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Meet Art Lead Sean Forsyth #Interview





Meet our amazing Art Lead Sean Forsyth! When he's not busy working on the art style for new pitches, you'll find him doing a multitude of creative things including sculpting, both in CG and in real life, and generously sharing his wisdom with the rest of us, check out the wonderful tutorials for using ZBrush he's created! We managed to catch him for a few minutes to chat about all things animation.

How did you get into animation?

Sheer luck! I’m entirely self-taught. I studied IT in Copenhagen for 3 years, but I bought a one-way ticket and went off to Italy when I was 26 to seek my fame and fortune and lucked out and just as my money was running out I got a job as a 3D artist (based on the fact I had been looking at some 3D software in my spare time whilst working at Microsoft as a localisation engineer). That started me off. I had plenty of jobs since then, and was working making virtual and augmented reality graphics for a surgical simulator and also doing some medical imagery, when I lucked out and got a job with Brown Bag. I started in the IT and CG department and moved into the 3D department full time once I proved myself capable and there was enough work for me.

How long have you worked in the animation industry?

About 10 years now. All of it in Brown Bag, though I have worked in 3D graphics for about 18 years in total. I’ve done a few jobs, from e-learning for the aviation and pharmaceutical industries, to virtual and augmented reality, to medical imagery, to web graphics and software interfaces.

What's your current role and what does it involve?

I’m the Art Lead in the pitch team. This means I get to work on new pitches coming into the studio and help inform the style and look of them. It’s fun because we get to play around with different styles, and also different tool-sets and looks. You never know what the next project will be, but you can be sure it’s coming around fast! It’s nice and varied too, which is great.

What are your biggest influences/inspirations?

I consider myself very much a sculptor, so most of my influences would be from sculptors and modellers, but I’ve loved a mix of artists and there’ll be a huge variety in there, both modern and classical. Jordu Schell, Simon Lee, The Shiflett Brothers, Cyril Roquelaine, Bernini, some dude on the internet who guys by the handle of Taron, Beatrix Potter when I was a kid (and I got to work on Peter Rabbit – which was a thrill!), Simon Bisley, Todd McFarlane, the list goes on.

When I was first getting into 3D modelling I used to lurk on a modelling board called spiraloid.com, where all of the top modellers used to go to share tips and tricks. It was run by a guy called Bay Raitt, who went on to make the facial system for Gollum. I was actually lucky enough to work with him for a week, so that was a real buzz! It really is a small world.

As far as inspiration goes, I like to use Pinterest. If you follow enough sculpting and art boards on there you’ll be flooded by the most amazing artwork ever. Sometimes I just lose hours browsing away, going further and further down the rabbit hole. Great way to spend a Saturday morning! (God I’m such a geek…)

What’s your favourite tool to use and why?

ZBrush. Total and utter freedom to create whatever you want, almost as fast as sketching it with a pencil. Can’t praise it highly enough! It’s got an interface you just have to “get over”, but once you have, you’ll fall in love with it. Worth the effort!

Check out some of Sean's ZBrush Tutorials below:

What advice would you give someone considering getting into animation?

Vary your interests - yes, look at different artists - yes, but most of all, practise! It’s just one of those things. You can admire others as much as you like, but until you’re doing it yourself, again and again, you’ll never get there.

One trick I like to do, is create something with the intention of never saving it. So I’ll sculpt away, knowing I’m going to throw it away after a while, and the freedom that brings, means that you don’t get too invested in it, so you’re more likely to try something new and experiment a little. You learn so much more that way. I find it helps enormously, as counterintuitive as it sounds. And I’d advise anyone going into animation to use the internet as much as possible. Get involved in CG forums, watch tutorials online, share your work, get feedback, grow. The best school you can go to is the one where you teach yourself with the help of others around you.

What do you like most about working in animation?

The people. There are some amazing artists working in here, and there’s always lots to learn from everyone around you. Most people have their own side projects and interests and there’s always someone working on something cool that you can’t wait to see developed further. Besides that, every now and then you turn on the television and see something you worked on, and although most people won’t know much about what went into making something, the inside knowledge of what actually went into it sometimes makes me smile. Inwardly. And a little smugly. Like I know a secret others don’t and I’m not sharing. Yep… I’m that guy.

What’s been the most challenging thing about working in animation?

It can get technical. There’s a learning curve there, and you have to constantly be learning in order to stay abreast of things in the industry as well as the software that you use. The software we use gets updated very often, so you can never say “that’s it, I know all I need to know, so I’ll just concentrate on the artwork now”. You basically have to keep learning – which can be fun – but also challenging. You’ve got to be prepared and interested in the software enough to learn it outside of normal working hours. There’s just too much going on to learn it all during the day job.

Outside of animation what are you most passionate about?

Sculpting! Love it. I’ve started doing some stone and clay sculpting in my spare time, and have even started getting some stuff cast into bronze. It’s hugely rewarding to see stuff in “real life” as it were, as most of the time I only get to see stuff on a screen. Oh, and Liverpool football club of course, watch every game.

Check out some of Sean's sculpture work on his blog: theseanster.blogspot.ie

Are you interested in getting into animation? Keep an eye on our Behind-the-Scenes and Tutorials pages for more #Interviews and #TopTips!


Anahita Tabarsi

Anahita is Brown Bag Films' Marketing Director, Digital & Social and drinks more than five coffees a day...

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