Interview with Justin Holt
Q. In the past 6-7 years, what are the major advancements you have integrated into your own pipeline as far as mapping techniques or tips and tricks?
I don't think there has been any "major advancements" regarding my technique. Mari has certainly changed the game a bit regarding painting high resolution textures for film quality work. I will say that working with the talented artists that I have been fortunate enough to work with has certainly allowed me to learn far beyond what I knew and thought capable of. There is no experience like it. The only "tip or trick" I can really say is developing your skill of observation, understanding color and developing a non-destructive workflow, these three attributes will serve to be invaluable when it matters.
Q. How much reference do you pull for your textures? Do you collect most of it on your own through photography or create textures in Photoshop?
I gather all of my own reference photography either through the internet, scanning physical pieces on a flatbed scanner or shooting it myself. All of my textures are based off of photographic reference but is heavily manipulated and changed in Mari and Photoshop to achieve the desired look with lots and lots of non-destructive layers.
Q. When the team worked on the movie Happy Feet won the Academy Award then how you are feeling at that time?
Having had the first film I've ever worked on win the Academy Award, it was pretty cool. I don't think people realize actually how much time, effort and creative energy to takes the massive amount of artists to achieve the work we do. So getting recognition with an Oscar is always a welcome one!
Q. Of all of your work, which piece is your personal favorite and why?
Well I have taken a lot of pride in the Spirit of the West on Rango. Even though he was in the film for a brief moment, it was a lot of fun to bring him to life through textures.
Q. We often hear about concept artist, modelers and matte painters who market themselves and achieve star status in the industry. How should a texture artist promote him/herself to stand out?
I think it is a difficult discipline to be noticed in. Somewhere along the line texture painting gets clumped in with shader development and never really gets the credit it deserves. I think with the release of Mari, it is one giant leap forward for the discipline in terms of recognition and awareness. For me the best way I've learned to promote myself is collaboration. Find likeminded artists and work on personal projects that you are passionate about. This is something I am pursuing currently as well. And it would always serve you well to conduct yourself as a good human being in the workplace, outside of being an artist. A reputation as a good person as well as a good artist will take you much farther than you think.
Q. I think it would be interesting for our readers to learn about your work "Ogre". Which stage was the most difficult for you? How long did you work on it? What software did you use?
I gather all of my own reference photography either through the internet, scanning physical pieces on a flatbed scanner or shooting it myself. All of my textures are based off of photographic reference but is heavily manipulated and changed in Mari and Photoshop to achieve the desired look with lots and lots of non-destructive layers.
Q. What information would you share with students looking to get work in the industry? What would you look for in their portfolio?
If you're looking to get into the industry, I recommend to find 2 disciplines that you love to do and become the best at one of them and great at the second. Specialization is the key in the feature film industry. In terms of portfolio, I want to see artists who understand how to build photo real textures from scratch and have a keen sense of observation when it comes to folding in appropriate details. I want to see high resolution maps with high resolution details and an understanding of color.
Q. What is the next step for you?
The next step for me is to make sure the texture work on the shows coming into Image Engine is top shelf quality. I know where that bar sits and I intent on lifting it higher and higher!
Web:
www.justinmichaelholt.com
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