Remember this day, my dear friends, as only once in your life you get a chance to see the exclusive interview with an outstanding person. I’m talking about an apostle of 3D Art, a cult person and someone that thousands of fans admire. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one and only – MEATS MEIER. He is an author of tons of learning courses for 3D software, he has been involved into working on such blockbusters as “Hellboy” and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow”. This 3D guru with tons of different awards is currently a freelance illustrator and animator living in Downtown Los Angeles, California. For more general info about Meats you may visit his website – 3DArtSpace.com
He is also an author of “Last of the Leaves” work which should be familiar to you from the first part of our greatest 3D robots – “22 of the Most Striking 3D Robots Ever“:
“The Last of the Leaves” by Meats Meier
Well, enough of introductions I guess 
Time for the real deal – here comes the interview!
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When you are involved into commercial projects what is more important to you – your personal vision of arts or a customer’s opinion?
While there will always be a major struggle between the two when working with a client, the client’s needs come first because of the commercial project. It can be further complicated when that client has come to me for my particular style, and then make so many changes that I can no longer consider it “mine”. It really never is a problem for me although, I check my ego at the door when working with clients.
During a paid project, I am a production artist completely, and my only goal is to make sure the end project is what they want and need. If my client is happy, I am happy. When I want to be a pure artist, I just sit at home and create without boundaries, which I do very often.
Meats Meier – Levi’s Copper
Being an author to many tutorials and learning courses do you consider yourself a cult person, an influential apostle that the people will follow?
I’m mainly just a guy who loves to learn and figure out new things and better ways of working. I’m not afraid to “open the hood” of software and see what makes it tick. I’ve also got the bonus of knowing many of the amazing people behind a lot of the top 3d applications. When I started my “Introduction to Zbrush” DVD, the creator of Zbrush, Ofer Alon, made a visit to my house to personally demonstrate some of his favorite tips and tricks. If people trust me and want to learn from me, that is a very rewarding feeling.
DVD Cover for the learning course by Meats
Another learning course DVD cover
‘ZBrush for Illustrations’ by Meats Meier – DVD Cover.
They say that you haven’t put a pencil down since the time you drew Superman when you were two. Do you still have that picture so that we could show it to our audience?
Yeah, I do have it, actually. My parents were always super supportive of my art path growing up, they saved most of the things that I would make.
Meats Meier’s first work – ‘Superman’
You were involved into producing “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” and “Hellboy” as a technical director and compositor. What exactly was your part of a big job? Maybe you could even provide some kind of screen shots to us?
I worked at the “Orphanage” in San Francisco, and they enjoy the “one person, one shot” work flow.
I tried to do as much as possible on any shot given to me, all the way down to the final composite. My main focus on Hell Boy was the look development of the “Hell Hole” which is shown at the beginning of the film, I believe it was in 60 or so shots. I set it up so that other artists could drop it into their own shots and make it work. Working on films is very challenging, it takes a huge effort from many, many people. In the end, I enjoy working on smaller projects, and by myself…at least for now.
“Hell Hole” – Meats’s part of ‘Hellboy’ movie
You were also involved into numerous famous projects (cooperation with TOOL, cinema etc.). What of this professional experiences did you enjoy the most? And what is the one you are proud of the most?
I feel very lucky to be involved with the band TOOL (and Maynard side project band Puscifer). I worked on live concert animations for their last tour and seeing them projected onto 60 foot screens during their show was beyond amazing to me. One of the projects that I am most proud of are the two stereoscopic images that I did for the band’s “10,000 Days” CD art. The CD packaging itself won a grammy for Adam Jones and the band. I was also art directed on the project by Alex Grey, which was fun for me.
TOOL CD Cover by Meats Meier
I’ve done a couple of music video for Puscifer, which I’m proud of as well (see the “Dozo” or the “Queen B” music videos on YouTube).
Puscifer – ‘DOZO’ CD Cover by Meats Meier
Which one of your 3D works is the most special for you personally and why?
It must be my “Mother Nature” image that I did several years ago. She has been on the cover of several magazines, books, and posters. She was the catalyst for my most recent image “The Animation Mother” which is the face for the Siggraph Animation Festival this year. I was asked to “evolve” her, which is the theme of this year’s festival.
“Mother Nature” by Meats Meier
Animating “Mother Nature”
You are tremendously productive as an artist. And every artist has his own inspiration source. Where do you get all this inspiration from? That must have been some gigantic muse or something?
Really, the thing that is pushing me the hardest now is the thought of being able to be a pioneer in a new art field. This field is just a baby right now. I look at artists that just draw or paint and I think “wow, that tool has not changed in a 1000 years”. Everyone has figured out how to use a pencil or brush and it will work the same way 1000 years from now. It’s exciting to me to think of the constant evolution of my tools, and I very much want to be a part of that transformation into an elegant and efficient creation process. Of course I always stay familiar with the traditional tools as well, there is a benefit to using a fully mature tool.
‘Artbot’ by Meats Meier
What are your predictions on where the 3D world is moving? What are we going to see in ten years instead of the 3D that we see today? And what do you think is your personal role in this evolving process?
Real time creation and rendering is the holy grail of the 3d world and we are getting closer and closer to that point every day. The computers are getting faster and faster and we are seeing less and less of a resistance to 3d art in general as more people actually try it and see that the computer really doesn’t create the art for you.
The “Killer app” of the 3d world will be full holographic 3d to view content with full form. Holographic art (such as RabbitHoles), desktop 3d scanning and printing, and immersive video games also will take hold of the planet.
Hologram by Meats Meier
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We cannot express how grateful to Meats we are. This truly has been a great interview with the brilliant person. We hope you enjoyed it. As always, a lot of other interesting stuff is still to come. See you soon.
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