ALEXIS CHRISTODOULOU
Imagined Architectural Spaces
Alexis Christodoulou is a self-taught 3D artist and winemaker from Cape Town. His illustrations of modern architecture has taken over Instagram by storm. His series Imagined Architectural Spaces beautifully compose an amazing selection of colors, tiles, textures, reflections, perfect lighting, geometrical shapes and very minimal furniture to create magical spaces.
He has taken his images to the next level - sometimes it’s hard to believe the spaces are created entirely digitally! For this interview, Alexis will be sharing his story, a few of his inspirations and more!
Alexis, please tell us about yourself and your work.
I am a self-taught 3D artist living and working in Cape Town, South Africa. My work is rarely depictions of real spaces and are almost all imagined.
What is your background? When did you realize you wanted to create digital paintings?
I’m a copywriter by trade and worked in advertising for a few years. I grew a bit bored at my advertising job and started teaching myself 3D software after hours. The 3D painting thing was always a fascination of mine. I love video games and have been playing them since I was little. I just grew tired of the aesthetics represented in them and wondered why nobody had applied a more modern tone to them.
What inspired you to start the Imagined Architectural Spaces project?
It’s a project that has sort of developed out of a few ideas. It wasn’t really planned. I just started to create imagined architectural spaces because they seemed more fun than just copying real ones and it grew from there.
Your images remarkably show elements of modern Architecture, using simple and very elegant compositions. Is there anything in particular that inspired you to create your work this way?
Just the architects that I admire :)
In your images, we often see some object inhabiting the scene. Why have you chosen not to include a human figure as part of your images?
Initially it was because of a technical barrier. I don’t really like how 3D figures render out, they always look very fake and kinda staged. By the time I’d learnt how to composite 2D figures into the scenes I think I already preferred how my scenes looked without them. When I find a compelling way to include them I think I might.
Secondly, they add too much narrative. I feel like there’s so much already going on, why try and include a new subtext with a figure. You can say so much with an empty chair already.
What are the biggest challenges to creating your art and how do you deal with them?
Always finding time. I work as both a winemaker and a 3D artist so I’m constantly waking up super early or stealing time from other things to create. Once my instagram blew up it became even more difficult.
What do you believe is a key element of a good composition?
A pool in the right place.
What advice has influenced you as an artist?
Don’t overthink it.
Do you have future plans for your work? Have you ever thought or wanted to build one of these spaces?
I would really like to explore a more procedural approach to creating images. As much as I have aesthetic goals with my work, a big driver in my process is also the technical side.
What advice would you give to young artists?
Don’t overthink it.
“Don’t overthink it”
Alexis, thank you for taking the time to interview with Arch-Vizz and talk about your incredible work.
You can find more about Alexis Christodoulou's work at alexiscstudio.com or on instagram @teaaalexis.
Interview & Images Courtesy: Alexis Christodoulou
Interviewer: Stefani Fachini