This week, the spotlight is on Wil.
Subsign: Before we get things rolling, let’s get acquainted. Tell us a few things about yourself.
Wil: Hello, I’m Wil, with one L, and I was born in Wales, UK and moved to Australia in 2007. I am currently completing my final year for my Bachelor of Animation.
Subsign: What was your childhood like? Do you think your experiences from childhood have influenced your present creative endeavors?
Wil: I grew up watching many animated cartoons as well as animated films including productions from Tim Burton and Nick Park. From an early age I knew I wanted to pursue an art, no other career choice has crossed my mind and still hasn’t. Animation and CGI has always influenced my artwork.
Subsign: How would you describe your work style?
Wil: I’m not entirely sure I have developed a style apart from it being 3D and maybe a bit creepy. Perhaps I have a certain look that is consistent that I just can’t see but it’s not something I’m particularly trying to refine. It would be interesting to see if people could spot my artwork without my name on it.
Subsign: Can you share with us how your creative process works?
Wil: I always immediately start sculpting in Zbrush. I don’t draw sketches or plan out ideas, it all just happens as I’m going along. Sometimes I have a good idea in my head of how the finished product should look and sometimes I’m not entirely sure and have to keep looking up references and playing with ideas. Sometimes I start sculpting and never really feel it’s coming together and scrap it completely. My models are sculpted, painted and rendered in Zbrush and then tweaked in Photoshop. Some people ask where my ideas come from but they actually come from the same place everyone’s ideas come from.
Subsign: How does your workstation look like?
Wil: Nothing special. On the left is a bust sculpture by Aris Kolokontes (tall white), my first and only 3D print of an alien I did a while ago (small white) and an anatomy bust I bought online (orange). Always looking to upgrade parts and buy and print more sculptures.
Subsign: What is your favorite work you have done so far?
Wil: My favorite would have to be Ronald McDonald for now though my favorite changes all the time as I sculpt more and apply new techniques.
Subsign: Who do you admire as a visionary?
Wil: Aris Kolokontes, Dominik Qwek and Dennis Carlsson all greatly inspire me as visual artists. Of course Tim Burton and Nick Park. There’s so many people who I admire as visionaries.
Subsign: What advice could you give to someone starting out in the creative field of work?
Wil: I am still starting out in this field of work but I think people look for easy, shortcut answers that will suddenly make them employable as artists. Most beginner artists have heard all the cliché answers before. Enjoy what you do and work hard. I would advise artists to try not to do what everyone else doing. I think it’s dangerous to be in a position where you’re completely satisfied with your work so always critique it and aspire to do more.
Subsign: If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Wil: I think it’s possible to basically learn anything. There isn’t anything right now that I’m interested in that I don’t think I could learn eventually. So in that case I would love to learn how to develop super powers because it currently seems impossible.
Subsign: Can you recommend for our readers a book, a song and a movie?
Wil: I’m not much of a reader but ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F***’ was a great read. Musical score I find very inspiring so Clair De Lune really hits home for me as a piece of music and a great movie would have to be Interstellar. Long film but worth a watch.
Subsign: If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for?
Wil: I would throw a party in complete darkness so nobody could see. There would be no music. Just a dark silent room full of people who don’t know each other.
Subsign: What did you wanted to be as a grown up?
Wil: I always wanted to be an animator or a musician and now I’m not pursuing either.
Thank you Wil for being a part of it!
If you know a creative that should be in the spotlight feel free to contact us at jojo@subsign.co .
For more of Wil’s work you can follow his on the link: Wil – instagram, Wil – website, Will on Facebook
