Interview: Character Artist: Josh "Ghost_Rider" Singh

[requiem2d]

This month, we had the chance to speak to Josh "Ghost_Rider" Singh ( Portfolio ) who many of you already know from our community! Although he's an excellent artist, he really stands out with his absolutely great personality. Always positive, Josh provides pointers to beginners and has recently helped judge in our Crate Contest. Whoever his work colleagues are, they should consider themselves lucky to have him! Without further due, let's get down to the good stuff...

Game-Artist.Net - How did you first become involved in Game Art and what elements played a large role in making this career choice?

Well around 2001, I was just married and had a baby on the way. I had no Idea what I wanted to do as a career, I only knew I wanted to make art. I was going to a small tech school, learning graphic design. They were teaching photoshop , illustrator, and quark xpress. I thought graphic design would be fun, until I landed my first gig. I was making menu's for mom and pop restaurants, junk mail ads and little league rosters, not my idea of art. But it paid the bills and I was alright with it. Until I got laid off, and the company folded. But some good did come of it, I was introduced to the Maya personal learning edition, and eventually 3ds Max 4.

During my down time after the layoff, my wife was at work and I was at home playing "Metal Gear Solid" and I remember thinking "Who makes this stuff?, There has to be some sort of videogame artist who makes these awesome characters and environments!" well I went to the library and searched "video game artists". I came across sites like "polycount" "Cgchat" "CgTalk" and "Conceptart.org". My mind was blown away. I wanted to rub shoulders with these guys, wanted to do what they did.
So, I started reading tutorials, books anything I could get my hands on to help me build my first demo reel.

Those were hard times. I would work at a used car lot nine hours a day, then go home and work on 3d for 5 hours a night. My wife was very supportive and knew it was something I wanted.

A few months later I had something I felt I could show ( I look back now on it and cringe!) and found all the game studios in the Salt Lake area. I was knocking on doors like a noob, trying to get my demo to the art leads and art directors.

Well two months passed after that, and a little indie company called "Wahoo Studios" gave me a call. They had just got a contract for some little budget games on the ps1 and ps2 and wanted to know If I wanted to come on board. I quit my job that day and officially got my foot in the door of the game industry. The rest is on my resume

Game-Artist.Net - You've recently moved from Howard Stringer's Sony Empire to a fresh LLC jump started by Red Sox Pitcher Curt Schilling called Green Monster Games located outside of Boston. Can you tell us about the move and what motivated you to join the small guy (off the field that is )?

Well, just let me say Sony Online Entertainment treated me very well. We parted on very good terms. I just couldn't resist the opportunity to work with some of my old friends from Ironlore, in a new start-up, with one of my art heroes on the project Todd Mcfarlane.

There is something to be said about the small studio atmosphere. I love the camaraderie and passion that emerges while working on a single project. Everybody there loves videogames, and we all speak the same language so to speak. It's really a great time going in to work.

Game-Artist.Net - Becoming an expert as Character Artist involves an incredible amount of work. It's paid off for you, most recently attaining 2nd place in Blizzard's challenge with "Taurk"! With so many steps involved in
creating characters, what fundamental advice would you give an artist
leaning in this direction?

My fundamental advice would be, be humble and teachable. Never think you know more than someone just because your mom and friends said you could always draw good. Keep your eyes on forums like Game-Artist.net, to learn the newest techniques and to ask questions from artist you admire. Constantly enter the monthly Competitions, as well as crank out personal work. Keep tons of reference! digest other styles and incorporate what you love about other artists styles into your own.

Game-Artist.Net - A Game-Artist.Net classic, what do you feel is the most underrated tool within 3ds Max?

The teapot primitive in max.
No but seriously, the renderer in max is awesome, for game art anyways. Here's a tip: in the renderer filter options, switch it from the default "Area" to "Catmul Rom" it will make all your renders crisper and sharper. Oh yeah and never render on a black background change it to a dark or light grey. My personal fave is R:42 G:42 B:42

Game-Artist.Net - When you stepped into the Industry with your first job, what was the one thing that almost changed overnight in regards to your workflow?

The one thing that changed over night was my attention to U.V. maps. It was seriously one of the hardest things to wrap my mind around when first starting out. Once I got into a production environment I really had to pay attention to texel density as well as u.v. seam control. U.V's are really an art in it self. Uv mapping became instantly easier with a little plug in I found called "UV help" it's free and you can find it at: http://www.microcan.nl

Game-Artist.Net - When we asked Gary "Mindrot" Newman what his favorite game character ever made was? He replied with Heather from Silent Hill, what's your pick ?

I think the one game character that really has influenced my style, or at least I love to draw, is "Rau" from the "Mark of Kri" I love the don-bluth style to all the art in that game. Ask any of my art buddies and they'll say my stuff tends to gravitate towards "Tribal" type motifs. But really I like Polynesian and Native American themes in my characters. Plus Rau is a Bad Ass.

At this point we'd like to thank Josh for this interview! If you want to learn anything from Josh, just look at the amount of work he puts out, model for model, texture for texture, he is developing and improving everyday, true artist!

Feel free to ask him any questions

[Generalvivi]

fantastic interview ^^

[bighoss]

Great interview. Especially great to have the person being interviewed be part of our great community here at Game-Artist.net.

[Psyk0]

Nice!

Here's a Q:
Would you say concepting is an important aspect of your work when modeling characters? or leave that to the concept artist?

[Talon]

Great interview. Really great answers, too, it was a pleasure to read.

And you get to work with Todd McFarlane? Well that's plain awesome. And unfair. But awesome.

As for questions, humm... you've already mentioned what your most underrated tool in Max is but what would you consider the most underrated tool in Photoshop? And which is the one you couldn't live without?

[kratos]

Hello Josh,

Your stuff looks amazing .. love all the small details that bring the models to life.

Just had couple of questions

1. In your first job did you ever feel like you were falling behind because your UV skills weren't up to scratch ? How understanding are game companies these days if you don't have strong UV skills ?


2. One of the hardest things for me is using color. Can you provide any advice on how you got accustomed to using different color combinations.

Thanking you in advace

3.

[CaptainCock]

very intresting interview

[Ghost_Rider]

Thanks guys glad you liked the interview:
to answer the questions:
Psyk0:
Q:"Would you say concepting is an important aspect of your work when modeling characters? or leave that to the concept artist?"
A: When making my own characters, concepting is very important. I have worked on projects where I have received a concept from someone else. Somtimes It is very strict to adhere to what a concept artist has laid down. But on many occasions I have been able to tweak the concept to better fit engine restrictions or style requirements. But yes, in a production environment, concepts are very important.

Talon:
Q:"what would you consider the most underrated tool in Photoshop? And which is the one you couldn't live without?"
A: I think filters get a bad rap. There are many who view using filters as some sort of "Cheating" but if you use filters they way they are intended, you shouldn't notice them. The two filters I use the most are "Sharpen" and "Paint Daubs".

kratos:
Q:1. In your first job did you ever feel like you were falling behind because your UV skills weren't up to scratch ? How understanding are game companies these days if you don't have strong UV skills ?
A:Yes I did feel as though I was slowing down the project. But it's amazing how fast you can learn a program when you are working with it 8 hours a day. U.V mapping is very important, and in the Industry if your U.V's are lacking, it can make you look bad. Fortunately I was with a very small forgiving company, and they were willing to bear with me on that particular thing since the rest of my work was good.

Q:"2. One of the hardest things for me is using color. Can you provide any advice on how you got accustomed to using different color combinations. "
A:All I can say is use basic color theory, know your color wheel and the combinations within that. Know your Tertiary, primary and Complementary color combinations, then work within different saturations of those and you'll come up with some cool colors. But Just remember Cool colors recede while Warm Colors Pop out. there are exeptions to to that rule, but it's a good guideline.

Any other questions?

[RazorBladder]

Kool interview, It's been a great inspiration seeing you improve over the years over at polycount, it's making me tired of my apathy so I'm kicking myself up the arse to get going with conviction after.. what... 6/7 years?

[doom3d]

Hey josh,

I'm a huge fan of your work. Thanks for the Interview, going to GDC this year?