This week, New York Art Life had the pleasure of sitting down with Miao Liu, a visionary in the world of 3D character design. With over 15 years of experience, Liu has become pivotal in shaping the digital landscapes we increasingly inhabit. From traditional game development to cutting-edge NFTs, Liu’s work spans the spectrum of digital art. Let’s look into his journey, creative process, and vision for the future of digital art.
New York Art Life: For our readers who are new to this field, please explain what 3D graphics and NFTs are.
Miao Liu: Certainly. 3D graphics are the foundation of modern video games and animated films. They involve creating three-dimensional digital representations of objects and characters, allowing artists like myself to craft immersive worlds and lifelike figures. It’s like digital sculpting, using specialized software to shape, color, and animate our creations. NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens, are a more recent development. They’re unique digital assets verified using blockchain technology. Think of them as digital collectibles, each one-of-a-kind and verifiably owned. They’re opening up exciting new possibilities for digital artists like me, allowing us to create unique, collectible pieces that people can own in the digital space.
New York Art Life: Thank you for that! Miao, your career spans traditional game development to cutting-edge NFTs. Can you tell us about your current work and how it differs from your previous projects?
Miao Liu: Yes! Since August 2022, I’ve been working with Degen Ape Academy, creating high-quality NFT assets. It’s been an exhilarating shift from traditional game development. I’ve made over 100 unique 3D models for their digital art collections. That’s a lot! And each one pushes the boundaries of digital creativity. What makes this project special is the fusion of digital and physical collectibles. I’m not just creating digital assets, but also designing 3D print toys. It’s a delicate balance between artistic expression and practical manufacturing considerations. Seeing my digital creations take physical form is incredibly rewarding and showcases the versatility required in today’s digital art landscape.
New York Art Life: That’s fascinating. Can you walk us through some of your most important works and the experiences behind them?
Miao Liu: Of course! One of my most significant projects was working on Merger Legion at Beijing Karma Game Co. Ltd. I had the opportunity to design and develop the Warriors characters, which became a core element of the game. This project was gratifying as the Warriors character design won the 2024 MUSE Creative Awards Platinum in the Branded Content – Game / Application category. The experience of seeing my work recognized on such a global platform has been incredibly fulfilling and has pushed me to continue honing my craft in game design. One of my proudest achievements is the character “Zhong Kui,” which won multiple awards in the Global Game Art Contest. This character allowed me to blend Chinese mythology with contemporary game design. I created a unique fusion of cultural elements and modern aesthetics.
New York Art Life: You’ve worked on some high-profile projects, including “Time Raiders” at H&R Century Pictures Co. Ltd. What was it like supervising a team for a film and TV IP mobile game?
Miao Liu: Working on “Time Raiders” from November 2015 to December 2018 was a significant milestone in my career! As a supervisor overseeing a team of 10 artists, I had the opportunity to demonstrate my leadership abilities alongside my artistic skills. It was both challenging and advantageous.
The project was fascinating because it was a mobile game based on a film and TV IP. We had to maintain an extraordinarily high level of quality to match the expectations set by the source material. But also optimizing for mobile platforms. We primarily used Maya and ZBrush to create our character models, tools that allowed us to achieve the level of detail and quality we needed. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring consistency across all the characters. Keep in mind we still needed each artist’s creativity to shine through. It required a delicate balance of direction and freedom. I found that clear communication and regular check-ins were vital to maintaining this balance and keeping the project on track. This experience taught me that creating unforgettable characters is just one part of the equation. Truly! Equally important is the ability to guide and inspire other artists. We need to help them reach new heights of creativity and technical excellence. It was a valuable lesson in leadership that has informed my approach to collaborative projects ever since.
New York Art Life: Your work spans various styles and genres. How do you approach these different artistic challenges, and who are some of the artists that inspire you?
Miao Liu: Adaptability is key in this industry. Each project comes with its own unique set of challenges and requirements. For realistic styles, like the characters in “Wild Frontier,” it’s all about the details. I spend a lot of time studying reference materials and understanding textures, lighting, and material interactions. For more stylized projects like “Merge Legion ” the focus shifts to capturing the essence of the style while ensuring the characters are appealing and readable. It often involves simplifying complex forms and exaggerating certain features for expressiveness. As for inspiration, I draw from a wide range of sources. Traditional artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci have taught me invaluable lessons about form and anatomy. In the digital realm, I’m incredibly inspired by artists like Craig Mullins and Feng Zhu. Their ability to create entire worlds from imagination is truly awe-inspiring! I also find inspiration in the works of contemporary character designers like Raf Grassetti and Frank Tzeng, who bring incredible life and personality to their digital creations.
New York Art Life: Your character “Zhong Kui” won multiple awards. Can you tell us more about the inspiration and process behind this character?
Miao Liu: Creating “Zhong Kui” was a significant project for me. Zhong Kui is a figure from Chinese mythology, known as a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings. I wanted to reimagine this traditional character in a contemporary, game-friendly style while honoring his cultural roots. The inspiration came from blending Chinese Daoist aesthetics with a modern, punk-style approach. I envisioned Zhong Kui as a spiritual monster hunter, bridging ancient lore and contemporary gaming culture. The process involved extensive research into traditional Chinese art and Daoist symbolism. I needed to do numerous sketches to capture Zhong Kui’s essence in a way that would translate well to 3D. For the 3D process, I used ZBrush for high-poly sculpting, 3ds Max for the final game-ready model, and Substance Painter for texturing. Winning the Silver Medal for Best Character Design and the Substance Adobe Special Award was incredibly validating! It proves that I showed the appeal of characters that blend cultural heritage with modern design.
New York Art Life: Your work has garnered numerous accolades, including recent recognition from the Muse Creative Reward， NYX Game Awards, and Vega Digital Awards. How have these honors influenced your career and artistic approach?
Miao Liu: The awards I’ve received, especially crowned as a 2024 MUSE Creative Awards Platinum winner and 2024 Gold Medals from the NYX Game Awards and the Vega Digital Awards, are deeply humbling. They validate the dedication I’ve poured into my craft. But I see them as milestones rather than endpoints! These recognitions have spurred me to push boundaries, explore new techniques, and continuously evolve as an artist. These awards have also opened doors to collaborate with other innovative minds in the industry, keeping me at the forefront of rising trends. They’ve reinforced my commitment to innovation. They have also encouraged me to take calculated risks and constantly challenge myself. In the world of digital art and 3D character design, this drive for excellence is crucial for making a lasting impact!
New York Art Life: As we wrap up, can you share your thoughts on the importance of your work in the broader context of digital art and entertainment?
Miao Liu: I believe the work we do as 3D character designers is increasingly crucial in our digital age. We’re not just creating pretty pictures or game assets. We’re crafting the avatars through which people express themselves online, the heroes that inspire players, and the faces that tell stories and evoke emotions. In an era where digital experiences are central to our lives, character designers play a vital role in shaping virtual interactions. What we’redoing is bridging the gap between technology and humanity. We bring warmth and personality to digital spaces. Moreover, with the advent of NFTs and blockchain technology, we’re redefining the concept of digital ownership and collectibles. This opens up exciting new possibilities for artists and collectors alike, potentially revolutionizing how we create, share, and value digital art.Ultimately, I see my work as creating connections – between the virtual and the real, between artists and audiences, between imagination and technology. As our world becomes increasingly digital, the importance of bringing life, personality, and cultural richness to our virtual experiences cannot be overstated.
New York Art Life: That’s a fascinating perspective! Lastly, how does a vibrant city like New York influence your work in the digital realm?
Miao Liu: New York is a canvas of endless inspiration, where art and design merge to create a masterpiece of creativity. While my work is digital, I find that physical locations, especially vibrant cities like New York, can be incredibly inspiring. The diversity, the energy, the blend of cultures and styles – all of these elements feed into the creative process, even when we’re working in the digital realm. It’s a reminder that, as digital artists, we should always keep our eyes open to the world around us. We need to draw inspiration from both the digital and physical landscapes we inhabit. The richness of experiences that cities like New York provide often shines through in the digital characters we create. This mix between the physical and digital worlds is what keeps our work fresh, relevant, and deeply connected to the human experience.
New York Art Life: Thank you, Miao, for this insightful conversation. Your passion and expertise genuinely shine through in your work and words!
As we bid farewell to Miao Liu’s digital atelier, we’re left marveling at the magical realms he conjures from pixels and polygons. Liu’s odyssey through the ever-shifting landscapes of digital art reads like a thrilling adventure. From breathing life into early game characters to his current role as a digital alchemist—transmuting code into award-winning masterpieces and blockchain-authenticated treasures—Liu has been a tireless explorer of the virtual unknown. In his hands, 3D character design becomes modern-day sorcery.
Yet, even as Liu pushes the boundaries of the digital frontier, he remains grounded in the rich tapestry of the physical world. Like a digital Da Vinci, he draws inspiration from New York’s bustling streets and ancient myths alike, weaving these real-world threads into his virtual creations. As we look to the horizon of digital art and entertainment, we can be sure that artists like Miao Liu will be there! Digital chisels in hand and carving new realities from the marble of possibility. They’ll paint the skies of our virtual worlds with colors yet unimagined, populating them with characters as real as our neighbors. In the process, they expand the very definition of creativity in our increasingly digital age.
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