Interview with Francisco A. Cortina
Hello Francisco, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in CG and from where you have taken some training?
I’m a professional 3d artist who originally started out as a traditional artist and now have my own company called Cortina Digital.
My journey as an artist began when I was young, attending fine arts “magnet” programs from early grade school, through junior high and on to high school. I attended Norland North Center for the Arts as well as New World School of the Arts. I stumbled upon the world of 3d when I was going for my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts at the Maryland Institute, College of Art. Ironically, I ended up discovering my passion and love for 3D animation and computers there. After I saw my one of my roommates using this strange and amazing software called 3D Studio R3, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Not long after, I began creating and animating my own medieval style creatures, characters and environments.
In terms of training, I have always been the type of person who prefers to read the manual and learn by trial and error, versus taking a specific class or course on something. After I got my first job in the industry, most of my learning and training has been obtained while working on the job on various projects and companies.
Currently where you are working and what’s your nature of job?
For some time now I’ve been operating as an independent contractor, running my own company called “Cortina Digital”. I work with clients in the film, games, web and medical industries, providing high-quality 3D character development, including modeling, texturing, rigging as well as art direction.
You have worked for games and movies both, so please tell us what’s the major difference in pipeline of both and which you prefer the most?
While smaller VFX companies and game studios have a harder time developing their own proprietary software tools, they tend to have more fluid and flexible pipelines. Most are able to adjust and adopt changes both during and after projects, allowing for fast improvements and adopting changes in industry advances.
Large animation and VFX studios like Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, ILM, Sony Imageworks and others have very established pipelines with much larger teams that have taken years to develop. Because of that, they tend to have artists and programmers become “specialists”. It also takes them longer to adopt and accept change, both from within its non-management ranks and from outside advances that smaller software developers and researchers make.
I prefer the approach that many game companies and smaller VFX companies take in that they build more fluid pipelines and have smaller teams with multi-tasking artists and programmers. The result of this is a more flexible approach to problem solving. It is certainly a more difficult thing to achieve the larger the teams get.
Which freelance services you offer to the clients?
I offer complete 3D character development services including Zbrush and Mudbox digital maquettes, modeling, texturing, shader and look development, hair, cloth sim and rigging. I also offer consulting and art direction depending on the needs of the client.
Which software’s, plug-ins used for your CG work and why?
For most clients, I use Maya as the main 3d development application. For texture painting in my pipeline I use a combination of both Photoshop and Bodypaint 3D. I mainly use ZBrush for high poly digital sculpting, though Mudbox is a close second depending on the project. Because my clients’ software choices and pipelines vary greatly, I often develop in different software packages like 3DS Max and Softimage|XSI as well.
