EXCLUSIVE PRIME 1 INTERVIEW - SCULPTOR ALVARO RIBEIRO

With their huge 1/3 versions of Transformers and Batman Arkham series, Prime 1 Studio took the market by storm relying on differentiate size and ultra-detailed figures with a superlative quality control of the end product.

With more and more fans “converted” each day and a line of more affordable 1/4  figures on the way, Prime 1 has a lot going on and therefore a lot to talk about. I’m sure this interview will be a success, since Prime 1 already became a legend among collectors of our hobby.

1 – How old are you and for how many years you work as a professional sculptor?

AR (Alvaro Ribeiro): I'm 24 and I've been working as a professional 3D artist for about 4 years.

Prime 1's Alvaro Ribeiro

2 – Do you sculpt solemnly with 3D software? If so, is it ZBrush? If not, in which situations do you make handmade sculpts?

AR: I studied a little of traditional sculpting but I work only with 3D to make statues. 90% of time I'm using ZBrush, but in some situations I use software like Blender.

3 – Tell us briefly your story. How did you become a sculptor?

AR: Since I was a kid, I really liked to draw. I was drawing at home and during school, but just for fun. RPG books, video games and fantasy movies always inspired me, I was always paying attention to colors, environment and characters design. At school, I started to play a little with 3D software, but doing just simple things. When I was 18, I went to university to study cinema and animation. The classes were great, but not exactly what I wanted, so during the university I studied a lot of 3D by myself. I used to get home after classes and study ZBrush until late at night. At this point, I worked on simple projects, but very boring stuff. In 2014, I heard about an online workshop with Pedro Toledo and Rafael Grassetti, two great Brazilian artists. I learned a lot from these two professionals and my work improved a lot in a few months. After this, I had the honor to help Rafael Grassetti with some jobs, including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles statues for Prime 1 Studio. After that, Prime 1 contacted me and I've been working with them as 3D artist since then.

3 – To which companies you already worked for?

AR: At beginning, I worked as freelance artist only for very small studios in Brazil. After my first contact with Grassetti, I helped him to make a model for Gentle Giant, than I did some commissions for Dubai and USA and now I work with Prime 1 Studio.

4 – So now you work for Prime 1 Studios. You do your contributions from Brazil or had to travel abroad?

AR: As I told above, my first contact with them was helping Grassetti to make the TMNT statues. After that, I worked directly for Prime 1, doing Batman statues from Arkham Knight game. All work I did for them was from Brazil, I didn't have the chance to visit Prime 1 Studio in Japan yet.

5 - Looks like they use several sculptors work in tandem for the same project in Prime 1. Is it true? How to maintain the unity of the project with so many “hands” touching the same piece?

AR: It is true. I started working with them only as artist, but with time, I invited some friend artists to work with me and a few months later, I was managing a few sculptors. With so many people working on same project or line, it is a big challenge to keep same quality or style, but with a lot of feedback and good teamwork, we always get to a good final result.

6 – Is it common to have a team sculpting one figure nowadays or it’s an exclusive process of Prime one?

AR: One of the great things about 3D for collectibles is that you can have artists around the world working on same projects. While someone sculpt a character, other artist can work on this character base. So I guess it is pretty common nowadays.

7 – What’s the difference of being a freelancer and be a hired employee from a company like Prime 1? What changed in your daily routine?

AR: At beginning, I really liked to work as a freelance. I worked at my bedroom, waking up very late, no need to leave or wear nice clothes. However, with time it turns into a really bad thing. In addition, as freelancer it is really hard to make long term plans, when you think about money. When you have salary and work with other people in a cool place, your life is more stable and healthy.

8 – As a freelancer do you do commission work for private common people (fans/collectors)? If not, do you have any prejudice against it?

AR: Before I started working with Prime 1, I did some commissions. Now, I work only with Prime 1, no time for other projects.

9 – Which piece(s) are you more proud of?

AR: Arkham Knight Batman was my first project for Prime1, so I guess it is the one I have more proud of. When I was working on it, I didn't know much how to do it, because the model was much more complex than all other models I have worked on before. It was a really big challenge for me, but the great feedback we had with the final statue made all hard work worth it.

10 – Do you collect figures or have any other hobby?

AR: At the moment, I have only a few small statues, but I hope soon I'll have a great collection. But also I like to collect art books and movies. I'm a guy who like to learn a lot of different things, so I have many hobbies. Now, I really like to watch movies with my girlfriend, go out with friends, stay with family, play video games and I've been studying a lot about hypnosis lately! Haha.

11 – Your profession grants a good, bad or average income to you?

AR: At the beginning was really hard to live working with 3D. After a long journey, now I have a good income to live a comfortable life.

12 – What is necessary today to be a professional sculptor?

AR: You have to study a lot to build a great portfolio and have the right contacts. Use social media to share your work and don't give up. It can take long time, but if you work hard, with intelligence, and meet the right people, you will have a great opportunity.

13 – Who is your favorite character?

AR: Hard to say, but I would say Aragorn (I love Lord of the Rings movies)! Haha

14 – Which character would you love to model?

AR: One character that all 3D artist have to model one day is Hellboy. Haha. Just joking, but I really want to sculpt one in future.

15 – What software do you use for modelling? Do you still sculpt with your hands? If so when the hands are more effective than the computer?

AR: I use Zbrush 90% of time and 10% Blender. I don't work traditional [hand] sculpting.

16 – Are there Prime 1 figures that are focused only in the East never seeing the light of the day in West? Could you cite some of them? And vice-versa there are?

AR: Prime1 don't have a focus on a region. All statues we do are sold worldwide. Lately Prime1 has gotten a lot of anime licenses, so you can expect more variety on statues styles from now on.

17 – What gives you more pleasure on your work?

AR: I really like when I see the final product, the great feedback from customers and to think that statues that I worked on will be on collectors’ shelves for years.

18 – Prime 1 is known to have the best quality end products in the market. Can you tell us what’s the trick to achieve such high standards on casting and finishing the pieces?

AR: It is all about passion and hard work. To make a statue, there are a lot of people involved and everyone is very important and responsible for the final quality. From the 3D artists and painters to factory and quality check, when everyone works hard, the final result is great.

  

19 – Were or are you involved on a project that uses mixed media? If so, what’s the difference in modelling, if any?

AR: Many projects I did were mixed media. As a 3D artist, most times it doesn't change much to me when a cape is real fabric, for example. However, in some cases, I have to deal with new challenges. Good example is Henry Cavil Superman, because I had to work on the costume details that would be cast in rubber to be placed on the fabric.

20 – And about that Venom you teased? Is the project still on or it was cancelled? Do you acquire more Marvel licenses beyond Venom? Which?

AR: This project still on, but got delayed. We have some cool Marvel statues coming, but you will have to wait to see them! ;)

21 – Three bands and three movies.

AR: I'm more into Brazilian music, but if I have to list international bands I would say Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Angra. Three movies that I really like are Lord of the Rings (trilogy), Hellboy (both movies) and Big Fish.

22 – What would astonish you the most: to see a ghost or to see an alien?

AR: After watching a lot of Discovery Channel, thinking about contact with aliens is what scares me the most! Haha.

23 – Please, leave one last phrase, a breaking news or quote for our readers.

AR: "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Albert Einstein

24 – Can you get a Golden Batman as gift for me? I would not bother if it was Batman Beyond too, but I still prefer the golden one! Hahahahahaha. The problem is that I will never be able to afford a Prime 1 figure… :P

AR: Would you believe if I tell that I never saw in person a statue that I worked on? Even Prime1 owner doesn't have a copy of Arkham Knight Batman yet! Hahaha. Customers first! ;)

Sorry, I need a Batman for my self too! Hahaha

Thank you very much for your precious time. I’m pretty sure your interview will please all the fans and wannabe fans of Prime 1 and collectible figures in general.

TO SEE A LIST OF LINKS TO ALL 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS FROM CCFIGURES

CLICK HERE.

TOO LAZY TO READ

I confess I’m a bit frustrated. It’s not every day that you get an exclusive interview with a Prime 1 Studio sculptor to read. Even so, what should be great news in my opinion goes as fast as hell to the bottom of the thread because subjects like “order this or order that”, “here’s my collection” and whatnot get so much attention from the viewers (I cannot call them readers) that sinks into oblivion an otherwise very interesting source of information. So I will do an immature thing here and ask you who read this article and like it to post a comment on the thread, so the interview can escalate some positions and become more readily available for true readers to find. Thank you. Sorry for being so childish. I had a lot of work putting it all together… :P