Russian
Name: Christopher Malheiros
Age: 27
Job: Architect/3d artist
Country: Portugal/ currently working in France
Web Site: http://www.cmalheiros.com/
Flickr
3DA: How did you start working in 3D field? How much time has been passed and what kind of studies did you do?
CM: I always had this interest in renderings since architecture school. Architecture was and still is my passion. I always had a big interest in representing architecture using 3D representation. This interest in detail was also applied designing the presentation posters, booklets, power-point presentations, etc. I always had this attention to graphic design and small details. The way I’ve ended up into actually working in architectural visualization wasn’t planned nor predicted. After graduating I worked at mecanoo architects and I started working a lot in 3d and renderings for several projects. One day, there was this project going on for the Kaohsiung art center that mecanoo is now building, so they called me downstairs because new renderings had arrived from the rendering company. When i entered the room and saw those A1 prints I was so amazed by the realism, the detail, the light and the style. That was the day I discovered luxigon!
Actually I knew there work even before going to university but I never knew where those images were coming from, i remember to see some images on architectural websites and thinking: How is it possible to do something like that?! I’m kinda curious and since I saw those renderings I had to find out how to do that! That was my purpose for several months! After a year in mecanoo it was time to change and I startied applying for several architectural studios, that is when someone told me that I should apply to luxigon! Then I just compiled some images and sent them to luxigon, they invited me to Paris and out of nowhere I ended up moving to paris some weeks later. They needed a freelancer to help with the demanding workload! I’m still often collaborating with them. This was in 2010!
3DA: Which are your favourite software and plugins for your daily projects?
CM: Now this answer is going to be different from any other architectural visualizer. My top software is Photoshop! There I said it! Then I also use Cinema4D to render. I don’t use vray neither max. If you ask why I have one word for you: lazyness! I know there is vray for cinema but I’m just too lazy to learn it! I’m not the type of guy who likes to try every software! I think with c4d and photoshop I can manage!
3DA: Tell us something about a project that gave you great satisfactions
CM: Humm, that is difficult. The worst ones I can name but the good ones…The projects that give me great fun are mainly those I do for personal reasons. There are some other projects, comissioned ones, those I can get most satisfactions are generally when the architect gives me freedom to do whatever I want. The result is always awesome images because you to what you want and what you think it’s right of course there are some rules to follow but it’s fine. Sometimes architects have an idea of what they want and if what you do is not consistent with their idea it can go both ways: Either you can change it within the short time and make something great or it doesn’t turn as you wanted but as long as the client is satisfied! That is what matters but if both are satisfied it’s better!
Actually there are 2 great comissioned jobs that I can mention, this Wei Wu Ying Center where i did a bunch of spectacle rooms, I had freedom to do what i wanted and this was actually the first time i was doing images for this kind of architectural places. Another one is something i did recently so it wasn’t published yet, but soon you’ll see it online! Usually the projects I post are the ones giving me great fun!
3DA: From where do you take ispiration for your artworks?
CM: My main source of inspiration is photography. Architectural renderings are photographies of non built places! That is why I like to sometimes produce images of existing buildings from famous architects. My other sources of inspiration are of course other visualization companies/freelancers that I admire and architecture in general.
3DA: How do you live this period of economic crisis? How is it in your country?
CM: Ah economic crisis… I’m really tired of this 2 words! I am from Portugal, and if you follow news about crisis in Europe you know that Portugal is not the best place to live right now! I graduated in architecture in 2009 and since that year i don’t live in Portugal. So now if I tell you that I’m currently living in France and not because I love it here I think this answers to your question about how this affects me…
3DA: What would you suggest to people that are approaching to 3D and architecture?
CM: «Please don’t approach 3d and even worst don’t study architecture!» Really, I’m not joking, I don’t advise anyone to study architecture anymore. Since this boom in architecture in the late 90‘s with those cool starchitects creating cool buildings everybody wanted to be an architect! That created a problem of massive increase of young architects. This led to a bigger problem, unpaid young architects aka interns. And this led to another problem: too many unpaid architects! Now everybody hires interns. If you check architecture jobs every company wants interns, interns with years of experience, interns that do 3d, models, images, rhino, max, photoshop, autocad. They basically want the perfect worker and pay him as intern! This led architects to work in other fields! 3d is the most related to architecture. Architectural visualization is still a young field but I can feel the exponential increasing of freelancers/companies! Ok, I’m starting to look like a revolutionary lunatic so what I can say is if you like what you do just do it (thanks nike). These are hard times and if you’re happy with what you do stick with it and you’ll be good at it! I like doing architectural images!
