October 2014 Vendor of the Month - lilflame

Congratulations to lilflame for being Renderosity's Vendor of the Month for October!

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is 'lilflame'?

I'm Ines and I am originally from Slovenia, but I moved to Estonia 6 years ago where I still currently live. It was a big step as I had to leave my family and friends behind to start a new life in a new country. As I couldn't speak the language after moving to Estonia, it was almost impossible to find a job. Though I still plan to learn the language eventually, I decided to be a full time vendor as 3D was something I enjoyed and I realized how much fun it was creating content daily. To also see everyday, others make wonderful art with stuff I make helps keep me going. :)

I joined Renderosity in 2003, which was about the same time I discovered 3D art and Poser. I decided to use the name "lilflame" which I used at that time for some online game. I love to play online games, and I actually met my wonderful husband, Toomas, on World of Warcraft. We are both passionate gamers, which is one of the reasons we get along so well. Recently, I got him addicted to modeling which he's picking up at a very fast rate as he's also been helping me lately with some products and we make a great team. He has so many good ideas, which is a big help.

I also have a grown up son who loves to travel a lot, though he is currently visiting us in Estonia. And when I work late nights on rendering promotional images, my two cats keep me company.

How long have you been involved in digital art?

I discoverd Poser around 2003, which was also when I joined Renderosity, though it seems like so long ago! I got addicted to it right away and started to purchase products first so I could create art. My drawing skills were not that great, and it was such a good feeling to finally be able to express myself through some art. I had posted images on other online art galleries and that's where I met a friend who introducted me to modeling. It was very exciting to learn how to model and create content, and be able to create art with my own items. Also, at that time there weren't many products I could purchase, that would fit what I wanted to express.

Shortly after, I opened a store here at Renderosity and vendored my first product, which was just props at that time. I thought it did so well that I was inspired to create more props and later on moved on to clothing. I've always had a passion for shoes and I think most women love shoe shopping, so I decided to put my ideas of shoes, clothing and other female fashion items into 3D. It's been a delight to see others use them to create wonderful art.

I have also vendored on some other stores, where I met a few of my partners, and with whom I had wonderful experiences while creating joint products. I had a lot of fun late evenings with NemesisT, dreaming up ideas for cute and fun products, and WitchDidi who likes to create weird and unique items. But I feel more at home on Renderosity, which is where I met Sveva, who approached me when I had no add-on for a couple of my products, and we've been working together since to give the community more wonderful content.

Can you give us some hints on what you may be currently working on?

At this time I am working on some Halloween goodies, seeing as Halloween is just around the corner. It might be halloween costumes, maybe some props, or even more shoes! Could be something with Sveva, but I would rather not spoil the surprise :)

What software is currently in your digital toolset and why?

I still use my old 3ds Max, which I got for my birthday long ago. I started with Max because my friend who introducted me to modeling, was using it and I learnt it with his help. Though lately I have been using Hexagon 2 more because that's what my husband is learning with and it's easier for both of us to work in it together. I also purchased Silo last year, though still learning it. I like to be able to use a few different softwares, to create where it suits me best and is easier. I still use UV mapper for some minor UV fixing.

I use Poser 2014, 2012 and, more recently, Daz Studio. I was a big Poser fan at the beginning and was not fond of Daz Studio at all. But, I wanted to learn it, and right now it has became a big part of my workflow and I really like it.

I use Photoshop for texturing my clothing and props. I am really interested in ZBrush and planning to get it this year.

Could you list any current favorites among the products you've created and tell us a bit about their creation?

I think one of my favorite products of all time was Minoko Suit. The idea to create this product came from my husband. He is a big Anime fan, which is where most of his clothing ideas come from. It was also one of the first products he was very excited about and it gave him the needed push to learn modeling himself.

Another is, of course, Spirit Blade, because I love creating fantasy clothing as I am a big fan of online multiplayer games, with elves and other fantasy creatures. :) It was very fun to create, especially as I was working with Sveva, who makes wonderful fantasy textures.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your work?

The biggest challenge I think is to bring ideas which might seem fantastic at the time into Poser/DS when you think of rigging and morphing as some things won't work as well as you think they might.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process, and are there any workflow tips you might wish to provide?

Well, I've listed the softwares I use above. As I watch quite a bit of movies and I play a lot of games in addition to the anime my husband watches, I tend to have quite a few ideas running through my mind. I look for reference to help flesh out my ideas and then start modeling, making changes along the way till it feels right. Then I move on to doing morphs, though it's not one of my favourite things to do, before going on to texturing and final packaging. One tip I can give is to know your software and practice often, as you get quicker.

Do you have any other advice for aspiring Digital Content Developers?

Don't give up just because it seems difficult to learn or figure out in a day or a week. Quality trumps always.

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

I've always loved looking at the art at renderosity and seeing the different ways my products are used in some amazing renders on the gallery, as it inspires me to create new and better content everyday.

On relationships, it's helped add another layer of connection with my husband, especially with all the support and love he's given me. I've met and worked with some amazing vendors like Sveva, NemesisT, WitchDidi and a few others. I've also met members of the Renderosity community who love my products and make wonderful art with it. I would also like to thank members of the Renderosity team.

I think I've learned to be patient and not stress so much. :)

Do you have any final words or advice for other digital artists?

You can always put your imagination and fantasies in a render, and live up some of your dreams in it, so keep making art!

lilflame

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