All content copyright (c) 2008 Willi Hammes unless specified. Unauthorized reproduction, publishing or commercial use is strictly forbidden.

Info | Frequently Asked Questions :

1. Can I use your images for my website or modify them?
No, I don't want them to be backgrounds, menu bars or anything. I want them to be presented in there original way. I also don't want them to be modified in any way and used for anything which I haven't given permission to. Also a reason why there are no more high-res images or animation on the site.

2. What software do you use to greate your work?
I use different tools, but most of the time 3ds max, Maya, Digital Fusion and Photoshop.

3. Do you use Global Illumination in your images or animations?
No, I always do it the old fasion way by carefully placing lights to simulte bounce light or skylights. It gives me more control over the final result and it still renders faster too..

4. Can you send me some of your scenes/models?
I don't give a way any of my scene files or any other original material regarding my work. I'm also not interested in selling any of my images, animations, scenes or models.

5. How long does it take to produce such images and animations?
That depends on their complexity. Usually about two or three days, but could be also finished in a few hours or weeks. It's very different.

6. Your images and animation look great, how did you do that?
Years of practice and experience. I'm always trying to get better or improve techniques which I developed over the years. Set yourself new goals which you want to reach and keep an open mind for new things, that's how I do it.

7. I also want to working in the industry doing 3d, can you help me to get started?
I can't help you to learn 3d also I'm very busy so I like to spend my rare freetime with my family. But what you can do is, invest as much time as possible in trying out things, read tutorials and gather reference of any kind. 3d is nothing you can learn in some days, weeks or months, it takes years. If you ask what application to start with, that is not important. There is always the need to switch to other applications later since a particular application doesn't last forever. Also a lot of companys use their own inhouse software which you have to learn and use. The basics of 3d are the same in all applications, use what ever you like. I'm not a friend of studying, I think it's useless. Learning it all on your own is in my eyes the better solution to gain skill and besides it's a lot cheaper too. A good amount of initiative is needed as well and you need to be crazy to try it in the first place.

8. Can you add a link to my website in your link section?
I don't take requests to link sites. These links are just my personal favorites, they are on the site because I think they could be interesting for other people as well.

9. How did you make the water surface in your animations, did you use any plug-ins?
The water surface is a plane mesh deformed by some waves, noises and displacement modifiers, combined with a shader made out of procedural textures and some footage. The basic mesh in the test animation was generated in RealWave. I produced a new surface in 3dsmax for the one with the helicopters. Most of the realistic look and the small moving foam come from the shader combined with the live material.

10. What kind of computers do you use?
It's not really important what I use. Computers are just tools same as software they don't make great art it's the artist that does it, using what ever tools he's most comfortable with.

11. Can you recommend any books to learn 3d?
Not really, since I don't really read that many books about 3d. Best is you check one of the 3d community sites for book reviews or recommendations.

12. Why is your website so ugly?
Because I can't be asked to make a better one and I hate web stuff.