Interview with Donghoon Han

Hello, my name is Donghoon Han.

When I was making my portfolio, I spent more time thinking about what technical aspects I should include rather than what kind of content I should create. I often see people spending too much time trying to come up with the perfect idea or story, but personally, I think that while the content is important, it is not the most important thing.

What matters is not how good the content is, but what is needed to create it.

For this project, I started with an original matte painting created by a foreign artist in 1983 that I found on Google.

I first solved the camera using a tracking tool and then started the modeling process.

After that, I worked in the following order: Modeling → Texturing → Lighting → Rendering → Compositing.

My workflow was similar to what most other people used. Although not much time has passed since I made this portfolio, my thoughts about this workflow have changed quite a bit.

I modeled the scene, added textures, set up the lighting, created the necessary sources using fluids, rendered the scene, extracted the render passes, and composited everything in Nuke.

If I were to do this project again, I think I would set up the lighting immediately after finishing the modeling. Instead of applying textures without a clear direction, I would first establish the overall lighting and determine the tone of the scene. Then I would decide what is important and create textures that match that look. I think this would be a more efficient way to work.

Among all the technical elements used in this project, the most important one, in my opinion, was camera projection.

Before I started working on this project, I had heard many times that camera projection is used very frequently in production. Because of that, using projection to create textures that blended naturally into the scene was something I kept challenging myself with throughout the project. I believe that this was one of the points that appealed to employers and helped me get a job.

Another thing I think is important is not limiting yourself to a specific software package. Of course, time is limited, but if you know exactly what you need, I believe you can take only the parts you need from any software. Having that kind of flexible mindset can also make a big difference in your working speed.

Personally, I often thought that when people first start making a portfolio, there really isn't that much difference in skill with tools like Maya or ZBrush. As time goes by, of course, the gap becomes larger, but I think the real difference is not the amount of knowledge someone has, but whether they know exactly what they need in order to complete their portfolio.

You need to know what you don't know and what you need. Only then can you find the right references, study them, and make them your own. I think repeating this process is what really helps you improve your skills. Unfortunately, I feel that many people do not realize how important this is.

And finally, I think the rest comes down to determination.

From a simple practical point of view, if you spend more time working within a fixed amount of time, you will naturally produce more work. Of course, actually putting that into practice is difficult. It takes a lot of energy, everyone has different circumstances, and it is not easy to maintain that determination.

In my case, I threw away everything I had done up until the middle of January and started over from the modeling stage. I finished the project on April 7. Even including the Lunar New Year holiday, during that entire period I slept in my bed for fewer than seven nights.

I worked like that because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get a job. In the end, it worked out well for me, and I was able to find a job successfully.

What I would like to say to everyone who is currently working on a portfolio is this:

If you have decided to make it, then put everything you have into it.

The portfolio you are creating is for getting a job, but what you gain from making it is not just a portfolio—it is your future.

I think the amount of effort you put into it during this period can make a huge difference. Since you have already decided to join the workshop and work on your portfolio, I hope you will be strict with yourself, work as hard as you can, and create a portfolio that you will never regret.