Milivoj Popovic: studio head and lead designer interview

Lemonade3d studio head and lead designer Milivoj Popovic unveils the successful workflow behind his award-winning artworks and animations...

3dtotal: Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you, what do you do, and where are you located?
Milivoj Popovic: Hi all! My name is Milivoj Popovic, born in 1979 in the small and sunny town of Split, Croatia. I am a father, a husband, a spiritual wanderer and an artist with a great passion for CG. I am co-owner of Lemonade3d Studio, located in Split, where I head the modeling department. I also love meditation and anything that involves being outside: free climbing, snowboarding... I'm also a pretty good drummer. In short, someone curious who loves to explore the world we live in. I discovered my interest in computer graphics back in the Amiga 500 days, creating my first digital images in Delux Paint Pro!

Lemonade3d has received over 50 international awards, including the Oscar-qualifying Animated Eye in Colorado USA, and the Fipresci International Film Critiques Society award in Annecy, France (the largest festival for animated films in the world). My works were published in Expose 8, Expose 9, Expose 11, Animation Reporter magazine, HDRI 3D magazine, and featured in brochures and loaders for Lightwave3D and Mudbox.

Ever since I saw the concept art by Sam Nielson of a quirky old granny with some strange cooking habits, I wanted to make it in 3D! It seemed like a really fun project and I wasn't wrong!

3dt: Where did you find the inspiration for your latest gallery entry? What's the story behind its creation?
MP: I was browsing the net for interesting stuff and I stumbled upon this illustration from Martin Punchev. It was right up my alley, as I love corky, funny characters that have emotion and really wanted to explore it in 3D. Martin is a great guy and he gave me permission to use his design in this way, so it was on!

3dt: What software and plug-ins did you use to create this image? Did you face any difficulties, and how did you overcome them?
MP: I used ZBrush for the main modeling, MODO for retopo and Lightwave3D for rendering. I am really used to Lightwave3D as I have used it for years now, so I always love to put it in the mix.

Keeping the spirit of the 2D drawing and finding how those shapes translate into 3D is always the most difficult part in projects like these. I find it best to start from a low poly base and really get the silhouette and the major shapes right. When you have a solid foundation everything else falls into place much easier.

You can trust him and he needs your vote! Character based on a 2D concept by Tyson Murphy

3dt: Do you normally use this software in your workflow? What other software and plug-ins do you favor?
MP: I love using ZBrush for modeling because you can really quickly build something from nothing without worrying about polycount or topology – it's pure digital sculpting and I love it! When it comes to characters, ZSpheres offer a great starting point!

Good topology goes a long way when you want to control the form and the shapes, so I take it as far as I can with tools such as ZRemesher, but I often turn to MODO because it has great retopo tools. Going back and forth between those two programs works wonderfully for me. As far as rendering, I can get really good results quickly in Lightwave3D so I often turn to it for that.

Just because you chop off someones hand doesn't mean you don't love them, and nothing says that better than a fluffy Lightwave cake!

3dt: What are your artistic ambitions?
MP: I love storytelling and I always strive to have an element of it in my work. I prefer characters that have an underdog feel and can carry emotions, satire and have something we can relate to. I also produce short animated films where we really try to explore the human condition and search for deeper truths and meaning. I believe art should always strive for this as artists have always been on the forefront of the evolution of human toughness and spirit. It is my hope and desire to be a small part of that.

3dt: What software would you like to learn in the future to expand your portfolio and skillset, and why?
MP: Software will come and go, and tools evolve constantly. I think it is very important to have an open and flexible mind so you can learn and adapt to these new tools as they come. I try not to be a fanboy of any particular software or approach. Also understanding the basic principles of the 3D world and the way you create in it helps a lot. Once you have a firm grasp of this you see that different software take different routes to solve the same basic problems in a more elegant and better way. This really helps in adopting new software faster and easier.

Two stills from my studio's latest short film, "Planemo". "In a society where everyone mindlessly orbits around their daily routines, what happens when a person gets ejected from the system? They might just find themselves rapidly pushed out of the habitable zone."

3dt: How do you keep your portfolio up-to-date? Any tips?
MP: Any kind of art is a labor of love. When you love what you do then you are always thinking about it and looking for ways to get better at it. This means that you are always creating something new, and that is the best way to keep your portfolio up to date!

A little tip: although it is great to have a unique style I would say to all who are trying to get hired to also be mindful of diversity in visual language as employers want to see that you are not just a one trick pony, and that you can adopt to different styles and projects.

It was great fun making this one! And a real challenge to capture the complexity of the foam surface. Little baby Moses having fun, mother won't be happy!

3dt: Who are your favorite artists, traditional or digital, and can you explain why?
MP: Sometimes in the digital field we neglect the traditional. I found so much knowledge and inspiration in the study of traditional artists, and not just the Italian Renaissance period, but even more so the modern and post modern artists. For me it was essential and irreplaceable. I developed a deep appreciation of conceptual artists who challenge the way I perceive art and the world around me, such as Marcel Duchamp, James Turrell, Ad Reinhardt... to name but a few. When it comes to digital art there are so many brilliant artist out there, like Pascal Blanche, Alessandro Baldasseroni, Riccardo Federici, Toni Bratincevic... In short I appreciate all artists whose work comes from a genuine place and is the result of their personal experiences and introspection.

This is a small tribute to a great spiritual personality, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. I started to work on him as a part of Blend Shapes with Bryan Silva, which was a great workshop and a great learning experience! I decided to finish him up and do a small animation of the blendshapes.

3dt: What can we expect to see from you next?
MP: My studio is starting work on its new short film, and we are also partnering up with our friends from Imagination First to work on designing theme parks. We are starting a project with the Canadian National Film Board in exploring VR for animation. So a lot of exciting new projects lining up!

In my personal work I am always on the lookout for something new to challenge myself and deepen my understanding of art and digital modeling. I am looking forward to sharing and learning with all my friends out there in the digital landscape!

Related links

Check out this tutorial for Turtago
Milivoj Popovic's personal site
Milivoj's ArtStation
Lemonade3d Studio
Grab a copy of ZBrush Characters & Creatures