How do YOU describe what you do?
in The Commons
When people ask what you do, what do you call, or how do you describe, working with Daz and producing renders? Just using paper and pencil is "drawing", but with different materials we can "paint" or "sculpt". I make up stories, so I "write" as well.
But when it comes to 3D work, what is the simple generic term meaning I "use computer graphics to generate 3D images"?
I'm trying to avoid the sort of glazed look that normally comes into people's eyes when I attempt to explain.

Comments
Tell them it is like directing a movie orbuilding a diaroma, I build the scene from the set, to the lights, I do the casting of the models used, the costumes and in many cases tell a story.
I say digital art...because that's what it is. If they want more detail, then I'll mention that it's 3D art...but usually digital artwork is enough.
In terms of a generic term that most people will get, I think "computer rendering" is reasonably close.
However, I think that "virtual photography" is probably a more accurate phrasing for something like DS, although that is likely to provoke some more confused looks.
I dunno, most non 3D people don't know what rendering is. Like Melissa I say digital artwork then they look at my DA gallery and say, oh, 3D porn, LOL
If you really want to go barebones then, "CGI".
I'm a Digital Doodler.
I just say computer graphics because if I say anything more their eyes glaze over and they suddenly have to be somewhere
Depending on who it is, I might say "you know that stuff you wanted to do but we didn't because it might kill me or both of us? Well I can use the computer to make images of people doing that". But my longer version was to say in the computer, there are all kinds of "virtual things" available: cars, chairs, grass, people, and everything else. And those things can be put together in the computer to make a picture people can look at.
It helps that a lot of the people who listen to me are used to hearing strange explanations.
Hm, wonder what that more you say is? Could be useful if you want to get rid of someone.
here look at my render
I call myself a digital illustrator.
I generally say "3D art", which has been misunderstood as meaning sculpting or some such.
Oh, yea that will probably work with my renders too.
One person asked me, "why would you spend money on that?"
I told him, "for the same reason you spend money on video games".
My partner says that I'm "playing with paper dolls".
this
I had coworkers questioning my choices who had streaming subscriptions, sports club memberships and played the pokies and bet on horses running around a track FFS
I say I'm a 3D render artist or that I do artistic renders. I also write and make interactive games, so if I wanted to put my whole deal on a business card maybe "visual storyteller"?
Yeah!! It's such an unusual hobby it really helps to have something to compare it to. If people in fandom circles ask me how much it costs to do this I usually say it's about as expensive as cosplay, for the same reasons--you can make stuff with whatever you have in your closet for $0-5 or you can go all out with a design that costs $1,000 or more. I love designing the outfits, kitbashing stuff, coming up with solutions, and putting everything together, but I would never be confident enough to wear a character costume IRL. So I guess I can add "digital cosplayer" to the mix.
I say I'm building illustrations. Not that anyone asks.
But yeah, it's kind of a wierd amalgum of playing with a dollhouse and building model railroads.
It's a hobby and I'm having fun.
so IOW 'I'm goofing off'
Oh, I am a 'Digital Pinup Fantasy Producer' - does that work?


According to my wife, I "make pictures on the computer" - which technically isn't wrong, but the way she says it is almost like "Yeah he's CoLoUrInG pIcTuReS" lol
Digital Artwork is how I would simply describe it, which is usually enough to confuse people haha
I tell them I do animations with 3d assets.
this is my late one i did :) click to play, best viewed in 1080HD
I don't know because I usually generate images if it require for my other projects or I am using Daz Studio as an on demand stock image generator tool. Occasionally for very short animation video clip generator.
Nice and an interesting short movie.
I just say "I do noob 3D works, look!" if interested I can teach you for only $500 USD monthly

I play on the computer, doing figure animation. Even though it's only ever one frame long.
Regards,
Richard.
I think my dad said basically the same thing to me a couple days ago as your wife. I set up a real quick and simple scene for him in DS when he visited because he never managed to understand how I made those pictures that I showed to him occasionally. He seemed to have lots of fun while we played around, and then right afterwards he told my partner that what I did was 'of course' not art because 'everything is premade' and I just kind of cobble things together with the computer. I really really love him but this made me so mad I had to pretend to have a stomach ache for the rest of the evening and spend all the time in the bath room.
What would I say that I do? I dream, I guess. Vividly. And the PC translates the dreams into pictures. So I'm a DD - digital dreamer ;-)
"3D stuff".
8 times out of 10, people leave it at that. The only people who have asked me to talk more about it are therapists (that's not as bad as it sounds). Then they check it out for themselves after the appointment. They're always impressed... But they never get to see my work. >_>
I have a friend who in the early 2000's insisted to me that my photographs captured with a digital camera were 'of course' not photography because I got an instant preview of the results. She was a complete film snob and she may not have realized it at the time, but it put a serious strain on our friendship, if only one-sided. Good thing those days are over and of course now she uses a digital camera, like pretty much all professional photographers do. ;) (Yes, I know that film photography is still a niche thing, but that's not my point.)
That's what happens with new technology and things moving mainstream. They are disregarded as half-hearted fakes or toys playing at being something valid and real. Anybody can turn on a cell phone camera and snap an instagram of their kitty sleeping all cute and upside down...but it's what the user does with that tool that makes it art. (That being said, I can see this conversation quickly devolving to the same old question of "is it art" and that always gets locked, sooooo....)