Grant Miller Interview: 3D Printing Artist!
Grant Miller has a few designs here on CNCKing.com under Collaboration / 3D Printer / Miller and has achieved lots of success with his designs on Kickstarter which is where I found him. Here’ an interview with him so you can learn about how he goes about making amazing 3D printed designs!
Can you give me some background as to how you got into art in general?
I was born with the drawing bug, ever since I can remember I’ve been drawing cartoons and comics. Then when I was twelve I got heavily into collecting comics which further fueled my desire to draw and create. After taking some college courses I discovered that I really wanted to be an animator so I studied traditional animation for several years while working and starting a family. I knew of and loved computer generated animation (Tron and such…) but always figured only multi-million dollar studios had the means of creating such things. In 1995 I discovered Lightwave 3D and it was all over after that- I now had the modeling bug!
When did you first see a 3D printer and how long did it take you to transition into actually modeling 3D figurines?
I know the EXACT moment I first saw/heard of 3D printing in an affordable light and it was in 2004. I was reading a copy of ToyFare magazine and in it was a full page article on an upcoming statue that had been modeled in Zbrush and was going to be 3D printed by a company called Ownage. The 3D sculpt was based on a comic book artists original sketch, and it looked AMAZING! Right away I knew I could do that and started practicing modeling 2D comic book art into 3D figures while keeping the look and style of the original artist.
What tools do you use to produce your work? What part of designing figurines is the most challenging?
I primarily use Lightwave to model everything, I start low poly and build up. I would say the most challenging part of designing a figure is extrapolating what isn’t “seen” in the 2D reference drawing that I’m working from. It’s VERY rare to get good usable multiple orthographic views of what I’m modeling. Often, it’s a single image with questionable detail, like a single panel from a comic book.
How long does it take to produce a model from initial concept to finished physical 3D printed piece?
Each project varies of course and I’d say it mostly depends on if I have an existing model I can use parts of and modify to match the new project’s requirements. On average though, I’d say from initial concept to finished physical 3D printed piece is around 6-8 weeks.
Do you exclusively design for 3D printers or have you designed stuff for other CNC machine types such as laser, table router… which is your favorite and why?
I have designed some brackets and miscellaneous parts for motorcycles that were then cut on a CNC machine. That was always very satisfying because I was able to make an otherwise near impossible situation on a custom build into a very clean factory looking solution. As nice as that is though, nothing is quite as exciting as seeing and holding an intricate sculpt that was tweaked endlessly for hours and hours one polygon at a time!
What kind of advice would you give to yourself 10 years ago that would have saved you a lot of time and money when you first began designing?
Oh boy, I know for sure the answer to that one- model, model, model! Just like anything you want to become better at, you need to practice and push yourself. Looking back, there were countless hours wasted watching tv or surfing the internet that could have been used to become a better modeler. (Jon: as an aside, I also believe TV is a waste of time, I haven’t had one for 5 years and don’t miss it at all! This is why I’m able to get so much done, instead of wasting a few hours in front of the tube, I spend those hours rendering, publishing and designing… 100% agree with Grant on this one!)
Where do you get your inspiration from? You have some awesome figurines that are unique!
I love Deviant Art.com, that site has so many incredible artists- both professional and undiscovered! I have had most of my original commissions requested from there. My other inspirations would be my artist friends and comic books.
Has your Stelliform Owl being featured on Kickstarter opened any doors for you in other areas like new clients for figurebang.com?
Yes, Kickstarter (and crowdfunding in general) is an amazing societal development. I’ve had a number of companies approach me to do commissions that were a direct result from seeing my successful project on Kickstarter. I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to run that campaign!
I believe the combination of producing on-demand products manufactured by CNC/Laser and 3D printing, and the advent of crowdfunding, will create a future with less waste and surplus of unused stuff to fill our landfills with. Some things might take a little longer to purchase, but the over-consumption of goods and the environmental impact will be greatly reduced!
