Traversing the artistic realm of our CEO, András Káldos

The Art of Brick series has been showcasing the artwork created by Brick’s artists during their free time for over two years. Through this series, we have introduced numerous talents within our studio. This month, we shift our focus to a figure who not only inspires us within our company but many in the broader archviz profession. We are thrilled to present the art of András Káldos, Co-founder and CEO of Brick. 

While András has been invited to speak in podcasts, conferences, and interviews, his personal art created in his free time has never been extensively covered. In this much anticipated article, we not only showcase his artworks, but also delve into his perspectives on combating burnout, embracing diverse sources of inspiration, and investing in personal growth to excel in the profession.

András Káldos, 3D artist and CEO who finds joy in both roles

Early years

András’ love for digital art began in his childhood when he explored 3D Studio on DOS, an operating system for IBM PC computers. He enjoyed creating simple objects by giving commands. In high school, he knew he wanted a career that combined his passions for drawing, digital art, design, and architecture.

Jump!, co-created with András Vida, Creative Director, for a D2 Challenge

Aside from his studies, he started working on commissioned projects for an interior design firm. He initially pursued a degree in architecture at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, but later decided to switch to the University of Arts in Sopron. Why the change in his educational path? András believed archviz offered greater opportunities for creativity, allowing him to focus on aspects that truly fascinated him, such as experimental architecture and creating aesthetic compositions. In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Junior Prima Primissima award for his diploma work. 

Reflections on archviz

Archviz has always been a way of life for András. In the early stages of his career, after founding Brick in 2012, he devoted countless hours to creating visualizations, working tirelessly to establish the studio’s reputation in the industry. As the CEO of Brick, his role gradually evolved to include more managerial duties, guiding a team of nearly 100 employees across three countries and pursuing lucrative business opportunities. Despite his focus on the business aspect, András remains connected to the artistic side of archviz. He shares his expertise and insights on art by teaching at Brick Academy, and indulges in creating experimental designs during his free time.

 

“Many 3D artists face burnout at some point during their careers. To overcome this, I have found that engaging in art creation during your free time, on your own terms, can be helpful. Also, seeking inspiration from a diverse range of sources such as painting, music, and cinema can provide you with a fresh influx of energy and motivation to fuel your work.” – András Káldos

He further advises that if you lack the time or motivation to create during your free time, it’s important not to force it. Instead, it can be beneficial to spread out the individual projects and work on them gradually, even over an extended period. The important thing is to create for yourself, without feeling pressured to constantly produce content for social media or external validation.

 

Sources of inspiration

To keep his creative spirit alive, András too finds inspiration from a multitude of sources. The world of cinema, particularly art house films by directors like Andrei Tarkovsky and Stanley Kubrick, greatly influences his artistic vision. Over the years, András has curated a comprehensive list of his favorite films on IMDB. This selection includes movies with captivating plots, artful compositions, and intricate symbolism, among other qualities.

 

As a CEO, he frequently travels around the world for both business and leisure. Considering himself an amateur photographer, he takes numerous photos with his cell phone purely for enjoyment. The diverse locations and moods he captures through his lens often serve as the foundation for his individual projects.

From the discipline of painting, András is particularly drawn to the grandeur of Baroque art and the close-to-nature, sublime aesthetic experience evoked by Romanticism. In terms of music, András gravitates towards experimental tunes, often embracing a dark undertone.

Leçons de ténèbres, which won the first place in D2 Challenge 6

Lessons of darkness

As a busy CEO and father of two, it can be rather difficult to find time to finish a personal project that meets András’ high standards. He admits that only a fraction of the images he creates in his spare time are published. Entering design challenges is a great way for him to help finalize projects quickly. His work titled Leçons de ténèbres (Lessons of darkness) was created for The Cube Render Challenge, organized by D2 Conferences. The task was to use a cube as a main thematic element in the design. A model from the talented designer, Mümin Keser, was also provided for the entrants if they wanted to use it in the preparation of their works.

 

 

Video made entirely with Unreal

András integrated Mümin’s design into his piece, evident in the structure inhabited by brooding angels. A miniature rendition of the design resurfaces within the artwork, held by the angel carrying the light at the end. The apocalyptic and somber atmosphere of the piece drew inspiration from the dark ambient melodies of French band Elend.

Leçons de ténèbres, concept board

The jury panel, comprising Roser Quer (Graph), Pedro Fernandez (Arqui9), Michael Pryor (Design Morphine, Wilder World), and Jason Bergeron (D2, Brick Visual), chose András’ experimental work as the winning design of the competition. 

 

 

Pushing boundaries

András strongly believes in lifelong learning and continuously refining one’s skills, regardless of their level of experience. A couple of years ago, while working on a commissioned project for Brick, he found inspiration to push the boundaries of his matte-painting abilities. The creation of the Armour image emerged from his desire to elevate this skill to a high-end level.

Mastering the intricacies of this craft and assembling an image from scratch through photobashing required a great amount of time and effort. András diligently searched for and followed the most suitable references to bring his vision to life. The end result, accompanied by a captivating process video, showcases a rewarding and enjoyable journey.

 

 

The image itself depicts a knight from the Middle Ages encountering a UFO, highlighting the discovery that seemingly contrasting characters can have common traits. It serves as a testament to the fusion of unexpected elements and the imaginative exploration of connections between them.

Armour – mosaic of the key shots

Future plans

In addition to numerous undisclosed projects, András has upcoming plans to release Armour 2 in the near future. This sequel will follow the same technique and further evolve the storyline introduced in the previous image. Furthermore, he envisions expanding upon Leçons de ténèbres by creating a vertical tapestry that extends the story infinitely.

While engaged in these creative endeavors, András will also share his insights and tips on crafting visuals with strong conceptual and artistic foundations through Brick Academy’s courses. One such course is Post-Production in Archviz, where he will impart his knowledge and expertise to help students enhance their skills in creating visually compelling architectural visualizations.