08-08-2020, 10:30 PM
Community Focus: Drexis
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/community-focus-drexis.jpg" width="1235" height="922" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>I reckon’ it’s about time to feature one of the fastest animators in the west. You may have recently seen some of his animation work in a pretty awesome montage, or in a few cool images floating about on Twitter. But if you’ve had the high-noon sun in your eyes and haven’t seen any of their work, prepare for some beauty.</p>
<p><b>Enter: Drexis.</b></p>
<p><b>Welcome to the Community Focus. Tell us a bit about yourself.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> I’m honored to be here. For starters, hello there! My name is Drexler, and I’m most known online for my Destiny themed animation projects and 3D art, like my cinematic video “Collapse”:</p>
</p>
<p>I love space, lore, memes, and music (little known fact, I actually play guitar!). I started playing Destiny in 2015, on Christmas day. Though, I had been eyeing the game for about a year before that. Once I got into it, my best friend and I would play almost every day. I’m still addicted! Other than my hobbies and Destiny obsession, I hang out with my brother and sister, and my doggo, Shasta. She’s super sweet.</p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/DrexisDoggo.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p><b>While I admit I’d seen you around these parts for some time, you definitely caught my eye with a certain… Vex piece. How’d you get into animation?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>I started animation with Minecraft animations when I was 12 years old. I was so very bad at it in those early years. I made some friends online that were better than me at everything in 3D. A few of them are still my friends actually – shout-out to Harry, who participates in my present-day clan shenanigans in Destiny 2! Anyway, I was a ‘Minecraft animator’ until early 2018, when I saw a YouTube video featuring some Destiny animations by Sami Glitch. I had been playing Destiny for a few years so I leaped at the opportunity to make Destiny-themed animations. I started learning more about 3D, more about art and animation, than I ever had previously. Destiny inspired me to want to pursue a career in 3D art, and I still hope to someday soon.</p>
<p><b>Have any examples of your work from the early days? Show us how you’ve grown since you started.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>Back when I made the creations below, I was hand-texturing low-poly game models myself, and the quality suffered quite a bit from my lack of 3D knowledge at the time. Here’s some of my earliest Destiny renders and animations for your viewing pleasure. Warning though, you might need to bleach your eyes out after viewing:</p>
<p><b>“Ghost doesn’t like being called small” (Animation)</b></p>
</p>
<p><b>Ace</b></p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/Drexis_Ace.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p><b>Guardian</b></p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/Drexis_Guardian.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p>These days, I have better stuff in my portfolio, but I couldn’t have gotten here without those ugly first renders, those wonky first animations. Here’s some more recent stuff:</p>
<p><b>“Emergence” Destiny 2 Montage</b></p>
</p>
<p><b>“Awaken” Destiny 2 Montage</b></p>
</p>
<p>And some renders:</p>
<p>Oh, and as Dmg called out above, I also put a tiny hat on a Vex.</p>
<p><b>One of our editors left a note during our approval process that “Emergence” is one of the “sickest” montages they’ve seen. Good work! What piece of Destiny or Destiny 2 has inspired you most while doing your work?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> Oh boy, there’s too much inspiration to even list it all. Dreaming City, Cosmodrome, the Nine’s pocket realm inside Drifter’s… what? Asteroid? Giant meatball? Not sure what it is, but it looks really cool in there. I love Destiny’s art direction and all the concepts presented, even the ones that didn’t quite make it to the game, I sometimes get lost browsing hundreds of concept pieces by Bungie’s talented artists. I know many have said it before, but it would be a dream to work at Bungie and get to know the folks behind the space magic.</p>
<p><b>At this point, it should be expected that we ask you about your loadout. I always love to see which tools of destruction are preferred by artistic minds.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> Falling Guillotine is my favorite weapon in Destiny 2, as Dark Drinker was in Destiny 1. It’s just the coolest thing ever. It will always be welcome in my loadout. For other weapons, I am currently really enjoying Ruinous Effigy. Slamming that ball into the ground and taking out multiple enemies is satisfying. I’m a Hunter Nightstalker main, and have been since I started playing. Though Arcstrider is my second favorite. As for Kinetic weapons, I like Redrix’s Broadsword, The Supremacy, and Witherhoard.</p>
<p><b>What’s the best place to find your work? Where can Guardians follow you?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> If you need to find me, I have a few places for you:</p>
<p><b>Any advice you have for aspiring artists in the community before you go?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>I’m not great at advice, but if I had to say something, I’d say stick with it. Motivation is fleeting, and sometimes it’s unreliable. Make yourself sit in front of the computer (or pencil and paper), put on the lo-fi Destiny beats, and move. It can suck, and you might hate what you make at first. But just getting those ideas down, materializing them into existence, is a breeding ground for the best thing you’ve ever made… woah, did I just say that?</p>
<p>That was deep.</p>
<p>Alright, alright, alright! Thanks for featuring me! I hope to see all you Guardians out in the wild, sporting Falling Guillotines and shredding through the enemies of the Last City. Cheers!</p>
<p>That <i>was </i>deep! Maybe someday I’ll graduate from stick figures and start drawing Vex, Fallen, or even Cabal with tiny hats.</p>
<p>Many thanks to Drexis for stopping by, and we’ll see you all again next week for a fresh Community Focus.</p>
</div>
https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/2020/08/...us-drexis/
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/community-focus-drexis.jpg" width="1235" height="922" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>I reckon’ it’s about time to feature one of the fastest animators in the west. You may have recently seen some of his animation work in a pretty awesome montage, or in a few cool images floating about on Twitter. But if you’ve had the high-noon sun in your eyes and haven’t seen any of their work, prepare for some beauty.</p>
<p><b>Enter: Drexis.</b></p>
<p><b>Welcome to the Community Focus. Tell us a bit about yourself.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> I’m honored to be here. For starters, hello there! My name is Drexler, and I’m most known online for my Destiny themed animation projects and 3D art, like my cinematic video “Collapse”:</p>
</p>
<p>I love space, lore, memes, and music (little known fact, I actually play guitar!). I started playing Destiny in 2015, on Christmas day. Though, I had been eyeing the game for about a year before that. Once I got into it, my best friend and I would play almost every day. I’m still addicted! Other than my hobbies and Destiny obsession, I hang out with my brother and sister, and my doggo, Shasta. She’s super sweet.</p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/DrexisDoggo.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p><b>While I admit I’d seen you around these parts for some time, you definitely caught my eye with a certain… Vex piece. How’d you get into animation?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>I started animation with Minecraft animations when I was 12 years old. I was so very bad at it in those early years. I made some friends online that were better than me at everything in 3D. A few of them are still my friends actually – shout-out to Harry, who participates in my present-day clan shenanigans in Destiny 2! Anyway, I was a ‘Minecraft animator’ until early 2018, when I saw a YouTube video featuring some Destiny animations by Sami Glitch. I had been playing Destiny for a few years so I leaped at the opportunity to make Destiny-themed animations. I started learning more about 3D, more about art and animation, than I ever had previously. Destiny inspired me to want to pursue a career in 3D art, and I still hope to someday soon.</p>
<p><b>Have any examples of your work from the early days? Show us how you’ve grown since you started.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>Back when I made the creations below, I was hand-texturing low-poly game models myself, and the quality suffered quite a bit from my lack of 3D knowledge at the time. Here’s some of my earliest Destiny renders and animations for your viewing pleasure. Warning though, you might need to bleach your eyes out after viewing:</p>
<p><b>“Ghost doesn’t like being called small” (Animation)</b></p>
</p>
<p><b>Ace</b></p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/Drexis_Ace.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p><b>Guardian</b></p>
<div>
<img src="https://www.bungie.net/pubassets/pkgs/140/140113/Drexis_Guardian.jpg?cv=3983621215&av=1225552948"></div>
<p>These days, I have better stuff in my portfolio, but I couldn’t have gotten here without those ugly first renders, those wonky first animations. Here’s some more recent stuff:</p>
<p><b>“Emergence” Destiny 2 Montage</b></p>
</p>
<p><b>“Awaken” Destiny 2 Montage</b></p>
</p>
<p>And some renders:</p>
<p>Oh, and as Dmg called out above, I also put a tiny hat on a Vex.</p>
<p><b>One of our editors left a note during our approval process that “Emergence” is one of the “sickest” montages they’ve seen. Good work! What piece of Destiny or Destiny 2 has inspired you most while doing your work?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> Oh boy, there’s too much inspiration to even list it all. Dreaming City, Cosmodrome, the Nine’s pocket realm inside Drifter’s… what? Asteroid? Giant meatball? Not sure what it is, but it looks really cool in there. I love Destiny’s art direction and all the concepts presented, even the ones that didn’t quite make it to the game, I sometimes get lost browsing hundreds of concept pieces by Bungie’s talented artists. I know many have said it before, but it would be a dream to work at Bungie and get to know the folks behind the space magic.</p>
<p><b>At this point, it should be expected that we ask you about your loadout. I always love to see which tools of destruction are preferred by artistic minds.</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> Falling Guillotine is my favorite weapon in Destiny 2, as Dark Drinker was in Destiny 1. It’s just the coolest thing ever. It will always be welcome in my loadout. For other weapons, I am currently really enjoying Ruinous Effigy. Slamming that ball into the ground and taking out multiple enemies is satisfying. I’m a Hunter Nightstalker main, and have been since I started playing. Though Arcstrider is my second favorite. As for Kinetic weapons, I like Redrix’s Broadsword, The Supremacy, and Witherhoard.</p>
<p><b>What’s the best place to find your work? Where can Guardians follow you?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis:</b> If you need to find me, I have a few places for you:</p>
<p><b>Any advice you have for aspiring artists in the community before you go?</b></p>
<p><b>Drexis: </b>I’m not great at advice, but if I had to say something, I’d say stick with it. Motivation is fleeting, and sometimes it’s unreliable. Make yourself sit in front of the computer (or pencil and paper), put on the lo-fi Destiny beats, and move. It can suck, and you might hate what you make at first. But just getting those ideas down, materializing them into existence, is a breeding ground for the best thing you’ve ever made… woah, did I just say that?</p>
<p>That was deep.</p>
<p>Alright, alright, alright! Thanks for featuring me! I hope to see all you Guardians out in the wild, sporting Falling Guillotines and shredding through the enemies of the Last City. Cheers!</p>
<p>That <i>was </i>deep! Maybe someday I’ll graduate from stick figures and start drawing Vex, Fallen, or even Cabal with tiny hats.</p>
<p>Many thanks to Drexis for stopping by, and we’ll see you all again next week for a fresh Community Focus.</p>
</div>
https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/2020/08/...us-drexis/