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Autodesk® 3ds Max®
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Autodesk® Maya®
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Autodesk® Softimage®
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Autodesk® MotionBuilder®
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Autodesk® Mudbox™
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AUGI
Autodesk User Group International
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Software: Autodesk 3ds Max
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How were you introduced to computers and what was your first graphical software - what led you to 3D software? How did you learn it?
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| Soa:
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Until the freshman year, I was computer illiterate. I was a �naturalist� who cursed computers. (Frankly speaking, I am still not fond of computers.) Back then, dreaming of making a cell animation, I worked as a part time instructor in an art school. One of my colleagues informed me that 3D was a good way to save money on materials and labor costs. The idea that all you needed to make an animation is a computer was very appealing to me. I had to learn both graphics and computers which slowed me down a lot. Photoshop and Shader were my first graphics software, but ever since I learned 3ds Max, it has become my main tool.
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What was your first 3D work like and on what computer did you make it on?
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Well, the practice run was chocolate balls in a basket and a squished head. But what should be considered my first real 3D work was my 3D animation trailer. It was about 3 minutes long; a Sci-Fi trailer where a cop and a cyber-human were blocking the invasion of robots in the near future. Two people in the painting department work on the bulk of it. Myself, not being used to 3D, did background modeling, texturing, lighting and simple animation, editing, etc. I don�t remember the computer specs. It was pre-MMX ... (anyway I was still a beginner in computers, so there was no way I could know the computer specs!!!) This animation won a prize in the Korean computer art competition which thus had me continue to stay in 3D.
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How did you make the transition to the style and type of 3D you do now?
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In the late 90s, 3D in Korea was just a tool for animations. I, too, used 3D in creating short trailers or music videos for first few years. However using 3D as a still image, just like traditional painting, showed me that there was potential to do great things. In 2000, I experimented with an illustration thinking that �perhaps I can make painterly pictures using 3D...�. Moona, created with Maya, was the first try.
But by next year, I began to have my doubts. At that time, 3D illustration was not used anywhere. Moreover, it took too much time to produce an illustration and the quality was limited. I also tried an illustration with half 3D and half 2D, with women as my theme.
Then, a game company asked me to make a drawing for a 3D game character. The company was developing Korea�s first adult-only online game, and its marketing strategy was to use the female character, Redyan. The request was that the character look alive and sexy � unlike most other dull characters you saw in 3D back then. The illustration was to look like a classy nude painting. I was very interested in the proposal, and thought it was a great opportunity to use 3D to an illustration. So I accepted the offer. After that point, I concentrated on making lively 3D female characters. These days, I try to show various themes with early tests as a basis.
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What do you love most about working in 3D?
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I feel that 3D characters are alive. Like a doll, characters await me to brush their hair and make them move. They are always ready to pose differently, make different facial expressions or change their hair style. In 3D, the more jobs you do, the more data you have, which broadens the possibilities. That�s the biggest attraction to me. Of course being able to easily copy is a very useful too.
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The explosive water in Taurus is realistic and stylized at the same time � what was the technique you used to make it?
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Taurus divides the ocean into two. As Moses divided the ocean, so does the Taurus as it runs. The waves were made as mesh, and V-raymap and noise map were applied to create the wavy feel. I thought the spray was the most important part. There are many ways to make sprays realistic, one of which is an applicaton called "Realflow". I did not have time to get used to a new application, so my husband helped me with the spray simulation. I combined the Realflow simulation result to the wave.
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Can you explain to us your process in making your illustrations? How do you go about coming up with the concept, planning the layout of the image, modeling, texturing, making the pose, etc..
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The concept rises from the client�s direction and my life experiences. Depending on the goal of the image, I would suppress what I want to express, or come up with something that I never thought of before. The first layout usually follows the concept. It is probably the most typical image. When reviewing the layout, I sketch various layouts in order to escape the stereotype.
Once the layout is decided, models and textures are made according to the layout. For example, no need to put a zipper at the back of the costume if the camera does not show the back side. Of course I do some additional work if a better pose or layout comes out in the middle of the process. However, I try to be prudent to get the concept and the layout right from the beginning, which helps me become more efficient.
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Your images are full of energy and life - do you ever consider animating them?
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Yes, of course I want to make them move. Perhaps right now is the learning stage for animation. Maybe that�s why my characters� poise is more dynamic. Can�t you hear them saying, 'someday I will move'? Ha ha.
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The lighting is kind of soft and dreamlike, how do you create that atmosphere?
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I refer to photography books for lighting. The books describe how to make the lighting smooth. I think I can learn from real life lighting because 3D has all the tools, color blending and caustics available through rendering. Though only more recently have I become more interested in rendering to make more realistic materials. For skin, I use image maps to express various effects.
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Do you use any plugins or develop any scripts in Max for your work?
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I haven�t experienced big enough of an inconvenience to write a script in Max. But I used Shag hair plug-in until Max7 because there was no built-in hair plug-in.
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After rendering your final image, how much image-editing (ie. Photoshop) is used to composite the image?
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Image editing is mostly for compositing background and characters and for fine tuning the overall color balance. For natural focusing, Photoshop is used because it provides an easy tuning and it saves render time.
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Is there a particular reason why you prefer to work with the female form? The results are very classical, and feminine with delicate features.
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I guess the way I look at woman can be a little different from how male artists do. When an artist draws a woman, it�s usually �a woman you want to see�. I do too, but the difference is that I add �a woman who represents me�. It gives me catharsis. The female character has my Utopia. Also, I want the character to display how I understand her emotion and thoughts as well as her body. Female is my main subject not because I feel more comfortable with it over the male subject. It is because the female subject interests me the most, more than any other subjects. For now, that is.
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Your images give a feeling of fantasy and dream � what are your sources of inspiration?
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I love dreamy art. I am very glad that you feel that way. Music is probably the source of inspiration. I am a frequent listener to dreamy New Age music, which makes me feel happier than any other stimulant. Because I want people to feel the same happy feeling looking at my pictures, I incorporate it in them. For example, dreamy face, subjects from myths, fantasia backgrounds, etc. Inspiration comes from everything I experience, graphics novels, magazines, illustration books, and dreams. Luis Loyou, William Bouguereau, Alphonse Mucha are among the artists who have influenced my work.
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Where do you get the ideas or themes for your illustrations and are they personal, or commercial work?
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As mentioned earlier, ideas come from experience. If I have difficulty making progress even with a concept, I do some research with related materials. Sometimes I get fresh ideas from books and materials unrelated to painting. The work is mostly for commercial use. That�s why it�s called �illustrations�. But it�s the artist�s mission to make the work eternal art. So instead of following the business, I try to make the business come for my illustrations.
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Is there a story about your piece titled "Taurus"?
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Yes, it�s one of the twelve constellation stories. Zeus, attracted to Europa, transforms into a Taurus and takes her to a new land. This picture describes Taurus, who is actually Zeus, with her on his back, running through the ocean.
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How long were you working on "Taurus"?
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One month to make Europa, and about 20 days for the other objects.
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What is it you enjoy most about creating illustrations?
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It�s a great satisfaction to put the image I imagined in my head to white paper. I don�t even need to sleep for a few days when working on the first image sketch before starting 3D and when doing image correction at the end. These illustrations are my most important assets. I love that the picture speaks for itself, without the need to persuade or explain.
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Where have your illustrations been featured and are you given a lot of freedom when making them?
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Most commercial works have pre-determined concepts. The concepts can be out of or in my realm of usual style. New concept is a new challenge. My freedom is where I decide whether or not to take the concept. Once taking the job, I deliver my opinion to the client and each party negotiates a lot. My clients vary in lots of industries such as on-line game companies, ELSA Graphics Card company, and LG cosmetics.
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What are you currently working on now?
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Currently focusing on completing the 12 constellation series.
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Do you plan to go out from illustration work and into another field of 3D work?
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Of course. It was all due to passion for the animation that I got to know 3D. But animation is put aside for now. I want to focus on this now. Illustration is fun, and there are lots of things to learn. Someday I want to make a short image movie rather than a movie.
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Tell us a little bit about the 3D scene in Korea � schools, types of companies that use 3D, and the ratio of men and women who work in 3D?
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It�s fair to say that 3D in Korea developed with on-line games. People are no longer limited to 3D animation but now are into 3D games as well. On-line games are huge in Korea � lots of games and users. Therefore, many universities have mutimedia departments or games-related majors, and many students want to be in this field.
Most on-line games in Korea are 3D, which nurtures 3D artists. Games these days are not men-only anymore and there are many female artists. The numbers are still growing. So far, there are more male 3D artists but it�s not too difficult to meet female 3D artists working in delicate jobs such as costume design.
It was a great honor for me to have an interview with Autodesk. Thanks for introducing me to so many people. Thank you.
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| Posted by harshit on Jun 15, 2010 at 06:51 AM
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Hi...
Soa Lee
Very very nice and excellent work...!!!
I really appreciate it..
thanks...!!!
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| Posted by tony-w on May 25, 2010 at 02:24 AM
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hey it's really HOT!!!
and beautiful....
i saw this before on the other website LOLZZ
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| Posted by MattN on Jan 15, 2009 at 06:12 PM
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| One word: BOOBS!
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| Posted by maia on Oct 27, 2008 at 05:33 PM
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| artists like this one here, must be born in heaven!
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| Posted by corina on Sep 03, 2008 at 01:07 PM
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| Her work is really great. Her characters are always full of life and very interesting. She has the ability to depict the female form in an amazing manner.
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