If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the trailblazing artists in the world of 3D design are among our most revelatory poets. Here, four designers discuss visual storytelling in the digital realm and the limitless potential of their field.
Six N. Five
The contemplative series “The Wait” recalls the landscapes of 20th century artists from Edward Hopper to Jim Jarmusch
Led by founder and creative director Ezequiel Pini, Six N. Five studio in Barcelona boasts a prowess for 3D design, as well as film and objets d’art. “Experimentation is the essence of our design,” says Pini of the five-person firm. “We get bored easily, and that keeps us pretty active and wanting to change.” Six N. Five’s style earned the firm a collaboration with Microsoft Surface in 2019, in which the firm designed original wallpapers for the brand’s devices. “This project helped us reach places we never thought and gave us a lot of confidence,” Pini says. “First impressions are always visual, and design gives an important value to any product, brand, or message.”
While 3D projects remain at the heart of the practice, up next for Six N. Five is a short film and the rollout of five new objects. Pini says, “Working with 3D gives us the big advantage to combine a texture I like with a shape I love and place them together in a space I would like to be.”
Mue Studio
Minjin Kang and Mijoo Kim, cofounders and creative directors of New York-based image studio Mue, first crossed paths as photography students in the darkroom at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. They eventually pursued a graduate program together at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which inspired them to broaden their artistic prowess. “We realized that we cannot limit ourselves based on what medium is being used in our work,” says Kim. “We decided to define our identity as multidisciplinary artists,” offering services from 3D design and art direction to commercial and editorial photography.
In addition to partnerships with brands from Apple Music to AirBnb, creative series such as “Visual Escapism, Somewhere in the World” and “Invitation to Daydream” showcase minimalist interiors and landscapes with surrealist vibrancy. Psychedelic colors and thoughtful lighting further amplify these architecturally rendered dreamscapes. “Our greatest lesson was the value of communication and balance,” Kang adds. “We have found joy in the process of communication, and we enjoy researching and learning from each project.”
A dash of surrealism adds a dreamlike quality to an entry in the studio’s “Visual Escapism, Somewhere in the World” series
Alexis Christodoulou
Once an economics and marketing student, former winemaker Alexis Christodoulou jokes he is “unqualified” for a career in 3D design, a pursuit he embarked upon less than five years ago thanks to a longstanding interest in architecture. “It’s the only kind of design I could really understand at the time,” he says. Tinkering on software like Google SketchUp led to an investment in more sophisticated programs like Cinema 4D. Instagram became an apt canvas for Christodoulou’s work to disrupt predictable scrolls with his otherworldly scenes. “I feel like people really understand what I’m putting out,” he says. “The response I get on social media feels quite accurate of what I’m trying to [say].”
His fantastical posts soon yielded commissions from global brands including Bang & Olufsen, Luxottica, and Grohe. Moving forward, Christodoulou hopes his panache for worldbuilding will become even more immersive. “Video games gave me a lot of influence that I’m not willing to admit,” he adds. “There’s a little boy in me that wants to be part of a big video game—for a producer to look at my 3D art and want me to help them build a world.”
A meticulous attention to detail is evident in small and broad elements of this personal project
Images courtesy of Mue Studio, Six N. Five, and Alexis Christodoulou Studio
This article originally appeared in HD’s 2020 Product Marketplace issue.
