Goal, Focus, and Certainty: The Wisdom and Talent of Mr. Wojciech Magierski
Mr. Wojciech Magierski is one artist who knows where he is heading to. There is wisdom in his words and we know that he is speaking from considerable experience.
Mr. Magierski understands that the way by which an artist could truly progress in the discipline is to be pluralistic in his or her ways. It is not enough to be good at one tool—he or she needs to be accepting of all technological developments to be well-versed in the field.
Suffice it to say, an artist should be one who can easily assimilate and ride with change—especially with ZBrush that has considerably changed the game for the 3D industry.
And Mr. Wojciech Magierski’s works are true marvels to behold! They are haunting and impressive with their details. We cannot help but be in awe of his concepts as it bore originality and indicative of genuine talent.
So what does it really take to be a good artist in this fast-paced landscape? Is it innate talent? Skill? Motivation? Patience? Or is it the combination of all? Join us as we read through Mr. Magierski’s interview with us here at Xeno Creatives to find out just what sculpted him into the good artist that he is today.
Xeno Creatives (XC): ZBrush technology is a game changer. It widened the avenues of expression, technique, and style for 3D artists. What processes did you have to learn to be skilled in it?
Wojciech Magiersk (WM): When it comes to learning anything new these days, especially new software, a good starting point is to watch available video tutorials to grasp the basic concepts and its functionality. Then start using it. The time you spend on the actual modeling inside the program you want to master directly translates into your skills. There really is no other way. If you find sculpting in ZBrush enjoyable, sooner or later you’ll get to the place where you want to be. The important part is to motivate yourself by coming up with goal-oriented tasks. For example, you can find work of other, better artists that resonates with you and try to recreate something similar.
XC: Being a dedicated artist as you are, how did ZBrush help you further your art?
WM: What I’m about to say partially answers the next question as well. ZBrush is one of the best tools for 3D modeling, it really doesn’t constrain you in any way. From the artistic point of view, it’s crucial because it doesn’t block your creative thinking. The software is very flexible and dedicated for people who want to create rather than focusing on technical aspects of 3D technology.
XC: What made you decide to focus on ZBrush as a creative medium? Are you still planning on venturing into other software?
WM: Of course. 3D and VFX industry is extremely vast and you cannot afford to concentrate on one software only because you will need other tools to supplement your workflow. ZBrush is mainly used for modeling but if you, as an artist want to improve your skillset, you need to focus on other elements as well, rendering, preparing the animation or simulation. But to answer your question… You need the best tool for the job and for 3D modeling, ZBrush is currently one of the best things available, whether it’s organic or hard surface. That’s why I focus on it so much.
XC: Do you have to be good in human anatomy when working with ZBrush?
WM: Definitely. Even if you’re creating bogeymen and monsters, purposely distorting proportions you really should be familiar with human anatomy, muscular system, and bone formation. When you’re working on your character it’s even more important than your knowledge of the software.
If you’re good at anatomy but not that good in ZBrush, you still can create fantastic work. It doesn’t work the other way 😉
XC: Do you see yourself in the movie and television industry?
WM: I work as an Art Director at Juice, a company with main focus on postproduction, 3D, and VFX.
The projects that we work on are very diverse. From TV advertisements and video game cinematics to occasional assignments for full feature movies. For me, as an artist, it’s a really good place to be because I fulfill myself in many disciplines. I rarely get stuck doing one thing over and over 🙂
XC: Was your craft really a passion to begin with or just something that pays the bills?
WM: It’s not a big secret that if you love what you do you’ll never have to work a day in your life, right? 🙂 But seriously I think that if someone is choosing their career path based on financial gains they’ll eventually lose motivation and stop progressing. Long-term, it’s a way doomed to failure. Your main reasoning behind your actions should be your passion. It’s the only way to fully commit yourself and achieve your goals.
XC: Seeing your works online was a visual treat! Your creatures are spectacular with a refreshing originality. Do you have favorite pieces? What are they and why?
WM: I try to become better and better all the time, I see how I progress in every project a little further. It helps me to stay humble and that’s why I push forward. Usually, my favorite pieces are the ones that I finished most recently but I hold a very special place for “Black Widow” simply because I learned a ton with that one.
XC: Who do you consider your influences? What attracted you to them?
WM: Oh… there is a lot of them. When it comes to ZBrush I think that Furio Tedeschi has an incredible style and is very good at bringing in the details. Mikalai Dzemiantsevich is amazing at creating an overall form and anatomy of his characters. Going a little bit more technical, Keos Masons keep up extremely high level both technically and artistically. I really recommend to look up their work if you want to find some inspiration.
XC: What other pieces do you still want to create?
WM: I have my little private project and I think this one will be a project of my life, because of extensive knowledge and amount of time it requires. It involves a chessboard and chess pieces.
I already did some sculptures and I intend to make a battle cinematic. It’s going to be huge 😉 I think I will wrap it up in a couple of years.
XC: Aside from creating fan art and your own amazing character concepts, do you also see yourself in Game Character Design?
WM: Taking into consideration the technical aspect and the fact how long it takes to create such models, for me as a conceptual artist the concept remains my main area of focus. You’re free to use any tools and resources to achieve the effect you want. When you look at preparing your characters for in-game use there are a lot more technical requirements that you need to think of. For the moment I enjoy doing the concept work, it interests me the most and gives me plenty of fulfillment professionally.
XC: If you weren’t working as a 3D artist, what do you think you’d be specializing in instead?
WM: That’s interesting… I think it would be something entirely different. Not really connected to our industry. I’m very passionate about physical activities, sports, and diet. That could be it…perhaps a nutritionist or dietician or something along those lines 😉
XC: What advice can you give individuals wanting to enter the industry?
WM: The most important thing is consistency in your undertakings. You also need to realize that not a lot of things comes easy in this world. Every single artist whose skills you admire today started small and gradually became better. My recommendation would be to think about ways to develop yourself as an artist, constantly learn new things, set clear goals and be very, very patient.
Mr. Wojciech Magierski you are a true inspiration! Thank you very much for sharing with us your wisdom!
We wish you all the success in your discipline.
