Having a love for computers as long as she can remember, and endless talent as an artist proven by prestigious awards as far back as high school, Renderosity is pleased to have Heather Clemenceau (Clemenceau) as our September, 2024, Artist of the Month. 

Born in Montreal and now residing in Toronto, the Canadian started drawing in high school  where she won the "Breithaupt-Clark" award, offered by The Guild of All Arts, an artist's co-op and center for Canadian artists and craftsmen. She loved computers and eventually found Bryce3D and played with it for “eons” creating different versions of the classic "reflective sphere on the water" images. Her natural artistic instinct and knowledge of computers were weaving a future for Heather.

She’s now a digital marketer and uses the Creative Suite every day to produce product labels, marketing assets and occasional movies.

Heather loves animals, especially horses. After many years of horse ownership ended for her, Clemenceau spent time as a director for the non-profit Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, and created their current logo using her talents and Poser as her tools.

Another flight of fantasy for Clemenceau developed when she embraced her love of Gothic creations and began producing Halloween tombstones for personal display. Her props are not the terrifying kind, but instead are more Victorian style replicated from authentic historical figures’ burial sites.

She also collects rubbings of famous tombstones when her travels take her near significant cemeteries. “I have rubbings from King Arthur's supposed tomb in Glastonbury England, W.B. Yeats in Ireland, and most recently visited the cemeteries of war dead on Mackinac Island in Michigan,” she said.      

Q&A 

What moved you to begin creating 3D digital images? What were the first programs and tools you used to create your art?

I started with Bryce after finding Mike Bonnell's site. Then when I needed a way to create figures, I incorporated Poser 4 into my workflow. I was also influenced by early 2000's Myst and Riven games, which cemented my desire to recreate similar fantastical worlds.  

What was the process like moving from getting a feel for the tools and software to creating images you were pleased with and wanted to display?

It probably wasn't very satisfying for me initially, which is why I was a member of Renderosity for a long time, bought many products, and yet never published a gallery of my own. Plus, there was a long period of time when I owned horses that I never had time for art. I felt that features in Poser were advancing faster than I could keep up with, so I was still on a learning curve. It wasn't until I started using Poser 10 that I felt that my art was starting to go the way I wanted it to look. 

How would you describe your style?

I gravitate mostly toward fantasy, sci-fi, apocalyptic, and gothic art. I don't really place my characters in overly realistic sets or clothing for the most part - I prefer the more flamboyant creatures and characters from mythology, and sometimes movies. I would characterize most art I produce as "heroic fantasy," or "sword and sorcery." I prefer bright, more saturated color themes.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I regularly see so many impressive product offerings that sometimes I buy them right away, even though I may not be able to think of how I can yet use them!  Sometimes I see artwork in AI and decide I want to create something similar in 3D. I follow some artists on Instagram who create things in clay, or other materials, and want to replicate some aspect of that in 3D. 

What are the most important tools and software you use now for your work?

I use mostly Poser 12, and occasionally Bryce. I've also taken to doing a small amount of work in DAZ, but mostly as .FBX files that I export to Poser. For many years now, I've used Diard Software's Universe for space scenes, which is available as a stand-alone application or a Photoshop plug-in. For post-processing, I use Photomatix HDR and Photoshop. I use Poser as my primary go-to app because I'm most familiar with it, and for me, it's the easiest to use. I like the presets in my HDR app and tend to stick with a few basic ones, but I really like the way they give a broader tonal range to a piece of art.  I sometimes render things in pieces (background and foreground objects separately), so I need Photoshop to assemble the layers, use brushes, and make color corrections. 

How has your work changed over time and where do you think it’s headed?

Thematically I don't think it has changed, but as product offerings, software features, and characters have advanced, I think my art gets better. So really it's everyone else elevating my game, by providing all the tools.

Are there artists that influence you, or do you have a mentor that has helped at any point? 

I would say that my main influencers are: Mary Haggard, an Arabian horse artist who isn't well known outside of horse circles; Glen Loates, a Canadian wildlife artist; and Julie Bell, who is, of course, a well-known fantasy artist. I would also add that I get a lot of influence from the creativity of 3D vendors. I felt stagnated a bit because for a long time I didn't know I could use .fbx files from DAZ in Poser, and I met someone on Rendo who was enormously helpful in navigating me in that direction, so I guess this person was a mentor of sorts. 

If you could have dinner with any artist, living or dead, who would it be?

I would choose any of the above, and there are a few Renderosity vendors who have passed on, whose products I frequently use, and if supernaturally possible, I would choose to avail myself of some good convos with them as well. 

What are your favorite subjects? What do you really get immersed in?

My favorite subjects are horses, especially centaurs and wild horses, and dragons, hydras, mermaids, and other fantasy critters. I get really focused trying to create the perfect environment for them with an abundance of detail. 

What tips do you have for those who are just getting started in 3D artwork?

Keep a notebook or digital document to record your inspirations. I often wake up in the middle of the night and have to message myself about a creative I've thought of.  Do all the tutorials you can find in your initial software choice, since understanding your software helps against "rage quitting" when you get frustrated. If you don't already work with photo editing software, get Photoshop Elements or ON1 or similar program to help polish your renders. Ask for honest constructive critique.