Mr. Jack Siggins: On Discipline, Workflows, and Being an Independent Artist
True across all eras, being an artist is a constant struggle. It’s not only the compensation or the monetary returns that the visual artist is due, it’s the recognition and support that he or she should be getting from the society.
Of course being recognized and given importance for your craft is the ideal. Yes, being an artist in the present area means greater exposure because of the net. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that people actually understand the hard work that goes into the artist’s body of work, thus his or her actual value.
Mr. Jack Siggins knows this first hand. And just like any other artist whom the site has had a chance to interview, he is one who knows the ropes, complications, and discipline that an artist had to go through to be well-versed in the industry.
Indeed, Mr. Siggins has come to his own in his craft. His works online are indicative of not only talent but a mastery of the tool, ZBrush. In this feature let’s get to know him better as an artist and a vanguard of the industry.
Xeno Creatives (XC): ZBrush technology brought a lot to the industry. What processes did you have to learn to be skilled in it?
Jack Siggins (JS): The College I attended offered no ZBrush classes, only a very basic 3D modelling class. As such, I’m pretty much entirely self-taught. Trying to get better at sculpting while also learning the program was really difficult. I took to it very quickly though; I did these two pretty early on.
I’ve had to teach myself everything, drawing, sculpting, and painting. Painting has been, by far, the hardest. But I know I’m getting there.
XC: What are specific ZBrush features do you employ in the production of your art? Has it helped you in improving your art better?
JS: I only really use basic brushes 99% of the time. They’re all you really need. There’s no secret brush or method, just workflows that suit different people. I use the same basic workflow most people do.
XC: Was your craft really a passion to begin with, a hobby, or a mere job?
JS: I had always drawn as a kid, but I only really started taking this stuff seriously when I turned 25. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with myself up to then. Getting into 3D was pretty much just the logical choice as it’s where most of the work is. But I do really enjoy creating all forms of art, drawing most of all.
XC: What do you think is your edge as a 3D artist?
JS: I’m a complete, obsessive perfectionist who’s never satisfied with his work. Those are pretty crucial traits for good art, in my opinion.
XC: Whom do you do you consider your influence(s)?
JS: In sculpting and drawing, Michelangelo. In painting, John Singer Sargent. Steve Huston is another favorite of mine.
XC: So far, what were the challenges that you had encountered working in the 3D industry?
JS: Getting a paying job! Although I’m just getting started really, so I need to be patient. Art is a pretty brutal thing to teach yourself, you end up getting knocked on your arse a hell of a lot, so I’ve had quite a lot of difficulty doing it. However, I do understand that I don’t have much choice – it’s all I want to do!
XC: What is your most exciting project to date?
JS: I have my first figurative clay sculpture, it’s still in the planning phase, but I’m really enjoying it. I find traditional work the most satisfying, but I really just love making anything.
XC: Do you have any advice to aspiring artists?
JS: Making a living as an artist has always been, and probably always will be, a struggle. You need to work like a dog. Use large amounts of reference. Study how other artists do things.
See more of Mr. Jack Siggins’ works by clicking here!
