Evaluation

Evaluation

What went well?

Overall i think the process carried out smoothly knowing that it would take a long time i tried to start as early as possible, this with a timescale plan worked out perfectly as i was able to produce something that i'm personally really proud. As i was really worried about texturing but when it got down to it i was motivated to get the model UV unwrapped and ready to create the normal's and speculars with ndo2, and ended up being the main features of my piece because the modelling itself was pretty basic. I personally liked the windows as i was worried that you could not see the normal's on the window texture and it would look horrid and flat but once i rendered it out as A2 all the normal's came out more clear and looked great. Using the referencing from my blog i was able to easily portray an Italian street without trying to make up ideas from my head i had all the ideas on my blog.

What went bad?

I think the lighting could of been more realistic if i used HDRI (High-dynamic-range imaging)

 or IBL (image based lighting), but this would have increased the render time a lot more which i wasn't against it but needed to have a bit more experience in one of them which i didn't, so i used the physical sky and sun from mental ray with a directional sun facing toward the right. If i used one of the other methods it would of come more realistic and actually used the scene and image for the lighting.

What i could improve

I think that the lighting and Photoshop work could of been better. The lighting improved by using HDRI or IBL and the Photoshop work could of had more care for example the alleyway at the back is a bit out of perspective. Also the models needed to be snapped to the plane so all the shadows would be emitted this would allow it to look more realistic and be able to have a better Ambient occlusion render pass. Also the plane texture seemed to stretch on my table render because of the camera mode i used so i needed to change that for a better render but didn't have time. If anything there must be bits wrong with my architecture design but as i'm not to into architecture and only the 3D art work i didn't look too much into it so that could of been something i looked into more.

Presentation.

The presentation was a a slightly complicated task as we had to sort out foam board cuttings and how to display our work. The foam board cutting was simple and easy to complete but for displaying it i had to figure out what was best either hang them from the ceiling or mount them to the wall. I thought that mounting them would allow people to get a more eye level view of my piece and be able to lean in to get closer looks instead of looking up and in some points not notice it at all. 

Production

Starting my Project
So this is the start of my project as you can see from the image below I've began to add slight detail and just simply blocking out the path and buildings, with a little practice of a render in Vray just messing around with options and the sun and sky.

A little update of my production. Adding chairs and a balcony to my scene along with a test model of flower pots and a kind of flower pot holder.

Change of archway

Update 18th May
Roof tiles
Different shelter
Plant pots on floor
Smaller archway
Washing lines slightly curved

21st May

Different perspective to show the fact i have not filled the complete roof as i wont be showing the top to save the poly count a little for render time also where the render stills are grey this is because its rendered in Mental ray and not Vray (beige renders) this is because at the moment it is quicker to render in Mental ray but Vray will produce better quality once i add materials.

22nd May

Modelled wine glasses and bottle along with resizing the whole scene to correct proportions to help with the lighting used in Vray, and made the scene more narrow. Also looking at the size of a character which is 6ft the archway was too short.

23rd May

Began Texturing my scene starting with the biggest models, the buildings to get them out the way early then start on my assets later some textures may change later and i need to smooth out the archway.

31st May

Archway keystone
New textures

5th June

I've been continuing texturing and also began looking in depth at lighting for the scene. So i made a GIF of all the ideas of lighting ive looked at so far. The end frame is the chosen one at the moment.


































8th June

Added more textures and changed lighting a tiny bit for more effect on normal maps, having trouble creating normal's from home since nDo2 trial ran out :(. So new textures are only diffuse.

12th June
Change of lighting

14th June
This is the final render for my project in the end I had to use Mental Ray instead as i couldn't add it into my workflow throughout as it was too difficult to transfer back and forth from college to home, never the less I'm pleased and have taken it to Photoshop with ambient occlusion pass to add more shades and also added photographic backgrounds. Also a wire frame ive my scene.

Both main 3D stills have been rendered out at the correct size for A2 and the right dpi (300).

Wire frame














Main 3D still

Closer look at assets 3D still

Project Proposal

Project Proposal 

Section .1

My 3D model idea is to model a Street in the theme of Italy at the moment is called "Italian Street". This will be a architectural 3D scene produced in Maya and rendered in Vray, I want to involve heavy amount of detail into the models ignoring the amount of poly's and faces. I want to produce two  High resolution 3D stills for my presentation at the summer show along with a camera walk through of the model to allow the viewers see a different view and perspective of the models. So my Model style I want to achieve is a level of realism I see in most of my inspired work. 

Section .2

My inspirations are mainly 3D artists from CGsoceity such as Juan Siquier and Eugenio Garcia. Juan Siquier is a 3Ds max modeller who replicates photo references to create hyper realism models. Eugenio Garcia is more of an advertisement modeller who uses lightwave 3d but has also done work that are similar to the scene I want to model. My early idea was to import this as a low poly scene into UDK but I felt that making it high poly and not into UDK would allow me to concentrate on detail more than a limit of poly's. I've also looked at 3D magazines such as 3D world and 3D artist for inspiration.

Section.3

My intended techniques will include intermediate modelling and unique textures created by myself. Rendering in Vray is something I'm new but willing to learn as of now I'm watching tutorials and practising Vray most nights. Using Maya instead of 3Ds max is because I have used Maya for more than a year and find it more comfortable than 3Ds max because of the interface and the process in modelling for me feels better.

Production Schedule
Week 1

• Thumbnail Sketches 
• Perspective sketches
• Image referencing
• Looking at architecture in Italy

Week 2

• Modelling - Blocking out Buildings and assets
• Model the window structure, balcony, table and chairs

Week 3

• Modelling - Assets
• Model table assets wine bottle glass, plates and cutlery and food. 
• Texturing assets above 

Week 4

• Texturing 
• Buildings
• Windows

Week 5

• Lighting
• Test render

Week 6

• Touch ups 
• Final Render

Week 7

• Post Production

Research

For this im looking at two contemporary artists in my area and which also relate to the style of scene im going for. This research will only include most necessary things i need to look at such as their portfolio and work and the software and workflow they use to create their scenes. I know for one artist will be Juan Siquer as he is one of my favourites and for the other ill look around CGSoceity. This will all be presented on this blog and shown clearly with reference images. The reason i need to do this is so i know what style and quality i'm aiming for, looking at these artist will greatly help me finally decide the final outcome. Also ill create a mood board to present my ideas clearly from my mind.

Sketches and Experimentation

So after my research i need to dive into experimenting and testing out ideas and software, this helps me choose the software wisely and decide on ideas within the scene, most things i need to look at are things like styles of items and the use of Ndo2. The base softwares are already decided so i need to just try out ideas and tools within the softwares. For some experimentation i have in my head to look at the chairs and tables in the scene because this is one of my main assets. The sketches will help me choose between the ideas i come up with for my assets and i will have peers choose which design they like more and i'll keep a tally.

Modelling

This will be the start of my project and i need to be aware of what i start with and how i progress as i only want to consume the maximum of 1-2 weeks. First i want to block out the scene with simple shapes with correct sizes and placement.

Section.4

For my evaluation I'll keep to a basic structure so I'll look at things like: what went well? What can i improve on? Did i feel that the final out come was what I hoped for? etc. I will also have someone else who has experience in 3D modelling have a look of my FMP and give back critique feedback. I can also get some extra feedback from people up in Hertfordshire on 3Dhit.co.uk. This would be good to get a second opinion and an insight into what I've missed out in my model which could be a import feature. 

I keep a online journal of my on going work to keep myself and peers posted on what i have finished and also need to finish.

Ideas Generation

Idea Generation
List of ideas - All 3D

• Car model
• Character - Gladiator
• Italian Street
• UDK game level Sci Fi
• UDK game level horror (cabin in the wood)
• Boat
• Post apocalyptic Vault
• Military Barracks
• School 

Mind map - Italian Street

Thumbnail sketches.

Table ideas

Here I sketched two different ideas for a table design the 1st is a Plastic table with any cover something you would likely see in a garden or at some outside event I was up for the idea but couldn't really see it blending in with my scene. The 2nd one is a wooden table with a cover over it which i liked more as it look more professional for a cafe plus it would blend with the colours of my scene. I didn't sketch up a metal design because i knew already from my experimentation that the metal design isn't something i want to do as it's more frustrating with modelling, after i asked the class to tick which one they liked more and the wooden got more. I've decided to go with the wooden table with a cloth/cover over it.

Plant Pots

For this I sketched some ideas for the plants pots I should model looking at different versions in my garden I sketched them and thought about what sizes they should be and how the design should maybe be a bit similar. I asked everyone in the class which two out of the four I should choose, and after they and I decided to go with B and D.

Perspective drawings.

These are some sketches for the initial idea looking at different camera angle and ways i can place the building within perspective.

Presentation

My presentation will consist of two high res 3d stills in frames either around my computer or on the walls and then a loop on the computer of a camera walkthrough of the 3d model to show in depth detail of my work and for the viewers to have a better look and something else to view.

Mood Board

This is a mood board I've done to give me a broad inspiration and an idea to other people and myself what kind of lighting perspective etc I'm doing for this "Italian Street".

Journal

Wednesday 10th April. - Researched into different styles for a 3D still of a street, decided on the style and area. Some of the artists included are Steven Morrell, Juan Siquier, Eugenio Garcia and Geoffrey White.

Thursday 11th April. - Presented my ideas to my lecturers and peers, Feedback was given and changes were made into my project.

Friday 12th April - Started my Extensive research looking in depth at two artists Eugenio Garcia and Juan Siquier. Also did two experimentation in Maya.

Wednesday 17th April - Continued experimentation in Maya, looking at ambient occlusions and type of models and texture that will be included in my final scene.

Thursday 18th April - Coming close to finishing the extensive research started to look also at interviews and their inspirations.

Friday 19th April - Started ideas generation making sketches and perspective drawings and finished extensive research.

Wednesday 24th April - Continued with ideas generation.

Thursday 25th April - Did some more experimentation and did some more sketches for ideas generation.

Friday 26th April - Finished Experimentation with report, added sketches to blog of ideas generation with a mind map, Finished research and showed reasons for choice of software.

Wednesday 1st May - Continued ideas generation and talked about presentation for next week.

Thursday 2nd May - Wrote my Project Proposal for the Presentation next week

Friday 3rd May - Created a Mood board for inspiration and Added more to my Project Proposal and gave feedback to someone else's project proposal, and started my presentation on Prezi.

Wednesday 8th May - Presented my idea to the class and had some constructive feedback from everyone, as I then gave feedback to other peoples presentations. Also created a well designed and structured timescale

Thursday 9th May - Began the production of my Final project by blocking out my models and adding some ideas for lighting along with correct camera perspectives i will think of using.

Friday 10th May - Went into slight more detail in my scene adding the designed table i wanted and adding correct window structures and positions of window covers.

Wednesday 15th May - Added more assets such as chairs and balconies to the scene.

Thursday 16th May - improved the structure of the scene and the placement of the previously created assets.

Friday 17th May - Practised more renders in Vray and continued modelling.

Wednesday 22nd May - Looked at references to scale my scene properly and modelled some more balconies and roofing

Thursday 23rd May - Modelled some wine glasses and bottles. And started to look at textures and add some.

Friday 24th May - Carried on with texturing.

Wednesday 29th - changed height of archway

Thursday 30th - Added more textures

Friday 31st - Got feedback from Rob, Which helped me decide to add a keystone for the archway and look at the rule of three in the camera angles.

Wednesday 5th June - Continued texturing

Thursday 6th June - Continued texturing and added walkways on sides.

Friday 7th - Looked at lighting more and continued texturing

Task 1

Outline Idea
3D Stills
For my idea I'm going to create a high resolution 3D still along with a camera moving through the scene to visually see all of the models and detail. It'll be created in Maya, Photoshop,VRay and maybe some Zbrush. I want it to be a street or a alley way of a themed area I'm looking more towards a Mexican or Italian style of buildings and environment.

Reasons for choosing 3D environment.

• Comfortable with the software I'm using
• Want to make a piece to present in my portfolio
• This will increase my confidence for my future career
• Realism in 3D appeals to me the most out of the genres
• 
  

This is a 3d still by Stefan Morrell showing a run down more industrial style of an alley way which could be a style i go for instead the colour palette shows a lot of greys and browns. What I'm taking from this image is the small assets that finish the image such as the buckets and rubbish.







This is a 3d still by Eugenio Garcia this is closer to what style of city I want to look at this is a Mexican alley way and very realistic. The lighting in this area is also more pleasant and much brighter. The detail in textures is where i want to be able to achieve.




















This image by Geoffrey White show a good use of lighting and composition and a way to create atmosphere within a still image. The well placed lighting along with the  slight fog shows depth of field.






















This image by Mikael Engzell shows the quality of work that can be achieved using vray for final image renders with the polaroid style along with the blurry dynamic shading.










This image by Juan Siquier shows the amount of realism that can be achieved using vray and Photoshop  The reflective lights and tiles is what I was mainly looking at in this image.




















This is a more environmental 3d still by Cladio Tolomei here i was looking at the ground textures and the textures of the building this shows no duplication of textures on the building which i want to try achieve as well and try to avoid using the same textures close to each other on other objects.











Feedback
My lecturer and classmates gave me some good constructive feedback to help me think more confidently about what im going to do.

• Think about how much time we have and if i will be able to complete it in time, i believe i can but if i feel a struggle i will scale down my project to just a cafe.
• To look at some tutorials on 3d eat for some architectural and introductions for Vray.
• They liked the idea and start to look in depth and Italian streets for reference.