Automotive Concept PT 3: The Outcome

So here she is, she's been sitting in my drafts for a while waiting to be posted. I didn't do anything spectacular with render layers for the final (although if I did have the time I would like to go back and revisit it; perhaps for another day), there was merely an alpha channel, beauty and AO pass, with a little bit of touching up inside of photo shop. All in all I'm really happy with this project, I got to learn a few new modelling tricks, I think the design of the car sits cohesively. Many thanks for all of your input. 

Automotive Design: PT Two. Texturing and Rendering

Okay, so now the vehicle was more or less modelled all that remained was to set up render passes, light the scene and texture the vehicle. 

I'm not going to go into too much detail, but I used a very basic HDRI of a studio set up, added some reflective objects and set physical camera exposure accordingly. There are three lights, one above (the key light, and two aimed towards a separate tyre from the side cam view. 

Texturing is all pretty straight forward. I used a Falloff map to create a subtle blue/green pearlescent effect on a VRay Car Paint Material. 

Finally I've only set up three render passes, AO, Beauty and ZDepth. I will add a few more between this stage and compositing and will most probably tweak the light set up. 

But for now, check out the final image to see how one of these shots is currently compositing. The car really seems to be coming on! 

Fig.1 Frontal Skew Cam

Fig.2 Rear Skew Cam 

Fig.3 Side Cam 

Fig.4 Front Cam

Fig.5 Elements Composited. 

Automotive Design: PT 1. Modelling.

In my latest project I've decided to model a car from scratch, inside 3DS Max. 

In the initial stages I studied a lot of reference images of cars to make sure I got my design right. To create a realistic sports car design the car needed to follow certain patterns and an overall design language so all elements could exist cohesively. (If the rear looked a completely different design from the front of the car I would fail to create a sense of realism in the model). 

The two images below show my drawing designs I used as image planes inside of Max. Normally I would tidy these images up, make sure all edges are perfectly aligned and use a block black brush to make the lines stand out; but since this was my personal project and I was still undecided on certain parts of the car, I used this these images as a mere guide to figure it out in Max. 

Fig.1 Aerial Orthographic 

Fig.2 Front Orhtographic

The next step was to start blocking in the shapes and model the car. I started with the side panels and worked outwards. I also made the tyres inside a separate file and imported them in. This helped to keep the viewport clean. 

The general rule of thumb here is to create utilise a non destructive workflow, using an edit poly modifier for your Low Res, a turbosmooth to round the mesh and a symmetry modifier down the middle to speed the process. (A lot like a the modelling process for a character). 

Fig.3 Car Model Mirrored

Fig.4 Car Model (Half)

Fig.5 Car Model Rear

To finish up modelling I posed the car, with a light set up and cameras, ready for the texturing and rendering processes to follow... By rendering I was also able to pick out certain parts of geometry and improve my mesh, by adding division lines in the panelling for example or sharpening edges so I could meet that design language I had spent a long time thinking about at the drawing stage. 

Fig.6 Camera/ Light SetUp

Fig.7 Modelling Improvements

VRay Toon Render

After looking at various stylised finishes across the web I was eager to use the VRay Toon Render Effect to create my own. I decided to work with my interior bedroom scene for this task.

 a) I deactivated the GI and created a 3DS Max standard ink and paint shader inside the override MTL check box.
b) I adjusted the values of the ink and paint texture as I saw fit.
c) I created a the VRay Toon Effect and included all the layers necessary and adjusted the parameters.

Then all I had to do was render and composite the image inside photo shop. Bish, bash bosh.

I think this style helps present the work in a clear and interesting manner.

Rendering RealisticFruit.

As part of practise I'm frequently required to create small objects like pieces of fruit. This requires me to model a basic object and UV map it. I then move into photo shop whereby I will build a repeating texture. See the below example whereby I've used these techniques to create a realistic SSS2 shader for an orange, apple and watermelon.
I've also added a quick render of plant leaves so you can visualise how the 2 sided VRay Material can be used to create transparency for petals.

Fig.1: The orange 

Fig.2: The orange shader network.

Fig.3 Two sided Vray material used for transparency on petals

Fig,4: The Apple 

Fig.5 The watermelon

Fig,6 Mirroring a cut with the watermelon UVs to create a mirrored seamless texture

Bourbon Rigging: Part 02

I've managed to get some time in lately to explore developing my rig for Bourbon in some extra detail; I've finally started to add some controls and explore the wire parameters settings. 

The rig is a mixture of IK/FK controls, with three duplicated copies of bones which I've colourised to help visualise in viewport. 

Green= Skinned Bones

Blue= IK bones

White = FK bones

As a result I've built an IK/FK switch into the global control to allow for extra manoeuvrability in animation. See pics below... 

Fig.1 An IK solver in action on the legs

Fig,2 An IKspline inside the neck

Fig.3 The spine twisting to show IK/FK falloff of the character rig

Fig.4 The Rig so Far

2D Sketch Practise: The Past

Very early on, before I started to push my artwork into the digital sphere, I practised drawing the human form. The human form provided me with the challenge of considering complex shapes, how they fit together and interact with one another, their surfaces and dynamism. This post displays some of my old sketch work I would like to share with you because I believe 2D art work paves the way for the latter 3D work.