Tag: Autodesk Maya

  • Redefining Art: The new creative stigma of the 21st century

    Redefining Art: The new creative stigma of the 21st century

    We’re living in a paradox. Tools have never been more powerful, yet the stigma around those who use them has never been stronger.

    Lately, I’ve noticed a growing reaction… Whenever someone sees a visual piece created with the help of AI, the assumption is immediate: “It must have taken five minutes. No effort. No soul”

    And just like that, its value drops.

    Apparently, if you used AI, it doesn’t really count.

    When did we stop valuing artistic judgment?

    I’m sure you know this: There’s a process behind it. Vision, intent, deliberate choices, experimentation and ongoing calibration. Each node and reroute is intentional. A well built flowgraph feels closer to a neural pathway than a template.

    If you thought I was describing Houdini, sorry to spoil it. This one’s ComfyUI.

    The scariest part isn’t the technical ignorance, as bold as that can be. It’s the way AI tools are being linked to laziness. As if anyone using them is just cutting corners. As if the art is less real.

    This isn’t new.
    Only the tech has changed.

    When photography first came around, a lot of traditional painters scoffed at the idea of a “demonic device” that could capture reality in a single shot. No skill, no craft, no effort… or so they said. It “didn’t count” either.

    Even these days, a professional photographer shows up with a high-end, really expensive camera and someone inevitably says “Yeah, well, with that gear, anyone can take a great photo.”

    Really?

    Give that same camera to just anyone without any prior training in photography and see if they understand light, composition, timing, or how to capture a feeling in a single frame, the way a photographer does.

    The gear doesn’t make the artist. The technology doesn’t replace the eye.

    And we’ve seen this in 3D too

    Back in the early Pixar days, using Global Illumination in 3D Softwares was practically considered a SIN! Just because real “discipline” meant placing dozens of lights by hand to simulate bounce lighting, with surgical precision. If you didn’t bleed through a light rig, you weren’t a real artist.

    Funny how things change.

    Now, if you’re not using Ray Tracing, people look at you like you’re stuck in 2006. But that doesn’t mean the old way is wrong. It means we’ve evolved, and now we choose based on what serves the scene.

    MegaLights is a whole new direct lighting path in Unreal Engine 5, enabling artists to place more lights than ever before.

    Because here’s the nuance: If you decide to place 27 lights by hand because the story demands it, because the mood asks for that specific crafting of light and shadow, then those 27 lights are necessary. They’re intentional. They’re valid.

    What matters isn’t how long it took you, it’s why you did it that way.

    And now with AI?

    Truth is, I am not afraid of AI taking my job. I am terrified of letting it take the joy out of the parts I love doing by hand. The quiet hours of shaping, the small stubborn decisions, the messy iterations that make the work feel mine.

    Speed means nothing without skill. Just because a tool is fast, doesn’t mean it’s easy to master. What really matters is everything that stays invisible:

    • The thinking behind the image
    • The consistency of the visual language
    • The emotional weight it carries
    • The narrative it expresses
    • The aesthetic you commit to

    Sure, AI can generate wild results. But when something feels real, when it hits a nerve. That didn’t come from the trained model. That came from you.

    Final thoughts: Talent cannot be automated

    It’s easy to judge. It’s much harder to create with intent.

    Please don’t get me wrong and let’s be clear about one thing:

    Using AI or any other new tool doesn’t make you less of an artist. It makes you an artist of your time.

    Yes, I have used AI. But if you think anyone could have done it just by PROMPTing, go ahead. Try it. You’ll find out talent cannot be automated.

    What about you?

    Have you felt this kind of stigma? Have people ever downplayed your work just because you used new tools?

    Drop your thoughts below. This space is also yours.

  • From Vision to Re(new)ality: A personal 3D project that revisits an old render through new tools, storytelling and AI-assisted techniques

    From Vision to Re(new)ality: A personal 3D project that revisits an old render through new tools, storytelling and AI-assisted techniques

    Introduction

    Over 15 years ago, I made a render that meant something deeply personal to me. It wasn’t perfect. In fact, looking at it now, I can clearly see everything that went wrong. It was full of flaws and limitations, but the motivation behind it was honest. I was trying to capture a moment filled with uncertainty: A little girl asleep, unaware of a mysterious presence reaching out to her. I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant back then, but I felt it. And that feeling was enough to make me want to create it.

    That image has stayed with me. And recently, I felt the need to return to it.

    this is the 2011 version, and it’s the starting point for this Project

    Not out of nostalgia (well… perhaps a bit) but absolutely not to fix anything. What drives me is the feeling that there is still something alive in that idea. Something I couldn’t fully express back then, but that still deserves to be told. The emotion behind it is still clear to me. And now, after years of experience and learning, I feel more capable of giving it the shape it was always reaching for.

    My tools today are very different from the ones I used when I first made that image. Some of them didn’t even exist at the time. Artificial intelligence is one of them, it’s going to become part of my workflow… and yes I should give it a try and it should help me spend more time where it really counts, so I’ll be focusing on the parts of the process that feel most rewarding and creatively engaging. It’s not about doing less, but about doing more of what brings me joy.

    What surprised me most about revisiting this project is how personal it still feels. It’s like sitting down with my younger self and saying:

    “I see what you were trying to do. Let me help you say it more clearly. Let me bring your idea into the light it always needed”

    This isn’t just a remake

    It’s a way of reconnecting with a version of myself who didn’t have all the answers, but who was brave enough to ask the question. And now I want to continue what he started.

    Wrapping Up

    the Sweet Dreams Girl [Remastered] Project, will be a journey that connects who I was with who I am becoming. It will allow me to explore new tools and methods while staying true to the emotional thread that first inspired the idea. As the project unfolds, I’ll share the process piece by piece, as a technical exploration, as well as a way of reflecting on what it means to grow alongside your own work.

    I believe that even an old and imperfect idea can evolve into something meaningful, as long as we’re willing to revisit it with care, patience, and a fresh perspective.