Happy Halloween 2012!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

 

 

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Tokyo Disneyland Adventureland Theater Facelift 1997

 The 3D blocking model I built for the facelift on the Advertureland Theater from back in 1997. This was one of many views I ended up sketching over.

  Here is the final blue-line sketch I did with Color-Erase, Prismacolor, and Indigo markers to scan for the final.

 

 A close up on the details I put into the railings etc.

The final Photoshopped colorized version we presented and got the approval to go ahead on with.

Tokyo Disneyland
Adventureland Theater Facelift 1997

Client: Walt Disney Imagineering.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date: Summer 1997.

While working at WDI in the mid 90's I was moved over to work on Tokyo Disneyland after I did a few years on the Second Gate at Paris, and one of the many projects I did some work on was a facelift on an exisiting building there , the Adventureland theater.

I blocked this all out in 3D first, as a 3D Perspective grid, since they wanted a few angles done on it and I suggested we spend a bit of time doing a blocking 3D model so I could sketch over it fast, and add in the all the tiny filigree and detailing needed to sell the remodel to the upper management.

So what you see above are three of the main steps involved. First I build out an accurate 3D model based on the CAD files provided to me by the architects. I then print it out and hand sketch over the top. I scan that into the PC, and take it into Photoshop to colorize and add in all painting technique for presentation.

Once I did this view I rendered out a few added views and sketched over those as well. We sold the idea, and the facelift was added in 98. Always a fun time at WDI back then.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review Menagerie Creative Flying Machine Icon Design 2009-2011

The first design concept, a bit plain, but the basic proportions were there for the flying machine design.

As I moved ahead I added all the little filigree and details that make up the steam punk look as I added brass and copper all over the original design.

 We ditched the top fin added in a main sail design and a seat behind the carriage seats up front for a painter.

 The first final for the flying machine. I also did a simple animation of the wings flapping to fly.

A year later I changed out the front cabin to add in more seats as the company grew.

And last year I added the staircase to add even more.

Here is the multi-view of the current design.

Project Review

Menagerie Creative 
Flying Machine Icon Design

2009-2011 PART I

Client: Fox Home Entertainment via Menagerie Creative.
Creative Director: Cheryl Savala.
Project Date: November 2009.

I was asked to help out and design a steam-punk styled flying machine to be used as an icon for Menagerie Creative out here in California.I usually do movie poster work as my bread and butter, so to get a full on Conceptual Design project themed like this, is a real dream project.

I have done a good amount of steam-punk or "Jules Verne" styled vehicles and machines in the past and this was  one of the first I designed entirely in 3D, so no sketches at all, just 3D blocking from the start, so I have included all the early models and stages I delivered to show how the icon progressed forward these last few years.

Basic direction  given to me was to create a flying ship like machine with steam power and sails or wings. I used just wings all arounf at first with them up in front and rear, but eventually went to a main sail up top, but kept the lower wings  and mini 'cheek wings' off the head.

I made most of the body all out of copper and brass, real standard metals for this era of design work, with a green glass used thru out the design.

Over the last few years I have added a newer and bigger cabin for more people, as the company has grown, and last year I added the long staircase going up.

A very fun design to work on, and I will post some added steam punk assets I did for Cheryl in the weeks to come connected to this same look.

Cheers, THOM

Personal Project My 7th Term Entertainment Design Project Theme Park Multi-Environment Vehicle Part 1-Early Speed Form Studies

 Early speed-form sketches I did my 7th term at Art Center for my Entertainment Design Project.

 I did about 8 pages of these and picked a few to refine[ will post in the future]

 I began to break the form into two shapes as the design progressed as the back transformed in the ride.

 Some more pages [ 14' x 17' Vincent Velum] of speed form concepts

Personal Project

My 7th Term Entertainment Design Project
Theme Park Multi-Environment Vehicle
Part 1-Early Speed Form Studies

This is my first post covering my personal school project from back during my Art Center days in Transportation Design my Seventh Term in the Summer of 1991.

This was the first Entertainment Project I did at Art Center, as I went there before they had an Entertainment emphasis as an ID major, or the new Entertainment Design Degree they now offer. I had always wanted to do some Theme Park Design work so I chose this project to show that a bit.

I developed a vehicle for a ride system, so I began where many car designers do with what is called the "Speed form".

 Professor Strothor MacMinn taught us speed form shapes as a basis for the main body form of a vehicle very early on at Art Center. A speed form is a aerodynamic shape that shows direction in the form, hence the name speed form.

Some people say, "That car looks like it is gong 100 MPH standing still", and that my good friends is what a speed form is all about.

I did multiple sheets of forms, picked a few and refined. I will be posting this work in the weeks to come.

Enjoy the post.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Cimarron Group Furniture Design Traffic Agency- Custom Desk Designs 2008

The first design had a series of arched legs that were stacked up at an angle with a solid metal foot on each side.

I did an alternate in a darker wood, and doubled up on the drawers. 

This is the second design which used metal edging like on old diner tables from the 40's with bent wood leg posts on polished aluminum feet.

I did an alternate with darker wood here too. This was my favorite

For this design I did full bentwood box shelves on each side with a small center drawer, all sitting on black-Chrome feet.

An alternate in dark wood for the last design I submitted

Project Review

The Cimarron Group Furniture Design

Traffic Agency- Custom Desk Designs 2008

Client: The Traffic Agency via The Cimarron Group.
Art Direction: n/a
Project Date: Late Summer 2008

As a full  time employee at The Cimarron Group I often helped out with 3D visualizations of the various construction projects that the owner Bob Farina had at the company. I had worked on a restaurant and been an Imagineer so I was very familiar with these type of projects.

Also, I have worked as a professional cabinet builder and as a woodworker, so as an industrial designer, furniture design is a natural skill we build on over our whole career.

I had a chance to design some quick ideas in 3D for a big custom desk for the owner of the company, as he would have a satellite office at the Traffic Agency away from Cimarron, and wanted a nice big custom desk, so I was off and designing.

I had some samples of other pieces he liked, and was approved on the theme as a hybrid of a modern to an older retro-modern look, so I did these quick 3D Design ideas to be built out by his custom cabinet maker.

This is the second in a series of architectural and furniture design work I do along side the higher concept design work as well, look for future posts, and you can see the Art Table I did here.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXVII [117th] More Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

 A rough layout move blocking that I did for Jesse Santos to complete of the African Jungle. I blocked the skull cave over on the right, with a tabletop mesa to the left.

 The Maximum Inc Rocket lands in a field out in the countryside outside of Metropia.

 An Exterior of the Lab blocked with foreground vines to part upon truck in.

 Here is the Maximum Inc Rocket in the cargo bay ready to lift off.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXVII [117th]

More Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Tuesday 2D post this week, I have found even more of the small layouts I did to assist in production on the Television Animated Series from the mid 90's called The Phantom 2040.

I did these blocking grids to be used by multiple groups both in-house in the states, as well as for our overseas groups working in France and South Korea.

The background painters, Layout Artists, Storyboard Artists, and Animators all took advantage of these as they would provide that little bit of extra information to help them complete the work on model and quicker too.

I often did plan views, cut away drawings , and whatever detailed sketch was needed to help us make our production deadlines, and simple milestone goals each month, as we did put out 52 episodes in those hectic two years at Hearst Animation.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Buy a Day Get A Year Free 2006 Universal Studios Hollywood 3D Illustration

 A Final One Line banner ad done for Universal Studios Hollywood back in 2006.

 Here is the bus shelter One-sheet design that went to finish as well.

 A final HD format file.

 

 An alternate route to the outdoor feel was to put it all inside a sound stage, so I tried a few with that look as well.

 A different font and glowing edges with some cool tones in this attempt.

 We went back to outdoor tried the cool tones, but went with red for the finals.

Buy a Day Get  A Year Free 2006
Universal Studios Hollywood
3D Illustration

Client: Universal Studios Hollywood via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director(s): Mary Ellen Schrock.
Project Date: Winter 2004.

I did more than a few projects for Universal while at The Cimarron Group, since back in 2003 they were still on retainer so we had a regular flow of work that we did, and this was the 2006 buy a day campaign that they now do every year. 

 

To boost attendance in the parks they offer a year pass for a full day price, so that you will come back, and with this round I worked on in 2006, the theme was behind the set, so I built out a large series if backstage props from lights to cameras and scaffolding to configure into the needed sets.

One big advantage to using a 3D Illustrator is that I can move the parts around to create stacked, or one line custom banner adds using the same assets from the poster.

This is where 3D shines. I did both outside at 'magic hour', as well inside a sound stage, similar to what we did on the logo here.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Planet of the Apes[Original Films] Boxed Set 2009

 Here is the final 3D Illustration I built out for the Boxed Set of the original films from back in 2009.

  

 A slightly rotated model here of the Icarus, so we can see the other side window and 'cheek' surface.

 

 The base poly for the body skin for the spaseship.

 

 Subdivision is set at three here for the final renders.

 

 The Texture Map with the screen projection I used for simple alignment.

 

  Here is the packaging as seem online

Project Review

Planet of the Apes[Original Films]

Boxed Set 2009

Client: Fox Home Entertainment via Menagerie Creative.
Creative Director: Cheryl Savala.
Project Date: November 2009.

I had worked with the Creative Director, Cheryl at The Cimarron Group a few years prior when we were both still there in-house, so when she had a 3D Illustration she needed for the Home Entertainment Boxed set of the original Planet of the Apes at her company Menagerie, I was assigned the task of the build.

I am a super fan of the movies themselves, as I grew up with the Mego toys as a kid in the 70's, so this was a property I was very familiar with, and I got to build the space craft for the cover flap, very cool to me.

So, I built the body of the space craft as a sub-division editable polygon, so I could add surface to the main base poly. I then added the vents and various litte jets in the wings, and the model was done. It was a quick project with a fast deadline.

I then moved onto the texture map , and I did a simple projection, since this was a single view render and that would work well, though the map also worked for a few more angles fine too. I used a screen grab of my 3D Model I built in 3D Studio Max, and I then alined all the various parts and built the final color, bump, and specular map.it all that way.

A fun project to finish as it went to print that year.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXVI [116th] More Character Fashion Design for Animation

 I modified a Dry-as-a-Bone Australian riding jacket to accommodate Guran above. I added just some small details of tall and thin magnetic clips up by the lapels.

  

 Here is a generic Butler character that would be seen both at Maximum Inc, as well as serving the Madisons, Maxwell and Rebecca.

 A Tracker outfit I designed a few times to get it right. The hat with the neck cover was in the script as a feature discussed so I had to add that in.

 

 Here is a simple coat that was used in the shots near the dorms, for various students wearing school jackets.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXVI [116th]

More Character Fashion Design for Animation

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Thursday 2D post this week, I have scanned in a few more drawing overlays I did for some character fashion design from the show, The Phantom 2040, and this is my 116th post for the work I did for this property.

I have posted fashion designs before from the show, and as Art Director and head Conceptual Designer for the series, I set the look for the show that I wanted to have in all outfits that were worn by the various characters.

As an Industrial Designer, Fashion Design is something that all designers must consider when doing any thematic design. We look at trends in all of the design word to find what is the movement in the field so we can apply these ideas to our concepts.

I did most of these with a micro mechanical pencil since all the Peter Chung concepts for the main characters was done all with a very thin line style, and we wanted to be consistent with all character outfits as well.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Hyundai 2009 Virtual Car Remodeling PART I

 Here is the final Hyundai Sonata Headlight assembly Model as delivered for the project.

 The base 3D Model for the headlight with subdivision removed.

 Here is the final smoothed 3D asset. I did not smooth the honeycomb reflector object as it was not needed.

 An overhead shot of the base model.

  Here is the Turbo-Smoothed Model with the setting at three subdivisions

Project Review

Hyundai Sonata 2009

Virtual Car Remodeling PART I

 

Client: Hyundai via 2HM[ Two Headed Monster]
Producer: John Busenberg.
Project Date: Summer 2009.

When I was in-house in Hollywood at The Cimarron Group, I was called down to 2HM[ Two-Headed Monster], to assist for two weeks in a Hyundai project where the virtual car models they received, were very problematic and required a good amount of full remodeling so that they could do the website configurations and the television spots with these virtual cars.

I had done a few automotive virtual car shoots for Herbie, Lotus, Honda, Mitsubishi, and for LandAirSea Designs before, as I hand built Herbie, the Lotus, and Marek Djordjevics Landairsea.com  Supercar from scratch myself, where the Honda and Mitsubishi were scanned in.

 I also worked on site for the two weeks at 2HM, which was a very nice change up since at Cimarron I was  Department of one, and work was always drenched in solitude, so I got to sit with a big group of 3DS users which was very nice!

So for the first post in this work, I have a quick model I started with, which was to remake the complex headlight assembly for the Sonata model. 

It was build all subdivision so they could Turbo smooth the object to get a perfect surface.

I will have added posts covering the body and interior work I did on various models since they did the whole 2009 Hyundai lineup I worked on over half the cars. Fun stuff!

Cheers, THOM
    

Project Review Men in Black- Alien Attack: Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART II

A detailed view of the Claw forearm design showing off the surface design for the builders in Florida.

 

 A Front View showing the head shell and the tilt that it would be set at for the final design.

Inside the mouth was revised since we went with the throat design for the final so we moved the teeth up front on the attraction.

 Here is the original Inside the mouth design I did first, with a Ford "POS" up front getting crushed by the teeth. The under Drawing I posted is here.

 Project Review

Men in Black- Alien Attack:

Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART II

Client: Universal Creative
Creative Director: Dave Cobb
Project Date: Summer 1998

This is PART II in a small series that I have for some Conceptual Design work that I did for Universal Creative in the 90's for a Men in Black attraction at the Florida Park called, Alien Attack, which is now closed.

Today I have more parts drawings and detailed sections showing off the details in the design.

I found some added sketches for the design package I provided Dave Cobb who was producing the attraction for Universal , and I had worked with Dave over at Landmark Entertainment in the past so we had worked together on a few Themed projects, and that made this job, work like a clock.


They wanted what were termed, "Intent Design Sketches", that were to be accurate enough to show what we wanted the parts to look like, while allowing room to adjust the design in the field to conform to any mechanical issue that might arise , since the design I did was prior to the engineers adjustments since I was just freelancing the work and would not be around for construction.

The pack was a dozen or so drawings for the attraction that were done in a few weeks and I eventually moved on.

This was the last work I did the Universals Theme Park Division before the "Dot-Com" boom drew me in.

You can view PART I here, as well as I've posted some under drawing here, and here as well from the project.

Cheers, THOM