We are very excited to have the opportunity to interview Paul Trani, Principal Worldwide Creative Cloud Evangelist for Adobe and PixelSquid user! Paul recently demonstrated PixelSquid in a Photoshop Masterclass video and was happy to answer questions about his process, his teachings, and melding 2D and 3D art techniques.
PixelSquid: Tools like Dimension and PixelSquid have made 3D more accessible than it’s ever been. How can artists take advantage of this moment?
Paul Trani: Take advantage by starting to use those tools! The key thing is that creativity often comes from combining different ideas and technologies to return new results. So if an artist wants to stand out, use new tools!
What tips do you give 2D artists who want to start bringing 3D into their work? How do you see PixelSquid fitting into that process?
First off, let’s not make 3D sound intimidating. In the case of PixelSquid. it’s literally bringing in the exact image with the exact angle that you want. No fuss. So there’s no barrier for entry. Dimension is the next level where you can start compositing your own 3D scenes but even there you’re usually using premade 3D models and applying the lights/textures as you see fit. But it’s not more complex than Photoshop to be honest, and most designers have mastered it.
Mother Nature by Paul Trani
As a globetrotting Adobe evangelist, how do you plan to keep connecting with artists/inspiring people with world travel on hold for a while?
I will say that as an evangelist I’ve shifted more to livestreaming so I’ve seen just an explosion in attendance of livestreams. So it’s brought a ton more new people and has doubled my workload. But I love it! But the key thing as an evangelist is to “be everywhere”. People use different social media platforms and some don’t use them at all. So you have to diversify as much as possible.
Bloom by Paul Trani
You recently gave a Photoshop Masterclass on isometric art, which really blurs the lines between 2D and 3D. What drew you to isometric art in the first place? Are there any themes that you regularly explore in your compositions?
I like approaching things from a different perspective (get it?) and it’s a style I’ve seen that I finally got around to trying. And the themes in my art are usually nature, beauty, and skulls. This one ticks the first box.
Isometric Art: Impossible Triangle by Paul Trani
Featuring Humpback Whale and Apartment House objects from PixelSquid
With so many artists confined to their homes right now, do you think we are about to see an explosion of creative projects online?
We will see an explosion of creative projects. Which is so exciting! It’s fun having new people watching livestreams and learning from them!
Are you working on anything exciting right now?
Yes! Always! Since so many new creatives want to learn Adobe tools I’ve been livestreaming Daily Creative Challenges in 10 day sprints. So that’s fun. And personally I’m working on a deck of cards. Basically 52 illustrations. Won’t be done until Christmas though.
We’re looking forward to it, Paul!
As Principal Worldwide Creative Cloud Evangelist for Adobe, Paul is passionate about empowering designers to create compelling content using their creativity and new technology. Whether it’s traditional graphic design and branding, 3D printing, or compelling web and mobile experiences. You can follow his work on Instagram and Behance, and watch his livestreams on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
If you’re interested in being featured in our artist tutorials and spotlights, you can email our content team at marketing@pixelsquid.com.