[쇼벨] Egor Gusarov exploring Creativity and Innovation in 3D Art: A Conversation with a CGI Artist an…
Egor Gusarov 's work shovel interview with Egor Gusarov who is actively working as an 3D artist and he is still between journey for chasing his dream as an 3D tour in his life This interview features a 3D artist and art director who began their career in 2019 with Cinema4D and After Effects, building skills through self-practice and professional projects. They mainly use C4D, Octane, and occasionally Redshift for rendering, emphasizing that artistic vision and visual literacy are more important than tools. They highlight a notable project working with MrBeast on large-scale VFX and CGI content, demonstrating their ability to manage tight deadlines and complex scenes. Their creative process follows a structured pipeline from concept to final delivery, and they draw inspiration from other artists, platforms like Behance and Pinterest, and AI tools. Looking ahead, they are excited about expanding their expertise in Houdini and exploring AI-driven VFX. They advise aspiring artists to start small, build their visual literacy, share their work consistently, and embrace new technologies. Currently, they serve as a partner at Delta CGI, focusing on art direction and project management, and believe the 3D industry will continue to grow rapidly with advances in AI and real-time technologies. Regenerate Copy Good response Bad response here we go with questions from shovel and answers that egor delivered Q Can you tell me a bit about your background—how did you first get into 3D art? A :I began my journey in 3D in 2019, starting with Cinema4D courses and continuous self-practice. Following a valuable recommendation, I first focused on After Effects, which gave me a strong foundation in animation, compositing, rotoscoping, and cleanup. During this period, I also created 2D explainer videos and motion graphics. In 2020, I returned to Cinema4D and steadily advanced my skills, working with still shots, compositing, simulations, Mograph, and animation. By 2022, I secured my first substantial role, producing CGI content for a bank’s Instagram account. As part of this project, I additionally explored Houdini to refine character eyelashes. Between 2023 and 2024, I collaborated with several studios, contributing to the production of VFX/CGI videos. Q What software and tools do you primarily use, and what makes them your go‐to? A: Currently, I work with a C4D + Octane pipeline, though I can also switch to Redshift when needed. For compositing, I use After Effects. Cinema4D is intuitive and equipped with a wide range of tools that continue to expand each year. Octane, in turn, is a fast and convenient renderer with an integrated render farm that allows scenes to be rendered at a very low cost - a highly practical feature. In reality, the choice of software or renderer is secondary. What truly matters is visual literacy and artistic vision. It’s the ability to observe and understand aesthetics that enables the creation of compelling results, while the tools themselves are just instruments. Q Your Instagram showcases some amazing pieces—can you walk me through one of your favorite recent projects? One of the most significant projects for me was our collaboration with MrBeast. Our studio was responsible for art directing all eight videos (six VFX and two full CGI), while also personally creating two of the VFX videos. Below, I’ll focus specifically on the VFX part of the project. The work was tied to MrBeast’s show “Beast Games” - a large-scale competition where the finalist wins $5,000,000. The client’s concept was to depict a giant box filled with money, lifted by balloons over New York, flying across world capitals while stacks of cash fell from it into the air. For production, we used an asset to simulate the balloons and animated the box. A Houdini artist handled the banknote simulation, as Cinema4D couldn’t efficiently process such a massive amount of geometry. We then worked on materials, lighting, rendering, and final compositing. Q Where do you draw inspiration from for your creations—other artists, nature, pop culture...? I find inspiration in many places, but mostly in the work of other artists. Whenever I see something that resonates with me, I save it and add it to my personal library of references. I also spend time on platforms like Behance and Pinterest, where I explore new trends and discover fresh visual ideas. Lately, I’ve also been turning to AI tools, which often surprise me with unexpected results and help spark new creative directions. Q Could you share your creative workflow—from concept to final render? We follow a clear pipeline that ensures efficiency and high-quality results in VFX and CGI production: 1. Creative Briefing - defining the idea and visual concept together with the client. 2. Previsualization - building rough 3D scenes to align on composition and dynamics. 3. Asset Creation/Purchase -preparing or sourcing the necessary models and materials. 4. Animatic -assembling a draft animation based on the previs. 5. Lookdev & Post-production -refining materials, lighting, rendering, and compositing. 6. Final Delivery -delivering a polished, high-quality video. Q What has been your most challenging project to date, and how did you overcome those challenges? The project with MrBeast was also the most challenging one. We had just one week to deliver six VFX videos and two CGI videos. At one point, the concept for one of the CGI videos was changed, and we had only two days to completely rebuild the scene -but despite the tight deadlines, we managed to deliver everything on time. Q How do you approach lighting, color, and composition in your works—do you have any techniques you prefer? When working with VFX, I usually rely on captured HDRI. If that’s not available, I search for a similar lighting setup on HDRI Haven. Sometimes an HDRI alone isn’t enough, so I add additional light sources to achieve a convincing match. The key here is to precisely match the lighting to the reference in the footage. I also recreate the basic scene geometry to project the footage onto it. This helps rebuild the environment, ensuring the 3D elements integrate seamlessly into the shot. For CGI, the process is more flexible -I experiment with different lighting variations, often drawing inspiration from references. Q Do you share any process content or tutorials—like timelapses or breakdowns—on your Instagram or elsewhere? Of course, we create breakdowns for our videos -you can find them on our studio’s Instagram account. We’ll also be releasing additional breakdowns in the near future. Q Looking ahead, are there any styles, techniques, or tools you're excited to explore next? Looking ahead, I see great value in expanding into Houdini, as it offers powerful opportunities for complex simulations and advanced effects. At the same time, I’m very interested in experimenting with the integration of AI-generated video and VFX. My goal is to achieve results where these technologies blend seamlessly, opening new creative possibilities and pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. Q What advice would you give to aspiring 3D artists trying to build their own voice and presence online? My advice would be to start simple. Don’t try to create something overly complex right away -focus on smaller, manageable scenes. Recreating existing works is also a great way to learn, as it helps you pick up new techniques and understand how others solve creative challenges. At the same time, keep building your visual literacy. Save the projects that inspire you, explore platforms like Behance and Pinterest, and don’t be afraid to use AI tools as a source of fresh ideas. Over time, this visual foundation will shape your own artistic voice. Finally, stay consistent in sharing your work. Breakdowns, behind-the-scenes, even small experiments - these not only demonstrate your process but also help you connect with a wider audience and grow your presence online. Q Please explain your exact job as a freelancer, if you work for a company, please tell me the name and position of the company you work for Currently, I am a partner at Delta CGI, where I focus on art direction and project management, while also stepping into hands-on production when required. Q What is the industrial growth of 3D art in the near future that you think I believe the 3D industry will continue to grow rapidly in the near future, driven by several key factors. First, brands and creators are demanding more immersive and visually striking content, which naturally increases the need for high-quality CGI and VFX. Second, the integration of AI tools is reshaping workflows - they’re becoming powerful assistants for idea generation, previs, and even asset creation. But rather than replacing artists, AI will highlight the value of those with strong visual literacy and artistic taste, since the tools alone can’t guarantee compelling results. Finally, we’ll see greater crossover between real-time technologies, 3D, and traditional post-production, making it possible to deliver faster and more interactive content. In my view, this creates huge opportunities for artists who are willing to adapt, experiment, and combine disciplines to push creative boundaries. You can check out artist Egor Gusarov's several works on Instagram through the link below. https://www.instagram.com/egusarovv/
