Steven Baltay - Artists Are The Designers Of Culture And The Communicators Of New Ideas (3D Artist)

Anyone can be a successful artist! If you work hard and keep focused you’ll make it. People who come up fast also fade out fast. So just work hard animate every day, and enjoy the process.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I first started animation in 3rd grade when I discovered the clay animation series Knox's Korner. I remember drawing a road on my desk and turning it into a small scene and shooting a video frame by frame. Then tight after I discovered 3d animation and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing I’d seen up until that point. 

I stuck with it up until college. Got a degree from Drexel in Animation, and then a Masters in digital art from Pratt, I had a short break with traditional painting and street art during that time, but ultimately returned to 3d art full time in 2017, the same year I started my Instagram, and the rest of the story can be seen from there!


2. How and when did you realize your passion for visual arts?

I come from a family of scientists and teachers, but my grandpa who I only knew when I was young was a photographer and I remember discovering a large stack of his old photographs in storage and thinking I would love to be a photographer someday. 

I also had a hard time with reading in school, it seemed like a difficult way for me to digest ideas, so in hindsight I think it’s pretty clear that I’ve always been a visual person.


3. What role does the artist have in society?

This is a question that I struggle with all the time. I think artists are the designers of culture and the communicators of new ideas. Most people would agree they love looking at art whether it’s a Picasso painting or a Marvel movie but it’s hard to put my finger on why exactly it’s so fundamental to life.


4. Describe your favourite visual effect from a movie. Why do you like it?

I really enjoyed watching Spider-Man Far from Home. The effect of reality being distorted through the film was very creative and well-executed.


5. What do you think is the best method to review visuals for corrections? And What is your favourite software to work with?

I think the best way to review something is the just walk away from it for a while! When you have fresh eyes the problems easy to see. For software, I work almost entirely with side FX Houdini, Octane, and AfterEffects.


6. What is the one piece of advice that you would give to aspiring visual artists?

Anyone can be a successful artist! If you work hard and keep focused you’ll make it. People who come up fast also fade out fast. So just work hard animate every day, and enjoy the process.


- Steven Baltay (3D Artist, Art Director)

Steven Baltay is a 3D artist and Art Director based in Brooklyn, NY. His work revolves around surreal representations of organic forms that evoke surprise, disgust, and satisfaction.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realimposter/


Interviewed By Akshaya Rathinavadivel