You Zhang Motion Designer and Computer Graphics Artist at Microsoft Wins for His Project 'Procedural

December 05, 2023 at 07:49 AM EST

A groundbreaking project, an amalgamation of the symbiosis of art and mathematics, You Zhang unlocks unprecedented precision using computer-generated imagery in this award-winning project.

Los Angeles, California Dec 5, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Crafting a realm where the worlds of art and science intertwine harmoniously, You Zhang's remarkable work for the project Procedural Flowers has been noticed by many connoisseurs of nature art and international award festivals. The popular project of the now Microsoft Motion Designer and Computer Graphics artist brought him honorable recognition on various well-known platforms.

You Zhang, a highly competent and educated individual, recently appeared for an interview to discuss his award-winning project and share his experience working with the ATOM63 team.

For the project, Mr. Zhang explored the popular mathematical phenomenon of the golden ratio, which is widely used in art, architecture, and the natural sciences. The base idea was experimenting with how procedural computer-generated imagery- CGIdesign can closely mirror nature's design process. He challenged himself to push his creative abilities to their limits to accomplish a project that had never been tried before like this. Procedural Flowers has won three awards so far; the first came at the Davey Awards, where it received the gold Individual Achievement--Illustration category award. The VEGA Digital Awards and MUSE Creative Awards also recognized the highest quality of work by Mr. Zhang.

For art lovers, Procedural Flowers may be pleasing to the eye; they might limit it to beauty, intricacy, and bright colors, but the right eye can dig deep into the meaning and brilliance the pieces encapsulate. The word Procedural holds great importance in explaining the concept of the project as it denotes the mathematical relevance that is present in it. Mr. Zhang reminisced about the moment he chose the project's name, expressing he was determined that he wanted the name to convey the thought process behind the creation accurately. The team used Cinema 4D and Octane Render, powerful tools that helped translate the mathematical data into art. Sounds unbelievable. That is how far we have come in the technological advancement era.

'The term 'procedural' in the project's name is pivotal. In CGI, procedural design involves creating objects and scenes through algorithms and rule-based systems, not manual modeling. This approach allowed me to generate the geometries of flowers--leaves, petals, stems, and even intricate details like hairs--not by hand but through logic and procedures. This method doesn't just create a static model; it allows for a dynamic, editable process where changes can be made, and new variations can be spawned with relative ease. It reflects the continuous growth and evolution seen in natural flora.' ----- Motion Designer and C.G. Artist, You Zhang.

Mr. Zhang attended the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his B.A. in Design and Visual Communication in Speculative Design and then did his M.F.A. in Human-Computer Interaction in Interaction Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is extremely delighted by the success of his project, which he considers a significant achievement in his professional career. He considers it the top among his notable works and views it as a valuable learning journey. For him, it is not just a project but embodies a well-rounded combination of emotions, inspiration from legendary artists, appreciation of nature, and embracing new technological horizons.

Speaking of his challenges and obstacles during production, Mr. Zhang said he believes he is part of an industry that puts invention, innovation, and progression at its core. Anyone who thinks they have extracted all from what the technology can do cannot sustain themselves in the field. The Microsoft employee, however, expected to come out of his comfort zone to consistently learn more about the C.G. software to comprehend his creative vision for the project. He was clear about his goal of distinguishing his work from that of his contemporaries in the field by ensuring the project had its own identity and articulated the intended message and concept.

Mr. Zhang extended his special thanks to the team, namely Thanos Kagkalos, Krisztina Vichnál, Ondrej Zunka, Perrin Lin, GOAT 1, for their expertise and experience that were of prime importance in making this dream project a reality. He acknowledged the contributions without whom the project would have been nearly impossible. Procedural Flowers was completed in an estimated three weeks.

For more details and information, please head over to https://www.atom63.io/. Follow You Zhang on his Instagram and Twitter social media handles to stay updated about his upcoming projects.

You Zhang is a professional Motion Designer and Computer Graphics artist at Microsoft. Mr. Zhang has been part of several award-winning projects, among which his work, Procedural Flowers, has been widely recognized and appreciated. The multi-talented tech enthusiast recently appeared for an interview with the local media, where he shared his experience working on his dream project and his personal life.