KEREM GOGUS, Turkey ❧

"Citadelia"

"Kerem, I have selected four of the work you have in your digital gallery. The reason why I have chosen these pieces is to obtain your input on your inspiration and the thought and work process that goes into your creation. The visuals are: (a) REACTOR; (b) DEUS X MACHINA; (c) PHASE 1; and (d) I CHOOSED THE MATRIX.

Please tell me something about your objective in creating each of this visuals.


REACTOR

Kerem: Reactor is a part of my futuristic train station Project named “The Last Train”.

This reactor produces an enormous power for the train. The reactor part became more detailed then I imagined myself. I was adding details like crazy and I decided to render it to see how it would look like with actual lights and materials. I like power-generating machines …

This concept is always letting my imagination flow. The idea of creating and controlling powerful machines is always inspiring me.

What was the inspiration?

Kerem: As I mentioned before “Reactor” was a part of “The Last Train” project. The idea of this scene came to my mind when I listening to the music of DARE. They are one of my favourite bands. The closing song on their Beneath The Shining Water album had inspired me so much. First, I imaged an old train station – but then I thought, “what about a last train from the far future?”… Completely different than the theme of the song I was inspired by but I guess I came up with something good.

Was the process a lengthy one? What was the most challenging or difficult aspect of this project?

Kerem: Definitely a long process. I started April 2006 and finished the entire project in May 2006. Usually I work to finish a scene in a couple of days before the ideas fly away. The entire scene was challenging but the hardest part for me is always capturing the atmosphere and, of course, lighting.

What part of the work did you like the best, and why? What part of the work did you feel you could improve, and why?

Kerem: I think the good part in her is modeling. Because I didn’t used any plug or anything that helped me …

The entire modeling was from scratch. That’s why I like this part of this work. Texturing could be improved with layered shaders. The reason that I kept myself away from the layered shaders and mental ray nodes was my lack of knowledge about them.

DEUS X MACHINA

Kerem: Deus X Machina has a meaning like “an apparently insoluble crisis was solved by the intervention of a god”. My objective with this scene was to create a machine to make my dreams come true – that’s the reason why this girl appears on its huge screen. Creating “love” with help of a machine … Humankind is changing … Less emotions, more materialism. I guess one day we will build machines even for feeling something humanely.

What was the inspiration?

Kerem: The inspiration of this image come from a Liv Kristine song – but not directly…

The scene is slightly different to the story she’s telling. But I was listening to her piece when I was working on the scene and I tried to tell my own story. On the lyrics of the song, she asked help from an ancient God to drive the cold winter away…

And I thought to ask a machine to help me to drive loneliness in my life away.

Was the process a lengthy one? What was the most challenging or difficult aspect of this project?

Kerem: Two days of work and a couple of hours tweaking with lights and some minor corrections with Photoshop. Modelling looks complex on this one but the structure behind the machine was created using alpha planes with transparency maps. Texturing was the hardest part because I was using alpha planes instead of actual models.

What part of the work did you like the best, and why? What part of the work did you feel you could improve, and why?

Kerem: The texturing and lighting on this is good – I like the result of the radiosity because I captured the mood I wanted. Also the alpha planes with transparency channel gives a complex futuristic structure feeling. I think modelling on that scene could be more complex. I mostly used primitive objects for creating the machine model. Could be more than that – because I think modelling is the heart of this kind of 3D scene. That’s why I am spending much time on modelling than before.

PHASE 1

Kerem: I can see that you chose images that are connected to each other. Phase 1 is a part of my Machine theme. A journey to the heart of the machines to understand their mentality – the character on this scene is actually desiring to feel nothing – he believes he can take himself away from the pain that way.

What was the Inspiration?

Kerem: The idea of the Phase 1 came to my mind after a heartbreaking relationship. I lived through a lot of disappointments and I wanted to leave this world behind me. With the influence of all these feelings, I modelled and rendered this scene.

Was the process a lengthy one? What was the most challenging or difficult aspect of this project?

Kerem: One of my first attempt in making my own models instead of using free stuff. 3D programs give you a lot of options to make your models stunning. But if you are using a slow machine, as I am, texturing and lighting can be a nightmare. This one took a long time to render – I also had to make a lot of test renders to see how the texture looked, fitted or not etc.

What part of the work did you like the best, and why? What part of the work did you feel you could improve, and why?

Kerem: The modelling … I think the tunnel gives an immense depth of feeling. On 3D scenes, the greatest difficulty I'm afraid of is miniature feeling. The scale between the figure and the tunnel was appropriate. The lighting is not that good – I am always using Global Illumination on my latest works or simulating my works with a lot of light. The most satisfying thing with this scene is its composition – I am happy with the result anyway …

I CHOOSED THE MATRIX

Kerem: The objective with Bryce is trying to create a really different scene with a landscape-generating programme. I believe the only border of a 3D application is the user’s mind. I wanted to see the limits on both my computer and the programme. Cinema 4D scene was my first attempt to model something with this software. I renamed it to "I choosed Matrix” because I’m on the side of the machines!

What was the Inspiration?

Kerem: The inspiration for this images are, of course, mostly from the movie but the idea of the modelling belonged to my mentor and my all time favorite digital artist, Wade Wood. I think his artwork and ideas are stunning. He is one of my greatest inspirations.

Was the process a lengthy one? What was the most challenging or difficult aspect of this project?

Kerem: These pieces were my first attempt to make entire modelling of my scene. After I finished modelling a chamber, I duplicated it and moved up – the hardest part is, of course, waiting for my slow computer to duplicate and calculate the new position of the object group. But it was lot of fun to reach the limits of my computer.

What part of the work did you like the best, and why? What part of the work did you feel you could improve, and why?

Kerem: I think both of the scenes are not bad modelling. These were my first steps to modelling. Of course after I learnt more about modelling, I improved a lot. Now I can use Nurbs, curves and subdivision surfaces for modelling. On both scenes – lighting could be more realistic. And some effects like lightning bolts could be created with more effective atmosphere for a better impression on the observer's eye. But even if I had the knowledge to create an entire Matrix movie from scratch – the thing that would be stopping me would be my computer configuration. The lack of hardware resources is a common problem. When you upgrade your system even in a render-monster you're gonna start using more polygons, objects and lights and you’ll reach the limit of your computer again. It’s a kind of vicious circle that all 3D enthusiasts find themselves in.

If you could choose three of your best work, please indicate what they are and why you like them.


Kerem: Tough question… Each one of them expressing different feelings. But if I had to choose three of them, the first one will be Cantoluna.

I took my first international design job with this image. I worked with a musician from the USA – Michael Gabriel. He asked me to use this image for his debut album cover. After some design tryouts I sent him, he decided to hire me for an entire booklet and front/rear cover designs. It was really a wonderful experience.

The Second one would be The Gathering. This scene is one of my satisfiying works. On this one all the elements I love are togther …

Mountains, planets, clouds, a village surrounded by nature… On the top of a hill a figure stands and it represents me. I am a lonely kind of person in my everyday life and I love thinking about other planets … different lives in different places – so I thought it's a good way to express myself.


I am glad it became a nice quality piece …

The third one would be Tales From The Magic Forest – Afternoon in the Secret Garden. With the inspiration of both David Arkenstone and Secret Garden’s music, I tried to create a magical natural environment. The bursting sunlight through the top of the ancient tree creating the magical feeling on the scene. I love sunlight and I always work to achieve a realistic sunlight feeling on my day sceneries. I think this one is not bad at all – and I am happy with the result.

Why did you pursue the type of creative work you're doing? Do you feel your work gives you satisfaction, why?



Kerem: I always had a desire to express my feelings in such a way – since I was a kid. I always drew something on paper. After I encountered computers in high school, both my passion in art and technology pushed me to learn these new digital stuff to create my own. 3D has been my obsession since I saw the first 3D image in my life (it was a metallic ball shining with one point light and it was reflecting the ground – it was made with an Amiga 500 computer and Imagine). I like to consider myself as a musician or a writer. 3D is a tool for expressing my feelings – a way to show my imagination to other people. If an individual feels the same thing I feel when observing one of my created images, I feel that is the real award for me.


Do you enjoy any traditional art? What would they be and who are the names of the artists?

Kerem: Of course – I enjoy any kind of traditional art. Especially oil paintings. My mom is an Art History teacher. I'm always interested in history and art. The arists I like on traditional painting are Tone Aanderaa and Tone Kroger. I think their work is beautiful. Especially as Tone Aanderaa is fascinating to me. Also ancient Egypt and Celtic traditions are always fascinating me. Celtic music is always inspiring me on my work…

Is there any current project you're working on or planning to work on?
Kerem: I am working on a scene for E-on Software’s (creators of Vue D’esprit) Natural Environment Contest. I hope I can come up with something good. I want to keep working with futuristic architectural scenes. I am planning to model a very huge and detailed city.


If you were to advise someone following and monitoring your work and accomplishments, what would those advices be?

Kerem: I still consider myself as a beginner. There will always be a lot of things to learn. I always judge myself so hard and I am never happy with the result completely. I am always criticising myself in a very harsh way.

My humble suggestion is to “never give up” and “buy the book”. When a beginner sees an amazing 3D artwork, sometimes it lets this person think, “that's amazing - I cannot do things like that …” – but that's not true.

First of all, remember may be some one is looking at your creation and thinking the same thing. All amazing 3D artists were making crappy images in the past. That’s the only way to improve. Practice and never give up. Also I suggest buy the book of the 3D application you are using. Books are the best way to learn a lot of things. A lot of them come with training DVDs and CDs.

That's it for now!