We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashwin Challapalli. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashwin below.

Hi Ashwin, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have been an artistic person from the very start. As a child, I attended painting and art classes regularly. In school, I loved spending time in the art department and eagerly participated in art classes. I always immersed myself in creative activities, whether it was building sets for dramas or simply painting. I also enjoyed pottery classes, which further fueled my creative passion.

I found inspiration during walks in the park with my mom and younger brother. Seeing flowers, I would come home and recreate them using paintbrushes of different sizes or by cutting a potato into the shape of a petal for stamp painting. These simple yet creative activities nurtured my artistic instincts. Overall, Thanks to my wonderfully supportive parents I had a strong creative inclination from a young age.

My introduction to animation came during a summer camp, where I first encountered the basics of 2D animation. It started with drawing circles and lines on a page, progressing to the classic ball animation using a lightbox. This experience sparked my interest in animation, and I became fascinated with animated movies. However, growing up in India, I didn’t initially realize that animation could be a viable profession or career path. It was simply something I loved to do.

By the time I had to choose a profession for college, my interest in animation and VFX had deepened. I was involved in graphic design projects and had a foundational understanding of the basics. Despite this, I still didn’t view it as a potential job opportunity because I hadn’t seen many people in my circle pursue such a career. My family and relatives were not in creative fields, so it wasn’t until later that I recognized animation and VFX as a legitimate profession.

While searching for a college and deciding what degree to pursue, I was unsure of what to pursue. My parents suggested I look at animation degrees and while researching about it, I realized that animation and VFX were very real prospects. There was a tangible reality to these fields that I hadn’t understood before. This realization deepened my love for animation and VFX even further. It was then that I decided I wanted to be a VFX artist or 3D animator, committed to pursuing a career in the artistic field.

Ashwin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I entered the industry through a summer camp where I first got exposed to animation. That initial spark led me to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 3D Animation and Visual Effects. During my studies, I was driven by a passion for creativity and began working on projects on the side to earn some pocket money. These side projects were not just about the money, it was fun and fulfilling.

I focused on learning and honing my skills. As I progressed, I began working on a variety of projects, expanding my expertise. The services I provide include 3D animation, visual effects, and CGI. I work with a range of tools such as Maya, Unreal Engine, Houdini, and Adobe Suite, including After Effects and Premiere Pro. My work covers character animation, modeling, visual effects, and more.

What sets me apart is my ability to think creatively and solve problems. For example, I started my career as an intern and quickly grew into a leadership role, eventually managing a team of over twenty people. I helped set up a production system and oversaw various production departments in a Edutech company specializing in E-Learning. My role often involves taking a client’s creative idea and turning it into reality, addressing challenges related to budgets, technical requirements, and logistical constraints.

I pride myself on my problem-solving skills and my ability to transform abstract concepts into polished visual experiences. My goal is to understand and execute the client’s vision while navigating any hurdles that may arise.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes, definitely. When I started my career, I focused on learning Maya, 2D animation, and Adobe software. However, I wish I had explored Nuke earlier on. While the node-based system can be a bit overwhelming at first, it has proven to be very useful in the long run. Ounce u get used to nuke u can get into houdini as well. Houdini is one I wish i started very early on. Its a profoundly useful software for VFX Artists.

I also wish I had discovered Unreal Engine much earlier. It has advanced significantly, and I would have benefited greatly from working with it sooner. Despite this, it’s been great to dive into it now.

For fellow and upcoming artists, I recommend staying updated with new AI tools. Some are incredibly useful, like MidJourney, WonderDynamics, and RunwayML. There are also AIs for auto-rigging characters, which can save a lot of time. Tools for clothing and dress simulation, as well as 3D modeling AIs like Meshi, are emerging. While Meshi may not yet be perfect for high-detail models, it’s quite handy for background or random objects. New tools keep emerging, so keeping an eye on these advancements can be quite beneficial.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing a concept come to life. It’s incredibly fulfilling to take an idea, work through the creative process, and then see it realized. Its really about seeing your work on the big screen, or any screen for that matter. The audience doesn’t know or most of the time doesn’t care about the struggle, what’s on the screen is what ultimately matters. So ultimately watching my work, or showing it to people or seeing it played on a Award show, all of these things are quite rewarding.

Ps: The pay is quite nice as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ashwinreddy9342.wixsite.com/portfolio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashwin_reddy_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwin-reddy-742612a1

Image Credits

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