For THE WAY OF SUCCESS column , we meet Mattia Ruffo, Surfacing Artist in Rainbow CGI and former 3d Digital Production Master's student.
Hi Mattia,
First of all, thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Let's start by asking how did your passion for computer graphics come about and why did you choose Rainbow Academy?
Hello! Thank you for inviting me to participate. Actually, the passion for computer graphics developed gradually through another passion, which is comic books. When I was a kid my uncle gave me some issues of Spider-Man, and I, who had inherited the passion for drawing from my father, tried to faithfully redraw all those absurd and dynamic poses of the superhero, which seemed to come to life in the cartoons. When I found out about the existence of a program, Adobe Flash, that would really allow me to animate drawings, I switched from paper to digital. I experimented a bit with 2D animation until my curiosity and my desire to always want to learn something new opened the door to computer graphics. At that point it was immediately clear to me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I started looking for the most direct training path: Rainbow Academy.
What were your first professional experiences?
Having studied at a high school such as Cine -TV Roberto Rossellini I have always been in contact with the world of entertainment. The closest work experience to what I do today was definitely the month of work school I did at a small company in South Rome working in advertising. I was involved in compositing, mainly in After Effects. Other experiences then I had always through school as an editor; I worked on projects with the Carabinieri, MIUR and even RAI.
What is your current role? Can you describe what you are in charge of and what your responsibilities are?
As of today I am an operator in the Surfacing department, I mainly do the UVs, textures and shading of the assets that come to me from the Modeling department. Mainly characters, but sometimes I also help out with props and sets when needed. My primary responsibilities are first and foremost to meet deadlines so that the production process runs smoothly, and to follow all the directions given by the client, the design provided, and my supervisor for the realization of the asset. Sometimes I have also happened to line up new recruits by mentoring them, or manage small teams when required.
Of the things you learned in Rainbow Academy, were there elements that proved useful for your career?
Absolutely. First and foremost is building a good mindset. Working in the world of computer graphics requires a lot of patience and the ability to handle the pressure of delivery to still perform at your best. Rainbow Academy has an extra boost in this because it gives you the opportunity to train with professionals who work in the field. You can treasure their experience and learn different tricks of the trade.
Do you have a particular artist you are inspired by in style or technique?
I actually like a lot of different styles. I love when an artist can create his or her own personal brand, when you can recognize who the author is even without reading the name. I especially love Gabriele Dell'Otto's art style, his illustrations are crazy! I personally am currently continuing to study new techniques and software, I am constantly looking for new artists to study, and I am trying to experiment with different styles. I have not yet reached a maturity to develop my own brand, which I definitely intend to do, however.
What projects have you worked on and which of them have given you the most satisfaction as an artist?
The first project I worked on was 44 Cats, and I'm very proud of it, since from an artistic quality point of view it raised the bar for that band of cartoons by a lot. I have also worked on many other projects and each of them has been instrumental in contributing to my professional development. I have always tried to overcome as best I could the challenges and difficulties that came my way while trying to learn as much as possible from them. To this day as a team at Rainbow CGI we strive every day to raise the bar, and many good things are coming in the near future.
What are the next professional goals you would like to achieve?
I want to position myself online as an artist, create my own brand, become a reference point for those who have recently started in this field or would like to start. I would also like to contribute educationally to help as many people as possible. In addition, I would like to work on a movie or video game about spiderman in such a way as to pay homage to the character from which I slowly developed a passion for this work.
What would you never change about your job?
Definitely the whole artistic part made of observation and experimentation. The most beautiful thing is when you have an idea in your head and you manage to realize it no matter how and in how long. Sometimes I'm so obsessed that if I'm out and about it can happen that I'll be enchanted staring at an object or a material to visualize all the details that I might need for the project I'm working on. And then teamwork, even though 3D projects may seem like the product of individual work because it's you and the computer, actually communication and sharing of ideas and information is key.
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?
I would like to say something I think is very important. Especially when you are just starting out, there is often a tendency to compare one's skills with those of other peers, artists or people close to us, and think that we are not good or suited for a particular craft. We often want everything right away, but the truth is that everyone needs to take their time and everyone has a different starting point. In the end we can all get to the result we desire, ''no one is born learned.'' Do not be discouraged if you see someone who is better than you today, you can become as good as them or even better. Concentrate on your own path, do not lose focus and take advantage of those around you to learn as much as you can. Steal with your eyes and be curious.
Then I recommend that you always continue to nurture and cultivate your passion, even after you become a professional, so the work will never become monotonous.
