Discover how Armando Savoia's experiment using Vantage on a personal project led to him reexamining his workflow for future concept art work.
Summary:
- Armando Savoia is an Italy-based concept artist whose work has been used in projects like Those About To Die, Immortals of Aveum, Ben-Hur, and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
- He has used V-Ray for over 15 years, primarily to create still images.
- To improve his skill set, he tested Vantage on a personal project to explore its real-time rendering capabilities.
- The finished result inspired Armando to use Vantage for short animations in future professional projects.
After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Armando Savoia established himself by working in various art departments across film projects. After growing his skills, he has found his niche as a sought-after concept artist, contributing to blockbusters like Those About To Die, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ben-Hur, and video games such as Immortals of Aveum.
Typically, Armando's expertise is pivotal at the start of a project when his concept art helps define the visual identity of films, TV series, and games. His concept art gives the production team a window into what the final product will look like after filming and post-production. Despite his work projects focusing on still images, Armando's curiosity about animation and real-time rendering led him to try Vantage on a personal project.
Mastery in still images but craving more
Over his 20 years in media and entertainment, Armando has developed a workflow that allows him to work quickly while ensuring he also has space to be precise—a necessity when working on projects where the finished result is designed to be seen on the biggest screens.
When he works, he first creates his designs in 3ds Max before using V-Ray, which he has used for over 15 years. "It's a great tool," he says. Some of his most indispensable V-Ray features include the lighting system, specific shaders like Blend Material, texture maps like Dirt, and the ability to change the light value after rendering. "Then, if you have a good CPU and GPU, it is a pleasure working on whatever design you are tasked with!"
Armando's projects generally require him to produce detail-rich, evocative still images. "I rarely need to use animation," he says. Still images are more significant in concept art. When it comes to designing sets or something like that, you need to have the skills to describe a place or an object without animation."
Despite this, his interest in developing his animation skills was piqued while working on the 2024 series Those About to Die. During production, the Visual Effects department shot on the LED Volume stage in Rome for 108 days, spurring Armando to try real-time for himself, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.
Using Vantage to explore the nooks and crannies of an eccentric scene
Motivated to try real-time, Armando decided to create a scene to fit a character named Father Casper Wanderdrossel, a German Jesuit priest who appears in Umberto Eco's 1994 novel L'isola del giorno prima (The Island of the Day Before). Although not a major character in the novel, he grabbed Armando's attention. "I thought a lot about a possible place where his eccentric ideas could be embodied."
Over a month, Armando worked in his free time to create a Cabinet of Curiosities fit for Father Casper. Working his usual workflow, he composed the scene with 3ds Max before rendering with V-Ray, spending more time and attention on the materials than he usually would on work projects. Then it came time to try Vantage, an enjoyable new experience for the concept artist. "Vantage was the real novelty," he said. "I have to say that it was really interesting to have the chance to move freely in the space I designed and make a video that I could share."
Total immersion in a treasure trove—and inspiration for the future
Armando set himself challenging parameters, creating a richly decorated but small space. Vantage allowed him to explore different camera angles and capture the scene’s intricate details. For Armando, the result conjured up images from another Italian novel. "It felt like being in Pinocchio's belly of the whale!" By splitting the room into two thematic floors, Armando showcased the depth and versatility of his design, with an ocean-themed first floor and the second filled with plants and a laboratory.
With The Cabinet of Father Casper complete, Vantage enabled Armando to create short animations that fully explored his scene from various camera angles. This experience left such an impression that he could see himself using it in future projects. "I think I can use short animations like these for better showcasing my work sometimes, so I believe I will be using [Vantage] again in the future."
Armando’s experience with Vantage shows the potential for other artists to expand their skill sets and explore their work with new tools. By adding Vantage to his workflow, Armando enhanced his ability to create immersive environments and discovered new ways to present his work going forward.
