create invent and learn
My name is Ryan Lowseck I am a freelance artist with a unique skill set in many areas and a strong understanding of traditional arts like painting and sculpting. Since I was a child, I spent my time drawing and copying comics like Conan, Xmen, and Spawn to name a few. Heavily influenced by the countless cartoons, comics, and movies of the 80s I wanted to draw, paint and tell stories via this medium as well. My first attempt at making a living from art was selling my pictures to other kids at school and in my local neighborhood. It was at this point that I knew that I wanted to make a living creating and using my hands.
From here I took an apprenticeship as a plasterer learning to make molds produce ornamental fittings for the construction industry including plastering and rendering houses and commercial projects. At the same time, while working as a plasterer and carving out gypsum, I began trying to sculpt in clay, and I found my medium and place in life, even though I love drawing and painting when a started sculpting I knew working in 3D was my element. Picking up private commissions for weddings and festivals all the while finishing my apprenticeship off. Continuing after getting my credentials as a plasterer, I began to upgrade my plastering knowledge and started learning traditional Italian techniques like marble replication (Scagliola) Spanish lime carvings (Sgraffito) and painting into lime (fresco). With my newly acquired skills, I and two other business partners and an investor started one of the first natural artisan companies in Australia and with a lot of passion and hard work and a crew of 20 newly trained artisan Staff. Idea Creations has traveled around Australia, and parts of the world, creating unique traditional artisan finishes. You can see our work over the years here. http://ideacreation.com.au
During the early stages of the company I was still sculpting and I discovered Zbrush, and there started my insane endeavor down this path.
Developing an intense passion and love for the world of computers and their capabilities mixed with traditional mediums. I spent many devoted hours into the early morning studying all that I could about computer graphics Imagery (CGI). Learning the designs and workflow from some of the best artists in the industry over the past five years. Starting with online courses like Scott Eaton’s Anatomy and digital anatomy all the while studying with Gnomon, Digital tutors, CG network and Lynda online schools and not to mention the countless of CGI books now in my library. Learning how to master software like Zbrush, Maya, and Photoshop to name a few. And because I am the type of person that needs to know how everything works to use them, this also lead me down a learning path in computers and understanding what makes them tick. Taking me into a world of programs and coding.
I consider myself an entrepreneur, sculptor, painter, designer and an inventor with a thirst to understand how everything functions around me. And for this reason, the concept of being a CG generalist is what I exactly wanted to do. As a CG generalist, one has to understand everything around them from anatomy, clothing styles, architecture to how the aperture, f-stop, and iOS works on a camera. We need to know how lighting works the different indexes of refraction that makes material water or glass see through. Sculpting organic to hard surfaces then UV mapping and texturing, from there building an FK/IK rig for animations which leads to the knowledge of movements and weights distribution and how clothing moves with gravity, and on and on.
This learning process has been the most enjoyable for me. Even though I still feel I have a long way to go may the projects, and photos here on my web page speak for themselves about my passion and motivation for creating and the growth I am still going through. I hope it also demonstrates my versatility and ability to learn and adapt.
I am training myself to be a generalist because I love working with every aspect of the CGI process. If I were to pinpoint my favorite, it would have to be in Modelling, designing, sculpting and animating. Bringing life to polygons, characters, buildings, and environments is just a brilliant process in every aspect of its creation. And now with new technology like 3D printing, bringing a 3D model to life in the real world, is art at a level I would never have imagined.
Current Position: Idea Creations Pty Ltd
Director and co-founder
Key roles:
Sculptor and artisan
Plan take off and estimator
Designing and coordinating finishes with clients
Organisation of projects and managing a team
Design and maintenance of companies web page
Other personal interests
‘martial arts
yoga and philosophy
study and research
games and movies