When the entire Renderosity community chose Joe Jarrah as Artist of the Month for November, 2024, little did they know of the world view he has which certainly influences his art and the excellence and passion with which he pursues it.   

Jarrah was born in Kuwait City after his father, a diplomat, was assigned there while it was still a British protectorate. A few years later, just after independence arrived, they left. His father and mother, who was a doctor, moved around the world “a lot” while he was a child, living through turbulent times in Egypt, Lebanon and Yugoslavia before returning to the calm (and safety) of England where he finished school and has lived since.

He later earned a doctorate as a marine biologist and that too, has taken him all over the world in his own career.     

What was your first interest in computers and how did you transition to creating 3D artwork? What were the first programs and tools you used to create your art?

 I think I came across my first ray-traced computer-generated art image at school – just a really simple scene of some metal spheres on a chessboard, but in the early 80s that level of realism was still pretty radical! That piqued my interest, but computers were rare and exorbitantly expensive when I was growing up, so it wasn't something I could really pursue very far. Many years later, when I had acquired a basic PC of my own as a post-grad student, I started playing around with fractal image generators and the like, and I was able to sign up to sites like Renderosity and follow artists I admired. I only tried 3D for myself relatively recently, when I came across a free program called DAZ – a revelation!  Up to that point I was still working with pencil, ink and paper. I got on quite quickly with learning to pose objects and create scenes, but  it was a much slower process getting my head around how to render effectively to the point I could approximate what I had in my mind's eye. I was able to apply principles of composition and lighting learned from spending many years with a camera, which have really helped. The advent of Iray was big leap (once I had a machine that could run it!) and something of a challenge to unlearn my old process and understand how to finesse lighting, use HDRIs and optimize rendering – I'm still learning to this day. I would describe my style as "figurative." It incorporates elements and lessons of both photography and painting, and I try to emphasize mood over realism. A lot of the development of that style came about by simple experimentation. I'm also grateful for the guidance and tips offered over the years by the 3D community, including past and present Rendo artists.  

I see a significant change in your style, the past year and a half or so. What are you doing differently and what tools are you using that made the difference?  

Any changes are down to how, not what, I think. I've not changed my rig in many years, and the only change in software has been the regular DAZ updates. Taking on a digital comic (Skytown) was great discipline and has really helped improve my compositional skills, and prompted me to experiment more with different points of view, camera angles and geometry. Also, having less time since lockdown means, though I make fewer images, I probably take greater care with subtleties and details than before. I'm also still learning new tricks with lights and filtering in Iray. There's much more yet to discover. I'm using a pretty low power rig by today's standards, so that also forces me to be more considered in what I include in a scene.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

 Everywhere! Paintings, music, nature, comic books, movies, bad puns, other Rendo artists... I even did a couple of pictures inspired by a particularly delicious bag of coffee beans! 

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

 I'm a fan of simplicity so I stick with DAZ and Iray; its familiar and the workstream is therefore less laborious, and I can focus on the art rather than the IT. I really like that they make such a good quality package free; it democratizes the art form. My software suite is pretty basic, and mostly comprises freebies! I have added Adobe CS2 to the workstream for occasional compositing and post processing, and I use PowerPoint for layouts when making digital comics. I occasionally also use the venerable Paint Shop Pro 5 for creating custom textures. 

How has your work changed over time and where do you see it headed?  

 I think it’s become more considered, and whereas it was initially heavily informed by photography, it’s now more influenced by painting, particularly British painting from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I'm starting to incorporate more symbolism as a result, and I can see that it continues to develop. I've always liked 'toons, too, and have a mind to experiment in that direction; possibly in a future digital comic.  

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

 Too many to list in full – from my childhood best friend, a Ghanaian of prodigious talent who taught me to draw cartoons, to my art teacher at school who was the first person to buy one of my paintings (a portrait of him), for the princely sum of £5 – not insignificant to a teenager in the 1980s, to my sister who is an art historian, to the super talented artists on Rendo who influence and encourage me on a weekly basis, (I hope you know who you are… a big hug to you all!). 

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

 Thats SO hard to answer! I admire so many, but a dinner guest must be able to do more than make great images, so if I had to pick just one right now, it would possibly be Jim Fitzpatrick (the creator of THAT famous Che Guevara poster, most of Thin Lizzy's album covers and a huge body of Irish mythical illustrations).  I think he would have the most amazing stories to tell!   

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

 I'm fond of many genres, but obscure mythology and history are probably my favorite. Theres such a rich vein of storytelling opportunities there. I also go through sci-fi/steampunk phases; it was one of those that inspired the "Skytown" comic book series.   

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

 Firstly, it’s all about light. You can radically alter the mood and feel of a scene by doing nothing more than moving the lights around. Also, less is often more –  a carefully composed scene with one figure and one light can be more effective than chucking the kitchen sink at it! Finally, the best pictures tell stories, so think about the implied narrative in your composition and posing.  

What, if anything, would you like to say to the community? 

 The Rendo community has changed a lot in the decade I’ve been a part of it, and many have commented it appears to be in decline and are very discouraged as a result. I would urge everyone to keep championing 3D, creating and sharing; there is still so much thoughtful and engaging work being made and it remains a source of great joy and inspiration. We live in difficult times and in increasingly divided societies. I see art as a bridge, a medium for communicating that can transcend boundaries. Whatever the message of a piece of work, no matter how challenging, if we engage with it in a spirit of respect and curiosity, it becomes a medium for communicating that can transcend boundaries. A challenge should be seen as an invitation to grow, rather than an affront.