Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art

 

 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: Main Render delivered with all layers.

 

 

  Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: With the hidden photography layer used for alignment for the client to see in.

 

  Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: The background 3D render group set behind the photo-shoot grab.

 

 
 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: The Foreground 3D Color render set in front of the above render to comlete the comp.

 


Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: The full 3D render together with Foreground and Background.
 
 

Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Z-Depth distance based mask used for all post effects.

 

Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: I almost always provide a second render pass shaded as an Ambient Occlusion/ Dirt pass using Cebas Final Render GI plug-in. It gives both ambient realism, and a dirt procedural shader that fills in cracks in the geometry at all intersections adding realism as well. A must have in any 3D render. This is for the Foreground layer.


Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: a second  Ambient Occlusion/ Dirt pass. This is for the background scaffolding group render layer.

 


 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: This is the original sketch as well as a screen grab of sketch, the photography and a set extension I did for the viewport background to render to.

 

 
 
Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface-This is the Camera view with the refection dome behind the scaffolding.

 

 

Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Wire-frame grab from the Camera.

 

 
 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Wire-frame camera viewport showing alignment to the sketch and city photography
 
 
 
Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art :A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- A close up on the mesh railing and details in the build with the bolts and clamps, floor boards and props.
 
 
 
  
 
Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Wire-frame- of the above Clay shot. Color coded meshes by object type is seen here.
 
 
 
 
 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- A birds eye view with both foreground and background groups in the shot
 
 
 

Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- The same birds eye view with just the Background group in the shot

 

 
 
Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- The same birds eye view with just the Foreground group in the shot
 



Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art; A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- a severe birds eye view looking into the Gap where the main Actor Pete Holmes is place virtually.
 


Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- super close on the knotty pine box I repurposed from another gig.

 

 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019- 3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art: A Screen Grab Clay shader showing surface- A medium shot from camera showing better detail a bit closer.

 

 Project Review: Crashing HBO 2017-2019

3D Concept Design Illustration for Key Art 

September 2017 

 

Client:  HBO via Cold Open
Creative Direction: Gardner DeFranceaux

Project Date:  September 2017.

     I was brought onto this HBO project in the Fall of 2017 for a new HBO series Crashing to do some Concept Design and 3D Illustration for a concept the client wanted to see. This was proof of Concept work, that was presented, but did not finish.

    Another great project I got from Cold Open agency. This was a Concept Art 3D Illustration piece to make a giant scaffolding structure surround the main talent Pete Holmes both front and back in a city where he is  a giant at 30 stories tall. I did some research as well as getting a reference sketch and some photos of the level of detail wanted, so I was off to work.
 
     I built out the individual parts "Lego Style" so I can have repeating parts to use, and I put a naming convention in the file to easily texture and grab the parts by object when I build all base parts. These were also all built at as quad subdivision models so I could have a low-rez base mesh and add subdivision at render time since there were a lot of parts in the file a 100+ Mb scene file so you need to be able to light it easier that way. Also when I build stuff like this I want to sure the parts in the future and at some point if it is to be animated, as they need the low poly for that to be efficient. I also color code the geometry to grab by color for quick workflow. Even a mini pipeline for a single image is helpful.
 
    This is a Behind the Art post showcasing the actual geometry in a build. I also split the scaffolding into foreground and background sections to easily place the photo-shoot Pete Holmes inside the scaffolding structure cage so to speak. I delivered the layered Photoshop file to the agency this way so they could work quickly and mask as needed.

     Many thanks go out to Gardner there at Cold Open. A fun design to execute even if t did not make it to the finish. I love the building  and lighting rendering no matter how far a project goes, the process is  what I love. Click the link to see the impressive work they do! 

     I am currently full time doing freelance as I 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 to go now.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Project Review: Next Level Chef Las Vegas 2022- 3D Architectural Concept Illustration

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- The main 3D final render of the full build out as delivered to the client.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- The smaller test pass with the sketch as an overlay sent to the agency to approve the angle and proportions prior to the full build out. This was a 3 day job, so I lock in angles first to save time and budget.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- I also rendered the above grid at final 3K render scale and put it in the final PSD as a layer to match perspective to the city behind it and for the placement of Gordon over the building as a grid-guide layer.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- the Ambient Occlusion / Dirt render pass adds realistic ambient lighting and dirt into the cracks. Here you can clearly see the colored lighting I had on each level as it shows up best on the white primer material used.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- The Z-Depth render pass gives a 256 level mask that is used for all post effects.
 
 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A textured Screen Grab from the camera view showing the render in frame.

 
 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A Screen Grab Clay shader surface render from the camera view. I hid the front glass surface here so see thru to the interior design.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A close up textured Screen Grab render of the window section of the curved building set.

 

 
 
 Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A close up Screen Grab Clay shader surface render of the window section of the curved building set.

 

  

 
 Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A textured Screen Grab render of the right end of the curved building set.
 

Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A Screen Grab Clay shader surface render of the right end of the curved building set.
 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A Screen Grab Clay shader surface render of the lower basement section of the curved building set.

 

Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- A Screen Grab Clay shader surface render of the middle section of the curved building set.

 

 
 
Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- Crop in of the 3D final render.

 

Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- Crop in of the 3D final render.

 

 Next Level Chef Las Vegas 3D Architectural Concept Illustrations- Here is what I start a project like this with: The main billboard layout. A crop in so the render is full screen and renders quicker. And the reference from the show so I know the set design needs.

 

Project Review: 

Next Level Chef : Las Vegas

3D Architectural Concept Illustration 

 

Client:  FOX Television via Cold Open
Creative Direction: Gardner DeFranceaux

Project Date:  September-October 2022.

     Back in 2022 I was hired for the FOX Television show Next Level Chef. This idea was a proof of concept based on the set design on the show built out as a large curved building set in the dessert outside Las Vegas with Gordon Ramsay as a giant leaning on the architecture. The set is 3 levels tall with the best kitchen on top and the old warehouse kitchen in the basement lowest level. They work their way higher up as they win on the show.

     I love doing freelance for the Cold Open agency, and with my love and background in Architectural and Interior Design work I get to play in that arena again with a gig like this. The set design was established so I needed to copy what was done, just with a much longer set with an added curved building rather than a squared off rectangular set as the show has.
 
     I received set reference as well as the billboard 30-sheet sketch to follow with my build out so I jumped into the work. The lowest level was red brick, wood, and warm lighting with standard white old kitchen  appliances. Mid level was a cool blue lit, all stainless steel kitchen, with blue neon lighting. The Top was bright white tube frame lit, with fine wood, and a very modern designs, clean and simple. I built out the main components found in the reference and rearranged them to be about 3 times the width of the set to get a good long curve building for Gordon to lean on. In the sketch you can see Vegas in the background.
 
    This is a Behind the Art post for those wanting to see the actual geometry in a build, focusing on the set design and set dressing props scattered about the sets.I have built out a good number of Bars, Kitchens, and Food Trucks so I had a good library to pick from. All modeling was Sub-D Quads so I could use the base mesh in some cases as this was a medium to long shot and those details would only be needed for a closer render.

     Thanks go out to Gardner there at Cold Open for bringing me on for these project based roles. Please do take a trip over to the website at the link to see the impressive work they do over there. A great creative powerhouse.

     I am currently full time doing freelance as I 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 for your visualization or leadership needs.

                                 Cheers, THOM