An Interview with Eric Provan

By Tom

3dtotal: Hi Eric! Just browsing through your site http://www.ericprovan.com and what’s this? A new demo reel! [Clicks download]. Okay, I’m told it will be here in 11 mins and 30 secs so we can talk about that later. For now let’s start by hearing a little bit about yourself.

Eric: Hey Tom! First of all, thanks for this opportunity, I’m truly honoured. Okay, where to start? I am Spartacus, err Eric Provan. I currently live in LA with my radical wife, Holly (just married!) and my slightly less radical three-legged cat, Keek. Since graduating from Fullsail in June of 2005, I have worked at 2Ksports - Kush Games, The Jim Henson Creature Shop, and I am currently working at Sony Pictures Imageworks as a character modeller on Alice in Wonderland. When I’m not creating things, you can find me strumming my guitar, eating pizza, watching Arrested Development, beating up little kids, and sometimes doing them all at the same time!

3dtotal: Now, I’ve been told that our website www.3dtotal.com had a bit of an effect on you in the early years, and wouldn’t you know it ... I am the founder of the aforementioned site! So please bear this in mind and continue to tell us a bit more about your experiences with 3DTotal!

Eric: www.3dtotal.com was the first 3D related site that I came across in the early days of my schooling at Fullsail. It quickly became my home because of the wonderfully helpful forum community. At the time I started posting, I was very new to the 3D world and, quite frankly, very nervous about posting my work. I was a sensitive beginner but I was able to get the kind of feedback I needed at 3DTotal without feeling like the world was coming to an end. I find the community to be constructive, informative, and most importantly to me, positive. Always positive!

3dtotal: There’s a hell of a lot of character in your characters. Where do all your ideas and inspirations come from? And why do you love creating them?

Eric: I’m the creepy guy that sits in the corner of an airport with his hood on, and stares at people as they walk by. I love people and all their imperfections. Call me crazy, but I find the chick who works at the local supermarket who has funny-looking elbows, abnormally large ears, and scratches her neck until it’s nearly bleeding when she gets nervous, 1000 times more interesting – and in fact more beautiful – than the Paris Hiltons and Linsey Lohans of the world. So, I suppose my ideas and inspiration come from observing people – that and the fact that my Mom dropped me a few times when I was a kid. Why do I love creating characters? I’m not really sure. Maybe I have a God complex? Of course, if I was God, everyone would look pretty damn funny.

3dtotal: A lot of people now have very scary images running through their heads! That would be great image for you to do - a whole supermarket scene packed full of whacky characters. Does sketching play much of a part in your work? When you’re out and about, or for planning your projects?

Eric: A supermarket scene packed with wacky characters, hmm [grabs sketchbook]. Absolutely! Sketching is a huge part of my work flow, both at work and in personal projects. I always feel at peace when I’m sketching.

3dtotal: In 2005 your work was, err ... how shall I word this? ‘Average to good’? A bit harsh I know, but what I’m leading up to say is that by 2007 and 2008, your work was absolutely amazing! Can you tell us some of the secrets that lead to this massive development?

Eric: You’re being too kind by saying ‘average to good’. I cringe when I look at my older work. However, I keep them on my site because I’m very proud of the progress I’ve made in the few years I’ve been doing this. The bottom line is that I’m insanely passionate about 3D art. Just thinking about my passion for art makes me want to jump on a couch and shake the hell out of Oprah. Of course, ‘passionate’ is my romantic way of saying ‘obsessed’. A normal day for me is 9-10 hours at the studio, a bowl of frosted mini wheats, a quick cuddle session with my cat, and then 6-7 hours of working on my personal work. This can put quite a strain on my relationship with my wife, but she’s a sassy gal and seems to have no problems keeping my soul in check. Plus, I buy her new shoes every now and then. It’s hard to sum up, but here are a few things that I found very helpful in my progression: anatomy, anatomy and anatomy. I was never particularly interested in photo real art, but I realised early on that you have to learn the rules of anatomy and proportions before you can break those rules. Read every lighting/rendering book you can find. It’s amazing what a nice lighting and rendering setup can do for an average model. Get as much feedback as possible. I find that people completely removed from the 3D world are great at picking apart my work. And of course: practice, practice, practice.

3dtotal: Wow! That’s the most packed-with-great-tips answer I’ve ever read! You should get an award for that. I’m so impressed, I can’t even think up another question! … Okay, great timing, your reel’s downloaded! [Opens up QuickTime and prepares to feast eyes for the next three and half minutes] … Very cool indeed! It’s great to see fantastic modellers with reels as well as stills galleries. Would you advise other upcoming modellers to do the same?

Eric: Thanks Tom, I really love putting reels together. I’m not sure what it is about the process, but I really do get a kick out of it. Who knows what the best formula is, but this one has worked for me. One thing’s for sure, though: the more exposure, the better. Besides a reel and a website with stills, it helps to post your work in forums and submit to different things around the web, such as 3DTotal.com, and 3DCreative magazine. Ok, there’s a plug, can I have some money now? [Laughs]

3dtotal: Sure! Just let me know how much you would like and I’ll pop it in the post for you. Now there’s an interesting question that you’ve walked right into: in your life, what’s the thing that you’re most ashamed for spending your hard earned cash on? (Note to the readers, sorry this isn’t a 3D-related question in any way, but I’m sure we want to read Eric’s answer all the same!)

Eric: Trick question! I bet you thought that you were going to get me to admit that the high heel shoes I buy for my girlfriend are actually for me. And that I wear them around the house every Tuesday afternoon when she works late. And that I like to dance around the house in them, with a glass of wine in hand, while listening to Enya. I will never admit that! I did recently buy a kneeling chair to relieve some back stress. While I’m not really ashamed of the purchase, it has caused a few embarrassing moments. The first time my girlfriend walked in and saw me at my desk in my new kneeling chair, she thought I had finally snapped and was praying to my computer.

3dtotal: So what’s on the horizon then Eric, in respect of both work and pleasure?

Eric: Since the days of being a chubby little-little league’er, my Mom and Pop have taught me to set goals and dream big. I was insane enough to listen then, and I’m insane enough to continue setting goals and dreaming big today. I’m probably the happiest modeller you’ll ever meet, but eventually I would like to have more creative control. I love writing stories, poems, and coming up with concepts. The short term goal is to find a way to do this professionally. I’m also currently working on two personal short films, and hope to have at least one of them done by the end of the year. The big dream is to have one of my ideas developed on a large scale, whether TV, film, or print. I’m in no hurry, though. Until that day comes, I’ll continue creating goofy characters, writing odd poems, and cuddling with my three-legged cat. As far as pleasure goes, I’d really like to do some more travelling. Possibly even do some work overseas? I’d also like to get my big brother back for beating me up all those years, grow a tree and learn how to juggle.

I have just finished my first short film (http://ericprovan.blogspot.com) and I am currently working on my second, which is about a lonely man who lives with his dead wife and a creature that eats butterflies. Oh yeah, did I mention that they live in a house built on a tree, which grew from a barge that floats on the sea? (http://lonelyscrim.blogspot.com/)

3dtotal: Some good plans there! If you ever want to come and work in the UK then give us lots of warning so we can go and hide! Seriously, we know lots of people here if you ever needed any help but I’m sure you would get snapped up anyway. I should be in the USA again later in the year, running the 3DTotal.com booth at Siggraph and it would be great to meet you in person Eric! (And no, you can’t have any more cash for that plug!)

Eric: The UK is high on the list of the places I’d like to visit/work. The studios over there are getting more and more work, and the quality of that work is becoming more and more amazing. So, who knows? Plus, if all the chicks in the UK look like the chicks in the Monty Python films, I’ll have a lot of inspiration to work from. Siggraph sounds great! I’ll be looking for you. The first round is on me!

3dtotal: Wishing you, Holly and Keek all the best! Super thanks for your time Eric!

Eric: Thanks again for this interview, Tom. You and the gang at 3DTotal have always been so kind to me and the rest of the 3D community. We appreciate all the hard work y’all do. And to those that have managed to make it this far into the interview – thanks! Feel free to contact me with any questions. The only question I’ve never been able to answer in my entire life is one that my brother would constantly ask me, “Why do you keep hitting yourself, why do you keep hitting yourself?”

Re-printed with permission of 3dTotal.com

An Interview with Eric Provan

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