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The best part of complete a complex design for 3D printing is when you are ready to bring it to life and see all the pieces in the printing bed.
Anyone had that feeling too?
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Recently, I created a full brand, 3D mascot, and web design and development for CotizaGuate.
Read more about it in my case study post:
This is really impressive work
"Automate the skills you are willing to lose."
That quote just changed my life.
I've had an internal battle for the past few years. I've wanted to learn 3D, but I've never had the discipline to finish a project—or even a course. I always end up feeling guilty, like I've wasted my time or money.
I've realized that one of my biggest problems is that I don't have the patience for the level of detail that I admire so much in 3D. I admire 3D artists because they have the mindset to perfect even the smallest details to make a render look incredible, even if no one else notices them.
So every time I started a 3D tutorial, I'd get frustrated when I couldn't achieve that "perfect" result. Eventually, I'd quit and tell myself, "This isn't for me."
With AI, of course, everything becomes easier and faster—or at least much easier and faster compared to traditional 3D workflows. When I started using AI, I was excited that I could create these complex ideas in minutes, and the results were fantastic.
But after two years of working with AI, I've realized that I want to create more ambitious projects using hybrid filmmaking techniques. And I've also realized that even though I could make them entirely with AI, I still want to learn and use 3D software like Unreal Engine.
I've trained my brain to expect everything to be easy and fast, and I've forgotten the value of the struggle.
I say "easy and fast" because, to deliver truly high-quality work with AI, you still need to know what you're doing. You need an understanding of cinematic language, a clear creative vision, patience, and the willingness to iterate over and over again.
After watching this conference by Blender Guru (I still don't think I ever finished that freaking donut 😢), I realized, after reading that final quote, that there's a way for me to use 3D software without feeling like I'm dying in the process... again.
Modeling makes me anxious and stressed. But whenever I worked on texturing and lighting in 3D, I absolutely loved it.
So I've decided to use AI to create and model the things that would normally take me days, reducing them to minutes or hours, and then spend my time perfecting the parts I genuinely enjoy—lighting, texturing, compositing, and bringing everything together.
I know a lot of people will probably disagree with me because modeling is at the heart of 3D.
And honestly... I wish I had that passion. Believe me.
But I don't actually want to become a 3D artist.
I deeply admire 3D artists. I admire VFX artists. But it's not my passion.
I think this has always been an internal struggle of mine. Whenever I start learning something new, I feel like I have to abandon everything else and make that new thing my identity.
But that's not true.
For me, 3D isn't the destination.
I'll continue to admire the artistry, craftsmanship, and dedication of 3D and VFX artists with all my heart. But for me, 3D is a tool—a powerful one—not the engine that drives my creativity.
And maybe that's okay.
Automate the skills you're willing to lose, so you can spend more time mastering the ones you truly love.
Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vB3JXzewx0
maybe you can enjoy it as well 😉
The skills that I want to master and perfect over time are:
- Speaking with confidence
- Storytelling
- Write better
What is the point of having a perfect 3D scene with the greatest textures if I can’t even pronounce a simple line?
Not everything has to be technical. We are the main project of our lives.
Automate what drains you, never what builds you. Going back to the 3D by hand then?
Hi Everyone!
Zlotan Speaks is a character based interactive experience built in Rive, where the self proclaimed greatest footballer of all time becomes your personal World Cup oracle.
Players step up to choose a category, and ask a question, and Zlotan gazes into his crystal ball to deliver the answer with facts, flair, and far too much confidence. Every response blends real World Cup history with his signature ego, turning trivia into a mystical audience with a living legend.
The piece is driven by a Rive state machine, each tap moves you through category, question, and answer with the character reacting at every step.
We created the character experience with original illustration, bold typography, and a loud color palette, along with audio and interactive touches.
Link to Project: https://thelittlelabs.com/work/zlotan
Thank you!
really inspiring work
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