Move Your Body, Make Better Art
Why physical health isn’t extra credit, it’s the foundation of a sustainable creative career
This newsletter is a space for everything that makes up the life of a 3D artist.
Sometimes that means diving deep into technical topics like USDs or Gaussian splats. Sometimes it’s about navigating career shifts, like what to do if you get laid off or what hiring looks like in 2025.
WTF is a Gaussian Splat!?!?
Within the last few weeks, my feeds have been inundated with flashy videos with a new buzz phrase…GAUSSIAN SPLATTING!!! And when I saw it, I believe I reacted in an entirely rational way…I was furious. WTF is this, now!?!?!?
Other times, it’s about real talk.
Like the time someone asked me, “Can you have a family and be a 3D artist?” (Which, by the way, I answered while my kid was literally asleep on my chest.)
This week, I want to focus on that last category: what it means to be a human who also happens to be a 3D artist. And this one’s simple but important:
You need to take care of your body.
Burning Out to Fit In
This topic came up recently with someone just starting a new job. They were grinding harder than ever. They were staying up late, getting up early, trying to prove themselves. And they were miserable.
I recognized it because I’ve been there.
In my early career, I did the same. I worked constantly and thought that if I didn’t outwork everyone around me, I’d get exposed as a fraud. I was dealing with some major impostor syndrome issues, and I poured everything I had into proving I belonged.
While I survived, I realized, looking back, that I was pretty miserable. I was frustrated and agitated most of the time. I felt weaker and physically unfit, which made me lethargic and grumpy to those closest to me. I didn’t sleep well or eat well.
And most importantly, I didn’t move my body.
And as a result, I wasn’t nearly as focused or creative as I could have been.
It’s Not Just Personal—It’s Professional
We already know the basics: eat well, sleep enough, get exercise. But I want to talk about it in terms of your career longevity.
Every successful artist I know has some physical or mental practice outside of their job. EJ Hassenfratz runs. Patrick Foley (Patrick 4D) plays tennis weekly. GMunk meditates. Jonathan Winbush is getting more yoked by the minute and enjoys his regular hikes.
These aren’t hobbies—they’re part of how these incredible artists do great work.
And I found my way there by shear dumb luck. I started because I had a high-energy puppy that needed walks. And over time, I noticed that getting my own energy out helped me stay calm and focused. The walks turned into slow, short jogs. Which turned into longer runs. Which turned into long distance running and stumbling my way into a better work balance.
Turns out, we’re all just big dumb puppies. If we don’t move, we get agitated, distracted, and unfocused.
Try a Walk
You don’t need to run marathons. Start with a walk.
Seriously. Put your shoes on and go outside at a given time every day. No headphones. Let your brain wander and you can get some of your energy out while letting your mind wander.
Most of my best ideas—including this newsletter and the 3D Artist Community—came from early morning walks.
Sleep Like It Matters
Sleep is my weak spot. I often sacrifice it to get more done, including finishing this newsletter.
But every time I get less than six hours, I feel it: crankiness, lack of focus, low creative energy. I now know that an extra hour of sleep would often save me from an entire day of low productivity. And sleep loss compounds. One bad night becomes a bad week.
Power Bars for Your Life
Here’s how I picture it: I’m a video game character with three bars—Energy, Creativity, and Mental Health.
Sleep restores Energy
Energy lets me Exercise
Exercise reduces Anxiety and boosts Creativity
Creativity lets me do my best work
When I eat well, everything runs more smoothly. When my body feels strong, I move more. When I move more, I sleep better. When I sleep better, I think more clearly. It’s all connected.
This Is Not Extra Credit
This isn’t some bonus strategy for those with extra time. This is the foundation of a long-term creative life.
Being a 3D artist is mentally and physically demanding. You need to take care of the body that carries you through a long day but also over a 40-50 year career. You need to protect your mind if you want to keep making original work.
So this week’s message is simple:
Move your body. Sleep more. Eat something green. Then get back to work, you big puppy.
The 3D Artist Community Updates
This week, we are thrilled to welcome Nikki Tomaino into our community for an AMA.
Nikki is a Human-Centered AI Product Builder with over two decades of experience at the intersection of storytelling, animation, real-time production, and emerging technology. She co-founded a company using Unreal Engine and an in-house AI application to materially reduce production timelines without sacrificing quality or artistry.
Nikki began her career as a Lead Materials Technical Director at Blue Sky Studios, where she worked on major animated films such as Spies in Disguise, Ferdinand, The Peanuts Movie, Rio, and multiple Ice Age sequels. Her time in production sparked a passion for building tools that support creativity, leading her to pursue roles that bridge technical innovation with artistic workflows.
She later brought that passion into real-time production, contributing to projects at Epic Games and Spire Animation Studios, where she helped integrate Unreal Engine into animation pipelines and served as a teaching assistant for Epic’s Virtual Production Fellowship.
Now, Nikki is focused on building ethical, AI-powered tools that empower creative professionals while protecting their intellectual property. With certifications in AI Product Management and a strong foundation in neural networks and responsible AI governance, she’s charting new territory for how 3D artists and storytellers interact with technology.
Her career is defined by a commitment to innovation, accessibility, and community, bringing a human-centered approach to everything she builds.
3D Merch is here and we have a new hoodie!
3D News of the Week
NVIDIA’s New AI: Impossible Video Game Animations - YouTube
Good Design Comes from Looking, Great Design Comes from Looking Away - Chris Butler
Version Zero AI has a splines output solution for AI/ML rotoscoping - Before and Afters
Everything that moves will be robotic - Jensen Huang on LinkedIn
3D Tutorial
3D Job Spreadsheet
Link to Google Doc With A TON of Jobs in Animation (not operated by me)
Hello! Michael Tanzillo here. I am the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, I am the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging. I also created The 3D Artist Community on Skool and this newsletter.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
Free 3D Tutorials on the Michael Tanzillo YouTube Channel
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