Our March, 2024, Renderosity Vendor of the Month is, Shreddder, also known as Michael Moorhouse, who was born in 1961 in breathtaking Australia, the Land Down Under. He spent decades in his homeland tirelessly working in the legal field in various courts but decided to take early retirement “after losing too many friends and family who never made it to retirement.”

But then, nearly a decade ago, he went on holiday with a friend to Thailand and fell in love with the beauty of the country and its people.

“It was then that I decided to sell everything and start a new life. I married a Thai woman, the best thing I ever did, and we have been married for 6 years now,” he said.

His change of direction allows him to now spend countless hours doing what he loves, 3D designing.

Said Shreddder, “I am honored to be amongst the best artists that are in the world today. It is these creations from my peers that have inspired me to do better with each project I develop.”  

We asked Shreddder to share a few thoughts about his initial steps and development within the world of 3D art. He was kind enough to do so, plus provide some encouraging insight.

 Island Resort by Shreddder 

How long have you been interested in 3D graphic design and what brought that about?

I started out going to TAFE back in 1979 to learn fine arts then went on to study industrial design.  After computers became the thing, I moved my creativity towards the technical side. It became a hobby for me and here I am after many years still creating, still learning. I love art in all forms, but my passion now is 3D. 

Playing games online like Unreal Tournament back in 2004, I created some city blocks for the game and the server put my maps up for use in the game. This was a great inspiration for my start into 3d modeling.

What made you realize you wanted to produce design works to sell beyond what you were doing at the hobby stage?

I created my first models for uploading about 17 years ago all for free. The response to my uploads was remarkable. I had a massive following so I would spend hours, days and even weeks creating and perfecting my skills. Any spare time I had I would take the opportunity to work on my models. Then 3 years ago someone commented:

"Your models are incredible. Why not sell this at one of the big stores?"

This got me thinking, although I would spend most of my time doing what I love, why not make a little on the side? I didn't want to turn my hobby into a business because I thought this would destroy the joy of creativity freedom and I would thus be bound by tasking, making my hobby a chore.

1I put a couple of items up for sale just to see what happened. I was totally surprised to see that people were buying them and requesting I do more, and they would purchase those as well. So long story short, I still try to put as many products as I can up for free, and if a product requires a lot of work and time then I put it up for a price.

End of Days by Shreddder

What programs did you first use while learning to create digital designs, and what are your favorite programs or tools now for design creation?

The first programs I used for 3D work were Poser and Blender. After years of using those, I incorporated Autodesk 3ds Max. Later I found myself shifting to DAZ and focusing on development within this program as many of my followers were DAZ users rather than Poser or Blender.

I have used Photoshop since it came out in 1990 and even undertook training courses to better understand the program. I continue to use it today for creating textures for my models. I currently use a variety of programs including 3ds Max, DAZ, Poser, Blender, Hexagon, Cinema 4D, Meshlab, Bryce, Spin3D Mesh Converter, and others.

What is the typical workflow on a project for you?

Wow, that is a tricky one. As I often spend 12 hours of the day working on a project, depending on the complexity of the model, I could develop a model within a week.  Some works take a lot longer since I am never fully satisfied with the outcome and keep adding to it or changing it until I come to a point where it is complete.  So, in all fairness, I would say 1 week to 4 weeks.

What are your favorite projects to create and what has been the most successful for you?

I dabbled with character creation for a while as well as vehicles and clothing, but my true passion lies in creating environments.  I put myself in the environment I wish to create and imagine the surrounding area as I would experience it in real life.  This way I already have a picture of what I want to create before I begin work.

So I would say environments are my strong suit and my passion.

How did you make the decision to become a vendor at Renderosity?

Although I only joined Renderosity a year ago, I was aware of its existence since 2007.  Remember that I began 3D design primarily as a hobby, and everything I created was for free. I had no need for sites that sold products and it was only recently that I have put my products up for sale.

Shopping Mall by Shreddder 

How has Renderosity made a difference or helped in your growth as a vendor?

I have always been my own worst critic and although my work has improved over time, I still feel that there is a lot of room for improvement. The Renderosity team has been totally supportive and encouraging since I joined. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Heather, Cathy, Andy, and Rena for their continued support and tuition in making me a better artist.

What other vendors or artists have influenced your work?

I would not even know where to begin. All the artists on Renderosity are accomplished designers, their works are exemplary, and I have seen over the past year that they continue to improve and develop and expand their portfolio.  I am awestruck at how far many have come in such a short time.

There are those who excel in clothing, character creation, vehicles, props, environments, poses, morphs, animals and many other fields.  Whatever their field of expertise, they have all contributed to making me want to better myself.

Industrial Insanity by Shreddder

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become a vendor?

Sure. My advice would be to follow your dreams first, listen to your heart and create with your imagination. Do not fall into the trap of "working" on a project for profit or gain, but rather create for fun, for self, for the experience. The vendor bit comes later after the project is complete.

What are some products you want to create in the near future?

I have always wanted to create a city. I’m talking about both internal and external areas. A place where you can walk around, explore, spend hours searching every lane, every store, every street and seeing something new and exciting around every corner.

I realize that such a project would take months or years to complete, so I am working myself up to the day that I can begin such a large and demanding job.

Any last thoughts or comments?

Creation is only restricted by one’s own imagination. Have fun developing your 3D works whether it be movies, illustrations, gaming or virtual interface, and always strive to be better at it today than you were yesterday. Life is short and your works will remain your legacy long after you have gone.

Be the best you can be, and others will remember you for your contribution to this specialized world of 3D design. You are among the best of the best and it is sites like Renderosity that help you further yourself to achieve acclaim amongst a group of innovative and specialized artists.

Have fun modeling and remember that today's imagination is tomorrow’s creation.

 Suburban Neighbourhood Street by Shreddder