Strong Ethics, Amazing Art: Mr. Augusto Ribeiro E Silva
A graduate of Product Design from Feevale, Mr. Augusto Ribeiro E Silva is one artist you would want to work with. He is not one easily swayed by his own artistry, he is not proud, but instead feels love for his creations. His work ethics are enviable, putting little premium on what he wants in a work and focuses on what the client actually requires. Despite that, Mr. Silva is not one to compromise. He knows the value of his craft being aware of how 3D creation fits in his country.
If you look at his art online, you won’t be able to help yourself in admiring not only the aesthetic, but the ethics and the actual work that went to it. Truly, Mr. Silva stands as evidence that there is indeed heart in what other industries would see as unproductive and impractical. With the likes of him, there is hope for the industry in his country.
Let’s get to know Mr. Silva here and see what makes a genuine artist.
Xeno Creatives (XC): We understand that with just about any craft, passion takes precedence. In your case, how did it start becoming a passion? Would we be right in assuming that you consider it a “calling” as a lot of your contemporaries do?
Augusto Ribeiro E Silva (ARES): For sure, I went through so many phases in my life looking for what I love. I’m from Brazil, poor country in general; there is no “industry” here for people like us. I just knew that I need to work with art in some way. I taught Design and strategy for 4 years as a professor at a private school here in Brazil, but I was so unhappy, the work was great, great pay, great benefits, but as you had mentioned, the call was bigger than the stability of that job. Right then and there I quit the job and decided to go full freelance, I had saved some money from those years of work; that gave me some peace of mind. But not even a month after I quit I was already working freelance with Netflix, of course, I was training a lot before that, I already had a portfolio. As far as passion goes, life, in general, provides me the energy needed to create. At a very young age, I used to get lost in daydreaming, playing with toys, imagining worlds—I think it’s pretty common among most artists though, but those are very vivid memories that I have. Also helps that my mother was an art teacher at the time haha
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?
ARES: As far as a catalyst goes I would say that the movie “Pacific Rim” by Guillermo del Toro was my biggest eureka moment, when I watched that movie something in my mind clicked like “What? People can make money making movies about giant robots and monsters?”
I don’t know why that movie did that to me, because at the time I already knew “Ghost in the Shell” and “Akira, Zeiram”, but for some reason, these always seemed so distant from my reality. Another great influence in my life was Takayuki Takeya, I love his work so much that I needed to have a life full of creation like his.
I got into the industry only in 2018. However, at the time I already had a very solid portfolio, I just never decided to do for the long-term. I guess it’s because I was too critical of my own work at the time. I was too harsh on myself, never thought anything was good enough. I got into the industry by accident, a Netflix director found some artwork of mine in Pinterest and did some reverse search and eventually found me. That was a great day for me.
XC: Now that you’re an active part of the industry, would you say you have pegged a solid place in it?
ARES: I would say one thing, I never missed a deadline. And I never promised what I could not deliver. That way you create a solid work ethic with your art director, another very important thing is to listen to the feedback, give what they want not what you want; save that energy for your personal projects.
XC: How does your day look like in production?
ARES: Whenever I have client work I’m a completely different person, I wake up early, stretch, do some light exercise just to keep my brain awake, take two cups of coffee and get to my computer. I try to work from 9 am to 10 pm, always trying to give myself little breaks to keep my morale up. That proved to be a very efficient way of working for me.
Now when I’m doing my personal projects, I like to take my time with the conceptualization part, researching, daydreaming and when I feel like it, I start working. Basically I try to have fun and take that as a time of learning and meditation.
XC: What are the common challenges that a 3D artist like you encounters day-in, day-out in a project?
ARES: For sure the biggest challenge is to know how to gauge the time that you need to something, and I don’t mean the time itself, its more about the dissonance that happens sometimes when you have an idea and you think to yourself “ this is going to take me 2 hours tops” and in the end, it takes you 6 hours. So a very important thing is to know yourself and plan the day ahead in a very realistic manner.
XC: It’s such a delight to see your works online. Your concepts are endearing. But among your works, do you have favorite pieces? If so, what would these be and why? Also, what would you consider your biggest or most exciting project to date?
ARES: It’s very weird to say this, but I love them all so much while I’m undertaking them. But once I’m done with them I have no feelings at all. However, I love it when I finish a piece that I thought that I couldn’t do. This one I love the lighting, I think it’s a pretty cool look and different from what I usually do. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/w8lq4X?commentId=3486599
XC: If you were to market yourself what would you highlight as your edge?
ARES: Quality and efficiency. I think I’m pretty consistent with my quality versus time.
XC: If you weren’t a 3D artist today, what would you be working as?
ARES: I would probably be a massage therapist or something like that, I love to help others when I can, and I think I could ease some pain for people that way. I would love to be a doctor, but I’m not that smart or rich enough for med school haha
XC: What is your message to other artists especially in these trying times?
ARES: Keep producing art, the only thing that keeps people sane in these times is art, be it a movie, series, anime, or videogame. One thing that I follow, in general, is looking at everything artificial being in someone’s imagination first. That means that imagination is the force behind creation. If you ever think that your art is not important and decided to not do art or create, remember this, you are the tool of creation. That should motivate you enough to never stop creating.
Want to see more of Mr. Augusto Ribeiro E Silva’s awesome works? Click here!
