Hossein Diba is currently a freelance artist. His responsibilities include modeling, sculpting, texturing and shading of characters and creatures for animation, games, cinematics and 3D Printing.
Check out Hossein’s ArtStation portfolio.
INTRODUCTION
I loved to paint since my childhood, I used to draw on everything I could find. Later in life, when I saw the movie Jurassic Park, it was my absolute highlight for days, still didn’t have a clue on how to get started. But later on, when I was around 17 or 18, I started making 3d models by watching online tutorials.
Could you tell us about some of the interesting projects you’ve worked on?
Actually there are so many! I believe each project is different but I enjoy working with my clients.
CREATIVE PROCESS
What software and tools do you use for your work?
Zbrush, 3ds max, Marmoset Toolbag, photoshop, Mudbox, Xnormal, Knald,…
How do you organize your day (how many hours do you work per day)?
10 to 12 hours, but it really depends.
How important is working with references for you?
It’s really important to look at references even when we believe we can do it on our own. It’s always more beneficial to check our sculptures and compare them with real life so that everything is on point.
Tell us about your techniques for overcoming creative blocks?
Take a break and give it a rest. Creativity needs fuel.
What drill routine do you use to sharpen your skills?
There are several ways to improve let’s say sculpting skills, one method I do a lot to expand my knowledge of different forms is to start with a simple dynamesh sphere and start sculpting some forms. It could be a face, an object, an animal. Whatever you feel like sculpting, and then change it to different shapes, you could change a human face to an animal or vice versa, it’s a great practice to understand shapes and improve sculpting skills, I still do it a lot when I get the chance!
Do you also create with non digital medium (clay, pencil drawing,…)? What does it gives you compared to digital?
Yeah, I do both traditional drawing and traditional sculpting. I would say it’s definitely less forgiving compared to digital medium. There is not much room for error, so one needs to be more careful in the traditional medium.
ART COMMUNITY
What artwork are you most proud of?
All of them! Each one represents a different mood I had when I created them and I learn a lot from each artwork.
Does industry offer enough opportunities for organic modelers like you?
Yeah it does.
How do you define success as an artist?
I strongly believe that if we are happy with what we do and we really do our best success will come.
PROMOTION & FEEDBACK
What social channels do you use for communication with your followers?
Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin
Part of the creative process is also a failure, how do you deal with it?
Yeah actually sometimes you can learn more from your mistakes than your success. When it happens we should just calm ourselves and remember that its not the end of the world, we can always do better moving forward.
BUSINESS
Do you have an existing customer base?
I have both old and new customers. Some I have been working with for years and some are new clients.
MENTORSHIP
If you mentored younger artists who are beginning their art careers what single most important piece of advice would you offer?
I always tell them to enjoy the journey and never compare themselves with others. It’s a different path for everyone and we will gain more benefit by learning from our own mistakes.
What invaluable art business lesson did you learn in the past year that took your career to the next level?
To work more on social media and marketing. It’s great to make art but it’s always better to also present it well too!
What is the most common mistake your students make?
To be afraid of negative comments on their work, that makes it hard for them to share the artwork because they think people may not like it. It’s always better if we show our artwork to the public and just move to the next piece.
RELAX
How do you manage a work-life balance as an artist?
Sometimes it gets hard to balance things out! But you should always try to enjoy life as well.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
Seeing the world with a different perspective. Also it’s really enjoyable recreating life!
