Erlon Abrantes: Self-Taught and Self-Made
Funny how things don’t turn out the way they are originally planned. Thirty-eight year-old digital artist, Mr. Erlon Abrantes knows this all too well. In our interview, he admits that his primary training was not focused on the industry. He actually graduated in Physiotherapy from the University Center of João Pessoa in Brazil. Indeed, it was a discipline a universe apart, and we couldn’t be more thankful that Mr. Abrantes braved to make a leap across these worlds.
He started getting involved in the craft in the early 2000s working with image manipulation. About 11 years since, he delved in texturing, lighting and rendering for publicity. It did not take long for him afterwards to start many studies of modeling and traditional sculpture and digital sculpture.
Since then, he had been pushing his limits. Now he is focused on character development for 3D printing.
And from his experience, he had gained quite the wisdom:
The human being develops through stimuli and this helps in his formation as a person and as an artist.
Let us get to know the man behind the discipline and amazing art through this short feature and learn how his experiences shaped him to become the artist that he is today.
Xeno Creatives (XC): ZBrush technology brought a lot to the industry. What processes did you have to learn to be skilled in it?
Erlon Abrantes (EA): My learning process with ZBrush was natural and fluid. At first, my concern was to develop a more artistic vision of what I was trying to do. The more technical part came later.
Much of my development was self-taught, of course at some point I studied with great artists.
XC: As a dedicated artist how did ZBrush help you further your art?
EA: I think the tool does not make the artist. Maybe the artist is the promoter of the tool.
ZBrush is a wonderful tool. I think that it helps the artist a lot because its entire function promotes user skills. Those who started modeling using polygonal modeling software (I started with 3Ds Max) will realize this very well. But there are other very good tools for digital sculpture. I particularly prefer ZBrush.
XC: Was your craft really a passion to begin with, a hobby, or a mere job?
EA: When I started to study, I wanted to work on it. It was and still is a passion.
XC: Given your experience in the industry, what do you think is your edge as a 3D artist?
EA: This is a very interesting question. It seems to me that today we have the need to classify artists in an order of who is better. I think in fact art is subjective and some people will like my work more than others.
About this, I can say that I try to improve my abilities whenever I start something new. My training gave me a close relationship with the study of human anatomy and how the skeletal muscle system works. And I think the information I’ve absorbed in my life from movies, series, HQs, pop culture, and many other things influence my work a lot.
The human being develops through stimuli and this helps in his formation as a person and as an artist.
XC: Whom do you do you consider your influence(s)
EA: There are many artists that continue to influence me. First off, there are the classical artists such as Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Bernini. Brazil develops many good artists and they had also influenced largely, these are, Bernardo Cruzeiro, Victor Hugo Sousa, José Pericles, Bruno Camara, Cesar Zambelli, Kris Costa, Fabrício Torres. I also consider Daniel Bel, Romell Chopraa, Martin Canale, Steve Lord, Gio Nakpil, Ehren Bienert, and Mathieu Aerni as artists whom I look up to.
XC: So far, what were the challenges that you had encountered working in the 3D industry?
EA: The challenges have been many and continue to come. I think developing personal projects is the key to getting more skills and knowledge. However, I do recognize that every project has its challenges and that’s something cool to work with.
In my early days a great challenge was to master an efficient workflow to develop characters.
XC: What is your most exciting project to date?
EA: I always consider my current project the one that excites me the most. This is my personal way of overcoming my limits. Until last week, I was working on a personal project for a statue of Rogue, this week I’m already developing another project and this is already the project that excites me the most.
XC: Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?
EA: I think the best advice is to study—to always study. And when you find yourself stuck in something or some process that is the time to persist and continue even if it is difficult. This stagnation will soon pass but will definitely lead you to greater learning. Keep it up!
Get to see more of Mr. Erlon Abrantes’ art by clicking here!
