Sergey Konstantinov

Name: Sergey Konstantinov
Area of living: Izhevsk, Russia
Company: Full-time Freelancer, since 2011
Expertise: Expert level in interior
Project duration: 1 – 3 weeks
Software using: 3DsMax, Corona render, Z-Brush, Lightroom and Photoshop

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

I communicate mostly through instant messengers and social networks. Technical task negotiation comes after receiving all information regarding the project: required style, drawings, textures and etc… If something is missing, I will try to supplement it in cooperation with a customer.

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

Everything is done according to client’s instructions. I give myself the liberty only during post-processing of the final renders. If the order requires the creation of a fictional interior for a presentation of a product inside it, then my knowledge as a designer required. In this case I can give free rein to the imagination.

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

The workflow is divided into two steps in which changes can be made. At first, scene modeling is done with light, but without textures. Customer could make changes 1-2 times. The next stage is test visualization with full mood of the scene. At this stage, the customer makes changes 1-3 times. After making all the edits I create the final visualization.

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

Yes, there were such cases. Some customers are working with 3d companies like with conveyor. One order was very uncomfortable. I got a pack of small orders at a really low cost without considering my pricing. There was a feeling that I again became a salaried employee without my voting rights.

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

Only with the customer who does not respect my work.

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

No I do not have technical background. I own the education in environmental design. As I see a plus in technical education is only in the creation of custom scripts for performance optimization.

– How do you calculate/estimate project price?

By the footage and the complexity of the visualization.

– Do you charge for rendering?

Rendering already included in price.

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

As usual – The Internet:

• Behance
• HQRoom
• HomeAdore
• Design-Homes
• 3ddd
• render.ru

– Who is your favorite 3D artist or company?

MIR

– 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?

According to circumstances, but I think it is rather a second option which depends on the complexity and timing features.

– 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?

Approximately 7. I want to pump my knowledge in exterior visualization.

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

3d max and corona render as the main software, z-brush for a model fast optimization, Lightroom to process all renders as bundle. Photoshop for adding effects.

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

I can recommend courses of mastering cgi. Lots of useful theory applicable to corona render.

– Do you participate in contests?

There is a desire, but do not have time because of the orders.

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

I watch online – CG EVENT

– Do you have any personal ideas in 3D which you would like to realize (maybe someone has similar idea and later you can connect with each other in order to help accomplish an idea)?

Yes there is. A year later I plan to enter the international market with constant orders. At the moment I have plans to find the manager, scenes collector and visualizer who are willing to work and constantly improve. Right now I realize another dream, launching an arch-viz training project: CGRU.

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

City holiday exterior visualization. It’s quite an old project. The difficulty was in the scope of the project, at this the time I was doing it alone.

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

In technical terms, everything develops by leaps and bounds: articles are translated per day, 3d community is constantly growing. I think, at the moment, rendering quality in my country is no different from the rest of the world.

– 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?

No I do not see. Such level of visualization simply goes to sub-niche. There will be always customers to whom quality is not important, but only price.

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

Become a really cool in 3d market and create own community, something like Evermotion.

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

Do your work nice and tidy. Try to exhibit your works whenever possible and impossible. Pay attention to detail and analysis of real photos.