LONE FISHERMAN

Coming up with the initial idea

After doing some research I came across the amazing works from Simon Laveuve and was blown away immediately. I checked out his website and decided to take his work "station 9/4" as inspiration for my midterm project. I really loved all the little details in his miniature diorama and felt ready for the challenge to model at least a portion of it in this week. I knew I wouldn't be able to finish everything in the short time span so I chose to start one of my demo projects with this piece.

Importance of reference material

My main reference is what inspired me to get started on my project and lead me through the whole process. Luckily I had different angles available to work from since my reference was a miniature build which was already three dimensional. That made it easier for me to understand the proportions and relationships between the objects. Additionally, it gave me the chance to work from one consistent reference and use more only for specific details.

Process and challenges along the way

After finding my reference, I proceeded to block out my scene and established a rough camera movement for the presentation. This helped me find focal points for modeling and texturing all assets, providing a solid foundation for the final render and saving time as I approached the finish line.

The modeling process unfolded smoothly without encountering major challenges. Time, however, turned out to be my biggest enemy, with the project still being in modeling stage on day 4 of the one-week timeframe. Luckily, I stayed on top of things by laying out UVs as I went along. This saved me from dealing with a huge pile of UV work later on. I used a different approach during the UV layout – opting for a single material for the entire asset to simplify the setup process towards the end. This approach proved time-efficient and lead to a more organized project.

Even with the efficient modeling and UV processes, the limited time for texturing became a constraint, leading to a rushed process and textures that fell short of my expectations. Additionally, the lighting in the scene suffered due to time constraints, leaving me feeling that I didn't maximize the potential of my presentation.

Despite these challenges, I am pleased with the results and have produced a project that serves as a foundation for ongoing improvements. The model is a work in progress, and I aim to elevate its quality to ensure its seamless integration into my demo reel.