Today's feature is about Reynante Martinez, a Filipino freelance 3D artist, art director, and trainer who has been professionally working for almost ten years now. He is doing a variety of things related to computer graphics, design, and illustration. Read on and be inspired on his works and wisdom. Enjoy!

Can you tell us something about yourself? Do you have some kind of early artistic memory that has stuck with you over the years that you could share to us?

First off, thanks for having me here, it is such an honor. I am a freelance 3D Artist specializing in Lighting and Storytelling - the latter I enjoy the most. One of the early memories I have with art was tracing over the comic books that our mom would buy us whenever she gets home from the market. My elder brother and I would then take a carbon paper and a bond paper, place it at the back of the page, and trace over the outlines. It has been a wonderful experience and one that I couldn't forget - since that's where I got my interest with art and drawing in general.

Since you are a self-taught 3D artist, when and why did you start learning it?

I have always been fascinated with shapes, forms, and depth for as long as I can remember; and what more gratifying feeling than to recreate the world around me, or better yet, to create an entirely new world. As much as I love drawing in 2D, the added dimension of depth in 3D makes it a challenging medium, and exploring these volumes provides me with a euphoric feeling.

Did you find that your previous Computer Science degree helped you with your skills in computer graphics? Why or why not?

Honestly, it did - in a plethora of ways. Not only did this experience open my mind to a world of computation and analysis, it also bridged my interest to computer graphics, and to explore the inner architecture that goes behind what we see on the screen. In addition to this, it also helped hone my problem-solving skills. But I have to admit that at times during class, I just was too lazy to code and often would decide to scribble instead. ;)

Your Behance profile says that you are currently working as an architectural visualizer. Do you find it exciting? Why or why not?

I find it both exciting and challenging. Not long ago though, I decided to pursue another career in 3D, outside of the ArchiViz arena. However, the experience with architecture taught me a lot of lessons that I deem would have been very difficult to acquire elsewhere. I learned how to model, texture, and light in 3D with accuracy - let alone do everything in scale and proper proportion.

Is there a certain model, or image you've created that stands out as a favorite? If there is, can you walk us through the process on how you made it?

I would probably choose "Distant Worlds" as my personal favorite up to this moment in time. It was inspired by the long distance relationship that me and my fiancee have.

It initially started out as a rough sketch on my drawing notebook and after a few days of pondering on the concept, I decided to jump in to Blender and do the scene there.

It's a pretty rudimentary scene with basic shapes, however the aspect of this project that I placed so much emphasis on was the mood and lighting, and how I could portray the very emotion that I have to my viewers.

How important do you think a good understanding of 2D art is to a 3D artist such as yourself?

I could not stress this enough. Traditional visual art (painting, drawing, sculpting, etc.) is very vital in creating 3D work. Not only does it teach you about form and composition, but the transfer of ideas directly from your hand to the medium is instantaneous and concrete. But of course, this is a case to case basis, some artists might prefer to leave the fundamentals of 2D.

What software do you like the most? Why?

Blender. Hands down. Due to its versatility and portability. I have been using it for as long as I can remember. And this might seem cliché but its growth and development has been a part of me as a budding artist as well. In addition to this, the very supportive and active community behind it is what inspires me to share. Plus, there's this open culture that moulds the software to become what it is now.

What else do you do aside from working on the design industry?

When I'm not creating digital artworks, I act as a community manager for Blender Guru. Outside of the realm of computers and CG though, I travel often with my fiancee and spend time with nature. And of course, there's also my strength training (calisthenics, gymnastics, etc.) that I constantly engage myself in, to keep my body healthy. Lastly, I meditate twice a day to keep my mind fresh and centered.

More About Reynante Martinez

You would likely be seeing more thought-provoking story-driven artworks in the future from Reynante Martinez. He is also planning on conducting a local art exhibit but that is to be planned yet. You can find more of his works on his Behance profile or website.