Eight:48

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The following interview with Graham Harvey of Eskimo Square first appeared in Issue 02 of Eight:48 Magazine.

Can you tell us how you became a 3D illustrator?
I originally studied Product Design and it was my intention to follow that career path. It didn’t work out as planned and I found myself doing Architectural Visualisation, which is where I learnt to use 3D software for image creation.

At the time many of my friends were Graphic Designers and I found their work intriguing, so I asked to pitch some 3D routes into Graphic Design projects. They were well received and I think that was the start of what I do now.

At the time 3D had a bad press within the Graphic Design arena – think rave graphics. The achilles heel of 3D software in image creation, in my opinion, is its ability to create almost anything. That differs greatly from Product Design, where the real constraints of manufacture, ergonomics, materials etc have to be considered. But rather than suffer because of them, the best product designs celebrate these constraints, integrating them positively into the design. I don’t work any differently now, but I need to imagine constraints where they don’t exist, like only using horizontal wires to define text in the Bedrock image. So my background in Product Design stops me from going over the top in my 3D work.
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Could you tell us about your working process?
I create objects in 3D. The objects may simply be based on a idea I have, or they may be the result of experimentation within the 3D software, or they are client driven. Often they are derived from a 2D artwork which I have been supplied and I then study the virtual object on screen as if they were real. Often I wish they were! It’s then a case of deciding on finishes, lighting, the environment, much like a photographer does when setting up a still life. The visual I create is simply a CGI photo of the object.
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What inspires you as an illustrator?
I really like testing out how graphic elements translate into 3D objects, imagining how they would look in the real world, what they would look like from behind, upside down… I am comfortable letting a 2D element drive the build of a 3D scene.

I am inspired by any work that shows that the creator is highly skilled, passionate about their work and is a master at their craft.

I also think it is important that the viewer can ‘understand’ the work and easily see the story and themes. I am not a huge fan of modern art where I am left wondering. I guess a product design background makes you very grounded. A successful product achieves it’s objectives as efficiently as possible, where nothing can be added or taken away without detrimental effects. I like images like that. The Grafik cover which was one of my very first commissions as a 3D ‘visualiser’ is very simple. The letters have fallen over and the shadows look cool. That’s about it.
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Who are your design heroes?
If I see a piece of work I like, I very rarely search out who was responsible for it. I don’t really get excited by the ‘Big Names’. They’re just people who are good at their job. Nothing more. In fact, I am not sure the terms, ‘Design’ and ‘Hero’ should go together.

I once saw Si Scott give a talk, at the 2009 Offf festival in Portugal. His work is incredible. He is obviously an extremely talented artist. Even so, he looked uncomfortable speaking in front of thousands of people. I don’t think he felt like a ‘design hero’. That said, there are lots of people, both well known and unheard of whose work wows me. Si Scott for one, Christophe Huet – amazing retouching, Maxim Zhestkov – great 3D, Dan Tobin Smith and also Spencer Higgins – stunning still life photography, Alex Trochut – lovely illustration; to name a few.
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Do you manage to mix your personal work with your commercial work?
It depends on how tight the brief is. If there is room within a brief to feed in some of my personal ideas, I will try. The commercial work I get varies greatly from open briefs to very specific image creation.
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What outside of the design world influences you?
I would have to say the real world. Although all of my work is CGI, I am greatly influenced by the real world –the way a shadow falls, the way water refracts, the way a plastic surface reflects; not because I want to recreate super-accurate, photo-real CGI, but because the real world looks great.

The mix of the real world with CGI content creates interest. For example, the ampersands look interesting because they are sinking into the floor – an effect that wouldn’t happen in reality and is therefore less easily achieved with photography.
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How do you stay personally motivated?
I love my work, and I enjoy the life that my work facilitates. I also want to get better at what I do and continue learning. I feel lucky to work in a medium that seems to be finding its feet and getting accepted more every day.
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What do you think about the current illustration/design scene?
I feel positive about it. There is a real mix of skills and tools being demonstrated from all over the world. People are keen to comment, collaborate, and share.

I love the fact that 3D is no longer a dirty word in Graphic Design. Rather than just being used as a tool for a predestined end result, it is now accepted that the use of 3D tools can generate interesting results during the design process and therefore actively contribute to it.

I am keeping a keen eye on the rapid prototype industry. I can’t wait to get my hands on an RP machine when they become affordable and finally be able to hold some of the virtual objects that I create! I am currently working with Darren Wall, aka Wallzo, to build the Cybele typeface for real. Watch this space!
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What, in your opinion, that has been designed within the last few years, will stand the test of time and prove a lasting legacy for this generation of creatives?
Tricky. Unfortunately very few modern consumer products seem to be designed to stand the test of time.

We feel compelled, and are actively encouraged in many cases, to change the things we own quicker than ever. Graphic Design, Interface Design, Coding Design, to name a few, are some design arenas that don’t seem to suffer the same fate as modern Product Design and as such will leave more of a legacy. The coding that Google uses to find images, although it is unseen, will leave more of a legacy with designers than a Nokia phone because we are unwittingly interfacing with it on a daily basis.
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How easily do you get your ideas and can you put your finger on where they come from?
I like to mix two themes or two arenas of work. For example, I might see some still life photography and imagine how the subtle introduction of 3D could create a more interesting image. I look at details in manufactured products and imagine how to integrate them into graphical 3D objects that I build. For example, a local jeweller stocks a range of clear plastic rings with bubbles of coloured plastic within. They are horrible rings but I want to experiment with bubbles within clear plastic 3D type objects.

I owe a lot to the Graphic Design industry. I now give letter forms the respect they deserve and take a keen interest in layout, composition and colour.
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If you could save one book from your shelf, what would it be?
My photo album, if that qualifies.
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www.eskimosquare.com
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All images:
© Eskimo Square Ltd 2010
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