December 2006 AOM Laurent Antoine [lemog]

Nov 28, 2006 at 12:17 am by Store Staff


Each month the Renderosity community votes on The Renderosity Artist Of The Month [AOM] ... December's AOM is Laurent Antoine [lemog]. We congratulate lemog for his outstanding work in the Maya Gallery!


Who is 'lemog'?

My real name is Laurent Antoine. I'm French of the Champagne country and I will be, in few days, 42 years old, and always a child mind. Cheers to this Cg passion, and my two sons. I've been passionately creating images since I was very young. A long time with traditional tools. Many drawings and especially paintings. I've worked as a graphic designer for almost 21 years.

How long have you been rendering/doing computer graphics?

I began CG in 1987. Very simply in this time with Paint, but then really started in 1992 with my first Mac and the incredible couple of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. My CG career really started at this time even as I continued to work a lot with traditional mediums. After a few years of 2D CG, some new 3D software appeared. My first tries were with software like Strata Studio or Extreme3D. I've also used the first versions of Bryce and Poser. But this 3D world opened really for me when I discovered the Amapi modeler, and with it I could have no limit in my modeling creations. It's marvelous for me, and I use Electric Image for animation and rendering.

It's at this time, around 2000, that this passion came into my jobs for our film products. The result was so good and the clients liked it so much. Quickly, we were obliged to adopt a more productive software, by chance, Maya 1.5 had just arrived. Since 2001 it's a true love story between me and this software, even if I tried any other. It became my third hand... the one which creates!

Do you have traditional art experience?

Yes, of course... unfortunately not art studies, but art was always a passion for me. I used many traditional tools, even if now it's at 99% CG.

What are you currently working on?

After many years of various creations, with always much passion for detailing and historical stuff, I've started in February 2006 a big personal project, a bit of mad 3d reconstruction of the Paris World's Fair of 1900. That was an incredible event and now a true passion for me. The realization of a long documentary will give me the possibility to make alive this past event, and also permits me to live, walk inside, and visit virtually.

I considered this project as my ultimate challenge... there's certainly more than 120 buildings to do, also the reconstruction of a medieval Paris along the river Seine, a Swiss village, the Eiffel tower, all the bridges on the Seine, the big wheel of Paris, the Trocadéro palace, all the different boats on the Seine, and the crowd. That will certainly not be finished before 2010. If I can keep my force and the good motivation, after already 10 months of work I'm always glad to work on it, even if it's not always easy to manage that with the job and the family life.

 


"Damascus"

 

What software/equipment do you use and why?

Oops... it's the main problem actually, as I must find old books for documentation and references. I don't have a very good computer, just an old dual PIII-800…very tired... and only a license for Maya 5.

What do you think your best piece of work is and why?

Difficult to answer... Usually, when an image is finished, I turn the page, and I prefer to think to the next project...

 


"Ordinatographe"

 

Maybe the first image which permitted me to be acknowledged in 2001, was the "Ordinatographe". There was even an article at this time in the Renderosity magazine. Or, maybe the first series I made with 10 images of ancient Egypt. I was very proud of this work, at the time. I've also done a short animation display in a CG show.

If I must choose a recent one... maybe it's the one named "Mother Nature"... with many strong messages about the environment.

 


"Mother Nature"

 

Why do you like to work with 3D software?

When I was young, I built many models... boats, flying models, etc.. With 3D, I am able to do these kinds of construction and images in the same times. Especially to do what would be impossible in real life... that's so magical... nothing is impossible!

Who/what inspires you?

All inspire me... like many artists, of the past, of now, traditional or CG. Nature and people, also architecture of course (many periods). Technologies, especially the old technologies, as you can see on the "Our First Travels" image.

 


"Our First Travels"

 

With a blend of history, technology, flying models, and maybe more actually by our history, antiquity, medieval period, and of course the years 1900. With all these progresses in technologies and arts.

In fact, I'm passionate about all in the life around us. I must acknowledge I'm very afraid to be dead one day, while couldn't have the time to do all these projects I have in my mind. A normal life is certainly too short !

How has this online community (Renderosity) enhanced your work, relationships, and learning?

As I said previously, my motor is really the pictures, images, even photography... and Renderosity is certainly the most largest and greatest CG community in the world. Even if I don't always have much time to be here, I like very much to run between all the creation here, in all styles. I take much pleasure in discovering new stuff, new styles, new arts, and especially incredible skills.

One thing is sure, the community is more of sympathetic, many kind persons, all passionate... a marvelous world, almost perfect, where all is pleasant. That makes much good in our real world, often very hard and sad. If all our life could be as this kind of community, life would be certainly easier.

Parting Comments / Advice to other Artists?

First of all... art must be for the pleasure, as a passion... if you want to go further, to increase your skills, no thousand solutions... well, only 2 in fact:

The first - born talented (rare, not my case ;-) hahahaha)

The second - working, working, and again working (for the pleasure of course)... it's my technique.

 


"I-Karus"

 

Even if it's always hard to find time after a tiring day in my job, and after the family life, I'm always trying to dedicate time to these creative projects (of course, almost no time for TV, but it's not a real problem I think... better to have a good choice about movies or documentaries...) with always much pleasure. Also as a personal challenge, to give again more interest to my life. I don't want to have regrets in a few years. I want (and I need) to live this passion at 200%... it's my goal !

To resume, thanks a lot to you all for this vote...this Renderosity Community is fantastic so far... I was very astonished when I receive the notification in the mail. Then, the story of art is far from finished…we will continue on this way for a long time.

Long life to you all in your creating passion !

Laurent ANTOINE "lemog"


Artist of the Month is highlighting a talented Renderosity artist that has been nominated by mods and admins, and voted by the community. Recognition is given to this member for their collection of works for that year.

Since we only select one AOM per month, it is not about their works for that particular month. Instead, it is about highlighting a talented artist's works for that year, and they are recognized during that month.

To learn more about Renderosity's Artist Of The Month [AOM] award, and to view our past AOM's, please visit the AOM 2006 page, which can also be found on the sidebar under Highlights.

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