For THE WAY OF SUCCESS column , we meet Claudio Quatela, Game Artist in Ubisoft Milan and former Master of Game Assets student.
Hi Claudio,
First of all, thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Let's start by asking howdid your passion for computer graphics come about and why did you choose Rainbow Academy?
Since childhood I have been attracted to the world of drawing and art, and I have always tried to express my artistic abilities to the best of my ability and in various facets. With adolescence, as often happens to boys, I became passionate about video games, and when I was attending art high school in Corato, I attended a conference on 3D graphics. At that moment it all became clear to me: I was going to combine my passion for art and my passion for video games by becoming a 3D Artist. Since then, I never had any doubts about the path I would take and right after high school I decided to attend a Master's program dedicated to video game graphics. For this reason I chose to attend the Master's program in Game Assets at Rainbow Academy, a choice I am still fully satisfied with today. What convinced me to become a Rainbow student was the presence of Rainbow's CGI production studio one door away from the Academy. The continuous and direct exchange with industry professionals, along with the academy's excellent educational programs, creates a very stimulating and fun environment. At the same time, however, it has confronted me with very difficult challenges that, overcome both as a team and individually, have given me a great deal of confidence and mastery of all that it takes to become a full-fledged professional 3D Artist..
What were your first professional experiences?
I owe my first professional experiences as a 3D Artist to Rainbow Academy, which, believing in me, immediately placed me in the working world, first by giving me the opportunity to participate in the graphic production of educational materials and assets for a smartphone App, then by placing me as a teacher of a course on 3D graphics for video games in the Apulia Digital Maker school. While I was then working on private projects to create CGI shots and 3D covers for musicians and singers in my area, I was committed to finding work in a video game company. Rainbow Academy also played a key role here, because thanks to the Career Day organized by the academy with Ubisoft Milan, I was noticed by the latter, which, after the various selection phases, decided to hire me as a 3D Artist.
What is your current role? Can you describe what you are in charge of and what your responsibilities are?
I currently work as a 3D Artist in Ubisoft Milan's studio. For me it is a dream come true, since I am now part of the team of artists who made the masterpieces I grew up with during my teenage years.
As a 3D Artist my job is to make 3D assets following precise workflows with the responsibility to deliver products with high artistic quality and technical precision worthy of a AAA project..
Of the lessons learned in Rainbow Academy, were there elements that proved useful in building your career?
The teachings of my Rainbow teachers have been instrumental in building, brick by brick, my professional persona. With their passion for this work, they imparted to me notions from both the technical and artistic side-from the harmony of shapes and anatomy to the techniques of optimizing a 3D asset, from the study of colors to the technical management of layers to make a texture-that I still carry with me today during my working days. Teachings that were not at all obvious and fundamental were also those about taking care of one's professional profile, without which I would not have been able to create a showreel and a network of social profiles for professionals that can have a very positive impact on the choice of a company looking for staff to hire.
Do you have a particular artist you are inspired by in style or technique?
It is difficult to pinpoint a specific artistic figure I am inspired by; the world is full of incredible artists, and any one of them can teach me something. Whether it's a concept artist seen on Artstation, or whether it's a colleague of mine at work, every artist (3D and otherwise) can offer you a cue to improve artistically or technically. That's why the world of computer graphics is beautiful, you have to be hungry for information and have a lot of determination to improve every day in what you do. To be honest, the artists I admire most and who have played an important role in my growth as an artist are those from the past: sculptors like Bernini and Michelangelo, or painters like Caravaggio and Turner. It is thanks to them that I cultivate my love for art. Because yes, our work is made up of technicalities and strict rules, but let's not forget that we are artists.
What projects have you worked on and which of them have given you the most satisfaction as an artist?
The project that is giving me immense satisfaction as a 3D artist is definitely the game we are developing at Ubisoft Milan: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, a Nintendo Switch video game that has been announced but about which unfortunately I cannot say much since it is still in the production phase. Knowing that I'm part of the team that will amaze millions of gamers around the world fills me with pride and a sense of responsibility, and I look forward to more and more difficult and important challenges throughout my career.
What are the next professional goals you would like to achieve?
I don't usually set long-term goals for myself; I am the kind of person who gives my all in the situation I am in, and I believe that with commitment and devotion good things always come. I am focused in what I am doing, and I would like to become a reference and highly reliable member of my team. However, the world of graphic design is expanding so fast and so disparate that the possibilities for job fulfillment are increasing all the time, so who knows what the future holds for me.
What would you never change about your job?
One of the things I have always liked about this world is the absolute meritocracy. If someone is successful in this job, it means that he or she has sacrificed a lot, pulled all-nighters in front of the PC, and worked hard every day to get to the point of making this passion a profession. So having the knowledge that you deserve every little success is extremely rewarding, and an artist needs his art to be appreciated.
If you could send a message to all young people who want to approach this profession, what would you recommend and what would you not recommend?
What I feel like saying to everyone who wants to enter the vast world of computer graphics, whether they are kids just out of high school or adults with a desire to pursue a new dream, is that this job requires a lot of sacrifice and commitment. What makes the difference, however, is pure passion. No 3D Artist finds himself or herself doing this work by accident, but is driven by an innate vocation. So if you feel this same vocation within you, give it your all, work tirelessly, make contacts with those who share your passion, help each other grow together, and you will see that this world will give you tremendous satisfaction. After all, our job is to amaze, entertain and above all offer the world fantastic realities and incredible adventures.