Interview with Andy Walsh

Q. Hi could you tell us a bit about yourself, your background in CG and are you self taught or have you taken some training?

I began studying film and television design in college back when Lightwave was being used on the Amiga and Photoshop was around version 3 or 4. I had to buy my first PC because the computers in college were always taken. As soon as I laid hands on 3ds max (back then 3d Studio Max r2 by Discreet) something went ‘click’ and I knew I wanted to create digital… somethings. I then taught myself exclusively through online tutorials and expanded into graphic design, web, Flash, Photoshop, everything. That all began in 1999.

Q. As you are a freelancer, please tell us what difficulties a freelancer has to face in getting work and what you feel makes a good freelancer?

I spent the last 10 years in various forms of graphic design and recently went freelance. The difficulties freelancers face in getting work is the same in any industry – you need support until you get a client base. I’m still learning all that but to become a good freelancer you’d have to define ‘good’. Good in terms of well paid or just qualitative portfolio? My ground rules would be to never (where at all possible) do work that isn’t worthy of your portfolio. Also, when you find a client you like, treat them like royalty, give them everything you’ve got and make them happy.

Q. What software program(s) do you use for your CG and why?

Like I say, I use 3ds max and Photoshop as well as Adobe After Effects and a few web authoring tools like Dreamweaver and Flash. I use Adobe just because they’re the best and 3ds max because it’s fairly easy to use and well supported in the online tutorials community. But if you want to get into film then use Maya instead.

Q. How much do you enjoy creating an image/illustration for magazine or similar publications? Anything special required to keep in mind while doing this type of work?

It’s always nice to see your work published and on the shelf. Very rewarding. Main thing to keep in mind is your print output – make sure it reads well color-wise and tone-wise!

Q. What do you enjoy the most, illustration, 3D, Digital Painting or Web Design?

Digital painting is awesome. You can create such vivid imagery.



Q. Why are you escaping from the Graphics/Illustration industry. Is it not a good medium to express art or not very lucrative?

I’m moving away from standardized graphic design and more towards illustration/illustrative design. One uses more shapes/patterns created digitally, the other with more hand drawn components. The perfect example of this is a guy called Sam Weber who makes beautiful illustrations of say, a human figure but it’s not a scene, it’s a graphic element to a design structure and the impact hits you immediately. A graphic designer needs to know that to distinguish one’s self from the crowd, they need to illustrate as this creates your unique fingerprint in the design industry.

Q. After the Graphics/Illustration industry – what will be next for you?

Film. I’d love to do matte paintings and visual effects utilizing my eye for realistic color. That and concept art for film. Why wouldn’t anyone want to work in the film industry? It’s so exciting!