From Languages to Layers: How 3D Modelling Became A Creative Compass for Giorgia Viscardi
With a background that moves fluidly between languages, fashion design and digital tools, Giorgia Viscardi represents a new kind of creative practitioner – one who finds clarity not in a single discipline, but in the connections between them. Based in Milan, she works as an assistant translator for 2D CAD pattern making and teaches 3D Modelling and Rendering, approaching education as shared enthusiasm.
In this interview, Giorgia reflects on her non-linear educational path, her first encounter with 3D as a turning point, and the quiet discipline of learning to collaborate with digital tools rather than merely operate them. From fashion and virtual garments to teaching and storytelling, her journey is driven by curiosity, patience, and the belief that creativity is not about invention, but about learning how to see and build new connections.
Giorgia Viscardi
Assistant Translator for 2D CAD pattern making
3D Modelling and Rendering Professor
Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your study background with our readers.
My name is Giorgia Viscardi, a slightly nerdy Italian creative. I currently work as an assistant translator for 2D CAD pattern making and I teach 3D Modelling and Rendering in Milan. To be honest, though, rather than a professor in the traditional sense, I consider myself more of an enthusiast who tries to spread her passion to others.
Alongside my academic career, I am also completing my educational path with a master’s degree in Design for the Fashion System, which is a bit ironic when I think about it. In short, beyond my qualifications, the quickest way to describe me is as a spinning top who can’t sit still and never gets bored!
What was your educational path, and how did it guide you toward your current career?
Since I was a child, I have always had many interests, including psychology, art, ancient cultures, history, literature and all kinds of humanities. At the same time, however, which is a bit paradoxical, I never felt drawn to any particular career path. For these reasons, it was difficult for me at first to choose what I wanted to do when I grew up. During my five years at secondary school, I devoted myself to studying languages: English, Spanish and Chinese, in addition to my mother tongue, Italian. I have always been fascinated by languages, which I find to be an extraordinarily empathetic subject. Knowing a different language allows you to get closer to distant cultures, to understand them and to communicate, not only verbally, with people who are very different from you. It is an enormously enriching experience. However, I felt that theoretical study was no longer enough for me; life on books did not suit me anymore.
Then one day, by chance, I came across a brochure from Politecnico di Milano. The flyer talked about design, the perfect combination of theory and practice, diligent study and pure creativity. I personally took that as a sign. By my fourth year of secondary school, I had already made up my mind, and once I graduated, I enrolled in the Fashion Design faculty. Here, I not only learned how to tackle a fashion project from cradle to grave, but I also developed a method, a forma mentis that still supports me in my daily and professional life. It was during those years that I came into contact with 3D modelling, first with SolidWorks and then, when I chose to specialise in accessory design, with Rhinoceros. After completing my bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, I decided to continue my education in this field, so I enrolled in a master’s degree programme in Design for the Fashion System. It was at that moment, again through a university course, that I discovered CLO3D, and this encounter sparked something in me. Let’s just say that I wasn’t particularly good as a fashion designer. My grades were average, my ideas mediocre, and it didn’t even come natural to me, but 3D modelling… that was my language. I remember staying up all night watching tutorials on YouTube and fighting sleep so I could spend a little more time glued to the screen. It was quite an obsession for me. For this reason, when a friend of mine told me about a vacancy for a teaching position in 3D Modelling and Rendering at Istituto Secoli, I applied immediately. I couldn’t pass up such a valuable opportunity.
How did your knowledge of 3D computer graphics influence your studies and how does it impact your work today—whether in design, interiors, or other fields?
3D graphics is what motivated me to persevere. As mentioned earlier, among a sea of subjects in which I felt mediocre, virtual modelling was the first discipline for which I felt truly gifted. When I open my computer and start working on a new project, the world stops. It’s a bit like when you’re watching an episode of your favourite series and you’re so focused that you don’t even notice what’s going on around you: you’re completely immersed and can’t wait to get to the end, but at the same time you enjoy the whole journey. It’s an indescribable feeling, pleasant and nerve-wracking at the same time.
I believe that the greatest impact this reality has had on my life is to be found in me as a person even before me as a professional. This discipline has taught me to be patient, it has made me understand that in some cases making a mistake is a thousand times more important than getting everything right in the first place. The biggest lesson it has showed me, however, is that there is no single way to bring an idea to life. The trick is to find the method that suits you best, and if you can’t express yourself as you would like to, it’s because you haven’t found it yet. This is the mantra I carry with me every day, both in my personal and professional life.
What’s the first project you worked on that gave you a strong sense of accomplishment? Why does it stand out?
I reckon the first project that gave me a strong sense of accomplishment would probably be one of the most recent ideas I worked on. The original concept was to use a somewhat ghostly, almost mythological-looking avatar and have it catwalk in a long kimono dress that I had created in 3D. The idea was inspired by the world of Swords of Legends, a new Chinese video game which trailer had just been released. In my mind, the avatar had to pose for a few seconds while the wind gently moved the kimono, and then it had to start walking while the garment changed colour. The funniest thing? I had two weeks to work on the project and I had never done key-frame animation in my life, I didn’t even know where to start. In the end, after many trials and failures, I did it and the video was a huge success. When I showed it to my students, there was an incredulous “wow” raising from the desks, and they even asked me to show it again. In reality, the final result was nothing complex, and I’m sure that if it had been made by more experienced hands, it would have been very different, most likely better. However, the fact that I managed it on my own with zero experience in the field was what made it special.
Which software and tools are your go-to choices, and what makes them indispensable for your work?
The software I use most is CLO3D, a polygonal 3D modelling programme specifically designed for clothing and the fashion industry. It is the most widely used software worldwide for rapid prototyping and is therefore the most popular among professionals working in this field. As I mentioned, I train future leaders in the fashion industry, and nowadays companies require complex CVs. Those must include basic knowledge of 3D modelling, often with the specific requirement that candidates know CLO3D. This is why it has become essential to include it in educational programmes and why it is the software I use most. In my opinion, it is an incredible platform. It allows you to create high-quality material, both in terms of modelling and rendering. Moreover, the level of detail that can be achieved is impressive, and above all, it is very intuitive. In my opinion, it is a must for anyone who wants to work in this field. In addition to this software, I also use Modaris a lot, a 2D CAD programme designed for pattern making which I find essential for creating the bases that I then import into CLO3D.
Less frequently, I use V-Stitcher as well. It is a 3D modelling software similar to CLO but less well known. In the past, then, I used Solidworks for solid modelling and Rhinoceros for surface modelling, which were ideal for creating accessories and small components. Once modelled, I would then bring them to Keyshot for rendering, but I have never specialised in this software beyond its basic use. Last but not least, I would like to mention the Adobe suite, especially Photoshop and InDesign. The former is necessary for refining all my projects, which are then imported as images or videos into the latter to create presentations, books, portfolios and much more. In general, I find it very interesting to know how to use different tools because each one offers something unique, and if you have the ability to combine them all, the result is truly amazing.
What challenges did you encounter when learning 3D computer graphics, and how did you overcome them?
There is one episode that is particularly significant to me, dating back to my second year at university, the year I discovered 3D modelling. The course I was attending included a mid-semester test, in which we had to model a perfume bottle. I am usually a particularly anxious person on these occasions, but that day I felt quite confident. So I took my seat, turned on the computer, opened the programme, and then my mind went completely blank. I spent the entire three hours staring at the screen without being able to do anything. In the end, I didn’t hand in the exam. I thought a lot about that experience to understand what had blocked me, and the truth is that till that moment I hadn’t learned how to model; I had learned how to follow instructions.
The most surprising feature of 3D modelling programmes is that there is never just one way to achieve a goal, which makes them extremely complex but also very adaptable to the user’s working style. To employ them at their full potential, therefore, you first need to understand their logic. These type of software are not tools made out of strict rules, they can be considered your digital colleagues and you have to learn how to ‘collaborate’ with them. I think the biggest challenge for me was fully understanding the tool I was using. And the only way to overcome this obstacle was to experiment and learn to use the software in my own way, not someone else’s.
Looking back, are there any technical or creative skills you wish you had focused on earlier in your career?
Looking back, there are many things I would have done differently. First of all, I would have loved to take a basic computer science and programming course. I believe that knowing your tools is essential, and I’m not just talking about software. Computers are extraordinary machines, and I often wonder how many things I could have done differently, perhaps better, if I had taken the time to learn about this subject thoroughly. Maybe I could have used them to their full potential for all this time.
Another thing I would have liked to explore from the very beginning is the wonderful art of texturing. There is a digital 3D artist I admire greatly, called Stephy Fung. I think she is a magician in this field, and when I first saw her work, I realised how much of a difference careful use of textures can make in a project. Not only does it make everything more realistic and professional, but it also offers endless creative possibilities, which is why I am trying to improve my skills in this area too.
Where do you see your work heading in the next few years? Are any exciting goals or ambitions on the horizon? Any trends or innovations you’re excited about?
At the moment, the biggest goal I hope to achieve as soon as possible is to graduate for the second time. It’s just around the corner, but there are still a few steps to take. Professionally speaking, on the other side, I think I’ve found my path and hope to continue teaching for at least a while. I’m not a very ambitious person, I just want to continue doing what I love and, perhaps, make a difference in someone’s life by passing on my passion to others.
If I had to dream big, though, I would like to one day create 3D outfits for video game characters, preferably related to mythology. The world of gaming has always intrigued me and has been making great strides lately, so it would be very interesting for me to have a design experience in this field.
What’s one essential lesson your study path has taught you so far, whether about 3D, design, or the creative process in general?
When you start studying fashion design, the first thing they teach you is that you are not an inventor, because objectively, in the field of clothing, everything has already been invented. This statement demotivated me a lot at first. I kept asking myself, ‘If I can’t invent, what am even I doing here?’. After years, I truly understood the meaning of this phrase, and suddenly it became extremely comforting. Creatives’ duty is not to invent; they have the ability to look between the folds of reality and perceive the world with a particular sensitivity. Creative people do not invent as if struck by a flash of genius; they design and build their ideas by observing and creating new connections. The best thing? It is not an innate ability; it is something that is cultivated every day and grows with you.
If you had unlimited resources – time, money, and tools – what would your ultimate professional dream project look like?
My background and work are mainly focused on fashion design, but since I started my journey in this field I have developed three other great passions: graphic design, animation and storytelling. In addition to this, I have loved fantasy and mythology of all kinds for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I would lose myself into imagining all kinds of characters and their stories. For this reason, a few years ago I created an animated illustrated e-book for a personal project. I wrote a nursery rhyme that told the story of a little monsterly-like girl full of fears and then I accompanied it with drawings that came to life on the pages through frame-by-frame animations. Everything was then ‘bound’ like an ancient book on a screen. I believe that if I had unlimited resources, and above all knowledge, I would give everything to combine all these passions in a large-scale project. Perhaps a series of animated books for children and adults where different techniques, from 2D to 3D, come together to create something unique. I believe it would be the project of a lifetime, a creative endeavour into which I could put my whole self.
