“I’ve been involved in visual arts – drawing, photography and subsequently CGI – for as long as I can remember. My early crayon paintings decorated the hallway in the house where I grew up … until for some reason my parents, all of a sudden, felt the need to paint the hallway,” he said.

 TheMarmalade80 was born in the early seventies in Toronto (Ontario) and grew up there. Currently, he is dividing his time between Montréal (Quebec) and Atlantic Canada. His first encounter with computers, like many of his generation, was with 8-bit computers like the Commodore C64, but his interest quickly went beyond playing games.

 “I was more interested in programming. Back then, graphics programming was an integral part of general programming,” he said.

 He recently ‘retired’ after two decades in academia where his work was often related to CGI, but that work was more from the perspective of the development of new algorithms for visualization of scientific results. However, over the years he has often exercised the ‘other’ side of his brain by creating works of art.

 “It is funny how fast time flies; it is now almost two decades ago that I wrote my first path tracer renderer. I have very fond memories of a sphere that was used as a test render (image1.png). Later I got interested in writing code to simulate and visualize physical phenomena like diffusion-limited aggregation (image2.png) and n-body systems like stars and planets (image3.png),” he said.

Q&A with TheMarmalade80

 What are the programs you first used while learning to create 3D graphics, and what are your favorite programs or tools now for work?

 Initially, there were not so many tools, so I had to write them myself. It is a passion that I still maintain, albeit these days it is more an ‘add on’ or plugin development. Blender is my main tool where most of the products start and get finished before transferring them to DAZ Studio for packaging, promotional images and testing. However, I also leverage the power of image editing tools like Photoshop for product texture work and various photogrammetry tools (Agisoft’s Metashape) to reconstruct geometry captured from photos.

How did you transition your interest in digital art to production of commercial works?

 Now that I am ‘semi-retired’ I have more time to create art and develop products not only for myself but to share with others. It is as simple as that: a day only has 24 hours. Now, I can afford the time.

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

 I enjoy creating scenes that draw you in and take you to places that you have never seen before. I feel that only recently CGI for the ‘hobbyist’ has made advancements such that models with substantial geometry and texture can be used to render scenes that are often hard to distinguish from reality. Commercial CGI had this ability for quite some time now, but hobbyists and artists on a budget now can do all that from the comfort of their chairs. This is immensely powerful because now, nothing stops us from realizing our dreams and vision through our renderings…of course, with a little help from all the talented vendors at Renderosity. As such, my ‘Center Stage’ product line allows one to place their favorite characters right in the middle of an adventure. Since this line of products is the best-selling, I presume that the audience finds them engaging and interesting.

Are there other artists that influence your work or have mentored you?

I often browse Renderosity’s art forums and galleries. It is mind-boggling to see all the talent and imagination on display. As such, there would be many who inspire, but I am thankful to them all!

 What motivated you to become a vendor?

 To share my creations so others can enjoy them. I am always delighted to see what new stories and art are created using the building blocks I provide.

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

 It was quite simple: I enjoyed browsing the galleries and marketplace at Renderosity and saw what products were available. Given my background and some spare time, I decided to give it a try…

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

 I think the most important is the community. I feel that Renderosity has the right mixture of galleries, forums and marketplace where people can showcase their art, be that a rendering or products and engage in a conversation about them.

What are some products you want to create in the future, and what goals do you have in mind as a vendor?

 I am continuing with my ‘Center Stage’ line of products where the viewer will be whisked away to foreign lands with unbelievable scenic beauty (image4.png and image5.png), to places that no one dares to visit (image6.png and image7.png) and even to galaxies far beyond our imagination.

Would you tell us more about the software you offer for cables and wires to add details to images?

 I always admired the versatility of the add-ons or plugins available for Blender. One of them was a cable or wire/rope generator. Although both DAZ Studio and Poser have built-in scripting languages, most of the add-ons are aimed at helping users manage libraries, scenes and renders. I feel that there is such a potential for creative add-ons that enable users to generate objects and scenes that otherwise would be too tedious or impossible. Cable is one of those add-ons where, with a few clicks, it is easy to create a big tangle of cables. It can generate dense wire ‘landscapes,’ rope curtains, electrical wires on structures, and rubber pipes in a very simple and creative way.

Any last thoughts or comments for the community?

 Never stop creating! Be that a new render or a new product, create and share. Our collective imagination has no limits!