The Gnomon Workshop offers the most comprehensive set of Digital Production tutorials anywhere. The broad scope of the tutorials contained in this section range from foundational understanding of the software tools all the way to the professional application of these tools and concepts used by artists working in the film and game industries.
Entertainment Design
The Gnomon Workshop is widely regarded as the global leader in training tutorials for the designer working in the entertainment industry. With tutorials ranging from foundational drawing and design concepts to process tutorials from some of the top concept and character designers in the world, there is surely something here to inspire.
Industrial Design
The Gnomon Workshop offers tutorials focused on Industrial Design software and techniques. These tutorials range from product design to vehicle and automotive concept.
Fine Art and Illustration
The Gnomon Workshop also offers a number of tutorials focused on the fine art and illustration fields. Traditional drawing and painting skills are tremendous assets to artists working in the entertainment industry as well as other industries that rely on visual communication skills. Tutorials listed in this section focus on everything from foundational drawing skills, comic book illustration and fantasy painting.
Tattooing
As the tattoo industry has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years, the need training in this field has also grown. In these video tutorials, some of the top tattoo artists in the world share their techniques and their take on the art of tattoo. The tutorials range from absolute beginner level to advanced color and blending techniques used by some of the world's best.
Software
The Gnomon Workshop offers professional training on most of the software applications used in today's digital pipelines. There are foundational titles to introduce users to the software and tools, as well as advanced production titles that discuss application tools and processes vital to the production of digital assets and media.
The Gnomon Workshop seeks out the most highly-regarded traditional and digital artists and technicians currently working in the entertainment and design industries. Our instructors have shared their practices working at such top studios as Pixar, ILM, Blizzard, and many more.
GW: Back in 1994 you started working in games for Sega Entertainment. What were you working on at that time?
SM: I worked at Sega Interactive which was famous for producing the Eternal Champions Series as well as Star Wars for the 32X. Star Wars was the first title that I worked on at Sega. At the time, Sega was transitioning from 2D game production using primarily DPaint to full 3D titles and to titles incorporating 3D rendered elements in its games.
It was a big step for them. A hand full of other artists and I really guided the way for them to 3D. Along with game production, Sega Interactive also worked on in-house game development and we produced full 3D animatics for proposed game titles as well as a 3D animated intro for Sega’s Deep Water series.
GW: What made you switch to the film industry?
SM: I actually went from Sega to Modern Video Film which produced effects primarily for episodic television, including all the Saban shows like Power Rangers and Beetleborgs as well as other shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Tool Time. Modern also did some film work but their bread and butter was television. As for why I went to Modern, it was for two reasons, to work with friends and to develop a 3D Department there.
One funny story about working at Modern was that they wanted to do more film work so they purchased a film recorder, but they didn’t have a person to run it. Someone mentioned that I had a background in photography and I somehow ended up with a second job, working as a 3D generalist during the day and running the film recorder at night. I later went on to actually work in feature film full time as an artist at Cinesite in Hollywood.
GW: Working in 3D for over two decades, what do you feel has been the biggest advancement in software? What would you like to see in the future?
SM: I think the work that Duncan Brinsmead has brought to the table – trying to recreate natural effects – is really the biggest advancements in the software whether it be Paint Effects, Maya Fluids or now the work on the Nucleus Solver with nCloth and nDynamics. Besides animation and dynamics I have a particular interest in lighting and rendering and I look forward to the day when we have hardware and software solutions available to the layman that will allow real time feature film quality production work to take place, but I guess we all want that.
GW: You worked as a CG Supervisor for Digital Lab for eight years. What were some of your responsibilities at that time?
SM: Digital Lab was a small post production house that specialized in high end commercial work and we generally worked alone or in small teams on commercials. On many projects I did the whole thing myself or with one or two other skilled generalists. On larger projects I had the opportunity to supervise larger teams of people.
GW: You have also been an instructor for the past 12 years. What is the best way to keep yourself up to speed with current skill sets?
SM: For nine of those years I was working full time in production and teaching classes at Art Center College of Design and then at Gnomon. During the last three years I have shifted my focus more to teaching and producing training material, but I am still currently working in production at Freerange 3D. So, in answer to your question the best way for me to keep my skill sets current is to continue my involvement in production as well as to learn from the many talented artists that I have had the opportunity to work with through the Gnomon Workshop.
GW: You also produce DVDs with the Workshop. What is the biggest advantage of the DVDs to the students coming up now?
SM: The biggest advantage of recorded material, whether it be the DVDs or Gnomonology Tutorials or simply Gnomon Online Classes is the ability to intake the material at your own pace and to be able to review the material until you gain a full understating of what the instructor is presenting.
GW: You have made a number of DVDs on Match Moving and you teach a Match Moving and Integration class at the Gnomon School. What spawned your interest in this particular aspect of 3D production?
SM: I have always had an eye for detail and after Sega I worked exclusively in production environments where the integration of 3D assets into live action plates was common place. That production experience plus my background as a photographer made Match Moving a natural fit for me.
GW: At the Gnomon Workshop you have also produced DVD titles on Tattooing. How does this relate to Gnomon and your work there?
SM: Despite the fact that we primarily focus on 3D training and work from concept artists, as artists we appreciate all art. Tattooing is another venue that has come of age where relevant and important artists express themselves, and we are now providing a venue for their work to be more widely appreciated. Also, this is a field that has traditionally been only approachable in the traditional apprentice/master relationship and is devoid of well produced training material, so we are filling a need that we felt was in the community.
GW: What are some of the projects you are working on outside of your daily grind?
SM: I like to balance my work as a teacher, a freelance artist and a producer for the Gnomon Workshop so that it doesn’t become a grind. I love 3D and the things that we can do to tell stories and create provocative imagery. I also love the opportunity to become a part of students’ lives and to help them create their personal visions and to find jobs in the industry.
GW: You recently had a pretty big scare while skydiving. Care to share it with us?
SM: Well, you have to get out and live a little. I went to the East Coast to sky dive with some friends and on my 112th jump, I was jumping at an unfamiliar drop zone and had a landing accident where I broke my leg quite badly, shattering my tibia and breaking off the end of my fibula. Luckily I have fully recovered and appreciate all the support from co-workers and friends.
GW: What other activities do you take part in outside of the CG world to give yourself balance?
SM: I am a published photographer and I’m working on a Monograph. I also am an avid cyclist and have been mountain biking for years.
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One Comment
Hey Stephen
I just need to know a thing about your dvd on Boujou.
You see I work i max so i was wondering if I can use the dvd, caurse its for Maya..
Do you you know anu companies or places where I can get vid tuts on boujou with max..?
Thanks you work is amazing..
Are oyu using MR as render..?
Thanks man.
Hi from denmark..;)
Sune