is increasingly linked to my work as a freelancer, without leaving aside my duties in my company, of course.
I have many projects, whether it’s work for video games, a 3D comic looks painted by hand, etc. Everything that passes before me that I find interesting, I work on for further development.
