Project Review: 3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment PART I

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- This is the final finished design for posters and Key Art for Netflix. I really enjoyed doing the filigree inset panels in the title. They have a Victorian and Old world tone to them.

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- I often render and Ambient / Dirt render pass in 3D to add realistic lighting and accumulation of grit in the intersections and cracks in the geometry to ass some not so polished loos. I did that for this project to reflect Santa's real age.

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- a Z-Depth Mask render is very useful and easy to use in Photoshop.

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- This is a Color-Picker render I add if requested. This is object based so the Creative Director can have pre-selected masks based by object. This Smart 3D as I call it is why 3D renders save massive masking times and are accurate to the anti-aliased pixel  level.

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- A Viewport Clay Shader Screen Capture grab leaves out textures and color information to focus on just the surface, here is a Camera view of the wireframe build out of this title.

 

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment-Another View-port Clay Shader Screen Capture front view from the camera without the frame gate on to see the lighting spotlights on the wireframe build out of this title.

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- This Clay Shader Screen Capture overhead view shows camera postilion and lighting.

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment-This Clay Shader Screen Capture is a close up on the Left side of the title showing the extrusion depth.

 

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- A lower close up angle on the shaded wireframe screen grab really shows the weight of the letters in 3D.

 

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- A rendered screen grab with the filigree texture map seen in the sample sphere, as well as the custom build etching texture map used as a bump / specular map that was taken from the film reference.

 

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment- Here is one of four complete 3D rendered typefaces I did for the film. Two regular, and two bold, one set in italics for each font weight.

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment-Here is a close up on the file which was rendered out for a 16K wide massive file. You will notice on the second row down I did a set with no internal filigree. This is what they used in the Sequel.

 

 

 

3D Key Art The Christmas Chronicles: 3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment-Here is another  close up on the file which was rendered out for a 16K wide massive file. This shows international letters needed so they could construct most titles needed at the time.

 

 

Project Review

 3D Key Art  The Christmas Chronicles:

3D Logo and typeface Finished Title Treatment
PART I 
 

Client:  Netflix via Cold Open
Creative Direction: Gardner DeFranceaux
Project Date:  September 2018.

     Back in the Fall of 2018 I was put on the Netflix Holiday Film The Christmas Chronicles. I worked on the project for a few weeks developing a variety of title treatments, that were proof of concept. Today's post is covering just the final finished 3D Logo used for the main titles as well as the entire alphabet for the film credits. I will post a Part II covering my Proof of Concept iteration work in the near future.

     I really have loved doing freelance for 16 years for the Cold Open agency, and I always get really fun 3D illustrations and 3D Logo concepts from the fantastic team there. I am a huge Kurt Russell fan, so doing this fun title was a pleasure to participle in. I do a lot of 3D Logos, and I definitely enjoy fancy ornate ones like what was needed for this film. Big blocked out san-serif metal 3D Logos are a staple in Key Art, especially for Superhero Film type of work and action titles. But this had a flair to match the film and the nostalgic era that Christmas design looks back at in American Film.

 

     The main Key Art design was to get a title locked in. Gold, copper, and filigree engraving were taken from the film production design, especially from Santa's sled. The filigree itself was a direct lift from the main prop used in the film on Santa's sled in the metal. The overall warmth was all matched to the film palette.

    I took a number of screen grabs in a flat Clay Shader to show the sculpture forms I made for the ornate title, as well as a screen grab of the Final Render shader using the filigree engravings from his sled. A Behind the Art post is for those wanting to see the process and actual geometry in a build.

     Many 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 site at the link to see the impressive work they do! The Typeface I created for the first film was used for The Christmas Chronicles 2 as well.

     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 and experienced to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review: NOS4A2 -AMC Series 3D License Plate Logo Design for Key Art 2019

  This is a flat image of the final file PSD Layered 3D Logo[ originally sent at 5000 pixels ]

 In order to get the final Look I did a straight metal full color render as well as the painted render. This allowed the agency Leroy and Rose to adjust and shine it up as needed.

The Ambient Occlusion/ Dirt Render pass is to add grime and depth to the 3D render.

If required I can provide a Z-Depth[ Distance based grey-scale map] for post effect to the client. You can see the 3D dents in this render , and I use it in the final render as an overlay in Photoshop to enhance the image.

Back view of the AMC Cable Series NOS4A2 License Plate Key Art Model I built.

 A 3/4 front view of the AMC Cable Series NOS4A2 License Plate Key Art Model.

I rendered this in Cebas Final Render's GI renderer[ my choice!] and this shows my custom texture Maps I built , and the various ways I use them for both the texture and displacement in 3D for the geometry itself.

The base 3D Low Poly object has the base dents modeled into it as well as using N-powers Pro-Boolean in 3DSmax to output the file as a Mesh. I clean it up  a bit ,then used the shell modifier to give the model a slight thickness like a real metal plate would have.

For quick lighting I had Sub-D down to just 2 levels making the Pre-Lighting go quicker at the early dial in stage.

 The final renders were done with this Ultra High [ 10 million plus polygon] Resolution 3D Mesh since I used an organic displacement on it

 An image of the NOS4A2 3D License Plate Logo I created in the various ways it has been used. The One Sheet won a 2020 Muse Award, and that is linked here.

Project Review
NOS4A2 AMC Series

3D License Plate Logo for Key Art 2019
PART I

Client:  AMC via Leroy and Rose
Creative Direction:  Melchior Lamy 
Project Date:  February 2019.

     I was called in by Melchior at Leroy & Rose to design and build out a 3D Design of a car license plate used on the AMC Series NOS4A2 [ a.k.a. Nosferatu ] I love working with L&R , as I do hundreds of 3D Logos each year, but 3D illustration as a 3D Logo combines two things I love.

    I recently learned that the One Sheet Poster using my 3D License Plate Logo won the Muse 2020 Design Award, and that can be seen here.

      I deliver first with a low resolution render leaving off all post effects as well as turning off Anti-Aliasing[ a.k.a. AA ] so the render is quick for approvals, since this changes a few times each round. This saves time and budget for the client so it helps manage the project. Since I have been both a Creative Director , and Art Director, I am accustomed to managing costs from above, so below!.

     Once the low resolution render is approved I do a low resolution AA render to get a time estimate a for a final. As well as adding in the other render passes. This delivery is as a Adobe Photoshop Layered file, and a Smart 3D Image, so they automatically have an Alpha channel , saving the clients time and money as the object comes masked to the pixel perfectly. I also include a Z-Depth pass which is a depth based grey-scale mask for adding post effects [ based on distance from Camera. Great for Camera blurs , adding layers of fog or atmosphere], and an Ambient/Dirt pass which is a basic grey color with a dark dirt like material that 'finds the intersections' in the geometry and darkens them up adding either aging or just a nice shadow in the cracks.

    The final design is used for Posters, outdoor, online advertising as usual, but it is also used for the various books, Hard Back Sleeve, Paperback Cover, and Audio Book Key Art. It is also found on the Packaging Design for blue ray as well used by Home Entertainment Designers.

   As a Transportation designer I love all things automotive, so even the License Plate is fun the build realistically as a stamped aluminum plate. Denting and chipping it up having to create a custom set of texture maps for the material was also a part of 3D I really get to paint with too.

     If you need a bid for a 3D Illustration , 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 ].

     I have worked for over a decade remotely, so I am ready to go in this Covid-19 situation with Back Ups and FTP and secure lines to transfer files to clients.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review:Red Dawn 2012: F4 Phantom- Style Frame Matte Painting-PART I

 A night version in Camo was used to start off the process for the F4 color design for Red Dawn.

 A lighter version with grey paint is what we went with for the next pass.

 Here is the final delivered Concept painting I did for the graphics and aged look to the F4's from Red Dawn.

 A Daylight converted shot done from the above painting.

 A final here shot from underneath the plane at night with the afterburners full bore.

Project Review

Red Dawn 2012

F4 Phantom- Style Frame Matte Painting

Client: Film District via Rhythm and Hues.
Project Date: April-May 2010

My very first job out of Art Center in 1992 was indirectly connected to Rhythm and Hues studios for the Mazda MX-6 here, and to return many years later to work on another fun project was a pure joy. 

This was a short in-house temporary gig for a few weeks back in 2010, so I worked out of their great facility, as well as was there during the move to the new place. 

I was brought in to help create the look for a few items used in the film and the main one I worked on was an old F-4 Phantom from the Vietnam era.

The job was to create the look of an old worn out jet that was used for the national guard in Spokane WA., so my first task was to do some research on the area to find some graphics that were used by the local National Guardsman out there to add the realism to the 'fictitious' plane.

I grabbed a few badges and icons and created a few myself as well and proceded to paint over a stock shot of a plane to completely repaint the exterior. I aged the plane paint and metals to show that it sat a lot and had rust, wear, and aging.

As is done with Style frame Matte paintings like these is you do a day/night shot , which is simply to convert a daylight photo to a night one since the planes were used in scenes in both environments.

A fun quick gig, glad the film finally came out this week WOLVERINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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: AVP: Alien vs Predator Requiem 2007 Motion Graphics Looks

 A dark procedural texture I built in Dark-Tree and rendered using the free Simboit Max Plug-In in Final Render SE3 is applied to the title for Alien versus Predator, Requiem.

 Here is a brighter alt of the Alines vs Predators 3D Logo, with brushed metal and some Final Render Dirt shaders applied.

 Here is the shorter AVPr Icon we did in the brushed metal as well.

 I love this one; Simple and still reads. A dark look was what we hoped they would pick

[ They never do!]

This look did go a few rounds with a lot of MFGX post work done behind the 3D logos I designed and built for Motion Graphics.

Project Review

AVP: Alien vs Predator Requiem 

2007 Motion Graphics Looks

Client: 20th Century FOX Film Corporation via The Cimarron Group.
Art Direction: Myself.
Client Tom Kositchotitana.

Today for my 3D posting I have put up a few 3D Logo styles I designed as I was tasked with providing to the Motion Graphic department at The Cimarron Group while I was an in-house 3D Design Department there from 03- to 09 in Hollywood.

Basic and simple stuff for the most part, with some fun dark edge lit stuff that for the animations, they looked great from black to just the edges. I did a few back-lit with a green tint as directed. A full title and the famous AVPr were both hit in a variety of looks and these are what was presented from me, along with a few others. Enjoy the posting.

Cheers, THOM

Behind the Art : Herbie VW Speedo Buildout

A Camera view of the 3D file I made for the texture map.

The finished texture adjusted with drop shadows etc. from Photoshop.

A screen shot of the 3D speedo body ready to Boolean out the holes.

An exploded view showing all the 3D parts that are in the Speedometer 3D Model used in the trailers.

A finished render from the trailers we did.

Behind the Art
1963 VW Herbie Speedometer
build out for the Theatrical Trailers.

I have posted on the Herbie VW model I built for the trailers for the Lindsay Lohan film back in 2004 while running a 3D department at The Cimarron Group and here qwe can llok at the build out of the Speedo for that project.

We had some ideas where we needed to get real close to the speedometer and being a VW affectionate myself this was a pure joy to work on with this level of detail.

Above you can see the process I had in building out the separate parts for the VDO Speedo found in a 1964 VW, and I built out the texture map for the face in 3D first since it was all custom fonts and needed the hand built approach to get it right vs a photo.

WAY TOO MUCH FUN!

Cheers, THOM

You can view my prior posts for Herbie here, and here.