Iskren Marinov

Name: Iskren Marinov
Area of living: Varna, Bulgaria
Working as freelance 3D artist in his spare time
Expertise: Interior, Products
Project duration: 14 days – …
Software using: 3Ds Max, VRay, Autodesk Mudbox, Marvelous Designer, Photoshop, Illustrator.

– Assuming every project starts from collecting materials and client’s wishes, how do you negotiate with clients? What do you ask for? Do you follow the same approach for all clients or is it different for every client?

For interior, I would need a dwg file of the room and as much as possible reference images for the design. Also sketches and photos of needed furniture. If there are no photos at all I can search for them by myself and then we can discuss the project goals and wishes.

– Do you work in your own style or under the client’s guidance, and what types of projects are the most interesting to you?

I love vintage, industrial, nautical and scandinavian styles. Mostly raw materials like concrete, wood, bricks, stones, metals. If for any reason I do not agree with client’s suggestions I try to tell him that this is not a good idea. I can explain and suggest how to make the render look better: which lights should be turned on and which off and etc…

– How is you working process look like? How many revisions do your clients get?

If we talk about interiors, than first of all I model walls, windows, kitchen and other simple furniture. Then I add lights and other furniture. After that I send test render to the client, black and white, without textures.

After getting feedback I can make changes: move anything or change it to something else. Then I add textures and do another test render so a client can see if the colors are okay. If everything is fine I add all the accessories like flowers, appliances and proceed with final render.

– Have you ever refused to take a job and, if yes, why?

Yes, when the client is not serious about his project and have no idea what he is looking for. I also will not work with clients who say: “No, thank you. I can find some Indian guy who will do the job for 2 times cheaper”. Or I will not work with a client who say: ”I will send you dwg’s tomorrow”, – and he sends them in 2 weeks, if he sends them at all.

– How do you calculate/estimate project price?

It depends on the interior style and the modeling complexity. Minimalist modern interiors would cost a lot less than the Classic one.

– Do you have a technical education? if Yes – does it helps in 3D, if NO – will it help if you had it? What about any background in traditional art? Do you have it and if yes does it help you?

No, I don’t have technical education, but I study myself photography. It helps a lot in creation realistic renders, good composition and perfect light and shadows.

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

Behance, Pinterest, Vray World

– Who is your favorite 3D artist or company or who inspires you the most?

3D Artist: Kirill Vasilyev and Grant Warwick. 3D Company: DesignConnected, Evermotion.

– There are 2 types of visualizers: one who heavily rely on post-work and one who apply basic post-work. From which side your company is and why?

I am focused on creating highest possible realism in raw renders. All I do in postproduction is contrast and background adding if need. For me, light post-production will create a beautiful and eye-friendly visualization.

The photoshoped render looks way more beautiful, with all effects and blurriness and color tints and other stuff, but doing all the things in Photoshop is very time consuming, especially if you have to edit 6-7 renders and they have to look exactly the same.

– 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?

I would rate my experience as 8/10. I would like to get more knowledge in animations.

– What do you find most challenging in your daily work?

Hm… modeling I think. I have no problem with materials. Maybe because I learned everything by myself and I started with materials at the beginning. I had a moment when I was able to create very good realistic renders without being able to model anything 🙂

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

Autodesk 3Ds Max with VRay renderer, Autodesk Mudbox, Marvelous Designer, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.

Never tried C4D or Lightweave or Modo or Maya or another 3D Rendering software. Everything happened when I saw a tutorial on YouTube how to create a pot with one single drag of the mouse and I said: “Damn… that’s good!”.

Downloaded that software to try it and later I was very happy I created a photo of something that doesn’t exist. I had no idea how 3D things happen till then. Then I continued to make beds, wardrobes for 15-20 hours per day and that’s the result 🙂

– Do you make personal projects and if yes what is the motivation behind that?

I do a lot of personal projects to train myself and to learn new techniques. For example, if I see something interesting with hard to achieve material, while I’m out, I make a photo of it and try to recreate it in 3Ds Max.

– What do you love about doing what you do? What is your motivation to keep going?

Colleagues and friends around me are the best motivation. The best words, that 3D artist would like to hear are: “You are the best! Keep doing it!”

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

Ciro Sannino’s lessons for lights and settings and Grant Warwick’s lessons for materials.
Masteringcgi
Learnvray
And many free tutorials from YouTube.

– Do you participate in contests?

No, I haven’t. But I would like to!

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

I track them in Internet. Mostly in Facebook pages for interior and 3D design. I don’t really remember names of the groups, ordinary I see them on my news feed.

– Do you have any personal ideas in 3D which you would like to realize?

Yes, a handmade wooden house in the forest.

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

Level of 3D Visualization in Bulgaria is very low even if the Chaos group’s VRay company was started here. I think it is all because of low salary in this field. If you work for viz company your salary will be 500-600 euro, which is not really motivating 🙂

The money you get and the time you spend there will not allow you to get better and better. I was happy to work in Sunny Beach for 4 years to get some good money and study for 1 year without working in order to increase my level of visualizations.

There are some really good companies here in Bulgaria, but mostly in Sofia, not in Varna: DesignConnected, RedVertex, Proviz. They are very skilled.

– Market is overwhelmed with the low quality/price offers. There are many programs which allow creating simple 3D without any knowledge. Do you think such a job as a 3D artist will still be needed in future?

It’s easy to create good quality render, but it’s hard to see the small details. That’s something you can’t learn. You just see it.

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

My goals are to find another 3D Artist and Architect with good knowledge level and to work together as a team. Working alone is not the best decision.

– What would you suggest to beginners of this industry? What are the essential skills to focus on when one starts?

Materials and lights are the most important in the good render. Many people ask me what are my settings, but hey, settings are just to clean up your final render. Settings won’t make it more realistic.