Congratulations to Filament9 for posting his 1,000th+ message here at ZBrushCentral!
Interview With Filament9:
Introduce yourself:
My name is Tony Goobie.
Where do you live?
I currently live in Alberta, Canada, where winter is still hanging on with a growing sense of desperation.
What do you do for work?
For the past three years, and handful of months, I’ve been employed in the plastics industry as a machine operator.
What do you do for fun? (besides ZBrushing ;))
Fun stuff would include collecting Spawn action figures, watching decent film, a good book and generally hanging out with my girl.
How old do you tell people you are?
I tell people I’m 42. And will then offer my driver’s license as proof, after they’ve told me I can’t be that old!
What would you like to say on this momentous occasion?
Thinking about this a fair bit: For those of us just beginning with ZBrush, and perhaps for some of who have been using it for some time now, viewing another’s art can be inspiring. I offer this bit of advice: Don’t allow yourself to judge your own art against that of another artists. It is something I’ve seen in a number of threads here. “I wish I was as good as you…” or, “someday I hope I can be as good…”
Certainly enjoy what you see. But more than that, study it. Ask questions that start with how and why.
Study traditional art and ask the same questions. And allow yourself to judge your latest image against your own works. It is there that you will see the progress most.
Tell us about your work with ZBrush…
What I’ve been doing with ZBrush, really, isn’t anything more then having some fun. I’ve been away from art for a number of years; and here is a program that makes “getting back into it” intuitive, interesting and very often challenging.
What first attracted you to ZBrush?
I like the whole idea behind 3d. As well, I like the whole idea of 2d. The combination of the two, in one package, seemed to me the best of two worlds. I’d viewed a good number of the posted images throughout ZBCentral, and was amazed and intrigued by 1) the talent, 2) the flexibility of ZBrush, and 3) the sense of community.
What’s your favorite ZBrush feature or tool?
Favorite feature… lol! Tough question. I’ll answer it this way: With using the software, I’ve not found a particular tool, or even feature that is a favorite. Tools used, image to image, are determined largely by trial and error as well as the needs of image itself. When I’m experimenting with textures, I tend toward the sphere tool and TM. Should I be exploring the deformations panel, any variety of tools are used, mangled and generally harassed.
But, a feature/tool I think is fantastic is Texture Master. Texturing with this tool is so intuitive and instant. I usually leave the Texture panel open and watch the texture build up. It’s fun seeing it come together.
What’s your favorite thing about working with ZBrush?
You can build fairly complex shapes/objects is a fairly short period of time.
What other software do you use, if any?
Poser, photoshop, painter classic
What other (non-digital) media do you work in, if any??
A bit of pencil, graphite and colored; black and white photography.
What’s your favorite genre, theme, or style of artwork?
Fantasy and science fiction.
What are your main sources of inspiration?
Viewing works by others, anywhere. On book covers, posters, here on the forum (where there is a wealth of inspiration.)
What artists have influenced you? (ZBrush and/or non-ZBrush)
Giger is said to be influential in a few things I’ve done. Personally I don’t see it.
There are a number of artists do I enjoy, but I really don’t know about influences. Pixolator, Southern, Kathy, ZStevie-rae… too many to list really.
When you create something in ZBrush, how much do you plan in advance, and how much do you let it take shape while you create?
Plan in advance??? Someone really needs to explain that concept to me! Sometimes I’m lucky enough to start with a vague notion, and go from there.
What are the most important elements in creating a really compelling image?
(theme, subject matter, lighting, colors, etc.)
Theme: that can be anything. As can be subject matter. It does come down to how it’s all put together on the canvas. These are considerations each artist has to decide on their own.
Rendering something horrible/nightmarish… Do I throw it in the viewers face, or suggest this nightmarish thing as though it were a trick of the light, a deepening of shadow in the corner?
The most compelling thing about creating art, is that it is about choices. Technique has its definite place, but the artist still needs to decide the approach.
What do you hope to convey most in your artwork? (message, humor, esthetic balance, etc.)
I’ve actually never set out to create anything with a message. I hope I never do.
What is/are your favorite tip(s) for ZBrush newbies?
Simply this: Play, play, go have dinner, come back and play some more.
Repeat this every chance you get - but not to the exclusion of family, friends and life in general.
Share with us your favorite ZBrush creation so far (Image and/or ZScript):
Image 
“Someone else sprouting out of a tree”
I don’t know that I would call it a favorite. However I do think it is the most “accomplished” image I’ve done to date.
Tell us about the process of making this ZBrush creation.
The process itself was fairly simple. For the tree, I modelled the trunk from two 3d rings, placed one on top of the other. The branches were modelled the same way; reshaping one, rotating, and placing it, I could use the same tool repeatedly. I think, in all, I created three branches, perhaps four. The texture for the tree is real bark.
For her, Poser, then ZBrush and TM. Very low settings for the Fiber Brush for the ground work, which began life a 3dPlane set to it’s max. Alpha map applied, then over to deformations>gravity set to “Y” to shape the plane.
Background is a painted texture used in Fog (Thanks Ken!)
Share with us other facts about yourself…
What’s your favorite band, singer, or style of music?
Too much to list, but whatever it is, your not likely to hear on commercial radio.
What’s your favorite TV show, movie, actor or director?
Haven’t watched TV for over a year now. Lots of film though.
Favorite director has to be Ridley Scot.
What’s your favorite book, magazine or author?
Author: Samuel R. Delany
What’s your favorite snack food?
Anything I won’t have to cook!
What’s a good motto to live by?
Just live life true to who you are; and don’t clutter it up with what doesn’t really matter.
What’s your favorite thing about participating in ZBrushCentral?
The sense of community, which comes across the only way it can: real.
If the members of ZBrushCentral awarded you a trophy, it would probably Be for “Best / Most _______”
lol! no comment.
A question from Ron Harris (the previous 1,000th-message poster)…
“If you had the opportunity to change jobs at this point in your life, what would you rather be doing with your life/job at this moment?”
Illustration.
Finally, write a question we haven’t asked. The next 1,000th-message poster will be asked this question…
When in the process of creating an image, whether Z-art, or other, do you hit that moment where your mind sort of goes (!), and you know you’ve captured precisely what you imagined?
This is something I’ve experienced from time to time. There seems to be a moment, however brief, when I knew I’d gotten exactly what I was after. Mostly doing photography, a couple times with digital art, the creative “self” sort of exclaims, “yes!”
We would like to thank Filament9 for his contribution to the ZBrush community and for taking the time to answer the above questions.
To signify 1,000 messages, the dots beneath his name (each represents 100 posts) have been replaced with a star.
Congratulations Filament9 , and welcome to the 1,000 posts club!
We’d like to express our gratitude to you all in helping to make ZBC such a fun place to share techniques and ideas.
The Pixologic Team
Previous 1000th posts members: Ron Harris
EZ
Deevee
Muvlo
Stonecutter
Robotalk
Aurick
Dr.JJWow
Juandel
Kathy
Digits
[IMG]-
You’ve added a positive, open, and happy spot to this forum.
