Felipe Walter

Name: Felipe Walter
Area of living: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
Company: Working in his own company since 2015, Blooe Visuals
Expertise: Interior & Exterior
Project duration: 7 days – …
Software using: 3DsMax, Vray, Photoshop

– Every project starts from collecting materials and client’s wishes. How do you negotiate with clients? What do you ask for?

Talking about the architectural project itself, I can work with almost any material, CAD or BIM files, or even modeling in any format helps to make a retopology. As for the interiors, I need an interior design, if it already exists, or if the client needs, I can also propose one.

Now for the art direction process, I need to put together a moodboard. So I explain the importance of understanding the identity of the project and its purpose (why it is going to be built?) and send a short questionnaire, asking them to respond carefully. After receiving the briefing, I set up a moodboard with reference images and text, justifying our art direction proposal for this project and ask if it match with what they expect.

– How do you work: in your own style or under clients guidance?

Well, in the case of architectural project and interiors design, the project is most of the times already approved by the client and cannot be changed by the artist. However, all the other elements must be proposed by us. This is something very important, the client needs to know what’s our role and what we are going to do with his project. Thing like lighting, composition, decor, mood, exploring the highlights are our specialty, it’s our duty to propose.

– How is you working process look like? How many revisions allowed to make?

Depends too much on the project. Generally, we first show a clay render, exploring a few cameras (and one strongly recommended by the studio) to approve the architectural project and the views. After the views were chosen, in the next step we send the scenes in a mid-low resolution but with the final look at shaders, lighting, composition and post-production. Then, we solve all the comments of this review and re-send the render, again in mid resolution for final approval. After approved or with a few comments left, we render again but in the final resolution, and stay available for any problem they may find out in the final render.

– Have you refused to do the project and if yes why?

It happen sometimes, when the budget doesn’t match. I refuse to work underpaid with a lower quality because it doesn’t get what I want as professional: growth, evolution, learning… No problem about working in tight deadlines, as long as I can keep the quality at my best and get paid proportionally to it.

– With what kind of client you will never do business again?

Well, I had bad experiences with unfinished projects which keeps stopping for months and coming back in hurry. But i can’t say that i won’t pick this kind of projects again. First because we never know when it will happen, but also because I understand that architectural visualization can be a powerful tool for architects to improve their projects. As they can have a realistic preview of their building, it’s perfectly comprehensible they may find something they may do better. So, thinking as an architect, if it’s better for the city, it’s better for the people who live in.

– General project time?

1 week to 2 months. Really depends!

– How do you calculate/estimate project price?

It’s really important to see the project before charging. In the case of the client has a strong confidentiality matter, i need at least a short description and a sketch or preview image, plus an average amount of images they need. Also, it’s indispensable to know the project’s deadline. Then i set up a working proposal describing the scope, my terms and a short schedule. As i can see the amount of work to do the job and how long i will stay in this project, it’s clear to see how much too charge. Besides, there’s some articles in some forums guiding the average price in each country, it’s really helpful.

– Do you charge for rendering?

Nope, always for project.

– Do you have technical education? Does it helps in 3D?

Sure, before starting in 3d art, I’ve studied systems development, graphic design and architecture. Sure it helps!

– Client is nice, project agenda is clear, now you need inspiration to get started. What are your sources of inspiration?

I have a huge selection of references sorted by lighting mood, season, and style at my Pinterest, which I collected for years and keep always updating.

– Who is your favorite 3D artist or company?

There’s a lot of amazing works out there, but if i had to pick one it’s MIR, they’re always a step ahead. Their visuals are masterpieces, really makes me look for long time at them.

– There are 2 types of visualizers: one who heavily rely on post-work (they do not render scene completely, but only parts of it, and one who try to get complete scene after render process and apply basic post-work) From which side you are and why?

Low post-work it’s always more realistic and jaw-dropping when you do a good job, mostly in interiors. Otherwise, heavy photoshop work, if done right, can improve a lot the atmosphere and mood, saving a huge render time. However it may ruin a whole scene when feels unnatural. I guess i’m on the way to do less post-production each time, i’m looking forward to the VR ‘happening’, hope it gets popular soon, and then, it’s hard to fake out things in photoshop for stereo images for 360 VR.

– How would you rate your level of expertise in 3D graphics on a scale 0 till 10. In what areas you would like to get more knowledge?

5. And each step becomes more difficult to 10. Have to improve in things like art/photography perception, meet other render engines, film making, digital matte painting, and technical things too like modeling, lighting balance and optimizing/setting-up max and vray, to be more productive.

– What software do you use/like the most? Why?

Photoshop, for sure. Very stable and powerful tool.

– What were the main sources of training that you used if any? Which one you can recommend?

I try to keep myself constantly learning. A tutorial a day keeps the comfort zone away! I’ve been collecting through the years in the “favorites” tab on my browser a series of tutorials and making-offs. Also, I follow many channels on youtube with tips. But I feel that it’s time to get involved with some new content, something more solid that requires me to show results. Here’s some youtube channel recommendations:

• ARQUI9 Visualisation
• Evermotion
• Gleb Alexandrov
• Photoshop Training Channel
• Phlearn
• Vray Guide

– Do you participate in contests?

Whenever i can, which can be found in facebook groups. But it’s hard nowadays, I’m missing it.

– Do you attend 3D visualization conferences or at least track them in internet?

Sure, never been personally but always try to stay on top through streaming channels. Last i saw was this one, but unfortunately it’s all in Portuguese. Can’t remember any other. I want to go to the SOA someday, untill then, i keep an eye at their YouTube channel, there are some interesting interviews there!

– What is your greatest work that you have done? The most challenging project you have worked on?

For sure a 360 panoramic at a balcony. The city modeling was really huge and as close as possible to the real environment! Unfortunately I cannot show it. It is a project that has not yet been released, and the client does not plan to release it online, only in their sales stand.

– What do you think about general 3D visualization level in your country

It is growing wildly! We have award-winning artists in Brazil such as Thi Lima, Matheus Passos and Ramon Zancanaro. There are studios as Blackhaus, with wonderful works and global recognition, and Neorama, serving with great skill all the luxury high-end market in Brazil, working in international projects for pritzker-winning architects, besides representing Brazil in the CGArchitectworld awards in 2015. So, I am really proud of Brazil, we are prepared for much more!

– Market is overwhelmed with the low quality/price offers. There are many programs which allow creating simple 3D without any knowledge. Don’t you see a threat for your profession in near future?

Indeed, there are many low-quality jobs in the market. But somehow they exist because there is a demand for them, architects with tight budgets and single-family residential projects. I’m not worried about that. We can not blame them for not requiring our kind of service.

Now, speaking of large projects with multiple units, there will always be smaller budgets, it’s perfectly normal. I have realized that the buildings companies understand when it comes to a better quality work. I guess the major difficulty for most of the artists is to convince their clients that their work really adds value and identity to the project and their investment will be justified. Perhaps because the artists themselves don’t believe it…

– What are your long-term goals or career plans?

First goal is to move to Canada. I have some things heading for it, research, contacts, plans A, B and C, and things to finish in Brazil before boarding. Also, I have some drafts of archviz courses scripts. I love teaching, but it’s a project for a long, distant future. It requires a lot of experience and reliability for teaching. Today I have mastery to teach just some basic stuff, and as my plans are to teach things I had trouble to learn or do not even know yet, it gives an idea of how far it is at the moment!

Advice from Felipe how to achieve high quality level in 3D visualization and attract more clients:

The key is staying motivated to learn. And this is really hard sometimes. 90% of the people i’ve been talking to would like to be better artist, but they don’t really want to do something about it. You need to stay thirsty for improving, and know why you want to be better, must have a reason. Then, keep the hard work and try to do your best every time. And be calm, it will take long. There’s no single course that will make you pro in 1 week watching tutorials, you need to practice.

A good portfolio is a nice start, but the main problem is to convince the client that you are in control, and are being paid to do something you know much better than him. The client needs to give its opinion, be heard, and give the final approval. But the studio must suggest and defend their position, not only give options. This ruins the perception of art direction, which is what we are offering of more valuable. The client is specializes in architecture, has a degree on that, not illustration or photography. If he feels that he has some responsibility in making the image better, he will try to do it and may ruin the image.

Art direction is not about ‘good taste’. It’s perception, photography embasement and experience, knowledge of color balance, composition and hierarchy, storytelling, visual stimulation … So that’s the tip: make your customer know what he is buying, beyond what he already knows!