Mr. Daniel Bel: His Experience is in the Details
Suffice it to say, we are amazed by Mr. Daniel Bel‘s art. And it’s not just about his apparent eye for detail or his
obvious and impressive sense of musculature. No. It’s the experience that he brings into every piece.
When asked what his personal favourite is among his many noteworthy creations, he stated that with each piece, there is a part of it that he leans to. And what does this mean exactly? Mr. Bel is an artist who puts his mind into the most minuscule of details. In his own right he is a creator who does not lavish solely on the grand design–he takes care of the deatils. Isn’t that how all creators of art are supposed to be?
As evidenced by his works over at ArtStation, his art is not for the faint of heart. There is love that came with it. Genuine and passionate–forged by experience.
So let us get to know Mr. Daniel Bel in our interview below and see how an artist like him came to be.
Xeno Creatives (XC): ZBrush brought a lot to the industry. Because of this, especially with its many developments, we understand that it requires a lot of work to get used to. What technical processes did you have to learn to be skilled in ZBrush?
Daniel Bel (DB): I think ZBrush is a great and complex tool. Like any other software, it requires time and a lot of practice to be skilled at it. In my case, I learned Zbrush through some basic tutorials and courses about how to sculpt organic things. But like I said, after you understand the basics of how to use it, it´s up to you to become a skilled digital sculptor.
XC: How has this been helpful to your craft?
DB: ZBrush opened a huge door for me to the digital sculpting market–and not just for collectibles. In the past I used Zbrush in Architecture, Video Games and advertising. And thanks to the connection with 3D prints, nowadays I can work doing just what I love to do most: comic statues! =D
XC: When did you realize that you’d be pursuing ZBrush to create 3D art? Are there other media you want to learn or do you just want to focus solely on ZBrush?
DB: I started my career almost 15 years ago as a CG generalist, which means I used a lot of 3D software before ZBrush. But at some point, I realized that what I enjoyed most was working with characters. Honestly, there is no other better software out there than ZBrush to do just that. Currently, I keep using some of them like Marvelous Designer, Photoshop and 3Ds Max, but for the type of work that I do, I can say that ZBrush is my primary tool.
XC: Do you have to be good in human anatomy when working with ZBrush?
DB: With ZBRush you don’t need to have too much knowledge in anatomy. But if you want to work with realistic proportions, it´s a must to know not just about muscles. You will need to have deep knowledge about the skeletal system, proportions, body mechanics, gestures, poses, expressions, and a lot of other things related to anatomy.
XC: What are the other media you used before or are still using apart from ZBrush?
DB: I use 3Ds Max, Photoshop and Marvelous Designer besides Zbrush.
XC: In the beginning was 3D art a real passion for you or just something that pays the bills?
DB: I honestly always wanted to work with things that are different from regular, conventional jobs and I have always loved 3D art. But of course depending where or for whom you’re working for, it sometimes feels like you are working just to pay the bills. But since I started working in the collectibles market, I can say that I love what I do and I work on every statue with a pure and sincere deep passion.
XC: Your works at ArtStation are just plain COOL! Your anatomy renders of various superheroes are awe-inspiring. The musculature of the characters are indicative of great great attention to detail. Kind of a tough question but we gotta ask, do you have any favorite pieces? What are they and why?
DB: Thanks a lot for those kind words, I really appreciate it. And I don’t usually have favourites pieces, ’cause I like particular things from each of them, not entire pieces. But I can say that Weapon X is a piece that I really love. It´s almost pure anatomy work, rage expression, and it´s Wolverine! One of my fave characters ever =D
XC: Are there other pieces you still want to create?
DC: Oh yes, there are a lot of pieces that I want to do. Some of them, I have never done before and others I would like do again. I love Batman, Superman, Silver Surfer, Wolverine, Hulk, Hercules, and so many others!
XC: Who are your influences? What attracted you to them?
DB: Beginning with traditional artists, I love classical sculptors like Michelangelo, Bernini and Rodin among others. Why? Simply because they are geniuses. With a very limited amount of tools in comparison to the ones we have available these days, they managed to create impressive pieces of art that remain unsurpassed throughout the centuries.
As regards contemporary traditional artists, my favourite ones are Martín Canale, Simon Lee, Trevor Grove and Adam Beane among others.
In connection with the digital ones, I have a lots but I choose, again, Martín Canale, Scott Eaton, Will Hardbottle, Rafael Grassetti and Frank Tzeng. And the reason for my choices is obvious, just take a look at his works and you will see.
XC: Apart from your fan art pieces and statues, do you also see yourself being immersed in Game Character Design?
DB: I had some very good offers to work with the big names of the Video Game industry who do character designs. But honestly, at the moment, I really enjoy working on collectibles. Here I can create almost the whole piece instead just a T-pose character. But you know, not now but maybe in the future =)
XC: How about working for television and film, did this ever cross your mind?
DB: I worked a couple of years in television and just a few things for a local CG film. But as with video games, I still prefer working in collectibles at the moment.
XC: If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what do you think you’d be specializing in instead?
DB: I think Art Direction. I believe I have an eye for photography, composition, color and other things related give a life a scene through a 3D render.
XC: What advice or message can you give young aspirants wanting to enter the craft/industry?
DB: I think that every artist, newbie or senior, needs to have a nice portfolio. So, before applying for a job, take your time and create the best portfolio you can. Remember, quantity doesn’t matter, quality does! It is better to have 2 great images than 20 that are poor.
And one more thing, it´s all about PASSION! If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing it’s probably because is not what you really want to do for your life. So don’t waste your time and find something that you really feel pure love for and do it =)
Thank you Mr. Daniel Bel for allowing us a feature. We are looking forward to seeing more of your amazing works!
Want to see more of Mr. Daniel Bel’s statues and concepts? Click here!
