#HGAsks: Understanding Creativity & Expression In 3D Digital Art From Visual Artists

#HGAsks: Understanding Creativity & Expression In 3D Digital Art From Visual Artists
(L) Sanchit Sawaria ; Khyati Trehan ; Kushagra Gupta (R)
Published on
4 min read

The past few years have been testament to the fact that art is ever-evolving –– we went from being spectators of digital art to being entirely immersed in it. Each day we are witness to the exponential growth of this field, and can we just say –– it is absolutely beautiful.

An art form that remains full of intrigue, however, is that of 3D digital art. As exciting as it is to look at, the artworks have a touch of mystery attached to them. To unfurl this art form and help us break down some of its most basic aspects, who better to help us out than three individuals who excel at it themselves?

Leaving behind all risks of sounding witless, we posed three questions to artists Khyati Trehan, Kushagra Gupta and Sanchit Sawaria –– they oh-so-kindly shared their thoughts with us, and now, we share them with you.

How would you explain 3D digital art to a layperson? How is it different to other visual art forms?

A professional graphic designer by day and independent visual artist by night, our first artist, Khyati Trehan clearly and simply defines it for us.

She says, “3D visual art is a medium that adds depth and realism at a level that’s very hard to capture when creating in 2D.”

Kushagra Gupta’s work is something to marvel at. He also draws up a simple explanation.

“3D art borrows heavily from disciplines like photography, graphic design, sculpture, etc –– so it’s basically a 2D image with enhanced textural quality and depth, which is what makes it so satisfying,” he says.

With art that evokes themes of solitude and imperfection, our final artist, Sanchit Sawaria defines 3D art, and also lets us in on what about the form excites him.

He says, “I think with 3D art, the ability to create entire worlds consisting of unique characters, places and objects is unique. The ease of creating in 3D, achieving realism and then manipulating the constructed reality is exciting.”

What is India lacking to embrace this art form fully? What do you think is its future, given today’s scenario?

The one who uses visual art to give form to her own feelings, Khyati lays it all out for us.

“Funnily, a large chunk of VFX and animation for Hollywood films is outsourced to India, which is a testament to the 3D and technical skill level that exists in the country. It’s how we use that skill that makes us lag behind; we become the hands instead of the heads. We’ll embrace this art form fully (and have already begun to) when we use it for original thought, for the stories of our lives and for visual art that brings our own ideas to life just as well as it does of others,” she says.

Khyati also adds, “There’s a culture of valuing long hours, abundance and hard work in Indian studios which is great. But I think it’s equally important to value efficiency and quality.”

The MIT-ID, Pune graduate, Kushagra emphasises on the potential of this form of art.

He says, “While it is small, I think the 3D artist community is terrific and is growing quite steadily. 3D creative softwares are getting more and more accessible –– and traditional designers and artists too are realising the potential of infusing 3D into their project. 3D design is certainly going to be a sought-after skillset for anyone with a visual communication practice.”

Sanchit, who considers his visual art work an aesthetic diary across multiple media, has a different take on the 3D art scene in India.

He says, “We don’t lack anything. Some of the best 3D artists I know are Indians. It’s a medium that’s dominant in film, gaming, AR and VR spheres currently but is rapidly becoming an essential part of the fashion industry as well.”

What is your idea of portraying ‘self’ or attributes of ‘self’ through your artistic expression?

All three artists are in agreement that the expression of ‘self’ is an important, sometimes inevitable aspect of creating art. Here’s what they had to say.

Khyati says, “My personal work, which often takes the form of digital art, 3D animations and AR experiments, is a lot like a visual diary and it’s almost impossible to not have my current reality reflected in it. Sometimes, it’s so intuitive that it’s a mirror to how I’m feeling or what’s inspiring me and I learn why I made something after I make it.”

However, she adds an important point: “That said, I find it’s important to give time to life outside of work, both for your life and for your work. Ideas in a lot of ways are a synthesis of life experiences, or the seemingly unrelated connections you make.”

“For me, art is definitely a way to express how I experience the world around me. The artworks I create are motivated and influenced by my attitudes and feelings and while it may be difficult to establish a coherent link between a particular work and the “self” –– I do find that I resonate very deeply with some of my personal work, allowing me to channel, express, and release my day-to-day anxieties,” says Kushagra.

Sanchit says, “That’s all I do honestly. Everything I create is either a person I want to meet, a place I want to visit or an object I want to touch.”

Find Khyati Trehan here.

Find Kushagra Gupta here.

Find Sanchit Sawaria here.

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