Lux: So Gene how long have you been creating graphics for the packaging industry?

GD: I have been creating 3D graphics for the packaging industry for about eight years. Before that I taught 3D graphics part-time at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and worked as a freelance print production and 3D illustration artist.

I introduced the Thompson Design Group and their clients to 3D illustration and visualization while freelancing for the group. They ended up hiring me full-time to develop a 3D department that provides 3D services internally and to their clients. It was a perfect fit for me as it incorporated my print production skills with my 3D illustration skills.

Many of our clients weren’t aware of the advantages of computer generated 3D images over traditional illustration and product shot photography and the demand has grown considerably. Having a 3D department in the studio has proved cost effective, even for a small design studio like Thompson, providing internal marketing, design, and production teams with a new and innovative resource for presenting and selling design and illustration.

Lux: So is the main value of 3D in the “pitch” (selling) process?

GD: Presenting concepts as stunning 3D virtual photographs instead of flat art has given us an edge over the competition when pitching our ideas. For our clients, the 3D illustrations I produce have cut costs by reducing or completely replacing the need for physical comps and final art photography. Now clients don't have to try and visualize what the design would look like because they can look at a virtual 3D photograph of a finished product – whatever the shape or surface material may be. It also sends a message that our firm has this up-to-date capability and can provide 3D imagery throughout the design process.

Lux: Packaging is getting ever more sophisticated in terms of materials, form, etc. Increasingly, toy packaging lets you actually operate the toy from outside the packaging, for example. How do you see the packaging industry evolving?

GD: From what I see from the food and pet care manufacturers we work with, it looks like improving convenience and safety for consumers is the direction the industry is continuing to go. Convenience options that were once only on premium brands are becoming common to all brands, like easy-open, pull tabs on cans, no-drip caps on bottles, or resealable zip-lock options on bags.

II also see ergonomics of packages becoming more of a focus. A package that’s easier to carry, pour, or store will have a better chance to succeed over a traditional structure. With each new innovation, marketers have a new message of convenience to communicate to the consumer through advertising and on the package design itself.

I have a lot of fun creating visualizations for these types of potential packages, such as easy preparation meals and on-the-go packaging.

From a computer graphics standpoint, I see the packaging graphics evolving as the knowledge and computer literacy of the designers expands, enabling them to execute their concepts to the fullest. As designers become more adept with the increasingly powerful toolsets in Illustrator and Photoshop, they are constantly pushing the envelope of what separators, pre-press houses, and the project budget will allow in terms of design. If you look at say, a cereal box or candy bar wrapper from ten years ago it’s striking how much the brand logo has changed, while retaining its brand identity of years past, but becoming much more dimensional with perspective, embossing, glows, warping, drop shadows, outlines, etc.

Lux: The green movement must also be affecting packaging tremendously…

GD: Definitely. Clients are increasing the messaging on labels promoting recycling and environmental awareness. In a lot of cases, finding creative solutions that allow the client to use fewer materials in their packaging saves them money in production and increases their sales to a segment of consumers who prefer the “greener” product over the competition. Progressive clients recognize the selling points of creating environmentally friendly products and communicating that on the label to an increasingly environmentally aware public. It can definitely make the difference when a consumer is deciding between competing products that are the same in every other respect.

Lux: So who calls the shots so to speak? Do you get to actually design the packaging or are you realizing someone else’s design?

GD: It depends on the project. For the most part, I am provided with a design file or a final art mechanical and asked to create a compelling composition of the final product or what the product would look like as a finished product. For other projects, I am given rough sketches, ideas, and asked to explore shapes and surfaces or compose several 3D models in a family shot. The creative freedom on these projects is really fun and rewarding. Many clients I work with at Thompson Design Group are now are requesting 3D product shots for their entire line of products. In the past, this would have required a comp artist to create a physical comp, a photographer to shoot the comp, and then an artist to color correct and enhance it. Because the 3D software can create such exact images, I have been able to develop systems with modo and Photoshop that allow me to batch process hundreds of images in a fraction of the time and cost it would have taken in the past with photography.

Lux: Sometimes you are placing the product right into a simulated retail environment. Tell us about that.

GD: Yes, visually evaluating shelf impact and product differentiation are crucial for marketing and strategic purposes. Matching the camera angle, lighting, and rendering a 3D object in a photograph has proven to be a time-effective and appropriate solution over modeling an entire store environment. While I used to use a time intensive plug-in for this operation, modo has allowed me to position objects and match camera and lighting much more interactively and quickly.

Lux: What other uses does your work have?

GD: One of the main uses the 3D images have for our the design studio is creating custom illustration or illustration elements for design layouts. When our designers can't find exactly what they are looking for in the stock photography/illustration sites, I’ll create it for them: Candy pieces, chocolate bars, popsicles, bottles, cans, etc. For our clients, I usually provide high and low res images for a variety of purposes: print-ready illustrations, posters, market research, focus groups, and advertising in print or on the Internet. Oh, my 3D images go into Powerpoint decks sometimes, too...

Lux: What does your toolset look like today?

GD: My primary toolset includes modo, Photoshop, Illustrator, Final Cut Studio, and I still occasionally use Lightwave for particle effects and animation. I have such a volume of images from over the years that I am getting into some basic scripting and database building to manage my archive. I like to re-use stuff whenever I can.

Lux: How did you first hear about modo?

GD: That’s hard to say. I probably heard about it online on one of the 3D forum sites. I’ve been following the progress of modo since it was first released. I purchased version 202 and am currently working in 302. I picked modo over some of the other packages because I was impressed by the interface, the intuitiveness and power of the basic modeling tools, and the interactive renderer. I love how straight-forward the tools are.

When I first got modo, I kept looking for the complicated way I was used to to accomplish things. For example, I remember looking for a way to decrease my edge loops. My last package had a plug-in called "BandGlue" that did this (most of the time) and I was growing frustrated looking for the equivalent tool in modo. I searched the forums and immediately found a post by Brad Peebler that described how to do this: “Simply select the edge loop between them and press backspace! :)”

Duh. I was so used to things being complicated that I didn't even try the most intuitive and obvious solution. My workflow has changed completely. After learning and using modo consistently now, I’ve really noticed how much more intuitive and smooth the workflow is in modo compared to my previous software. Many of the tools that I used to have to import and configure as plug-ins are standard tools in modo. I’m able to concentrate more on executing the illustration instead of dealing with software issues.

Lux: Modo is used a lot by others for what you do. Do you ever peruse our Gallery and look in the packaging section just to see what others are doing?

GD: I check out the Luxology gallery and forums a few times a week to check for updates. It’s inspiring to see what other artists are doing. I learn a lot from reading the forums and reading how various problems are resolved. I’m impressed and happy with the way user contributions are encouraged and how accessible and involved Luxology is.

Lux: What is the most challenging part of your job?

GD: My main challenge is balancing the realism while still communicating the design and brand identity of the product. Clients want to see their package design undistorted with all the process and spot colors matching the flat art file, but at the same time want to see a dynamic and compellingly realistic product shot. They often want to see the product in a straight-on camera view, but still have perspective and be appealing and, in some cases, appetizing to consumers. In most cases they’ll want the art to be on a white or transparent background to maximize the usage of the illustration. This adds another level of difficulty when with working with objects that are white themselves, be they transparent or reflective. Finding that perfect solution where shadows, highlights and reflections make the illustration pop off the page and meet all those parameters is tricky but rewarding when pulled off effectively.

Lux: Do you have any advice for others hoping to find work in this field, or using modo for that matter?

GD: I’ve worked with designers, production artists and other digital artists who want to learn 3D software and found it frustrating because they are approaching it as if it were another 2D software package. 3D software has a different feel and flow than 2D packages. It should definitely be approached with that in mind. For learning modo, I suggest going through the on-line video tutorials or taking a class, then create projects for yourself and work through them. Collect reference images of the look you want to create and try to emulate them in your own projects. It can be a struggle at first but each project should get easier. Use the online forums to search or ask for solutions to problems you are having. It’s like learning a language. The more you use it the easier it becomes.

Lux: Thank you for your time and insight.