Project Review: Toy Story 4 3D Logo Neon Illustrations for Key Art 2018

3D Neon Toy Story 4 Key Art Title Concept Designs. This first image was so close to being the final pick. A straight on shot with the aged and rusty finishes. This is still my desktop on my workstation. I loved this project for PIXAR!

3D Neon Toy Story 4- Key Art Title in a clean finish similar to the other films.

 

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4- Ambient/ Dirt Render to accentuate the intersections in the geometry as well as add in ambient pass lighting to get better realism.

3D Neon Toy Story 4- Key Z-Depth Pass for distance based edits in post for the Art Directors at the Leroy and Rose agency.

3D Neon Toy Story 4- A subdivided Clay Screen grab from the Camera View showing the mesh levels used in the build.

3D Neon Toy Story 4  Base mesh Low Poly Screen Grab in Clay material showing just the forms.

3D Neon Toy Story 4  A Screen grab with Materials to show inside the 3D Neon Tubes as well as the the clips and rivets in my build.

3D Neon Toy Story 4  Key Art Title Concept Design View #2 a Low Angle with a bit of fish-eye on the lens. This is the cleaner of the two finishes.

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4  Key Art Title Concept Design in the rusted and weathered look.

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4  The Ambient Render pass. This angles shows the deformations on the rough wall back plate better at an angle.

3D Neon Toy Story 4  The Z-Depth mask Render Pass here falls off for more distance based edits after the image is delivered.

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4  Screen Grab showing the side of the build. If you look closely there is a neon tube behind the sign tin backing to give a back glow on the wall.

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4  Super close up Screen Grab in Clay material shows that little toggle switch I built.

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4 Super close up Screen Grab in Clay material shows the tube clip details. 

 

 

3D Neon Toy Story 4 a high angle view in the Clay materials. This view shows the hangers on top.

 

3D Neon Toy Story in Clay material finish showcasing surface only in a low angle up view on the sign.

Project Review

Toy Story 4
3D Logo Neon Illustrations

for Key Art 2018
 

Client:  PIXAR/ Walt Disney Feature Animation via Leroy and Rose
Creative Direction:  Melchior Lamy 
Project Date:  February to June 2018.

     I can now post work that I did for Melchior at Leroy & Rose for PIXAR's Toy Story 4 from back in 2018. This design went all the way to the 11th hour and was close to finishing, but they went more simple in the end.

     As a 3D Artist, doing anything for PIXAR is an honor as they were trailblazers in the field of 3D Animation which helped mainstream the technology to where it is at today as now it's considered common place.

 

     I also posted Behind the Art images with some wire frames and Clay shader screen grabs showing way I build out 3D Neon. I have always loved neon signs, from the light they give off, the flickers, and the buzz they emanate. Being a Classic Car nut, these signs are found all over Vintage Car shops so it is a natural fit for me a gear head. Also, I am a fabricator and builder, and love the craft behind real the ones.

    I found over a few years of building out neon a few simple things I do. I create both the exterior glass tube, that's two sided with a 3DSmax Shell modifier added to the spline to give it a glass thickness. I also build out a second internal object spline that that represents the gas inside the tube that glows, and this is where I put the self illumination glow on so it refracts a bit through the tube glass. I also add color to the glass itself to simulate color bleed so red glass with red glow etc. I love the little clips that hold the tubes as well.

    For this 4th installment of Toy Story I was directed to go with neon for the main 3D Logo, as a good portion of the film takes place in a county fair environment as well as inside a antique store. I did both a clean versions of the sign, as well as aged and rusted version. So, my baseline was a delivery of 2 views in 2 finishes. 

 

    I did work on Key Art 3D Titles for Toy Story 4 for a few other vendors as well after this, but this version was a wall mounted hanging sign design with a lot more vintage bits added in. The toggle switch was placed on the bottom extrusion of tin sign. That 3D Model I built, and sell at TurboSquids Stock 3D model site here. I also built out the wall hangers on the back and the vintage square nails with cross hatched tips. A few wires completed the look and an aged wall was built as a 3D Displacement with modeled out surface cracks and irregularities.

 
    Again, just this one 3D model can be reused and rendered out at many different angles.The first comp is where the time is mostly billed at, yet once made, the re-shoots are so much quicker when the model is already ready to go, so it really deserves a few shots at least.

 

     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 to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review : The Atomic Saloon Show Las Vegas 3D Logo Neon Illustrations for Key Art 2018

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- My favorite design with the tin built out sign and vintage chase light bulbs along with the neon. A fun western themed design on this one.

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- The Ambient / Dirt shader pass is a second render I add to almost all my work as it adds realism and depth to the models shape in the geometry, as well as the textures and shaders to emulate real work lighting. In post you have so many options which is why I do it separately.

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- The Z-Depth Pass for distance based editing. PRO TIP: Make a second layer copy and use Photoshop Levels to isolate objects based on distance even more!

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- A screen grab shaded view showing the Light bulb details with the Bake-o-Lite bases, with Phillips head fasteners, along with the offset clips so the neon aligns with the outer edge of font extrusion on the main title.

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- A worms eye shot showing the depth and lip on the tin frame outer side.

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- The second design is all Neon in many diameters. A fun colorful design. Back wall was just for shadows[ not rendered ]

 

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- Red Clay shader screen grab of the lower poster details.

 

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- Red Clay shader screen grab of upper details of the Cowgirl riding that bomb down akin to Dr. Strangelove!

 

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- Red Clay shader screen grab of central details with the extensive use of neon. A lot of clips holding those tubes up!

 

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- full Key Art One sheet design for this most simple design of the three posted.

3D Neon Logos for The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas- A screen grab of the shaded 3D geometry for this design with the Cowgirl tin plate nose art design.

Project Review

The Atomic Saloon Show Las Vegas
3D Logo Neon Illustrations

for Key Art 2018
 

Client:  Spiegelworld via Leroy and Rose
Creative Direction:  Melchior Lamy 
Project Date:  November 2018.

     Today I am posting work that I did for Melchior at Leroy & Rose for Spiegelworld in Las Vegas from back in 2018.

     The Atomic Saloon Show in Las Vegas is at The Venetian and is a very popular show still drawing sold out crowds. I was given a few different layout sets as vectors for the designs all to be done in neon with bright pinks and flashing bulbs. Some of the sign designs were using just the neon tubes, and others had the tin framed outdoor sign structures as well as flashing bulbs. 

 

    In the past I did prior work on both The Venetian, and The Plazzo at the Venetian that can be seen both here and here.

    When I build out any CGI Neon, I create both the exterior glass tube, that's two sided with a 3DSmax Shell modifier added to the spline to give it a glass thickness so the edges give a bit of realistic light bending refraction for close ups.

 

      I also build out a second internal object spline which represents the gas inside the tube that glows, and this is where I put the self illumination glow on so it refracts a bit through the tube glass. I also add color to the glass itself to simulate color bleed so pink glass with a matching pink glow etc. 

 

       For the bulbs I build out a vintage ivory Bake-o-lite base with a lit filament inside the nipple bulbs as seen in the behind the art close ups. I have higher resolution bulbs ready to go as well as one for sale online here too.

 

     The Cowgirl is part of the show, and she is found in all the designs with the tin painted version of the Cowgirl riding the back of the atomic bomb a nod to Dr. Strangelove @ 1:45., as well as just the outlined Neon tubes as well. 3D Logos like this also work well for any Motion Graphics Animations on the blinking vintage light bulbs and flickering neon. Also, they are designed for outdoor signs too, that can be made based off of the 3D files for real world signs.

     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 to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review: 3D Neon Logo for Key Art for 'The House' 2017

The Neon tubes and clips were ultimately used for the final Key Art for The House 2017

The full render with the back tin plate[ removed for final]

Here is the base Quad Mesh for the 3D Logo. Note the reflection sphere behind the logo, to add details to both the glass objects , as well as the metal clips. 

 Early on I did an alternate with broken glass tubes and dented and gritty back tin.

If requested by the client I can provide an ambient/dirt pass to overlay the color pass to accentuate edges and intersections to add some light grit to the render.

A Close Up shot of the full 5K finish.

 A Color render at a low angle of the 3D Neon Sign I made for The House.

 The Quad Sub-D build with subdivision removed to see the base objects.

Close up details on the 3D Neon Sign design and build.

This Quad Mesh shot shows the inner glow object inside the outer glass tube, as well as the build for the retaining clips.

 This is a Distance Based 3D Mask, or Z-Depth pass I include so the team can do distance based editing on a pixel by pixel basis.

This first Color-Picker Mask I rendered out isolates the inner glow inside of the Neon Tubes, this is SMART 3D. 

This second Color-Picker Mask I rendered out isolates the outer glass of the Neon Tubes.

Here is a Wide format Key Art piece using the Neon Sign I made in 3D to assist the team at Leroy and Rose.

Project Review

3D Neon Logo for Key Art for

'The House'

2017

Client:New Line Cinema via Leroy and Rose Agency
Art Direction: Melchior Lamy
Project Date: March 2017

Back in the Spring I was asked to create a 3D Virtual Neon sign for the New Will Farrell film, The House. This is what I call a '3D-Assist', as the Posters and logo were already locked in by the client, and I was called in at Finish to help with a 3D version of the logo, as that is my expertise.

Most clients I have are limited in-house with 3D Designers and Artists, so they call me for these smaller jobs, which make up the bulk of my work.

For this one, I had to create all elements including all base vector splines, and as I have done dozens of 3D Neon signs, I have a procedure down to create them on time and on budget.

I was originally tasked with a clean version of the 3D Neon Sign, and a distressed alternate, with these delivered at a smaller size for approvals to save cost. A typical 3D Logo like this is first delivered at 1500 pixels wide to get approval for the larger final, which in this case were 5000 pixel wide final. I have rendered up to 18,000 pixels wide in the past.

When I build 3D Neon Signs now, I have some 'off the shelf' parts I have already made to reuse, like the glass clips and fasteners. I build the neon tubes themselves with two objects, an outer glass shell, that is not solid inside, but skinned with a shell command to get a thickness on the glass edges for proper reflection and refraction characteristics in the final render, as well as a second object, a glow object inside the glass at a smaller diameter representing the 'gas' inside the tube.

The final deliver is usually a multi-pass render with extra channels and masks to use, including a Z-Depth pass, and my Color-Picker layer to grab elements, include the glow inside the tube to add outer glows in post as needed by the Art Directors I deliver this too.

Neon is getting popular to use in Key Art, as I worked on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Despicable Me 3, and the Defenders all using 3D virtual Neon Signage, just in the last few months.

If you ever need a 3D-Assist, contact me for an estimate to make your logo into 3D Neon signage.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- April 2018 PART II

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos-Concept #1 has Neon bulbs and a sign with all broken bulbs and just light sockets left. This was a fun design to come up with, my personal fave.

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Screen Grab in Clay Shader showcasing the Geometry surface- This shows the Quad Polygon base-mesh build out for the Title treatment.

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Screen Grab in Clay Shader showcasing the Geometry surface- This shows the Quad Polygon Sub-D [ subdivided]-mesh build out for the Title treatment.

 

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- I like to include an Ambient / Dirt Shader pass for realistic lighting as well as geometry intersections for adding in aged details based on the forms.

 

 

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- a Z-Depth mask giving pixel information in 256 levels of grey for selections based on distance from camera. See here.

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- I did a Neon render and light bulb render pass with Photoshop glow effects that were live and adjustable to the client.

 

 

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos-The blocked by letter, number, and word Color Picker Layer for fast selection based on object groups.

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- The second Color Picker Layer was for the neon glow object inside the glass tubes for a double glow effect. Based on object.
 

 

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- The third Color Picker Layer for the outer neon glass selection.

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Screen Grab in Clay Shader showcasing the Geometry surface- This is a worms eye view looking up at the Neon sign build.

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- A bird's Eye down view close on the T in toy as a shaded viewport Screen Grab showing transparency with internal filaments in the bulbs and the glow object Neon tubes.

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Same bird's Eye down view Screen Grab in Clay Shader showcasing the Geometry surface-

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos-Shaded Screen Grab showing transparency with internal filaments in the bulbs and the glow object Neon tubes. This showcases the letter Y in Toy with empty sockets as well as bulb bases with glass insulators and busted sign components.

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Screen Grab in Clay Shader showcasing the letter Y in Toy as above in surface only with wireframe resolution.

 

 

 

 3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos- Concept #2 was crunchy paint with dents and rust. this was the rougher of the two

 

 

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main Title 3D Logos-Concept #3 was a much cleaner version with just light bubbling rust on the painted tin letters.

Project Review

3D Rustic Toy Story 4 Key Art Proof of Concept Main 3D Logos

April 2018

PART II
 

Client:  PIXAR/ Walt Disney Feature Animation via Cold Open
Creative Direction:  Andrey Rubey 
Project Date:  April 2018.

     This is my second post for work that I did on Toy Story 4, and this work is for another Agency I do freelance for with Andrew Rubey at Cold Open These designs went a very different direction from a key story point in the film, of having the toys in an antique thrift shop. They wanted them to be broken rusty and aged logos. They ultimately went with shiny clean versions, so these are just proof of concept pieces.

     As a 3D Artist, doing anything for PIXAR is an honor as they were trailblazers in the field of 3D Animation which helped mainstream the technology to where it is at today as now it's considered common place.

 

     I also posted Behind the Art images with wire frames and Clay shader screen grabs as well as textured ones to show form and transparency in each. I have always loved neon signs, and to have vintage nipple bulbs as well uses many vintage sign themes in the concepts.

    With neon, I create both the exterior glass tube, that's two sided with a 3DSmax Shell modifier added to the spline to give it a glass thickness in neon signs. I also build out a second internal object spline that that represents the gas inside the tube that glows, and this is where I put the self illumination glow on so it refracts a bit through the tube glass. I also add color to the glass itself to simulate color bleed. You see above the multiple Color -Pickers I give the client to add more glow as needed, masked and ready to go.
 

    I did three main concepts, and we went to 3K for the top design they wanted to show. As proof of concept it did not finish, but it was a fun run around the block as I got to create and explore this look to such a clean and shiny logo. I have aged logos in the past many times, and you can see in a proof sheet here.

You can View PART I here done for Leroy and Rose.

 

     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 to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM