Create a studio for the robot to facilitate lighting adjustments.
I have created four lights for therobot: an area light as the main light, a spot light to emphasize the subject, and two side lights. The main light source has a warm tone, while the fill light has a cooler tone.
Next, I adjusted the robot’s material properties to make it more realistic and detailed, while fine-tuning the light intensity, position, and color temperature to optimize the lighting effects. Finally, I rendered the image, resulting in a detailed and well-defined visual.
Legend has it that deep within a hidden mountain lies a forgotten ancient tomb. This tomb belonged to an ancient sorcerer who fed on human souls, forging an “Evil Essence” capable of controlling life and death and altering the fabric of reality. To prevent the malevolent spirit from wreaking havoc, the imperial court dispatched an elite battalion, joining forces with Taoist masters to seal the evil spirit within the tomb. They placed numerous traps and enchantments to secure the seal. For centuries, no one has dared to set foot in this accursed place.
Art concept
My initial concept inspiration came from the underwater tomb of King Wu, where he was buried alongside his most cherished 3,000 swords. Among them, the most renowned, the Fish Intestine Sword, is revered as the supreme of all swords. Eternally sealed within ancient vines, it rests alongside King Wu in his eternal slumber.
However, in the subsequent design process, I am dissatisfied with the sword elements. I created several different sword models, but none of them yielded satisfactory results. This led me to reconsider whether I should replace the sword with other elements.
I want to replace the sealed object from a sword to particle effects, which are referred to as “Essences” in the story. The narrative revolves around these Essences, telling the tale of an ancient sorcerer who crafted a power capable of controlling life and death and altering the balance of the world. To prevent the evil spirit from wreaking havoc, the imperial court sealed it within an ancient tomb hidden deep in the mountains.
The container that seals the “Essence” is designed with bird feathers. This is because its power to control life and death, and alter the natural order, reminded me of the ancient Chinese phoenix, which also symbolizes the ability to reverse life and death and achieve rebirth through nirvana. Therefore, the overall design of the container draws inspiration from the phoenix’s wings and feathers.
Camera concept
Preliminary layout
After completing the concept art, I used simple block models in Maya to lay out the basic structure of the scene.
Next, I set up the basic lighting, fog, and camera angles in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). I also replaced some of the block models with assets to give the scene a more refined and immersive look.
Modeling
I modeled the container. The process involved creating a rough model in Maya, then importing it into ZBrush for sculpting, adding forms, cracks, and other details to enhance material texture and realism.
The effect of the container in the scene.
The effect of the container with lighting in the scene.
For this forest cabin project, I wanted to experiment with a stylized aesthetic. During the initial design phase, I established a rough backstory: the cabin belongs to a mysterious witch who has lived in seclusion deep within the forest, leading an isolated life.
For the specific reference of the house model, I wanted to draw inspiration from the exterior of European medieval houses. Since the concept of witches became popular during the European Middle Ages, I believe this style of house would better suit the character.
Afterward, I gathered various reference, including some textures for the materials and reference images of objects, and compiled a list.
Asset Preparation
Cabin modeling
Before finalizing all the concepts, I created the first version of the model. However, I felt that the colors and appearance didn’t match my vision, so I refined the concept and remade the model.
In comparison, the second version of the model aligns more closely with the medieval style, and the colors and texture painting are also more stylized.
Decorative elements modeling
Landscape creation
I used Gaea to create the landscape, then exported the heightmap and imported it into UE to generate the landscape.
To make the colors appear as a natural part of the environment, it is crucial to consider colors that fit the scene. Since my goal is to create a vibrant atmosphere, I try to add different colors within a similar range of values. It’s important to maintain a balance between the shapes and colors to prevent any plants from standing out too much.
I also used Runtime Virtual Texture to create a seamless blend between the ground and the meshes that come into contact with it.
In Unreal, I use Foliage Mode to scatter my grass and flowers, as well as other assets like bushes, trees, or rocks. For a stylized approach, it’s best to check the “cast shadow” field in the foliage settings.
Scene layout
The initial production didn’t go very smoothly, and I was dissatisfied with my composition. However, since a significant portion of the work was already completed, I found myself torn between continuing or starting over. In the end, I decided to redo the project.
Through analyzing references, I realized that good composition combines elements in the scene into guiding lines that lead the viewer’s eye toward the main subject, thereby emphasizing the key content.
Therefore, I reworked my layout and composition, starting by building a rough white model and refining it from there to ensure visual appeal. Through this exercise, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of using basic shapes to represent object placement before fully constructing a scene.
Throughout this process, I continuously adjusted and repositioned assets, sometimes even up until the scene was nearly complete.
Niagara system
I used the Fountain system in Niagara to create wind lines. By modifying the wind force, I could adjust the direction of the particles’ movement. Then, I refined the particle movement range, count, and lifespan. Once the particle motion was finalized, I added an empty node to visualize their trajectories and applied a gradient material in the rendering options.
LUT
Finally, I used the LUT feature in UE to color grade the scene.
By using various functional nodes in Nuke, integrate balloons into an ordinary video of a mountain, making the footage more engaging and dynamic.
241024-Concept art
Inspired by the reference provided by my teacher in class, I reflected on the styles of balloons for the Balloon Festival. I noticed that the reference featured a large balloon on top with a basket below that could carry people. This combination reminded me of the movie Up, where a house is lifted by a lot of balloons. This concept aligns perfectly with the theme of the Balloon Festival. Therefore, I hope to use this as inspiration to design my video.
021124-Roto mountains
Use Roto and Tracking nodes to separate the mountain from the entire video.
141124-Merging and color
Based on my concept art, composite the corresponding sky into the scene and adjust the overall color accordingly.
211124-Modeling and composition
I created assets in Maya similar to the house and balloons from Up, applied materials, created animations, and finally rendered a sequence of frames.
To make the scene more interesting, I also decided to add the character of Russell, placing him in the foreground on the left side of the scene. This not only aligns the video more closely with the theme of Up, but also adds depth to the composition. Therefore, I created his model.
In Maya, after setting up the layout and lighting and finalizing the camera angle, I performed layered rendering for the two models.
The segment in Nuke.
281124-Enhance the video’s appeal.
I hope to make the video more engaging by adding animations and creating more narrative elements. Through the movement of the models, I want the audience to discover an interesting story.
I created more animations for Russell to showcase his emotional changes.
The second version of the video
041224-Continue refining the video
Add additional elements to emphasize the ending. Enhance the video with sound effects and refine it further.
Using the RotoPaint node, remove unnecessary parts of the classroom. Then, use the Tracking node to composite crack elements. Finally, unify the colors through color grading and add camera shake, transforming an ordinary classroom into one on the verge of collapse.
By flexibly using various tracking nodes, track the movement of the wall covering and composite crack elements into the scene.
Use the Roto node to separate the object from the background. Multiple Rotos are needed for a single object, and each Roto should contain multiple simple Bezier to set keys for Roto.
In the process of model creation, topology is a crucial step. A well-topologized model ensures cleaner edge flow, preventing issues such as distortion or breakage. Additionally, reducing the polygon count helps decrease file size, achieving an optimized result.
Modeling
Rendered image
Skeleton Jack
Learned the basic knowledge of ZBrush software and its interface structure, became familiar with modeling operations, and created a simple bust of Skeleton Jack. Used ZBrush’s built-in material spheres to apply materials to the model and rendered the final result.
Create a sphere, use the Move tool, increase the brush size, adjust the shape, and use masking to outline the positions of the facial features.
First, shape the rough form of the body in Maya, then import it into ZBrush for detailed sculpting.
Rendered image
3D Printing Experience
I have always wanted to experience 3D printing technology. When I saw that we could book a 3D printing workshop on LCC’s Moodle, I decided to try printing this low-poly animal model.
Further improved proficiency in Maya modeling operations by creating a more complex castle model. The design was inspired by European medieval Gothic architecture, combined with elements of various game styles, and was ultimately brought to life through the model.
Art concept
Modeling
The production process is as follows:
Create model assets and build a white model.
Create texture maps and use Maya’s built-in Arnold renderer for rendering.
Perform post-production compositing and color grading.
Learned the basic knowledge of Maya software and its interface structure, became familiar with modeling operations, and created a simple snowman model. Subsequently, used Substance Painter to paint textures and set up a simple snowy scene for rendering.
