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FORGOTTEN
INSPIRATION AND PLANNING
Since a very young age, I have been fascinated by the haunting beauty of Renaissance paintings. This piece was created for a class called Texturing and Shading 2 with Tran Ma. I started this project wanting to learn more about how to create realistic objects using Substance 3D Painter. I chose to create a still life piece as it allowed me to explore many different variations of textures.
Throughout the entire project, I relied heavily on the reference board I created. I made sure to have as many images as possible of every asset I created for the environment to create the most accurate textures for the scene. Most artists underestimate the importance of gathering references, however, this is something everyone should take the time to do.
When you first create your reference board, keep in mind that you will either be adding more images to it or discarding some you no longer need throughout working on your project.
Once I knew what I wanted my project to look like, I began scouring the internet for images I thought would look most interesting. When I first began the project, my professor, Tran Ma, advised me to use more references than I initially had. After taking the advice, I not only had a much easier time modeling my assets, but texturing was also no longer a challenge.
REFERENCES
At the start of any project that I make, my reference board generally has a few images. As I progress further, I continuously expand my board to have as many variations as possible of one specific asset I would be making. Think of your reference board as a previsualisation of what you want your final image to look like; Expand your vision by imagining how your scene will look in the end.
Before beginning the blockout process, I asked many fellow Gnomon students for advice on what to do for my project. I needed to develop a concept or find a reference on which to base my project. Because I wanted to prioritize this class, I chose to create something I would enjoy working on and that would stand out from the rest of the class's work.
After careful consideration and brainstorming all the advice I was given, I decided to go with making a still life piece. Once I felt like I had a good amount of references to start my project, I moved on to blocking out my environment, setting up a good camera angle, and adding simple lighting in Maya.
BLOCKOUT
Before beginning the blockout process, I asked many fellow Gnomon students for advice on what to do for my project. I needed to come up with a concept or find a reference I would base my project on. Because I wanted to prioritize this class, I chose to create something I would enjoy working on and that would stand out from the rest of the class's work.
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After careful consideration and brainstorming all the advice I was given, I decided to go with making a still-life piece. Once I felt like I had a good amount of references to start my project, I moved on to blocking out my environment, setting up a good camera angle, and adding simple lights in Maya.
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Just like many still-life paintings, I decided to go for the more 'traditional' angle for my final render. By having my camera point straight to the area of focus, I had the option of grouping my assets and replicating the 'dense' and 'overcrowded' look that I was going for.
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The overall planning should be relatively flexible. This part of the process should be easily adjustable in case any changes need to be made. Think of it like setting up the foundations of a house; You must have the base constructed before the rest of the details can be added. Although you may already have a clear picture of what you want in your head, ideas may change or certain obstacles will be encountered which could throw you off from being on the right track. If such scenarios become real, it is best to experiment with other ways of accomplishing a specific task. This will not only expand your technical skills but will also help you overcome obstacles on future projects. It is important to note that at the blockout stage, nothing is set in stone and can easily be modified before you move on.
I strongly believe that having a strong blockout of your scene sets you up for success. By having as many details as possible, you essentially pave your way to having a more solid understanding of how everything should look by the time you start modeling your assets. Your blockout provides a starting point and the foundation to visualise the forms, composition, and overall look of the environment.
By the time I had finished my blockout, I began to texture my models. I started with bigger forms and worked my way down to the smaller details.
I soon became infatuated with making all of my assets look as old as possible. I added a layer of dust to give everything an aged look. This part was actually somewhat of a challenge as I wanted everything to look as if someone had placed these objects all together and never touched them again.
UVS FOR ALPHA MASKS IN SUBSTANCE 3D PAINTER
Another important thing I learned during this process was that modeling and texturing go hand in hand. If the models are done well in the beginning, the texturing process will be more enjoyable, and the end results will be much cleaner.
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When I texture with Alphas in Substance 3D Painter, I ensure that my models all have UVs that are as straight as possible. As a result, I can easily work with my assets and not have to worry if my designs will come out crooked. Below is an example of why it is important to keep your UVs clean for this type of workflow.
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With the help of Alphas, I can easily go from having a bland model to something that looks more intricate and interesting to look at.
Because of the way I set up my UVs in Maya, I was able to experiment with Alpha Masks in Substance 3D Painter. I soon realised that I was able to use any kind of mask I wanted as long as it was black and white and could easily be read by Substance 3D Painter.
Because of the way I set up my UVs in Maya, I was able to experiment with Alpha Masks in Substance 3D Painter. I soon realised that I was able to use any kind of mask I wanted as long as it was black and white and could easily be read by Substance 3D Painter.
LIGHTING AND POST - PROCESSING WITH NUKE
As I continued working on textures, I realized that lighting would be a huge aspect. Being a fan of anything eerie, I wanted to make my audience feel as though this environment had been abandoned yet remains...'forgotten'. Therefore, I decided to consistently update my lighting as I went along until it felt perfect.
Before rendering your final image, it is important to add the correct channels to your render settings. For all the lights in my scene, I use 'Back To Beauty', 'Z-Depth', and 'Light Select'.
The Z-Depth render element provides information about each object's distance from the camera in the current view. It is important to have a filtered and unfiltered version of Z-Depth. The unfiltered version is to use utility nodes in Nuke, such as ZDefocus. The filtered version is generally used to add atmosphere in a scene.
The Light Select render element represents the lighting contribution from one or more user-selected lights in the scene. Each Light Select channel can output one of the predetermined contribution types. By using the Light Select render element, specific lights in the resulting render can be captured and adjusted in colour, temperature, brightness, etc., in a composite without needing to re-render.
One of my professors, Miguel Ortega, taught me how crucial it is to have the correct channels added before starting anything in Nuke.
Once I had all of my channels set up, it was easy for me to composite everything else that I wanted to include, such as a brighter god ray, fog, smoke coming from the candle, dust particles, colour grading, and more.
COMPOSITING BREAKDOWN
Because I wanted my final render to look as moody as possible, using Nuke was the best way to achieve that. By comparing these two images, you can see that the added depth makes it look more cinematic. As for the cherry on top, the eerie look was achieved by nudging Colour Correct and Grading nodes.
RENDER PASSES BREAKDOWN
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