Project Review: Space Miners 3D Animation Pitch

The Preliminary Concept for the Miner.

The Final Version of the Miner that was built in 3D and animated for the tests.

Space Miners

Client: Brandon Smith Prod.
Art Director: Brandon Smith.
Project Date: Summer 1997

I did a few pitch packages for Animated shows, and these two sketches were a few concept ideas I had that were modeled and animated in Alias for the pitch. Fun design stuff, but the show was never picked up beyond the pilot tests. Total time was about 3 -4 Hours work to design and execute the concepts for delivery to Brandon.

Cheers, THOM

A Enemy ship that hunts the "miners" made from Crystal.

A standard Space Ore cart[empty] that the miners use to transport Ore.

A generic Spaceship design that would articulate and change a bit[ not-transform as much as bend]

A second Generic Ship in a Side View.

Space Miners PART II

Client: Brandon Smith Prod.
Art Director: Brandon Smith.
Project Date: Summer 1997

In this second part on the pitch packages I did for Animated shows, these sketches were a few concept ideas I had for some of the vehicles for the show that were modeled and animated in Alias as well. One concept was a ship made of crystal and rock, while most were standard fare SciFi.

It is very fun work designing spaceships, but the show was never picked up. Total time was about 6 Hours of work to design and execute the concepts for delivery to Brandon on these four designs.

To review the "Miner" characters form the prior post click THIS!:

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Dark Justice PART III

G-Money was the "Godfather" main Bad guy character.

Chill is G-Moneys main Henchman.

Jewel was the Hero.

The Ah-Ha girls were triplets in G-Moneys club.

Medina was the Evil Mistress.

Project Review: Dark Justice PART III Character Development

Client: Brandon Smith via Hope Ranch Productions
Art Director: Myself
Project Date: 1999

In this third post on Dark Justice, the animated cable show I did Production Design work for in the early 90's , we look at a the main characters I designed for the series.

An Art Deco futuristic world that had an overall sexy tone, hence all the ladies wearing lingerie in every scene as the primary outfits.


You can view PART II the vehicle designs I did here.

You can view PART I for the Set Design work here.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Early work out of Art Center: TV Production Design and Fabrication Wild Wallz -Alex Hajdu

 Here is the one page sketch that started the process.

Project Review

Early work out of Art Center

TV Production Design and Fabrication Wild Wallz -Alex Hajdu

Client Alex Hajdu @ Wild Wallz Productions.
Art Direction: Alex Hajdu.
Project Date: Spring 1992.

This posting reflects a very early design sketch that I did in my career. This was one of my first jobs out of Art Center, I had bumped into Brandon Smith in the Project Room at A.C.C.D. looking for a modeler to work on a van for Terminator 2 , but I had 2 weeks until I graduated so I had to pass, but I kept the number around, and it paid off with a few jobs.

I called and connected up on a few small projects for Alex Hajdu a Production Designer at the time who owned Wild Wallz in Burbank CA, so I came in on occasions to design and build items for him.

Above is a mechanical prop with spinning dials, that was to be used in a "soap" commercial of some sort, I do not even remember the name. I do remember building the prop in yellow foam and finishing like an automotive model from ACCD, and working with a great Mechanical FX guy for the inner workings.

I used yellow foam for the body, sealed in Pres-Tech catalyzing primer, a vacuum formed top, with PVC, aluminum, and wood internal parts[ hand built by me]. We did a lot of 14 hr days to design and build this functioning "Hero Prop" for a TV spot, FUN!


Cheers, THOM

Project Review:Dark Justice

INT-Throne Room

INT-Mom's Apartment.

INT-Medina's Apartment

EXT-Medina's Apartment front Porch.

INT-Medina's Bedroom.

EXT-Street Corner.[ Police Station]

EXT-Mom's Apartment Entryway[ Street Level].

EXT- WIDE City View.

INT-Chill's Nightclub.

EXT-G-Money's Cathedral.

EXT- Alley [Outside Club]

Project Review: Dark Justice

Client: Brandon Smith via Hope Ranch Productions
Art Director: Myself
Project Date: 1999

I was commissioned to do concept design sketches for a new CGI animated series, that would include designing all characters, environments, and vehicles.

The design direction given was a "Deco-Future" ala' a Blade Runner look. I created the look of the world itself first through the various locations in the series. I had very short schedules for all sketches, usually about 3-4 Hrs per design sketch[ design and draw in 3 Hrs]. SO 2- 3 sketches per day was a fast turn around for complete production design.

I never got to see the finished product though I heard production value was lacking.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Dark Justice PART II

The Limousine Final sketch: This was the main Characters car in the show.

Here is the underlay rough of the Limo with a Perspective Grid as well.

A Final Design for a Taxi Cab used in the Series.

The underlay rough I did for the Taxi design.
[ Note: grid-work on body for checkerboard placement]

The Final Design for a Deco Styled Zeppelin that floats through the city.

The rough sketch underlay I did for the Zeppelin design above.

Project Review: Dark Justice PART II Vehicle Development

Client: Brandon Smith via Hope Ranch Productions
Art Director: Myself
Project Date: 1999

In this second post on Dark Justice, the animated cable show I did Production Design work for in the early 90's , we look at a few vehicles I designed and the underlay grids I used to rough them in.

As with my prior post on using an underlay grid, sometimes I do a full grid, and sometimes I only do a partial one for some key objects like the wheels. I always do a rough for two reasons; first it gives the client a first-look at the design before I have put much time into the design so basic proportions and design elements can be identified. I next flesh out the design in the final and deliver. For these tere was no coloring stage so I delivered monochromatics.

You can view the Set Design work I did for this show on another post here.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I

 

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- The final 6K color render used for the Key Art Teaser poster.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A dark version done in Crystal edge lit.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A daylight crystal version up in the sky.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Screen Grab showing the basic materials as well as the wireframe Iso-line geometry.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader Screen Grab from the Camera viewport showing the poly Sub-D subdivided 3D model I built for the final rendering for the Teaser Posters.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader Screen Grab from the Camera viewport showing the polygon Base Mesh 3D model I built for the test animation rendering.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader Screen Grab from a low angle 3/4 view showing the poly Sub-D subdivided 3D model I built.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-A clay Shader Screen Grab from a low angle 3/4 view showing the polygon Base Mesh 3D model I built.

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-A clay Shader Screen Grab from a high angle showing the bend modifier I applied to the shield to curve it back on the sides as if it were on Superman's chest.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- One of the early 3D renders of the rooftop to the Daily Planet Building.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Ambient Occlusion / Dirt 3D Render pass to add in aging and details to the geometry for the final renders.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A 3D Z-Depth Render pass allows for 256 levels of grey as a mask for depth effects on the still renders for precise post effects.

 

 

 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A closer angle on the Art Deco eagles that surrounded the Daily Plant Globe on the top of the building.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- An Ambient Occlusion / Dirt 3D Render pass to add in aging and details to the geometry for the final renders.

 

 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-A 3D Z-Depth Render pass allows for 256 levels of grey as a mask for depth effects on the still renders for precise post effects.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Screen Grab showing the basic materials as well as the wireframe shaded view in Camera.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Clay Shader shows the 3D Geometry builds form without textures or colors. This is the Camera viewport angle of the shot.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Clay Shader view of the top of the building Deco design.

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay shader on the top deck roof of the Daily Planet building I made for the Key Art.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader close up on the Art Deco Eagles that surround the Daily Planet Globe. This was a subdivision Quad Modeling job and this is the High-rez Sub-D asset.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader close up on the Art Deco Eagles that surround the Daily Planet Globe. This was a subdivision Quad base Low-rez Sub-D asset.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A clay Shader view of the Model I made Close up on the Daily Planet Globe with the Deco text that would spin on top of the building.
 

 

 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Clay Shader screen grab pulled back on the full globe asset for the Daily Planet.

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A proof sheet of the top of the Daily Planet 3D full color renders I provided the Key Art team to build out comp ideas from. A 3D asset is built once and can be very cost effective to render out at multiple views using various lenses.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A full 7K render for the third party tie-in artwork needed for Consumer Packaged Goods "CPG", as well as to store displays as seen in a press photo below.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Though Bright Blue sky day renders were asked for I also did a nice moody night city view.

 

 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- An Ambient Occlusion / Dirt 3D Render pass to add in aging and details to the geometry for the final renders.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-A 3D Z-Depth Render pass allows for 256 levels of grey as a mask for depth effects on the still renders for precise post effects.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Screen Grab in a Clay Shader from the Camera View of the wide shot of the city with the Daily Planet.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Another Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of the wide shot of the city with the Daily Planet.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Up angle on the Daily Planet Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of the wide shot of the city with the Daily Planet.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of the wide shot of the city with an eagle spirre Sub-D taken from a Crest I built prior.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of a stepped round Art Deco building from the concept sketch.

  

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of long shot on the Daily Planet.

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of the full city layout with the buildings spaced out for the camera view composition.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- The Crystal spaceship the Superman comes to earth in. a full 3D render I did for Key Art Comp Ideas.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Ambient Occlusion / Dirt 3D Render pass to add in aging and details to the geometry for the final renders.

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- The 3D Z-Depth Render pass allows for 256 levels of grey as a mask for depth effects on the still renders for precise post effects.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-A Screen Grab showing the basic materials as well as the wireframe shaded view in Camera.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of long Crystal Spaceship. This is the Camera viewport.

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Close Up Screen Grab in a Clay Shader on the Crystal Spaceship.
 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Another Close Up Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of the Crystal Spaceship.

 

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I-Screen Grab in a Clay Shader of long on the Crystal Spaceship.

 

 
Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- The finished final Tease Poster utilizing my 3D Superman Shield.

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Blue Ray DVD Key Art poster for Home Entertainment Marketing.

 

 

 

Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- Another Blue Ray DVD Key Art poster for Home Entertainment Marketing. You will se a variety of these Metropolis 3D renders  used on Cable for the Movie on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc still.

 

 Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I- A Press Event in Beverly Hills with Brandon Routh (Superman), and Kate Bosworth (Lois Lane) pictured here with my City render in the store display window at the event.

 

Project Review: Superman Returns 2006- Key Art and 3D Illustrations PART I

 

Client:  DC and Warner Brothers via The Cimarron Group
Creative Direction: Calvin Sumler and Joseph Stamper Jr.
Project Date:  June 2005.

     In the Summer  of 2005, I was in house at The Cimarron Group as the 3D Design Director and I got another dream project working on Superman Returns a film by Bryan Singer rebooting off the original films from the 80's from Richard Donner. I grew up watching those films, some of the first superhero  films that set the stage for an explosion of films in the 2000's. This work was done just over 2o years ago now, but seems like yesterday.

 

     This work was very early in the production process before any principal photography was done, so we had very little to go off of. I started with the main Icon, the Superman Shield. There was a really small 3D image done by another vendor, but the Director was not going to use it. A number of Agencies were on the project including my old agency BLT Communications. There was a lot of competition for this as the film was getting a lot of attention, and the Icon was the first image they wanted for a Comic Con debut surprise by Bryan Singer.

     I started with the main Icon. I made it as a subdivision model so It would have perfect surfaces. The first pass from the other vendor was a NURBS based model with some sharp edge issues and the reflections made it look very CGI. As a Transportation Design graduate, this was an advanced surface design with curved surfaces blending into flat ones with a little crown on each to control the reflections better as they laid out on the "S". I also added a slight curve to the build as the Icon laid out on Superman's barrel chest so it had about 7 degrees of curve that is seen in the Clay Shadier above.

     Once the Icon Debuted Bryan Singer was so happy with the design he awarded our team the whole project. A very rare occurrence, so I continued to build out much more.

     Next I built out the Art Deco inspired Daily Planet with a high poly rooftop as well as the full building to the main entrance. I also had to build out a full wide Metropolis skyline from a single concept art illustration as no CGI was done at the time we were working on it. I love building out hard surface models especially architecture, and Art Deco is a favorite style of mine so this was really fun work. 

    Finally, I had to design out the Crystal ship he arrived on earth in, and for this I only had a concept Art sketch to work from. I had a production shot of the land built out of hexagonal crystal designs, so I built out the space ship using this design piece and blocked it out with the starburst center and long tail all crystal material ship with an internal light source glowing with warmth inside.

    All in all I spent well over a year on this project doing a variety of Metropolis city shots, Spaceship angles, and a lot of rooftop views. I also did extruded 3D text titles along with animations for online mobile and web. This is the only project where my 3D work went in the film itself, The 3D Shield model was used in the film itself as Imaginary Forces asked us for the files to animate it for the Film title opening. I remember making a DVD -ROM cover for it for the deliver and got it sent over at Warner Brothers approval and shared request. This too was very rare as agency's usually do not share 3D assets. WB was very glad we did, and we ended up doing a lot of WB work while I was there.

     I am still currently doing freelance as I still hunt for a full-time place to work at, so if you need a bid for a 3D Illustration or 3D Logo, or a 3D Model feel free to contact me for a quote. I am open to Hourly gig's, Work Retainers, Part-time, and of course a Full Time opportunity [ Open to relocation ] would be best. I have worked remote since 2009, so I am ready and experienced to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM