Project Review: 3D Key Art Illustrations "Proof of Concept" for Horror Film Hell Fest April 2018

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018- This is the first of two Skull 3D Illustration sculptures I did as Concept art for the Key Art. This low 3D Camera angle with red light on the dark metal set the tone for the project.

 

 

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-  The Ambient / Dirt 3D Render pass from Cebas Final Render is always helpful to tune in the RAW 3D Color Pass render in Photoshop for Print work or in After Effects for MGFX.

 

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018- A standard Alpha Channel makes cutting out the render take seconds saving so much time over either photography or AI generated images.

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018- Z-Depth give 256 levels of distance for a mask for use in post FX for saturation, blurs, and brightness It is a 3D mask which can be adjusted with levels in Photoshop to make more custom ones as well.
 

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018- This Screen Grab Clay shader shows surface form with no textures so showcase the build itself. This is the Base Mesh in a Quad build, without Sub-D added to enhance the geometry yet. This is what is used by Animators to set up their work. 

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader shows surface with Subdivision added at 2 Levels so it is 8 times the mesh density. A longer render but for Key Art finishing this allows for very smooth surfaces and curves which this has plenty of.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader shows the build with the camera pulled back and to the left showing the jawbone and cheek form not visible as much from the straight on shot.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader is rotated and further to that left cheek side from camera. Here you see the absence of geometry for the back of the skull that I left out of this build. More like a mask.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader close up of the teeth area shows the Base Mesh in the Quad build.

 

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader close up of the teeth area shows the Subdivided Mesh final for renders.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This is the second of two Skull 3D Illustration sculptures I did as Concept art for the Key Art. This concept has a very different design in the center of the forehead with deep swirl spirals going back in 3D Space as well as I tilted down the Skull itself so it had a more menacing look as he is looking at us from the deep sockets under the eyebrow area.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018- The Ambient / Dirt 3D Render pass from Cebas Final Render shows the colored lighting on the material. this enhances the red lighting as I overlay it as well as the Ambient GI lighting and dirt in the cracks and crevices.

 

 

 

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-standard Alpha Channel makes cutting out the render take seconds. It also shows the negative space. This also works as a great mask for any painting work in post too.

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-Z-Depth mask,

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader is close up in the forehead variation in this second design. I really liked the Razor wire modification to the swirls in there, they felt a little like roses which for a horror concept was different. You see roses and skulls together in a lot of Art from the 60's maybe I was paying homage to The Grateful Dead here. 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader from the side of the Skull sculpture I did for Proof of Concept Art.

 

 

 

3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept for Horror Film Hell Fest 2018-This Screen Grab Clay shader shows surface form with no textures. This is with Sub-D added to enhance the geometry.  

 

 

Project Review

 3D Key Art Illustrations for Proof of Concept

for Horror Film Hell Fest April 2018 
 

Client:  CBS Films via Cold Open
Creative Direction: Gardner DeFranceaux
Project Date:  April 2018.

     Today I am posting some really fun Proof of Concept work I did for Gardner at the Cold Open Agency out in So Cal for a Theme Park Horror film Hell Fest. This was all Proof of Concept work that did not make it into the final round, nonetheless it was super fun to do Blue Sky concept work to stretch my wings. This post is also a Behind the Art post with Z-Depth masks, Ambient/ Dirt Shader passes, and wireframe screen grabs showing the build out itself, both with and without subdivision as this is a Poly Sub-D Quad build-out.

     I have posted work I have done for the past 16 years for the Cold Open agency, and I always get really fun 3D illustrations and 3D Logo concepts from the fantastic team there. Hell Fest was no different. This was described to me to use roller coaster theme park parts and razor wire to create a skull icon for the Key Art. How cool is that as a concept design to do. As a 3D Conceptual Designer these kind of jobs don't come around very often, so when they do I am all in! I have done a few skull themed Key Art work as seen at this link here.

 

     As a Disney Imagineer I had to sketch and build 3D roller coaster parts quite a few times over the years, so I built on my prior understanding going into this project as I was able to use that knowledge to quickly built out these parts. I built them all as 3D Quad Subdivision models so that I could bend them without any distortion or segmenting once I mesh-smoothed the geometry at the final rendering stage. Also this allowed a lower resolution model to be used for Motion Graphics pieces with a much more manageable polygon count to make life much easier for the MGFX 3D Animators.

 

     The second main component I made in this build was the razor wire. I did some as coils, and others bent forms as I made a set at various lengths that and layered back in 3D space as seen especially in the eye sockets to get them darker like deep tunnels.You will see two variations on the top of the Skull in each design as well as different tilting of the skull. The more evil tipped forehead and the lower camera angle with the mouth open wide shot.

    I took a number of screen grabs in a flat Clay Shader to show the sculpture forms I made for the Skull. I purposely left the back of the Skull off the model as this was only to be shown from the front in the Key Art, and I liked the negative space the gaps created which would have been much more busy with a full 3D back and Front sculpture. This was built more like a mask. I also show the side of the sculpture, and close up views to show of my attention to detail. I just love getting into it.

     I really enjoyed all the projects I do for Gardner there at Cold Open. Take a trip to the site at the link to see the impressive work they do!

     I am back 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 Full Time opportunities [ Open to relocation ] would be best. I have worked remote since 2009, so I am ready and experienced to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

3D Illustration Characters: 3D Character Design for Print and Animation, 3D Robot Design, and 3D Figurative Design and 3D Character Modeling for Key Art.

Here is a sampling of the 3D Characters work.  Full size image can be seen here.

 3D Illustration Characters

3D Character Design for Print and Animation

3D Robot Design, 3D Figurative Design,

and 3D Character Modeling for Key Art.

Today I am showcasing my 3D Character work I have done over the years for a variety of clients, I have done character design in 2D and for 3D as well as building the 3D Characters myself. They range from cartoon styles to Robots to figurative and specific to film.  I have designed characters for TV Animation, Video Game, Anamatronics, as well as for Key Art in Print, MGFX as well as well for a wide range of market use. 3D Illustration is slowly being used more and more in a wide range of media for Key Art replacing pure photography, so custom modeled props and characters are part of this growing business.

3D Design and virtual photography has many advantages for the production and design teams, as well as for the accounting budget, as the asset is easier to manipulate that photography, due to the nature of the creation process involved. I have written about that here and here before.

If you have a need for a small 3D Character for still or animation, please contact me for Freelance, part-time, full-time, Contract or relocation possibilities.

NOTE: Blogger reduces enlargements on Images, so full size at this link.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue Shanghai China 3D Designer-Modeler 2011 PART II

A Color Pass test on the Round one Colossus Bot [ Robot ]

Round two Colossus Robot. This was to be on the far backround on the matte painted wall for the Themed Attraction. 

The Crane Bot was excavating the the foreground and would be place up front to the guests.

I loved the Roller Bots. The torso on wheels so-to-speak.

 One of my own designs with 'shrimp like' feet that would move very slowly[ comic relief]

Crawler Robot from the underside has a bode section based on a spider. 

Crawler bot in a smoothed Subdivided render to show the full surface.
 

The above Crawler Zorg Bot in low poly base mesh[ quads ]. I mirrored the bot to show two views per render for each design presentation. 

The Round Two Stealth version of the Crawler bot. This one made it into the attraction. 

The Scavenger Bot for Round One that follows the Zorg Bot from the film[ modified torso] 

A much earlier version of the Scavenger bot incorporated a target that could fly off the robot.

The final Scavenger Robot with the Stealth look developed by Scot Drake.
 

A back view of the Bot with the built in Jet-Pack.
 

Back to my favorite Robot, the Roller Bot is stealth design now. This made it into the Theme Park Attraction in China as well.

Project Review Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue

Shanghai China

3D Designer-Modeler 2011
PART II

Client: Walt Disney Imagineering.
Creative Director: Scot Drake.
Art Director: Christopher Lee.
Project Date: October 2011-May 2011

Today I am posting my second part for the 3D Visual Development work I did at Walt Disney Imagineering back in 2011 for the Shanghai China theme park attraction, "Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue", based upon the Pixar Toy Story property.[ PART One]

I was brought to assist the Design Team in 3D development of the 3D Robots and 3D Characters for the attraction that they were developing a look. Scot Drake was the Creative Director, with the Chief Show Designer Christopher Lee.


Today is PART II I have posted many additional robots I created for the Planet Zorg. Some are the first round to match the look of the Bots in the first Toy Story film,and some are the 'Stealth' second round with an updated sharp edge look to bring the designs into a modern context.

To see the attraction as well as Christoper's Lees great work go check out his development at his site here.

I will post continue in the future and post additional PART's.

To View PART I: Here is the Link.

If you need 3D Character Visual Development / Conceptual designs, or a 3D Models built of your design, do not hesitate to contact me for a bid. Available for Freelance and for Full-Time work.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue Shanghai China 3D Designer-Modeler 2011 PART I

 Early on  for Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue, I created test sets to ensure that the 2D printed artwork would cover the monitors placed behind the flats. The red-lines were from the Architect to give scale for the 3D renders.

I did two full rounds of designs, starting with the look developed a decade back in Toy Story I with the Zorg-Bot, and a second pass that went to finish with a more contemporary 'stealth' flat edge look update developed by Scot Drake.

When I delivered the 3D assets I did Base Quad Subdivision renders along with smoothed ones, because I was responsible for the Advanced Surfacing and the rendering was done by the in-house 3D team. 

 Here is a screen grab for a final set piece that shows the monitor fitment as this is an interactive attraction, and the hardware needed to be fully hidden by the flats.

 One of Christopher Lee's Transport design Bots, fleshed out in 3D. I also did a few texture tests early on like this one, as we were testing the Black Light throughout the project as I was there.

 One of my favorite designs to build was the driller bot,and this was testing some weathering on the 3D Model of the Character I built in 3DS Max.

A Phase One Extractor Bot with Sub-D ON: This was based on the Round Zorg-Bot found in the original Film, expertly designed by Christopher Lee.

The base mesh with Sub-Division removed and mirrored to show front and back sculpting for in-house critique and adjustments.

A Final 3D Character Design of the Grinder-Bot used in the first set mock up seen at the top of the post.

Hammer Robot Phase One final 3D Model 

Here is the base Quad build out showing all six sides of the 3D Robot Character Model.

Project Review Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue

Shanghai China

3D Designer-Modeler 2011
PART I

Client: Walt Disney Imagineering.
Creative Director: Scot Drake.
Art Director: Christopher Lee.
Project Date: October 2011-May 2011

Today I am posting my 3D Visual Development work I did at Walt Disney Imagineering back in 2011 for the Shanghai China theme park attraction, "Buzz Lightyear Planet Rescue", based upon the Pixar Toy Story property.

I was brought onto the team for about 8 months, to assist the Design Team in 3D development of the 3D Robots and 3D Characters for the attraction that they were developing a look. Scot Drake was the Creative Director for the project, and I worked directly with the Chief Show Designer Christopher Lee, both are very talented fellow ACCD Alumni.

The initial job consisted of developing 3D versions of the concepts that Christopher had come up with to populate the attraction. Final application would be high resolution prints in color that would be reactive to black light.

Today is PART I in a series on this work showing a sampling of the over 500 robots I built out for the attraction in 3D, that were used in the final product currently live in Shanghai.

To see the attraction as well as Christoper's Lees great work go check out his development at his site here.

I will post additional PART's to this series in the future. Truly a dream job for me, and my last Imagineering job before relocating out of the area.

If you need 3D Character Visual Development / Conceptual designs, or a 3D Models built of your design, do not hesitate to contact me for a bid. Available for Freelance to Full-Time.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review:Penny Dreadful 2014-Key Art Concept Skeleton Picture Frame.

The Shot as delivered for Penny Dreadful Season 2 Key Art. I finished for Season one here.

Here is an over-view shot showing the hand placement of each bone to create the ring shaped frame element for the One Sheet.

 

 I provide a Z-Depth Mask pass if requested by my clients so their Art Directors can do distance [ from Camera] based editing on a pixel by pixel basis.[ Fog, Desaturation, Camera effects and blur]

 A screen grab with the 2D Comp lined up. The black boarder is added before I begin to give the client bleed to the comp, so always safe to over-render a bit[ an inch or so]

Project Review:

Penny Dreadful Season 2-2014
Key Art Concept Skeleton Picture Frame.

Client: Showtime via Leroy and Rose.
Creative Direction: Melchior Lamy.
Project Date: November 2014.

A year earlier I finished with the 3D Illustration I did of the Scorpion Necklace for Season One on Penny Dreadful, seen here, and I was contacted to help with a concept for Season Two, A skeleton Picture Frame.

I received a 2D Comp layout with a rough mock up of a round framing element for the poster. I have had a Skeleton in my personal library for years that was used on various projects, so I broke it apart and began to design the frame.

The show is a dark concept so in keeping with that theme I used a black fog in the shot to drop all elements back into the abyss.

What a FUN concept to work on.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: 3D Illustration for: X-Men Days of Future Past 2013 PART III

 The first 3D render done for the placeholder Sentinel for the Comp presentation for X-Men Days of Future Past. This Key Art Comp was done in the Summer of 2013.

Each 3D Illustration I deliver comes with a Z-Depth s mask for depth based post FX for the CD's and AD's using it.

I did a dark and bright pass for each camera angle delivered for the X-Men Sentinel.

 Here is the Quad Sub-D base mesh I designed in 3D for the placeholder.

The base-mesh subdivided to level 3[ I did it @ 4 for renders though]

 For a more menacing feel you raise the camera-up, so they are looking over the eyebrow area so this is V2 for X-Men Days of Future Past.

The brighter pass on the placeholder Sentinel in view two[ V2] for X-Men.

The Base 3D Mesh for the Sentinel Head from X-Man.

The Sub-D mesh of the Sentinel.

The 3/4 view X-Men 4 comp.

Final Sub-D Mesh of the Sentinel. 

 Here is the base model I built for all X-Men Sentinel comps.

Project Review

3D Illustration for: X-Men Days of Future Past 2013

PART III

Client: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation via Gravillis Inc.
Project Date May 2013.

Today is the final installment in my series of 3D Illustration work I did for X-Men Days of Future Past back in 2013. Today in PART III, I am covering a piece of place-holder art for teasers.

Placeholder Art is used to accurately convey an idea, when a final asset is not designed yet, and at the time I was doing this back in 2013, the final Sentinel design was not accessible to the vendors so I had to rely on a few Comic Book images to go with for this piece.

Place holders are used to sell the idea and be replaced with the film asset if approved. I have both designed many robots in the past, and modeled them in 3D,  so I was able to get this done in a quick longer-one-day [12 hrs] gig.

 I'm familiar with the franchise as I worked on most of the prior X-Men films, from X-Men 2, X-Men 3, and X-Men 4:First Class, and I also ended up and finished the X-Men 2 logo as well as the X-Men 3 ones.

This 4th X-Men film, deals with the Sentinels who were created to destroy the X-men so they wanted some Dark comps with the main mask and eyes in it. I did two main views with an ALT for the third 3D Illustration,  a 3/4 side shot at the end.

You can review PART I here.
You can review PART II here.

                                               Cheers,   THOM