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Graham Toms

Originally published on NewTek.com

09/03/2007

Ask an industry veteran the most important thing to have to get into the business and you'll probably get, "a strong background in traditional art." Most will ignore this though and go straight for a technical understanding of a specific 3D. One person who can be considered to be on a crusade against this is Graham Toms. A traditional artist long before making the transition to 3D, Graham's a Disney veteran with gallery shows to his credit. Proficient in a variety of mediums, any restaurant foolish enough to not put out napkins will soon find its tablecloths the victim of Graham's obsessive compulsion to draw every minute.

Graham recently joined the NewTek staff to specialize in the revitalization of the education program for 3D products. He took some time out of his busy schedule, which splits time between Ireland and Texas, to tell us about his history and his plans for his new position.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your history with 3D?

I have been using 3D applications since 1993. I had been using 2D digital paint programs since 1989 and I just thought the jump to 3D was the next logical step.

How were you first introduced to LightWave 3D?

While I was working at a place called the Disney Institute I was looking for 3D applications to do some research and development with, I wanted to find software that was the easiest to train and instruct with. I came across LightWave in a magazine ad and phoned up the number. I had been doing this with various software companies throughout the week. Basically phoning them up and asking if I could have a trial piece of software to play with. I phoned through to the San Antonio sales office and their response was enthusiastic.

Within two days, Pat Grogan, who was then head of education development and bear wrestling, and Ralph Messana, who was doing sales, came down to visit the Institute in Orlando, Florida. I was able to show what type of things I was developing regarding curriculum.

What got me hooked on LightWave was Ralph showing me how to model a gun with what was then a new "Bevel" tool. "That chap Ralph looks artistically challenged yet he can make that crap gun design in about 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure if I had that software I'd be able to do a lot better in 5 minutes," I thought.

What feature of LightWave do you like the most?

I still love Modeler, I only use about a dozen tools but still get to create relatively complex geometry. It's awesome that I have to remember so few things in order to achieve a professional looking end product. I am a traditional painter and I draw a lot for character concept design and environments, but I can always go back to Modeler and jump right in, even if I haven't used it for weeks.

Do you use any plug-ins on a regular basis?

Not really. I try to avoid them. They're like evil puppet masters.

What does being a 3D Educational Specialist at NewTek entail?

Currently I am working mostly from my studio that's part of the family home located in Donaghadee, County Down in Northern Ireland. However half of 2006 was spent in NewTek headquarters in San Antonio, employed by NewTek as 3D Educational Specialist. It entails designing and creating all the content for High school education curriculum. It should all be ready after mid-2007. It will also involve me doing a tour to explain and demonstrate particular aspects of the curriculum.

What are some projects you've worked on?

The most recent major project I work on was a retrospective of my artwork hosted by the Arts Council in Portadown at the Millenium Courts Art Centre in Northern Ireland. It was a great opportunity to get all my work out seeing the light of day rather than stuffed in folders. Plus, I got to talk to other artists. The curators working at that centre are so passionate about what they do plus their own interests that I found the experience really inspiring. I was exhibiting sketches through to LightWave work explaining the animation production process.

What did you do at the Disney Institute?

For just over 4 years (December 1995 - March 2000), I was a Disney animation instructor based in Orlando, Florida. I taught in 4 animation disciplines, all centering on a classical approach. The 4 disciplines were, Clay Animation, 2D Animation, Computer Animation (character based), and Character Design. My other responsibilities at the institute included research and development of C.G.I., which consisted mainly of evaluating new releases of 2D and 3D animation packages.

My time at the Institute also included work on 2 animation productions for UNICEF, focusing on storyboarding, "Keys" and inbetweening. The animation was traditional 2D animation. The second project was 3D computer animation where my tasks included character design and modeling.

Graham Toms

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