Inspiration from morbid curiosity: an interview with Helmut Stark

To any of us - be it young or old time is probably the most valuable resource. With so many options and possibilities it‘s hard to start figuring out where to start. Now, consider juggling work, participating in numerous projects and then finding time to let your ideas flow in what little time you can scrape together. Today, we are taking a look at the fascinating work of Helmut Stark.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into the 3D industry?

Hello, my name is Helmut Stark, I live in Krugzell, Germany. I’m passionate about character design, game characters and sci-fi environments with a strong atmosphere. I love the process of taking my ideas and working on them step-by-step to model, texture, animate and bring them to life. I have published 2 android games that have racked up about 300,000 downloads, which lent to me getting a small kick-back from ads, but that's about the only industry experience I have so far. I wouldn’t consider myself part of the industry just yet, however.

What are the most important characteristics to become a recognized artist according to you?

In my mind, you have to try and do something differently. Don’t try to imitate someone else’s style. Instead, try to use different elements and forge something that people can recognize you by - your own style. I would personally stay away from that “clean” cgi look, because of how much it is being done.

What kind of models are the most attractive to you?

I think that I’ve got the most talent when it comes to characters, hence I enjoy them quite a bit. However, one of the things that got me seriously going with 3D modeling is the works of Gutalin. His insanely detailed, dark and morbid sci-fi scenes are the most inspiring artworks for me. I try to get close to his style, but haven’t been successful as of yet.

What tool would you consider indispensable for your work?

Zbrush, hands down. It’s a fantastic tool and gives me the artistic freedom to get ideas out of my head and into the computer. It also works as a timesaver, due to some of the techniques that speed up the process immensely.

What is the hardest thing in modeler’s life?

For me, it has to be time. I am a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, while modeling is still just a hobby for me. Between the night and day shifts and my family it is hard to find time for modeling.

How would you best describe your projects in three words?

Detailed, unexpected and often nightmarish.

What/who are your influences in life?

The Ramones illustrate my life pretty well: no intro, no outro, just straight to the point. I always try to go harder and faster than expected, staying sarcastic as I go. This fits for all aspects in my life. As for art influences: Alexander Kozhanov (Gutalin) who I‘ve already mentioned, H.R. Giger and all of my childhood heroes (Saber Rider, Galaxy Rangers and some more).

How do you take a break from work? What are your hobbies?

I enjoy running in my free time, as well as training the Wing Chun martial art. And of course - good whisky, rum and beer! I also play guitar, bass and I sing in a rock band.

Are there any future projects you can tell us about?

Currently, I’m part of a game project - It is called AI – hostile takeover. The game is a mech shooter in which you can hijack other mechs.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Maybe by that time I’ll be part of the industry!