Meet Jinkyoung, a senior character artist with 14 years of experience who has evolved alongside the development of Marvelous Designer. Explore her unique tips for creating natural-looking folds in 'Guanyin.'

Interview with Jinkyoung Oh | Guanyin | Character Artist

Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Hello, this is Jin Kyung Oh. I majored in animation and initially worked in the video industry for about four years. At that time, thinking about my future vision, I created a portfolio and transitioned to the gaming industry. That was back in 2011.

Could you tell us more about your recent project "Guanyin"?

Guanyin actually started when I visited a museum and saw a small Bodhisattva statue. It inspired me to start the production process. Although it began from a small inspiration, creating a deity as depicted in the East made me feel like the ancient craftsmen who, with a mindset akin to prayers, crafted statues.

When deciding on the concept, I envisioned gold as the key color and aimed for a finish as ornate as possible.

The character's pose was referenced from the Water-Moon Guanyin statue, while the jewelry and accessories were crafted by drawing inspiration from various modern designs.

Additionally, for other elements such as clothing and background, I created my own interpretation of the Guanyin Bodhisattva by referencing multiple other sources.

The details in the clothing are striking. What efforts did you make to depict realistic folds in the fabric and background elements?

I aimed for realistic folds and wrinkles in the clothing, so I found Marvelous Designer to be ideal for this purpose. However, due to challenges like hands resting on the chair or the intersection of knees and arms, I realized that proper simulation wouldn't be achievable. This is because the clothing couldn't penetrate through the arms.

Therefore, I created an animation of the character in the current seated position from the A-pose using 3ds MAX and then exported it as an alembic file.

After importing it into Marvelous Designer, you can dress the character in the A-pose and run the animation while recording the garment simulation. This process allows for natural and realistic wrinkles. Additionally, you'll need to tidy up the clothing until you're satisfied with the wrinkles, especially on the last frame. Since Guanyin's clothing consists of three layers, you would repeat this process three times in Marvelous Designer.

You can easily create realistic fabric folds for the cloth decorations used as the background by attaching pins to the pillars in Marvelous Designer.

What was the reason for choosing Marvelous Designer? How did it assist in providing art direction?

Marvelous Designer had excellent simulation capabilities right from its initial release. I believe it offers great potential for natural wrinkle expressions using patterns, so I actively utilized it. Therefore, I feel like I've grown alongside Marvelous Designer over the past 14 years since its inception. Now, I can't imagine creating garments without this tool.

When working on a project, there are usually parts you enjoy the most and others that pose challenges. What was the most enjoyable aspect for you during the project's progression?

The most exhilarating part of this project was creating images based on my own imagination, without a set concept. It was also the driving force behind starting this project.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while working on the project?

It was quite challenging to articulate, but in addition to the previous question, one of the difficulties I faced was organizing and expressing the ideas in my mind. It took longer than expected to finalize the design, as I had to consider multiple concept sketches and reference images while refining the design. I also remember that creating the jewelry designs took longer than anticipated.

Finally, do you have any advice for those who are just starting out with 3D art? It could be career advice or guidance on mindset when creating artwork – any advice would be appreciated.

Starting out in 3D art can feel like a test of patience, with projects lasting anywhere from a month to even longer. Especially with personal projects that have no set deadlines, there are moments when you might feel tempted to throw in the towel halfway through. During those times, it's important to ease the pressure on yourself and remind yourself that with perseverance, you can see your work through to completion. Always trust in your abilities. Thank you for the interview.

by Jinkyoung Oh
ArtStation