Ranyert Guanipa: Capitalizing on the Past
One look at Mr. Ranyert Guanipa’s educational background, it can easily be assumed that he is more than just a capable artist–he is educated and primed to be a professional artist. And we would be right in our assumption. Throw in his affiliations, notable companies namely, TsumeArt, Hasbro, KamiArts, Kitsune Statues, Dream Figures, and TOHO and you can paint a picture of a seasoned artist.
But of course, it’s not just his education and work history that led him to becoming the skilled artist that he is today. Mr. Guanipa was actually hooked with animation and sci-fi films that he consumed when he was young. These media showed him the way to his interest, even discovering that 3D creation is indeed a calling.
Xeno Creatives (XC): We understand that with just about any craft, passion takes precedence. In your case, was it ever a passion to begin with? Would you consider it a “calling”?
Ranyert Guanipa (RG): Yes! Indeed, I have been a passionate fan of animation and sci-fi movies since I can remember. When I was a kid I tried to imitate on paper everything I saw on TV.
XC: Was there ever an art piece (digital or otherwise) or artist who served as a catalyst for your involvement in the craft? When did you get involved fully in the 3D industry?
RG: I think my catalyst was this Mononoke Princess Project by Julien Desroy. It is through this project that I had to learn how to render 3D. I go involved with the industry after my studies in organic modelling 3 years ago, with my first none academic project being “Boku no Hero”.
XC: Now that you’re an active part of the industry, would you say you already have a solid place in it?
RG: I can say that I can handle 4 to 5 projects at the same time, and up to 7 clients from all over the world.
XC: How does your day look like in production?
RG: I start with a cup of coffee… actually, 3 cups of coffee. The third one is the one I take to my desktop, normally replying clients emails and messages. All the time, I work from 8 am to 9 pm, stopping only to eat, attend to family and my little dog’s necessities and to train at the gym. Normally, my day is divided into two parts: half day for one project and other half for another.
XC: What are the common challenges that a 3D artist like you encounters day-in, day-out in a project?
RG: Everything can be a challenge here, from basic shapes and forms to correct anatomical proportions; even correct posing… my challenge everyday is to be productive with the time I have.
XC: We had the most pleasant opportunity to see your works online. We think your concepts are awesome. How do you go about creating them? Is there a personal routine that you follow before working?
RG: I love this question! It actually depends. Some project came to me with an art direction defined by the client. There are also some project come with no clear concept. To be productive in 3D development, investigation about the character’s background and has to be done.
XC: Do you have favourite pieces among your works? If so, what made them your favourite?
RG: I can tell you that some of my works have not seen the light of day yet. Among these, I have to choose Megatron cause I love robots. However, I also have a special place for my Eternal Sailor Moon statue as it represents one of my beloved characters from all time. On top of that, working on this piece is the first time I got personally involved with the factory production process.
XC: What would you consider your biggest or most exciting project to date?
RG: No doubt my biggest one is MEGATRON from “Transformers Dark of the Moon”, that one took me 4 entire months to complete. At the end, Hasbro supervision was very happy with the result.
XC: If you were to market yourself what would you highlight as your edge?
RG: Let me tell you, I can sculpt anything, not only organic but hard surface perfectly. I love challenges and exploring new ways of sculpting.
XC: If you weren’t a 3D artist today, what would you be working as?
Architect no doubt, that’s my original career.
RG: What is your message to other artists especially in these challenging times?
XC: It is not just a matter of wanting; discipline and dedication are even more important. There is much more to learn during difficult times than during peacetime.
Want to see more of Mr. Ranyert Guanipa’s art? Click here!
Ranyert Guanipa studied Drawing and Perspective in the FineArts School in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He also studied Architecture and was an Architecture and Design Faculty at the LUZ in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Mr. Guanipa also holds a Master’s Degree in Modeling and Animation and in Organic modeling both in CICE Madrid, Spain.
