I've noticed you never use straight lines. All the hard objects you model are always slightly crooked. Why is that?

Well... it's not because I abuse alcohol or chemical substances, it's more to do with the aesthetics of the object. Offsetting architectural design with more curves creates an organic feel; I think that creates more empathy with the viewer. However you still need to contrast the curves with straight lines to create a dynamic tension, like making sure you have a complimentary colour in your painting. Study any of the great masters' drawings and you will see that they all have this basic understanding of straight lines and curves - it's throughout nature.

Your napkin sketches are works of art in themselves. Do you find it difficult to translate them to 3D?

It is always difficult to translate 2D into 3D because the 2D drawing is simply a representation of volume on a flat surface. When you start to translate into 3D the angles become multi-faceted and what looked good in the drawing can be quite dull in 3D. It is because of these translation problems from 2D to 3D that it is such a stimulating challenge and the content becomes an evolutionary process forcing you to hone your craft and totally absorb yourself into finding a solution.

Who are your main artistic heroes, 3D or otherwise?

I very much love the English, Irish and French Symbolist painters of the 19th century. Samuel Palmer, George William Russell, Aubrey Beardsley, Eugene Carriere, Gustave Moreau, the famous basket case Richard Dadd. I also have a soft spot for the Pre-Raphaelites and Salvador Dalí. As for 3D inspirations, it is still a relatively young medium, so my inspiration for 3D comes from people like Gaudi and sculpture from the Renaissance. I want to be pragmatic about art, not romantic, but I'm still sentimental. That kind of art appeals to me - I'm still something of an escapist. As for 3D heroes, I think it will take 3D art some history to create its own sense of spirit?

Is that because, at root, nearly all 3D art is created on a commercial basis - for films, etc.?

Not at all, remember the Acropolis was designed and the Mona Lisa painted purely on a commercial basis - the artists were commissioned to create their art. We get romantic about what art is about and 3D is still a baby - it's only been going for half a generation - in the main, it's still feeding on other sources rather than producing sources of its own.

You said that you receive inspiration from British comic strip art. Why British specifically and not American or Japanese for example?

The whole idea of men and women dressing in tights and flying is anathema to me. I always preferred the gritty realism that was portrayed in British comics like 2000AD to the Marvel- and DC-type heroes. That and the escapist fantasy of things like the original Frank Hampson Dan Dare, and the remake in 2000AD...

What was the main idea behind Harley and the dragon?

It is based on a character I created who lives on an Island in a twilight world. It is an island that attracts people who just love to create and invent things just for the sake of it. A place where they do not have to worry about paying bills and bouncing checks.

I have been working on the Harley idea for a good number of years now but have been distracted by other interesting projects.

How did the walking house come about?

I was demonstrating for NewTek Europe at the 3D Festival 2000 in Copenhagen, we went to a Pasta restaurant in the city centre. They had lovely big paper napkins covering the tables and I dislike the blank spaces between place settings so decided to scribble like I usually do. Scribbling is a spontaneous gesture, and helps me to relax. A house with legs was one of the characters I was thinking about that would reside with Harley on his Island. The restaurant manager wanted the drawing, I liked the drawing and thought I could develop it for something latter on so refused. However, I drew him a picture of a Viking ship with legs and he gave a couple of bottles of red wine in exchange.