Nicolas Hiernaux: Interview with 3D artist

Hi everyone! We continue series of short interviews with the best artists from 3DModels competitions.

Nicolas Hiernaux, author of the « EVA Network », will answer six questions and give us a look behind the scenes of his work.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do and how did you become a 3D artist?

In my childhood I was already an artist. I was creative with my hands and drew almost every day.

I also read a lot of comics, so I started creating mines and I wanted to be a comic artist! My parents didn’t really approve of this idea and I ended up studying architecture and became an architectural assistant. But as a draughtsman something was missing… So I started a bachelor degree in video game art!

Now I’m in the video game industry for more than a decade and I’m specialized in vehicles and props.

I work as a freelancer, so don’t hesitate to talk to me about your project, I’m always looking for exciting oportunities.

Where did you find the inspiration for your latest challenge entry? What’s the story behind its creation?

This year I wanted to present the innovation and the fusion of ideas from brilliant minds that invented the automobile. More than a century of improvement to create the cars we know today… So I imagined how a science magazine could illustrate this concept just next to an article… Something like a brilliant neural network of all the inventors. A neuron network was a great fit!

What software and plug-ins did you use to create this image? Did you face any difficulties, and how did you overcome them?

I’m currently learning Blender, so I used it for modeling.

I have been modeling with Maya for 13 years, so modeling and learning a different modeling software was obviously a bit slower than usual. But, no real difficulties, I’m quite impressed by Blender’s capabilities and I liked it!

For rendering I used the Marmosset Toolbag exclusively. I have been using it since V1, and as a video game artist, Toolbag has been my favorite renderer in my portfolio for a really long time (Just check out my Artstation).

Futhermore, the new lighting features introduced with Marmosset4 really helped to create a fast and consistent lighting, and really nice translucent neuron arms.

How often do you do personal projects and keep your portfolio up-to-date? Which one is your favorite?

I’m constantly working on personal projects! I can’t stop, because I have more great ideas than time to realize them all! So every week I spend several hours in the evening to make progress on one of them. I often book a weekend for it, and it’s already happened that I take a vacation, not to travel, but to finish a personal project!

Personal projects are my way to develop what I’m passionate about and to keep that passion alive.

I also 3D print miniatures, teach in a school and feed a YouTube channel with my projects.

I like to work on all my personal projects, otherwise I wouldn’t go so far. So it’s really hard to choose just one of them… But my heart belongs to the Bugatti Atlantic. It’s a model made for the 2020 Challenge and I’m really proud of this project and the impression that a time machine was used to take a picture from the past. It’s quite fascinating to recreate a fragment of the past with such credibility.

Who or what has inspired or delighted you recently? Maybe it was a book, a movie, or an artist.

Nothing specific comes to mind. I’m fascinated by the inventions and especially the machines, including the vehicles of course.

I really like how people can be creative by making mechanisms!

And to be really honest, my girlfriend of course.

Please tell us your five short tips for creating 3D art.

It’s short and simple:

1. – Patience.

2. – Perseverance.

3. – Cooperation.

4. – Curiosity.

5. – Open-mindedness.