Project Review: Laptop PC- Stock 3D Model 2007

 Here is the main shot of the generic laptop in a gun-metal plastic case.

 A close up detailing the stickers and USB  ports on the side along with the Blue-Ray DVD drive.

 A few lower resolution[ 960 x 540 DVD menu] renders of the Laptop model I designed and built out.

 A Polygon Mesh view showing the details built out in this laptop model.

 A close up of the USB port side of the laptop detailing the start button, speaker grills etc.

Project Review

Laptop PC- Stock 3D Model 2008

Client: The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date: Summer 2007

While I ran the little 3D department of one, at The Cimarron Group, I built up a library of 3D assets for a variety of jobs that had come in, but I also anticipated what I might need, and more than once, I needed a generic laptop, so I built one out quickly for a few presentations.

I used in for Neurocomp Systems for the EEG meter design they used a typical laptop on the cart so I had this available for that render. I also used it for the WB Live website renders, to illustrate how to transfer data from an iPhone to a Laptop, though they ended up buying a Mac model instead. I also used it for some blue Ray menus for Sex Drive, for the Home Entertainment department as well. 

The model was built very quickly, as I was in between projects and fit it in. I rendered it in various materials for the differing jobs but it worked out well animated with the lid, as well as the lights etc. I plan a full quad version that I will re-design and sell in the future.

Having had 3 years of product design at Art Center certainly helps to get a quick generic product design that emulates what you would find in a real store, but still be generic enough not to stand out as a specific model of a Mac or Dell etc.

Virtual stock photography has the advantage, in that the corporate logos need not be covered up on a Laptop like this, you simple leave them off or make one up. 

This also saves money, in that you can buy the image outright without any added usage fees for added applications that a stock photo usually has go along with its use.

Cheers, THOM

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Project Review: Piranha 3D 2009-PART II:3D fish Illustrations

 Here is the base fish I built out for Piranha 3D, and in a few Hrs it was ready to render.

 The first shot I did of Virtual Piranha was a swarming shot no specific direction.

 This shot the Piranha came at camera

 A fast swim shot going to a single point in a straight on perspective for Piranha 3D.

 Here is the same basic shot pulled back with 4X the fish in the shot.

 I dropped the camera on that last shot to look up to the swimming hotty added into the comp in this last one from back in 2009 for the first remake of Piranha.

PIRANHA 3D
PART I I 3D Fish Illustrations

Client:Dimension Films via The Cimarron Group.  
Art Director(s): Brian Lauzon, Chris A. Hawkins, Rob Russell.  
Project Date: Fall and Winter 2009.

In this second posting for my contributions to the Key Art for the Remake of Piranha 3D back in 2009, I cover the fish themselves I did for the project.

After seeing the Posters for the next one, Piranha 3DD, I see that there is nothing new under the sun, as this direction was used in the 70's and again in 2009[ as seen above], and again now in 2012.

At the time I started, we did not have good scrap for the fish so I built a modified regular Piranha to adjust it to use for the comps presented. The fish itself, was a fast mock up in 3D and I did a few variations with bends and turns so I had about 5 to 6 different fish to scatter about. I did get the shot from the film but we did not update the renders due to budgeting.

Most of these were done for Art Director Brain Lauzon, and he provided some sketches for base direction as he had a series of ideas that had the fish going up, back, and right at us.


This is a perfect fit for 3D Illustration, as I know many an Art Director cutting out fish and doing a 200 layer PSD comp to achieve this with photo-scrap, whereas in 3D I merely move the camera lights and pose the fish to get exactly what is needed in a single render.

You can review my first set of 3D logos in the first Posting here.

Cheers, THOM

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Project Review: Entourage Key Art 3D Illustrations 2005.

 Here is the final 3D Illustration I did for the Entourage Rolls Royce Limo. The gang was comped inside.

 A Quad view showing the model geometry itself for this illustration.

 I built out a velvet rope for a waiting line shot outside an LA Club for a photo shoot as seen here.

 Here is a detailed view of the Rope divided up close.

 A simple magazine to comp in with a bit of a rolled side.

 The quad view showing the stacked page geometry etc.

This is a High End Hotel Key Card Entry with a blank Door Hanger to apply various tag lines to.

Project Review

Entourage: Key Art 3D Illustrations 2005.

Client: HBO via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director(s): Calvin Sumler and Joseph Stamper.
Project Date January 2005.

The Print Design department tasked me with a few 3D Illustrations to help them with the pitch packages for the new series Entourage so I built them out.

I had up to 2 days[ 16 Hrs build+texture+render] to work on about six comp ideas and what I have here are the main ones I worked on. The Rolls Royce trunk-view was a fun job as I had just done the Herbie 1963 VW for the film, do I was familiar with quad modeling a car to tackle just the trunk area.

I also did a velvet rope for a photographic overlay element so I reflected the photo sky into the chrome, and brass, to make it match the daytime comp.

I also built out a magazine that was to be head over the face of the main character so I built a quick virtual one here.

I finally did a door hanger comp where some TBD[ To Be Determined]2D artwork would be swapped out on the High End Hotel door-hanger, so I created this quick little mini scene with the door, and electronic key card entry system.

A fun project with a variety of props needed to be built textured and rendered out all in a day or so is always a challenge, an a whole lot of fun to do.


Cheers, THOM

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Personal Project: The Bugster Coupe- PART II

 I wanted a light grey/silver version with a bright red interior to see the design in a lighter shade.

 This tipped up view shows off the red/black combo that was typical in early VW and Porches of the era.

 Had to try the 'rootbeer' color on this one too, I have seen this color on a 54 VW.

 This ambient render shows the panel seeas better so you can see how I have adjusted the door tops and rear cowl area. Still deciding on rear louver placement, then I finish the tin work up.

 The side view as an Ambient Render,  reveals the decklid is a bit wide and overhangs the rear fender beading, this will be addressed in ROUND 2.0 once I have time to put into her design.

Personal Project

The Bugster Coupe

PART II

So here is Part II, as a follow up to Mondays posting, with some additional images of my Bugster custom VW coupe project I just started this past weekend. As a Transportation design graduate, a project like this is something that I have always wanted to do since a 3D representation of a design is so helpful to do before any metal is cut, and 3D software is the tool to do this as the changes are very fast to implement and see finished the same day, this is a great strength of 3D design.

The model is a work in progress still[ WIP], as I have not welded the big panels into the body yet so I can adjust the overall curves and proportions before it is all one piece. I have some tweaking left to do as well as some design decisions needed to continue, so this is next up.

In the following weeks I have some plans to finish this out, and do the Volksrod alternate version as well, a fender-less I-Beam front ended hot rod version of the Bugster too. I plan to put the uncovered bomber seats from a Speedster in there[ covers on for this one], the Speeedster top and tonneau covers, and I plan to do the entire engine compartment design too showing the huge tray behind the motor now which is about 75% done from when it was going to be used for Herbie[ that portion of the MGFX was scrapped- a motor fly out anim].

Look for more posts as I continue with this personal project in the months ahead.

You can view PART I here.

Cheers, THOM

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