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Michael Pavlovich is a rockstar. You have seen his work in franchises like DC Universe Online, Halo, Call of Duty, Doom, Madden, etc.
He’s been around in the industry for a while now. And I really enjoy talking to seasoned artists like him, as they bring so much more to the discussion than just the professional aspects of our aspirations.
They have been in the trenches long enough to develop a holistic approach to work … and life.
So it was incredibly cool talking to him.
Michael is not just known for being extraordinarily productive, but also for the tons and tons of videos, tutorials, presentations and livestreams he produces for the art community. And as always, he held nothing back in this interview.
I’m sure you’ll be inspired to go and dig deep into his work when you are done listening to the podcast. And I urge you to act on that impulse immediately. It’s like a never ending treasure trove.
(Don’t you wanna binge his entire Zbrush Summit presentation AND the complete breakdown of each slide!?)
Even before you jump into that, this podcast itself is full of tons and tons of cool stuff.
We talked about stuff that usually doesn’t get talked about in our circles. But it’s so important and fundamental … that even the art fundamentals don’t come close IMO!
You know why? Because many of us realize the importance of these basic lifestyle choices only after spending many years neglecting them. Not cool!
Health and relationships are the pillars that hold us together. And none of us can function properly if any of these pillars gets weak. This is where “work-life balance” gets thrown around in every conversation.
It was refreshing to hear Michael’s take on what “balance” means and why it is so important for the long game of art.
So listen to what Michael Pavlovich has to tell you about being an artist, and implement it right away. Even if you cannot take every action step right away, it’s a good practice to take notes (listen to what Michael says about taking notes too). It keeps the insights fresh in your mind…
Keep them fresh in your mind, and let them guide your choices as a student, artist, and person.
After the discussion, we invited our students to put forward their questions for Michael. Here is what they asked:
- Will character generation software and scans be the death of character modeling and sculpting?
- Is there a place for “generalists” in today’s world? (And a little bit of discussion about the “T-Shaped Person”; it’s a great concept!)
- How do you catch yourself making the same mistakes in your work? (No, posting on the forums for feedback is not the answer)
- Is it realistically possible to create an entire visual product on your own? (writing, concepting, matte painting, animation, audio, etc.)
Check out his answers here.
More about Vertex School: http://vertexschool.com
More about Michael Pavlovich: https://www.artstation.com/michaelpavlovich
Watch the video below.
Listen to the full conversation:
