When you first encounter one of Massimo Righi’s 3D animal models, it doesn’t feel like you’re just looking at a digital sculpture. You’re eye to eye with something alive - something with weight, personality, and presence. A lion’s quiet strength, a goat’s nervous energy, or a wolf’s focused tension - Massimo captures more than just anatomy. He captures life.
Now a newly joined artist on CGTrader, Massimo brings not only incredible technical skill but also a deep and lifelong passion for wildlife that’s woven into every model he creates. You can explore Massimo Righi’s full range of lifelike 3D animals, from majestic lions to intricate smaller species, on the Massimo Righi store.
Massimo’s love for animals runs deep - stretching back to his childhood. “I’ve always been fascinated by wildlife,” he shares. “Not just how animals look, but how they move, behave, and interact with their environment.”
That fascination found fertile ground in a surprising place: a bookstore. Surrounded by volumes on art, anatomy, and nature, Massimo found himself increasingly drawn to digital tools that could extend his passion beyond sketching. “When I discovered 3D, it was like finding the perfect medium,” he recalls. “I wasn’t just drawing them anymore - I could sculpt every muscle, simulate fur, and create something that felt truly alive.”
His journey into 3D wasn’t a career move - it was an evolution. A calling. A merging of his two greatest loves: animals and craft.
What hooked Massimo on 3D modeling was its limitless potential. “It gave me full control over form, texture, light, and movement,” he says. “I could simulate how fur reacts to wind or how light scatters through layers of skin - things that just aren’t possible in 2D.”
As much as 3D appealed to his artistic instincts, it also spoke to his logical side. “There’s a satisfying structure to 3D,” he explains. “It’s all about making everything work together - technically and artistically.”
While his models might appear effortlessly lifelike, the process is anything but simple. “The hardest part isn’t the anatomy - it’s capturing the life behind the form,” Massimo explains.
Creating believable fur, for example, is a science in itself. Direction, clumping, length variation, even color shifts - every tiny element has to be dialed in just right. And then there’s the emotion. “If the pose or expression lacks energy, the model still feels flat,” he says. “That emotional realism - making the viewer feel like the animal could breathe or move at any second - is always what I aim for.”
Each new model begins with research - and lots of it. “I collect everything: muscle maps, skeleton diagrams, videos, even footage I shoot myself,” he says.
Though he’s not an animator, studying movement is critical to understanding form. “How a muscle stretches, how tension builds, how a limb shifts - it all helps me model more dynamically, even if the pose is static.” Over time, his observational skills have sharpened. He now sees small asymmetries and subtle textures he wouldn’t have noticed years ago - what he calls “the rhythm of the species.”
When asked which animal stands out most in his growing portfolio, Massimo doesn’t hesitate: the lion. “There’s something incredibly powerful and majestic about them,” he says. “The mane, the muscle structure, the intensity - it’s a perfect blend of strength and elegance.”
Modeling a lion, he explains, challenges him on every level. “The mane is an art form on its own,” he laughs. His library now holds several distinct lions, each one with its own pose, age, and character. “It never gets old. Each one teaches me something new.”
Massimo’s goal isn’t just to impress - it’s to move people. “I want viewers to feel a connection - not just to the image, but to the animal itself,” he says. His renders aim to freeze a moment in time, capturing personality, tension, or peace.
“If someone pauses and feels curiosity, respect, or empathy - if they start imagining the story behind the animal - then I know I’ve done something right.”
To aspiring artists looking to follow in his footsteps, Massimo offers advice rooted in observation and patience. “Never stop observing,” he says. “Master your tools, but more importantly, understand your subject.”
He urges beginners to focus on structure and movement before chasing hyper-detail. “Realism takes time. Be patient. Get the forms right first - polish comes later.”
Above all, he emphasizes passion. “If you love your subject, it will show in your work. That love will carry you through every late night and every challenge.”
With artists like Massimo Righi joining CGTrader, the platform gains more than just technical excellence - it gains storytellers, observers, and creators who infuse their work with purpose. His models are more than assets - they are tributes to the living world. Through them, Massimo reminds us that in every strand of fur, every fold of skin, and every quiet gaze, there’s a story waiting to be seen. Check out the complete collection of Massimo Righi’s lifelike 3D animals on the Massimo Righi store.
Want to be in our next Designer Spotlight?
We feature top-quality designers from the community. If you think your work stands out, send a private message to Greta-CGT on CGTrader with the subject “Designer Spotlight” and include a link to your portfolio. We review every submission and will get in touch if it’s a good fit for an upcoming feature.
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