Ian Spriggs on how V-Ray helps maintain an artistic approach to his hyper-realistic 3D characters

Summary:

• Ian Spriggs has worked in 3D since 2006, first in VFX for film and now as a 3D portrait and character artist.
• Specializing in hyper-realistic human figures, Ian’s work has been featured in concerts, film and television, medical projects, exhibitions, and more.
• Ian first started using V-Ray in 2010, and its ease of use has allowed him to keep his focus on his work rather than on technical barriers.
• In May 2026, Ian debuted an updated portrait of Tony. This hyper-realistic artwork of a long-time friend showcases the skills Ian has honed over the last 20 years.

Over the last two decades, Ian Spriggs has established himself as a prominent figure in the world of digital humans. Specializing in hyper-realistic human figures, his digital creations have appeared in film and television, live events and concerts, art exhibits, medical projects, and scientific research. They stand not only as technical feats but as profound artistic ones.

Ian’s latest work, a 2026 portrait of his long-time friend, Tony, is a masterclass in this intersection of technology and fine art. The piece revisits an earlier portrait Ian created in 2018 and serves as a direct marker for how both his skill set and the underlying rendering technology have evolved.

From VFX to research and development for digital humans

Ian built his technical and artistic foundation in visual effects for film, starting in 2006. After honing his skills across an impressive list of industry credits, he transitioned into research and development, where he focuses on designing automation workflows for digital humans and overcoming the “uncanny valley.”

“I work with some of the best engineers, artists, and creators in the industry,” Ian explains. “Because digital humans are still a relatively new field, there is no definitive roadmap for what works and what doesn’t. While there are many valuable insights from people around the world, we are collectively exploring and defining the best path forward.”

In the R&D space, Ian balances technical execution with fine-art portraiture principles to ensure these digital characters evoke genuine human emotion.

“Through years of working as a portrait artist, I have developed an understanding of the subtle nuances that contribute to believability—from expression and pose to hairstyle and the way lighting shapes mood,” Ian says. “It is not simply about replicating a photograph, but about moving into a form of hyperrealism that allows for a sense of poetry and presence.”

This expertise has led to high-profile collaborations, including being part of a project with Italian producer and DJ Anyma to build several 3D characters. Among these assets was Beatrix, featured during Anyma’s 2026 Coachella performance with Thai rapper Lisa on their song Bad Angel. Other characters, including Eva and Anyma himself, were projected onto the immersive, wraparound screens of the Las Vegas Sphere.

Yet, while these commercial productions are massive in scale, Ian remains deeply invested in his personal work and giving back to the community. He has exhibited at several art biennials, including in Montreal, Paris, and Madrid; held a solo exhibition at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects; and traveled globally to speak at events such as Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn.

V-Ray: The technology quietly enabling the artistic vision

Ian’s relationship with V-Ray began in 2010 when he discovered it while working in VFX. Sixteen years later, it remains his renderer or choice because it keeps the technology out of the way of the craft.

“V-Ray has always stood out to me as the benchmark for quality,” Ian notes. “There are plenty of strong renderers available today, and in many cases, I can recognize which one has been used just by looking at the final image. With V-Ray, I was never able to do that. Technology should be hidden, especially when it comes to digital humans.”

When it comes to look development and grooming, V-Ray’s native tools allow him to work efficiently straight out of the box. The hair shader delivers instant realism with minimal adjustments, while the physically based camera setup and the V-Ray Frame Buffer (VFB) provide an intuitive environment for rapid iteration. In particular, he relies constantly on the VFB’s A/B render comparison tool to track minute changes across project versions.

This reliability keeps his workflow remarkably consistent, whether he’s building assets for tech giants like Google, Apple, and Unity, or creating live concert visuals.

“My workflow begins with gathering references to understand the subject’s structure, skin, and expression. From there, I build the model, textures, and look development almost simultaneously, rather than treating stages as completely separate. Lighting is introduced early so I can judge form and likeness under realistic conditions as I iterate. V-Ray fits in because it is physically accurate. It keeps the foundation of what I do grounded. My work is based on photo-realism, and V-Ray helps maintain reliable lighting and materials, preserving the believability of the final image.”

By establishing his asset benchmark in V-Ray first, he creates a clear quality standard to match if he later needs to transition to another program. “If I am forced to deal with technical issues, unreliable shaders, or programs I am unfamiliar with, it pulls focus away from the final image,” Ian explains. “V-Ray’s ease of use removes many of those barriers, allowing me to focus on believability rather than troubleshooting, and ultimately leading to a stronger result.”

Tony 2.0: Testament to artistic and technological growth

This workflow was put to the test when Ian decided to revisit one of his most defining personal pieces. Back in 2018, Ian created a portrait of Tony, his college basketball teammate and friend of nearly 25 years. The original piece earned Ian recognition in the industry and marked a turning point in his portfolio, where his focus shifted to mood.

In 2026, Ian decided to recreate the portrait using the exact same pose. “Not only did I want to share how Tony has changed over the years, but also how technology has evolved and how I artistically have grown,” he says.

From a look-development perspective, the leap in software capability over those eight years was immediately apparent. “It is clear that the hair shader is a massive improvement, the lighting seems more accurate, the skin shader moved to the AlSurfaceShader, which works way better. “

Artistically, Ian’s growth shines through in his command of detail and use of color, resulting in a portrait that feels more engaging and invites the viewer into the subject’s space. It’s also a record of the passage of time and offers a glimpse into their 25-year friendship.

“You can see how Tony is changing, a few more wrinkles, a few more tattoos, yet still maintains a kindness and a friend you want to hang out with,” Ian says.

Capturing character and truth through imperfection

This dedication to authenticity encapsulates Ian’s philosophy on portraiture, which stands firmly against the modern obsession with perfection, especially in digital form. While it’s not unusual for commercial clients to push for idealized flattery, including modifications to make subjects look younger, smoother, or more unblemished, Ian finds meaning in the exact opposite direction. While Ian’s portraits are generally very well received, sometimes the attention to these small imperfections catches clients by surprise.

“My portraits go over pretty well, but some subjects don’t see themselves how I presented them; they see themselves as happier, more extroverted, prettier. The imperfections, blemishes, scars, wrinkles, and asymmetry are what make each face unique. The very features people are often self-conscious about are usually what I find most compelling and beautiful, because they carry character and truth.”

For Ian’s work, staying grounded in photo-realism with physically accurate tools like V-Ray allows him to step away from technical troubleshooting and stay focused on capturing these human nuances. The main challenge in composing digital portraits is maintaining a subject’s likeness while adjusting technical elements like lighting, shaders, and textures. Even a tiny modification can break the sense of a person, so achieving a balance between technology and artistry is key. For Ian, as soon as the technology becomes visible, the image quickly feels artificial or dated.

“V-Ray helped by providing physically accurate lighting and shading, which made those decisions more reliable,” he says. “I can trust V-Ray to take care of some of those technical challenges so I can focus more on the artistic choices.”

The art is in the process

As the digital human landscape moves faster towards automation, Ian reminds the community that the soul of the craft still remains tightly in the hands of the creator, warning that now it’s become easier than ever to lose sight of why we’re driven to create in the first place.

“The art is not just the final image, it is also the process,” Ian remarks. “Each decision, adjustment, and iteration is part of what gives the work its meaning and integrity. Understanding why you make those artistic choices and pushing through technical hurdles results in artwork that carries intent. Every element is a choice made, that is when the artwork becomes your voice, and that is what matters.”

Find more of Ian’s work on Artstation, Instagram, or his personal website.