More than Panoramic

There are some things that even a virtual camera can't do so in making CGI. This project required a sweeping view of the cost along the pool area. As we had set the camera in, there was some diffculty getting that panoramic view. Normally, to get a wider view, one would adjust the camera lens to show more. However, by doing this, distortion in foreground objects get very noticeable. In such instances, the foreground objects would be cut-off from the perspective. In this particular shot, it would also mean cutting-off the "panoramoic" effect. The solution ---> to simply take 2 shots and stitch them together.

The second picture shows the division of the 2 images, which was cropped later on. The end result is a "sweeping" shot and having the depth. Though the eye initially focuses to where the real vanishing point is, we "balanced" the picture by off-setting the other side with more "space" towards a seemingly infinite horizon.

Tech Notes:
Modeled with 3D Max 7.0
Rendered with Vray
Post-Processed in Photoshop CS

News of Old for the New

Back again for 2008. Last year was a very intense year for CG work, especially the last month. And things are still on the roll. Major things in the making still. Hence, the reason why I haven't been able to post much on this blog. However, for posting's sake, Autodesk has recently released some news regarding some stuff about company I work in (Lights & Shadows). Something worth sharing...

Bar counter at some resort development at Koh Samui

A grand plan, The Capella at Sentosa

Press release as seen here.

Just to note, neither I or any of us in LNS did not pick the above images. I'd say there were other "impressive" works to choose from as well. So it was quite a suprise, for at least the 1st image, to make it. To add, though I was mainly involved in these, I have still to commend a few of my colleagues who have played a part on these as well.

1st Image: 3D modelling was mostly done by me, including Photoshop enhancement. I'd say, the fun part of working on this was creating my own library of bottled liquors. It was more of collecting actual labels and replicating the bottle's shape in 3D. In a way, I got educated in the art of drinking wine and mixing cocktails.

2nd Image: This was a very tough thing to make. Again, major involvement in 3D on my end. The main building was rather typically modelled. And I had to copy the existing colonial house in which the new development was designed around it as well. What i found difficult was making the land contour / slopes. Literally done via edit-poly...pushing and pulling vertices / adding polygons as I traced along the plan. And a major role, was the 2D enhancement my our DI Artist. Without the surrounding and trees / colour adjustments...it just wouldn't have looked right.

Other Credits & Tech Notes:
Chua T.Y. (Main Adviser...MasterChief)
Additional 3D model in Max / Support (for The Capella): Xiao Lei, Chua T.Y.
2D DI in Photoshop (for The Capella): Alice Lee

When A Night Shot Isn't Exactly Night

It's actually (supposedly) dusk. This project was done quite some time back. The design had been finalized, and we needed a "hero" shot that would show the buildings uniqueness in some way. I guess the Architect knew as well that the design was not much special from any other building, except that it had these "special" windows. So to emphasize on these, was to have it rendered as a night shot. Of course, the tricky part was to show the building's form as well, and as requested by the developer.

So to create the illusion of a night shot, 3d omni lights were thrown into the interior scene, while maintaining a considerable amount of GI to light the exterior. An overall grading of bluish tone and colour adjustment was done as to get the look i perceived was nice. To further enhance the effect, I had to pick a relatively complimenting sky and background as well.

In summary, I was trying to simulate a shot taken at dusk (via color correction as to get that "night" effect without losing too much details), and at the same time creating silhouettes as to frame the building.

Tech Notes:
Modeled with 3D Max 7.0
Rendered with Vray
Post-Processed in Photoshop CS

Cut & Paste : "Toy Digirama"

It's been about a year now since I took up collecting toys & figures that interest me (and had influence my "early creative years"). With this, also came my passion of photography which I hadn't done for some time. So besides the usual 3D CG stuff, I sorta found a new area wherein I can "play" around with.

"Toy Digirama"...as what I've heard and gathered, is the digital exposition of toys via compositing the photos (of the toys) with a background (whether real or created) as to tell a story. Similar to those dioramas except everything is created with a computer with a program like Photoshop.

Lost In Akihabara

A breakdown of my process (click on image to enlarge)...

Tech Note:

Photo taken with K800i Phone Cam

Digitally enhanced and worked in Photoshop CS3

GoRanger and other musings here.

Simplified (A different approach to lighting)

Okay, so it's been ages since I've had any updates here. Lotsa..lotsa stuff "cooking."
Anyway, I'd like to present a recent work wherein I approached the lighting of the scene in a not-so-typical manner. The scene in question is an interior of some loft. The project required a draft render to be done quickly. Problem was only the architectural walls were given. In cases like these, I'd go for the "minimalist" approach. Minimalist not only in terms of the look, but also the way of setting up a "nice" scene.

First, the 3d model has to be strategically built (as only can be seen), so that a couple of camera angles can be set-up to show spaciousness. Then, it had to be furnished so that it the client would be able to relate to the scale of the space and picture composition (don't assume people can easily imagine things in an empty room even). Finally, it had to lit-up as to clearly show some mood or effect.

The first few steps are typical to most 3D artists. However, the method of using a Vray light sphere is not usual to probably most. This, as I'd think is like really having a sun (instead of the Vray Sun, or Direct-light or numerous vray light planes). The tricky part would be positioning it as if it were an huge Omni light. And this would also affect the way the shadows would turn out.

The final process, would be the enhancing of the image in Photoshop. To create different moods with different light positions and settings (although not difficult) can be simplified further by just sticking to one light position. To create the illusion of different times of the day, adjustments to colour filters would do the "trick."

Render settings, and light position / set-up are the same for the above images in different cameras. Notice that the shadows are the same, I simply "added" different colours and background to have a slightly different effect.

• Tech Notes:
• Modeled with 3DS Max v8.0
• Rendered with Vray, Ambient Occlusion via Vray plugin
• Post processed in Photoshop

Another Old School Technique For A New View

The job at hand was a "Courtyard scene" that featured a staircase and some bridge ways above. The 3D models were done earlier by my colleagues, and I only came in to do some revisions and re-light the scene.

The image that I present here is my version. The client had a different thing in mind, that of which I thought was too "cluttered" in terms of visual composition. Although, the other image was nice, I decided to keep it simple and rely more on "hard-scaping" and focus on the Architecture, rather than showcasing the usage of space this time.

Click on above image to see the Breakdown of Scene.
Another more detailed & similar technique can be found here.

Tech Notes:
Modeled with 3DS Max v8.0
Rendered with mostly Vray
Ambient Occlusion pass was rendered with Mental Ray
Post processed in Photoshop

Ingenious Arrogance You Say?!

Crazy, spectacular, ingenious, insane and daring. I'm referring to the designs some local Architects here in Singapore are coming up with nowadays. Putting aside the other high profile developments, it still amazes me that there are other developments out there (or to be launched) that just challenge the norm.

Imagine... a high-rise development where you can park your car just next to your living room. Well, I guess it's meant for those filthy rich folks who just don't only want to own a classy place and some fancy car, but who also wants to show it at the same time.

And that's where you really put into context the answer to this question ,"why?"

Their answer: "...simply because we can!"

And so as for this image, I was just messing around with a last minute job I had to work on. I came in at the "lighting stage" only. The client wanted to have some focus on the car being smacked right next to the living area (as intended as well by the Architect). My solution, was to make the lighting at the car brighter of all areas. With the limited time as well, I had to cut down the reflections and minimize glossiness levels so it would render like "now."

This is not the final image the client requested. It's just my interpretation, a quick-wit of some sort as to come up with an Ad and Tag line for a rather "incomplete" render. Not only for fun....
but simply because...I can.

Tech Notes:
With all the initial high reflections, the image took ages to render. So reflection depth was cut way too low to 3.
I would have rendered in passes, but it would take me longer than required still. The drawback was almost no reflection for the car at the ceiling which is supposed to be a mirror. Other elements get reflected sharply while the car doesn't. (I have yet figure out why). Blurring was done in Photoshop, via Radial blurred and comped with the sharp image.

Building A City In A Day

It is written that God created the world in 7 days (Okay, technically 6 days, cause he took the day-off on the 7th). And then, one fine day I get the challenge of building a city in about the same time. Good thing is just going to be complete CGI! But alas, the forces of the "time gods" were against me. It's instances like these that make me wish I had Hiro Nakamura's powers of time-space manipulation.

The challenge here was to fill in the gaps in the Architect's design. I had to basically create something "complete" based on a Master Plan, which wasn't even detailed enough. There was this freedom to make use of my Architectural knowledge, and incorporate it together in the 3D. In short, I too became some sort of the designer.

Now here's where the tricky part comes in. As the "designer," I had to come up with something that the Architects would like, or at least match their style. It would have been easier had there been a rough sketch from them. But since there wasn't any, I just had to create something, based on what I had at the moment (current books, and some rough info from the Architects). Another difficult aspect was coming up with closer views, rather than just Aerial views, which also mean higher level of details.

Do note that, I've been sort of out of touch with my Architectural designing. It was rather a fun exercise as well. It ain't finished yet. And the images herein are just drafts, and not necessarily what the Architects have in mind. So it could be totally scrapped as well in the end. Here's some of the closer views.

Forget the buildings...actually for this view, I sorta became
more engrossed with the sculpture (my own design).

A post-processed effect...based on Dennis Allain's style.