Pasquale Scionti

Name: Pasquale Scionti
Area of living: Milan, Italy
Working as freelancer 3D artist more than 10 years. Owner of Sciontidesign
Expertise: Interior
Project duration: 2-3 days per small interior
Software using: Cinema4D, VRay, Maxwell…

– 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?

Well, every client is different, especially if he does not know the hard work that is behind every render, which makes it perfect and photo realistic. I usually ask for reference images and mood of scene which I’m about to create. Next I ask if client have ready-made 3d models, if not I do it myself and eventually I ask for floor-plans. Also i need to know deadline, render output resolution and how many views are needed. It is important to have the most information about the final product that client needs and not to forget to respect his ideas and changes.

– 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 always try to insert my own style, but it is important to stay focused on the client’s guidance and the changes that he would like me to do, such as: color materials changes, additional assets insertion and etc.

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

Well my working process is divided into following steps:

• Modeling and assets insertion
• Lighting creation with grey models material to see how it behaves
• Applying materials to scene
• Creating and setting camera views
• Attention to details and material mapping
• Final render output
• Postproduction in Photoshop CC

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

Yes sometimes I refuse to take a job because of client’s prices. They mostly think that price for a render is like buying 100g of ham, that it is easy to modify scene lights and materials. They often think that you just copy and paste, but when you try to explain the process, the only thing they interested in is price, which is sad.

– How do you calculate/estimate project price?

Project price calculated based on these steps:

• The complexity of scene to create
• The output resolution that client requires
• The number of camera views
• If there is any modeling involved
• Number of changes that client applied
• If post-production needed

– 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?

I do not have technical education. I think it would not help me if I had it, because I’am so passionate and inspired to learn by myself. I will never stop learning and always will try to do my best in every project.

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

My sources for inspiration are lots of interiors or exteriors from magazines like – Elle Decor

– 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’m on the side that applies basic post-work, because it is only this way you could see if you are very good at rendering. The more you work on materials and lightning, the less you need to do post production.

– 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 level of expertise in 3D graphics 9 to 10. The areas I would like to get more knowledge is Architectural Visualization with Unreal Engine 4

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

Most challenging thing in my daily work is replication of real life materials in my 3D scenes…

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

I create all my scenes using Cinema4D. For fast and good renders i use V-Ray. For more detailed and photo realistic ones I use Maxwell.

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

Yes, I often create personal projects. The motivation behind that is very simple – every personal project that i create is always better in terms of quality and realism.

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

I love what I do. I have knowledge in Photography and this is the main reason why I started doing 3D. It gives me additional tool for recreation of real life scenes.

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

The main sources of training: a lot of tutorials online Digitaltutors Just sit down, relax with a cup of coffee and learn.

– Do you participate in contests?

Not yet but would be very interesting.

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

Yes one of my personal ideas is to recreate Architectural exterior render with lots of details situated in a forest.

– 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?

Yes such job will be needed, because those simple programs do not have the ability to recreate a realistic render like a 3D Artist would do.

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

Well the first thing that I suggest: do not go to this industry if you only think about money. You must love what you do. The skills to focus on are all around you: look at your every day life, observe the light, materials of cars, streets, walls, interiors, buildings etc. Try to focus on the roughness of each material, the bump and the shininess. The more correct lighting is, more perfect and realistic will be your renders.