Luke Penry
Member Spotlight
Introducing November's AREA Member of the Month, Luke Penry! With a penchant for crafting vivid, photorealistic loops of alien flaura and fauna, the South London-based 3D artist has amassed an audience of over 100k followers on Instagram, each enthralled by these picturesque scenes from another world. Penry recently took to AREA to share the making of his recent piece, "The Watcher," and we just knew we had to learn more. Enamored by his work, we chatted with the young creative to learn more about his process, inspirations, and the time his penchant for photorealism accidentally wound up making international news.
You can read our full interview with Luke Penry below, only on AREA.
How did you first get started creating in 3D?
I first got into 3D about 13 years ago while studying graphic design at university. A friend in a nearby classroom was doing much cooler things than I was, so I used to go into his classes to see what he was up to. One time he showed me 3ds Max and how he had animated a ball bouncing up and down. That was it. I just started learning from then on.
You have a unique visual language filled with high-contrast colors and an emphasis on organic sci-fi-inspired structures. How did you develop your art style? For the first ten years, I didn't really have an art style, I was more interested in experimenting with different areas of 3D, so I could tackle most tasks thrown at me. It was only three years later that I started to post playful videos on social media, and my style started to evolve.
After hitting a creative wall, I decided to give myself a theme and try to make an artwork to post every day. I started with "eggs" I don't know why; I just liked the shape. So I made 30 images of eggs in 30 days, and somehow during the egg series, I was inspired and followed up with artworks of fungi which went on for another 45 days. It's tough to come up with brand new ideas every day and pull them off without taking longer than 1-3 hours, so being under pressure for those 75 days made me think very differently. I started to find color schemes I liked, discovered various lighting and material setups that looked good, and developed some very simple but effective workflows that sped up production. At times it was very stressful and time-consuming, but those 75 days really shaped a new style for me and led me down a different avenue.
What are some of your inspirations?
Most of my inspiration currently comes from science, evolution, and nature itself, but I would also have to give credit to the many sci-fi films and video games. I also love the work of studios such as Blur and Dvein. Another one of my earliest inspirations was Alex Roman's "The Third & The Seventh." He really set the bar for what a single 3D artist could do. That video was a direct inspiration for my Breaking Bad tribute short, "SUPERLAB."
What role does Autodesk software play in your workflow? What tools most benefit your work?
3ds Max has always been my primary software. Apart from sculpting, I use it for everything if I can. It's a fantastic generalist tool. There are some very underrated areas of 3ds, like the CAT (Character Animation Toolkit), which I really like for rigging and animation. It has saved my ass a few times with its ability to save and upload new rigs to completely different skeletal structures. The new retopology and Array modifiers were a welcome breath of fresh air. And most of the other tools are third-party plugins like Tyflow, Forest Pack, and Phoenix FD.
Last year, one of your CGI loops made some waves online when it was honestly mistaken for a newly discovered plant species. What was that experience like for you?
It was both flattering and concerning. Flattering because many thought it to be real, which says you achieved a good level of realism. Concerning because you realize how fast misinformation can spread and how far it can go. That piece was being retweeted by doctors and government officials, which made it even more believable to those who saw it.
What was one of your favorite recent projects?
I entered this animation called "Metabirth" into the 2022 MDC + Razer Challenge. I enjoyed it because it already had a brief, which removed much of the legwork that comes with thinking everything up from scratch. Instead of my usual fixed camera looping animations, I got to tell a 1-minute story that was really atmospheric. I also won the contest, which was a bonus.
How do you plan out a new piece? What does your prep work look like?
I try to think up new ideas while I'm trying to sleep. If I get a wave of inspiration, I will write them down in my notes, so I don't forget them the next day. If the project is small, like the mushroom animations I sometimes make, I'll just work off an idea in my head. If it's more complicated, like The Watcher, I first create a block test using primitive shapes to get an idea of the timing and composition. I don't actually plan much; I like to play with materials, colors, and lighting on the fly and mess with them until I find something that hits the eye right.
How do you keep yourself feeling inspired and avoid burnout?
I try to get to the gym 3-4 times a week, which takes me away from my desk and is a nice distraction. I enjoy sleeping, probably too much. When I feel like I've done enough, I tend just to chill out until I feel like working again. Best not to force it.
Do you have any other advice for other 3D artists still figuring out their careers?
Continue to learn different areas of 3D you aren't familiar with because sometimes your own ignorance can limit your creativity and put you off. If a project seems like you can't do it, maybe you should do it. I've learned the fastest this way – say yes and work it out later.
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See more from Luke Penry:
Website
Tools
Industries
- Animation
