Project Review: Game of Thrones Season 2: PART I- 3D Crown Illustrations 2012

 Here is the final finished 3D render that I delivered to Cold Open for the final advertising work done for Game of Thrones.

 Here is the first round crown from the top I adjusted the textures lighting and the antlers designs a bit as we proceeded.

 A very early shot before the jewel and gold materials were fully dialed in but the basics were there and ready.

 This is the almost final crown camera shot used for the last image delivered.

 The low poly model I built of the crown with all subdivision removed from the models.

 Here is the medium resolution model with one level on the base parts and two levels on the bigger antler parts.

 Here is the high polygon view of the final crown I built for season 2 of Game of Thrones on HBO

Project Review

Game of Thrones Season 2 PART I

3D Crown Illustrations 2012

Client: HBO via Cold Open.
Art Director(s): Coby Gewertz, Jeff Barnett, Melchior Lamy.
Project Date: January 2012.

Season two of Game of Thrones, premiers this Sunday on HBO, and after I finished the crown image above for the 2nd season advertising campaign, I decided to watch season one via On Demand, and LOVE IT!

So here is the first post, in a series on the work I did for the project that started in October 2011, and finished this past January, and can be see on the outdoor billboard ads. 

I was contacted by Cold Open, as I have done a few projects with them these fine folks the past few years, and with some ex-BLT'ers in-house there, they are accustomed to using my 3D services for more that just an extruded logo. I was asked this round, to build out a handmade crown to match the crown from the first seasons show that was worn by the King[ R.I.P., Long Live the KING!].

Its design is a series of antlers interlocked with amber jewels to form this great crown that I had a chance to replicate in 3D for the posters and billboards.

I built this out as a full sub-division poly model so I can increase or decrease resolution as needed. I also exported the file to a web team for animated crown FX for banner ads etc. I rendered this out in Final Render using the dirt shader, to add just enough aging to make it match the look and feel from this great series.

I also built out the new crown for the boy king, as well as a few added items I will be posting moving ahead in the next weeks to come.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review Game of Thrones Season 2 PART II 3D Crown Illustrations 2012

 Here is the front shot here render of the 3D Crown I built out for Game of Thrones Season Two last year.

 This is a render of the smoothed mesh I built out all sub-division with a Turbo-Smooth applied.

 Here is the base model with all subdivision removed to show the simple base model I created.

 An angle similar to what finished with Richards Crown that I did here for the finish.

 

 The low resolution base mesh.[ Note the band details are not modeled into the band]

 Here is the smoothed model ready to render with the sub division added back in.

 Here is another angle showing the reflection on the band , as I used the map for the bump channel, as well as the specular and glossiness channels.

Here is the 3D band details that I modeled out in 3D as well, and created a Z-Depth map to use as my bump specular and glossiness channels.

Project Review

Game of Thrones Season 2 PART II

3D Crown Illustrations 2012

Client: HBO via Cold Open.
Art Director(s): Coby Gewertz, Jeff Barnett, Melchior Lamy.
Project Date: January 2012.

I created the main crown[ King Richards ] for the advertising for the Season two of Game of Thrones in my prior post on Game of Thrones here, so today I am posting the second crown model I was asked to build out for the presentations for the show.

I was contacted by Cold Open to also build out the boy kings crown, which was also based on antlers, but with a much thinner rack with a lot more points, along with some engraving in the base rim that I created custom Z-Depth bump maps for. It took just under a day to build and render this out for them.

 I also rendered this second crown model out in Final Render using the dirt shader, to add just enough aging to make it match the look and feel from this great series, though the gold is a bit brighter for this crown.

I have been working on the third season for Game of Thrones recently again,and anxiously await the new season along with all us fans.

I will have posts for that work, once the posters show up and the season begins.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: 3D Crown Design for 3D Printed replica for Fabrice Meuwissen Photographe Portrait Toulouse PART-I

In my first delivery I did the crown design in hammered and smooth. in order to do this hammered version I built it out as a quad model added subdivision, and displaced the model with the dents.

Here is the same 3D asset with the displacement removed so it is smooth.

A multi-view render with base dimensions for the prop.

I re-export the STL[ stereolighography] file back into my 3D software to ensure there are no surprises for my clients.

I saved out a small trim ring of the base of this crown 3D design for fitting.

 The final and revised design with notes showing the changes made.

The final STL file with hammered surface remaining.

The final 3D Printed crown faux finished and in use in this great shot provided by Fabrice Meuwissen.

 Another great shot provided by Fabrice Meuwissen showing the crown model used in his Photography.

A beautiful print provided by Fabrice Meuwissen. 

 A final shot of the 3D Printed crown in use by Fabrice Meuwissen. 

Project Review

3D Crown Design for 3D Printed replica

 for Fabrice Meuwissen Photographe Portrait Toulouse
PART I

Client:Project Review: Fabrice Meuwissen Photographe Portrait Toulouse
Creative Direction: Fabrice Meuwissen.
Project Date: March 2014.

Back in March I was contacted to help create custom props for Fabrice Meuwissen, a Professional Photographer out of France after he saw my work I did for the crowns models for Game of Thrones Season 2.

I was given reference images to get the style desired, and I was off to create a model that was to be printed in 3D.

As a trained Industrial Designer, my schooling prepared me to work in 3D Printing as I am trained in Dimensional Design, Ergonomics,and Manufacturing, so I can design something that will actually work in the real world.

I got base dimension and created a first pass model. Though it was well received, it was costly due to the intricate details especially around the rim that were hollow.

In the revision round, I filled them in as seen above. I also saved out a sizing ring to print a test to ensure it would fit the fashion model before spending the money on the full sized one.

3D Printing also allows the end client to scale at full size of 1 to 1, or 1. 1.1 etc., so bigger and smaller versions can be printed as well.

I will be doing a follow up post with a walk thru the build itself as a tutorial in the future.

Cheers, THOM

The Kingsman: The Secret Service 2013- Firearm Logos and King's Crowns PART II

 

 

My first crown design alternated the firearms to create visual gaps to match an actual crown that would typically have points.

 

 

 

 

This Clay Shader Screen Grab showing the wire-frames of this file I built from a higher angle.

 

 

   

This Second crown design spaced out the firearms to create visual gaps and had a band-ring made up of a variety of ammunition that I had from prior projects as well. I also sell the models for those online for $35.oo at TurboSquid Stock Models.

This is a Clay shader Screen grab showing the wire-frames for this second design I built out in 3DSmax at a slightly elevated angle.

This second Screen Grab of that design is a close up on the model details as you can see that the hand-grip was modeled, and not mapped. The 3D Bullets are all Sub-D built.

 

This Third crown design spaced out the firearms in a circular array with the objects rotated to interlock and space them out.

 

 

This Third Design Screen Grab is closer on the model at an elevated angles showing the full 360 nature of the model. I frequently build the files like this as I am asked to proved them to Motion Graphics artists for MGFX Trailer work.

 

This Fourth crown design snugs the object much closer with less gap between them.

 

 

 

 

Moving forward I am reviewing the 3D logos built into a firearm for a Secret Service Agent. This is a sheet of preliminary designs I rendered out at a smaller resolution to get feedback without breaking the budget prior to more direction.

 

 

 

 

Another Clay shader Screen grab showing the wire-frames from the preliminary design work at a 3/4 lower angle.

 

 

 

 

 Clay shader Screen grab closer to the Camera View showing the wire-frames. I love the multiple stacked Kingsmen on the grip texture it emulates.

 

 

 

Clay shader Screen grab with the wrapped text on the silencer at a low angle showing the depth the text is going into the main model to get those deep shadows as the file is extruded more.

Clay shader Screen grab closer to the Camera View wrapped on the frame and silencer here.

 

A much simpler design with different versions of fonts to render on the same file.

A bit bolder and brighter with the font on this one for better legibility in this larger render

 

 

 

A low 3/4 angled view of the above design showing off the dimensions a bit more.

 

 

 

 

Large Text over the frame of the firearm covers it almost entirely.

 

 

 

 

The final design I curved the text on the silencer to conform to the cylinder shape. You just cant beat a curved surface to get the best value contract in the lighting.

 

Project Review

The Kingsman: The Secret Service 2013- Firearm Logos and King's Crowns

PART II

Client:  20th Century Studios via BOND
Project Date:  June 2013.
Direction: Patrick Dillon.

      This is my second post for the work I did for Patrick Dillon at BOND, and today I am going to review my firearm based logo's and King's crowns I was directed to create for the franchise, The Kingsman: The Secret Service. 

 
       I was provided ample direction and vector files for the typeface work so I could begin the project. As a concept artist I can start from nothing or from just a little, to full direction, it's up to the client.

      I have been building firearms going back to the Glass Walther PPK I did for the James Bond franchise going back to my time at BLT Communications when I began in Key Art in 2001. I have more than a few 3D Models of Firearms and weapons that I have built, and for this project I used many assets including the Dessert Eagle and a Beretta I made. These were built with BREP objects that are NURBS from nPower Software based builds, so not a Sub-D build in Quads.

     This work did not make it to finish for the final Key Art, but I continue in my craft for each assignment I get the privilege of working on.To visualize in 3D is a challenge in composition and lighting and I love what I do, do it is a win for me.

     I will be posting more Key Art 3D Illustration and 3D Logos I did for this The Kingsman: The Secret Service for BOND in future blog posts here.

-Here is a link to PART I: covering 3D badges and Emblems I did.

     I am back to full time freelancing as I await the US Job market to pick back up, so big or small I would love to assist you in any 3D visualization work for your projects. My Linked in Profile button on the right column has all my contact details in there along with in my experience section.

 

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review: 3D Title Design for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Australian Ballet 2023

  

 The first finished Key Art Image in Wide format graciously provided to me by Carnival Studios.

 

 

My render of the first concept as a Center Bevel in Gold final design.

 

I always render a second pass with an Ambient occlusion pass using a Cebas Final Render Dirt Shader to accentuate the crevices and intersections to give movement to the form materials.

 

 

 

The wireframe is shown here with 2 levels of Sub-D or mesh-smooth added to smooth out the letter forms as seen especially in any curved areas

 

 

 

Here is the base mesh as hand built with the equalization of polygons over the title for a better render. This is a also used for mocking up MGFX animations as a lower rez model is much easier to work with and saves time and money for the client..

 

 

 

A 3/4 angels screen grab show the deep bevel giving rich highlights and shadows.

 

 

  

The second design which was picked for final Key Art use, has the Pillowed face with soft rounded faces and edges.

 

 

 The Sub-D subdivided mesh with 2 levels for detail was sufficient for the final.

 

 

The low poly base mesh shows I used a very early stage of the Center Bevel model and flattened out the face with just a slight lift in the center to add in the desired crown so the reflections and shadows would roll off with nice gradients and no sharpness.

 

 

  This low 3/4 angel screen grab shows the pillow effect with a soft continuous surface from depth extrusion to face.

 

 A second finished Key Art Poster graciously provided to me by Carnival Studios.

Project Review

3D Title Design for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Australian Ballet 2023

Client:  Australian Ballet via Carnival Studios
Project Date:  June 2023.
Direction: Demi Hopkins.

      I was called in by Creative Director, Demi Hopkins to build out a 3D Title treatment for the Australian Ballet for a show called Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I have worked on and off in a freelance capacity for Carnival Studios for over a decade, and this time a few concepts for the Key Art for the Ballet were needed. I am thankful that Demi graciously allowed me to post on this title treatment for the Australian Ballet.

       I am typically given an Adobe Illustrator vector file as that is the quickest way to start my 3D Build. I can easily work from a bitmap and use a vectorizing program like Vector Magic to create an outline that I then clean up in my 3D program 3DS max. This will increase costs slightly though. I do rework all vectors before building out to equalize the vertex points to I can have a good clean mesh and even spread of polygons for the form to then reflect smoother curves.

 

       I have been doing 3D Titles used for Key Art for just over 20 years now, and these were all built in Autodesk's 3DS Max as Quads with Sub-D [ Mesh-smooth] applied so that they would work with Motion Graphic needs as well. These assets they can be up-rezzed as high as your processors can handle and a director can get David Fincher'esque close ups and fly in's as needed.

      I first built the design out in a popular Center Bevel Design, or Single Point Bevel, which has all bevels meet in the center of the font shapes. It is a very clean look and you get the most bang for your buck with edge lighting especially in in MGFX animation..

     To do this right, it is a hand built model. The nice part is if you save it in stages you can you earlier version of it for flat faced designs, as I did with the Pillow soft face design with the second one, which was ultimately picked and finished for this Ballet.

       For this Pillow faced design you want to have crown on the surface form on the face or front of the font so you can control the reflections better than a mathematically perfect flat surface which is what you get with a straight extrusion.

     It is much faster to build it flat, but the reflections, especially on high reflective materials like Chrome and Gold will not look great and the light will not attenuate over the surface giving the gradient lighting most clients desire. 

     This is what I learned in advanced surfacing as a Transportation Design major at Art Center, as with a car you need crown in surfaces otherwise a true flat shape will not look good in any material that is highly reflective. [ Example; and Older Jeep CJ door has little to no crown so the reflections go all over the place. With a Key Art title, legibility is your key to success.

     I have worked remote since 2009, and have done smaller jobs like this as my side gig so just on my evenings and weekends. At the time I did this a was a full-time employee as a Design Group Manager for a dozen 3D Visualization Artists at GM. It was understood upon my hire and negotiated to my superiors that I would do side work off hours as long as I did not compete with their core business of OEM Manufacturers of Automobiles, which I honored. 

     I am now back to full time freelance as I await the US Job market to pick back up, so big or small I would love to assist you.

                                 Cheers, THOM