A More Detailed Look at My Creative Journey

Creativity has always been a part of my life, not as a hobby, but as a way of understanding the world. I started like many kids do, drawing messy stick figures and characters on notebook paper. But for me, it didn’t stop there. Those simple sketches slowly evolved into stories, and those stories demanded more expression, more detail, more emotion, more life.

As I grew, so did my hunger to explore new ways of creating. I moved from pencil lines to color, from color to paint, and eventually from flat drawings into something I could hold. Sculpting was my first real step into 3D, and that tactile experience changed everything for me. It made me realize something important, creativity isn’t just about style, it’s about exploration.

When I discovered technology as a creative medium, everything expanded. Learning tools like Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter wasn’t easy, I spent countless late nights lost in topology, UV maps, and shaders. But it was a challenge I loved, because with every breakthrough, my ideas became more real. Software didn’t limit my creativity, it amplified it.

Then came immersive technology, VR, AR, Unreal Engine, Unity, and a new door opened. For the first time, I wasn’t just creating objects or images. I was building worlds. I could step inside my imagination, walk around it, light it, hear it, and invite others to experience it with me. That changed the way I thought about art forever. It no longer lived on a canvas or a screen, it became something people could feel.

This curiosity pushed me further into new territories: projection mapping, interactive installations, real-time 3D, and immersive storytelling. Each new medium didn’t replace the last, it layered onto it, evolving my voice as an artist and designer.

I’ve never seen creativity as a fixed identity. I’m not just a 3D artist. Not just a designer, animator, storyteller, or technologist. I am a student of possibility. Every new tool is a chance to grow. Every new challenge is a chance to push imagination further.

At my core, I’m someone who believes in building what doesn’t exist yet, bringing visions to life in ways that move people. I stay curious. I stay open. And I love using creativity not just to express myself, but to connect, with ideas, with people, and with a much bigger world of discovery.

Where I Am Now

Right now is an incredible time to be a creator. Every day I’m surrounded by new tools, ideas, and technologies that expand what’s possible, and that constant evolution keeps me inspired. I’m fortunate to be in a space where art, storytelling, and innovation overlap in meaningful ways.

Today, much of my work lives inside the planetarium, a place where imagination meets cosmic scale. I collaborate closely with my local planetarium team to design immersive shows that do more than present information, they tell stories that spark curiosity. These experiences connect science and emotion, turning STEM education into something people can truly feel. Through The Eye, I also explore experimental shows that blend music, visual art, philosophy, and interactive media, pushing what a planetarium can be: not just a place to watch, but a place to experience.

At the same time, I remain deeply connected to my roots in 3D art and design. I continue to build characters, sculpt creatures, and create collectible 3D-printed figurines, physical artifacts born from digital imagination. This hands-on craft keeps me grounded as I explore bigger worlds and broader mediums.

My journey is fueled by curiosity. Whether it’s AI-assisted workflows, real-time rendering, VR worldbuilding, or projection-based installations, I’m always exploring new technology, not for the sake of novelty, but because each tool unlocks new forms of storytelling. I’m constantly evolving, learning, and building, one experiment at a time.

Contact me.

phatnnguyen91@gmail.com