Paul Hatton learns how the master visualiser found a passion for stunning interior renders
The revelation that Jonathan Nicholson has been creating such beautiful art having spent only a decade within the industry is nothing short of staggering. The highly talented artist has a creative flair and attention to lighting and materials that makes him stand out among the crowd. Also a passionate storyteller, Nicholson looks to inject character and narrative into every one of his works.
You describe yourself as a passion-driven and obsessive creator. How did your world become connected with that of 3D visualisation?
I’ve always had a love and an appreciation for 3D, design and photorealism, but when I was younger I didn’t know of a way to combine the three. Like so many others, my introduction to 3D was from playing video games, but I learned ver y early on that the video game industr y wasn’t the one for me.
Instead, I decided to pursue a generalist 3D/animation degree, and in my first job after school I was working for a company that created product and interior visualisations. It took me about a year into it to realise, but then it clicked that this was it; 3D, photorealism, and design all in one in the form of visualisation. Since that discover y, it’s been my passion for about eight years.
What’s your biggest aim in your art? Is it photorealism or something else?
For me, the goal is to inspire people. Photorealism is a part of that, but in the realms of 3D, photorealism has been mostly figured out. And now, just as there are millions of uninspiring photographs, there are also lots of uninspiring visualisations.
You ask what separates that generic photography from the photography that you can see on magazine covers? I’m still asking myself that too, so it’s not like I’ve figured it all out, but I’d say that’s the aim: to get to that level past fooling someone into believing it’s a photo.
The first thing that strikes me from your renders is the mood that you manage to create; the way the lighting and materials interact is gorgeous. How have you managed to master this and what are some of the lessons you’ve learned?
I’m far from saying I’ve mastered anything, but for my current skill level it comes from relentlessly studying photos and the world around me. I spend an unhealthy amount of my time on social media following designers and photographers, just absorbing their beautiful imager y. After a while, you’
