Intro to Production Modeling (2023)

I decided to learn more about production modeling as I could have used this knowledge in my last Unreal Modular Environments course. Thus, I am currently taking CGMA’s Introduction to Production Modeling course using Maya.

Here is a course description:

“The aim of this course is to expose you to all of the things that you’ll need in order to be successful in a professional work environment as a 3D modeler. During this class, you'll learn how to streamline yourself to be a fast, efficient, and effective 3D artist. One of the core issues that junior artists face when working at a large company is learning how to acclimate to the studio environment. This course will teach you what the expectations are for production modeling and what it’s like to work on a production team.

“You will be creating models that are production friendly using the tools, techniques, and practices that are taught throughout the course. These apply to the game, film, and animation industries. You will create props from provided concept art, and at the end of the class you will assemble them into a scene--creating a vignette you can show in your portfolio or your demo reel.”

Digital Painting (2021)

Tools: Photoshop, Wacom, Procreate

Procreate presents yet another medium for creativity which I am just starting to take advantage of. To help me learn this application, I tookCGMA’s Digital Painting course which began in late April 2021.

Here is a brief class description:

“This course is an introduction to digital painting and color composition for film and animation. With an emphasis on studying the works of old masters, students will discover the process of how to deconstruct the picture plane through film studies, reproductions of masterworks, and the widely used—but often understated—industry-standard technique of 'Photobashing.'“

L'Atelier (2021)

Tools: Unreal Engine, Maya, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Marmoset

In early April, I completed CGMA’s UE4 Modular Environments course which focused on the design and creation of modular assets and environments.

I found it to be an extremely thorough overview and I’m looking forward to further improving the skills I’ve gained from this experience.

The Art of Lighting for Games (2019)

Tools: Unreal Engine, Photoshop

In the Fall of 2019 I enrolled in CGMA's “The Art of Lighting for Games” course. This course demonstrated a practical approach to in-game/real-time lighting within the context of a production pipeline.

The topics I learned include the following:

Lighting considerations / reference/ mood
Sky light / Sky dome
Lightmass importance volume
Global Illumination
Runtime vs. pre-computed lighting (baked lighting)
Direct vs. indirect lighting
Post Processing Volume
Reflections (spherical and box reflection captures)
Warm vs. cool lighting
CLUT
Dynamic conditions (room vs. character lighting)
Physically-based Rendering (PBR)

With products such as NVIDIA’s RTX platform coming into view, the need for baked lighting is likely to be less in the years to come. However, I believe that understanding the fundamentals and gaining hands-on experience is extremely important.

(Original models and textures created by Unreal Technologies)

The Silk Road (2019)

Tools: Ableton Live, Push, InDesign, Native Instruments

In the Fall of 2019 I enrolled in the “Electronic Music Composition” course offered by Point Blank Music School. This course is an innovative and inspiring way to learn about music composition.

I have always wanted to learn about music composition and having access to Ableton Live and Push, combined with the instruction provided by this course, I was able to complete a full track within the course term. You can access the final track here.

The visuals showed here serves as a creative brief from which I was able to build my track. One book that I found extremely helpful in my journey is Making Music - 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers by Dennis DeSantis.

Point Advection (2018)

Tools: Houdini

These renderings were created using a Houdini tutorial from Entagma entitled “Colored Trails (Point Advection & Rendering)”.

Anatomy for Production (2017)

Tools: ZBrush, Photoshop, Wacom Cintiq

In the Fall of 2017 I enrolled in CGMA's Anatomy for Production course. The objective of the course is to understand anatomy in terms of shape, form, and function using digital sculpting tools such as ZBrush and Mudbox.

Sculpting anatomy is very challenging, and I feel that this experience helps pave the way for a future course offering focusing on animal anatomy.

Akina (2016)

Tools: Modo, ZBrush, Keyshot, Photoshop

The illustrations at right are from Gnomon's "3D Character Concept and Design" class.

Solari (2014)

Tools: ZBrush, Photoshop

“Solari" is a character design that I created through the Gnomon School in Spring 2014. Solari was designed and implemented over a ten week period using ZBrush and Photoshop.

Here is the original character description that enabled her creation:

"Solari is a female hybrid; hybrid being a blend between an alien and a robot. She is a pilot of a spacecraft that is suggestive of “Slave I” from the Star Wars universe. She sometimes flies with a co-pilot, but prefers to work alone, flying from one end of the galaxy to another transporting cargo of various sorts.

"She has a lean and athletic body structure, but most of her body is wrapped in protective gear and technology. Her protection is a blend of body armor and clothing that protects her from harsh weather she encounters when visiting remote planets. She is frequently seen wearing digital googles which provide her with navigational details, radio frequencies and various data points regarding her internal components. She cannot hear naturally, and is thus reliant upon custom earphones that translate analog signals into a digital equivalent.

"On her back is a backpack that contains numerous technical manuals and electronics equipment that aid in the repair of her spacecraft and person. Several antennas protrude from her pack, all of which are retractable. Furthermore, the pack is awash with various LEDs and electronic surveillance equipment that she uses to stay in contact with suppliers and merchants spread across the galaxy.

"She sometimes carries a weapon for defense, but her physiological makeup combined with a unique ability to control her surroundings through her mind provides her with tremendous power. However, because of her unique childhood, she lives primarily in the shadows and at peace with those who surround her."

Copyright © Adrian Daniels, 2004-2021

City of Gold - Remasters (2014)

Tools: Photoshop

These are a few remasters from the original “City of Gold” series originally created in 2011.

Form Exploration (2014)

Tools: ZBrush, Photoshop

These forms were created using ZBrush and Photoshop, the latter used only to apply surface-level enhancements (e.g. saturation and brightness / contrast).

As I continue to broaden my experience using ZBrush, I envision the release of additional “form exploration” illustrations and concepts.

Digital Strata (2014)

Tools: Photoshop

Digital Strata is my first real exploration into pattern / texture-based illustration. My interest in textiles is one reason for heading down this particular path.

Stormcell (2014)

Tools: Photoshop

Storm clouds have always fascinated me due to their complexity and dynamism. They are particularly enjoyable and challenging to paint digitally.

To create these images, I visited the rooftop of my local gym and took a series of photos of an oncoming storm. These photographs were then abstracted using color half-tone and “pixel” based filters in Photoshop.

Copyright © Adrian Daniels, 2004-2021

Commute (2014)

Tools: Photoshop

This is an enhanced photograph from my commute in the summer of 2014. While the treatment was minimal, the blend of machinery, sky, and tension results in a strong composition.

Earth Series (2013-14)

Tools: Photoshop, Wacom Cintiq

Up until this point, many of my designs and illustrations leaned towards hard-edges and man-made forms (e.g. buildings, vehicles, etc.); this series was a formal shift to a more organic direction.

The latter two images were extracted from a digital painting of a sunset that I created two years prior. Interestingly, the composition and color palette that worked well in the original carried over equally well into these new pieces.

Downtown (2013)

Tools: Photoshop, Wacom Cintiq

While still a work-in-progress, “Downtown” is a concept illustration of a city located on another planet. Placing the viewpoint close to the ground plane provides a sense of scale, while the layering of subterranean elements provides an added layer of complexity and depth.

Superstructure (2013)

Tools: Photoshop, Wacom Cintiq

“Superstructure” is my first large-scale digital illustration using Photoshop and the Wacom Cintiq.

I typically start all of my designs using traditional media, and only move to the digital space once I have gained enough clarity to proceed further. The original concept sketch can be found at the top (middle) of the second-to-last image.

Snow (2013)

Tools: Photoshop

Interestingly enough, this illustration was based on a satellite photo of Antarctica. As I started to “pull” out the peaks and valleys from the static terrain, it became clear that I could also show some sense of movement by varying certain levels within the modified image. The final product appears tranquil, yet energetic.

Mirror's Edge (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

“Mirror’s Edge” started with form-based experiments in Modo, but quickly transformed into a unique compositional exercise through the use of a reflective plane in 3D space.

Due to the success of this concept, Mirror’s Edge quickly paved the way for subsequent concept explorations in the same year. These concepts became bundled within a new portfolio known as ACD, or Advanced Concept Development.

This is perhaps my favorite work.

Copyright © Adrian Daniels, 2004-2021

Evolution (2011)

Tools: Photoshop

The Japanese symbol for “excellence” is one circle outlined by another. I decided to make this my personal “trademark.” This visual depicts a joining of elements based upon my design experience thus far.

Lost Souls (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

This illustration uses the same model created for the “City of Gold” series and focuses on a single individual running through the city. The use of cel-shading and a white highlight adds energy to the piece while also drawing your eye to the runner’s destination.

One of Many (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

“One of Many” became an offshoot from the “Identity” concept and is one of my favorite pieces due to the color scheme and use of shadows.

The “lone figure” is still apparent, but the use of red and green give a somewhat “medical” look, possibly foreshadowing a clash between the two entities or an abrupt separation.

Copyright © Adrian Daniels, 2004-2021

Identity (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

This visual is part of the “Advanced Concept Development” (ACD) series created around this period. The colorized human figure symbolizes independence and autonomy.

Digital Specimens (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

Shape exploration concept showing a dichotomy of inanimate and seemingly organic objects.

City of Gold (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

The “City of Gold” concepts are all based on a single model created in Modo. It’s an excellent example of design reuse and the ability to pull many different renderings and perspectives from a single entity.

This characteristic provided me with the significant creative freedom to create multiple cities each possessing a different look/personality.

Swarm (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

This is an early exploration into organic forms using Modo.

Arcadia (2011)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

Given the apparent “weight” of the structure hovering above this character, it goes without saying that I was dealing with a lot of personal challenges at the time I created this. This is one of my favorite pieces due primarily to its simplicity.

Copyright © Adrian Daniels, 2004-2021

Industrial Design (2011)

Tools: Various (pencil, charcoal, marker, Photoshop)

These are visuals from my experience in the Academy of Art University’s Industrial Design program. This experience helped lay the foundation for my graphic design portfolio which would ultimately lead to full-time employment in the design field.

Life Intersection (2011)

Tools: InDesign

This is a graphic design concept that was fairly representative of my life at the time.

Horizon (2010)

Tools: Photoshop, Wacom Cintiq

The first of several early digital paintings using Photoshop and my Wacom Cintiq.

Intelligence Compound (2010)

Tools: Modo, Photoshop

This is an early exploration of 3D modeling, digital painting, and graphic design.

Skyscraper (2010)

Tools: InDesign

I stumbled upon this design while experimenting with different layout formations in another project. I find the juxtaposition of a thin typeface with the encapsulating building “spaces" interesting.

The Visual Journey (2009)

Tools: InDesign

In an attempt to better understand and define who I was at the time, particularly as it pertained to seeking employment in the design field, I decided to create this "narrative design.” I find design exercises, such as this one, to be extremely valuable in setting goals and defining long-term direction.

The next chapter in this exploration, created in December 2020, is called “New Foundation.”

Intro to Production Modeling (2023)

Digital Painting (2021)

L'Atelier (2021)

The Art of Lighting for Games (2019)

The Silk Road (2019)

Point Advection (2018)

Anatomy for Production (2017)

Akina (2016)

Solari (2014)

City of Gold - Remasters (2014)

Form Exploration (2014)

Digital Strata (2014)

Stormcell (2014)

Commute (2014)

Earth Series (2013-14)

Downtown (2013)

Superstructure (2013)

Snow (2013)

Mirror's Edge (2011)

Evolution (2011)

Lost Souls (2011)

One of Many (2011)

Identity (2011)

Digital Specimens (2011)

City of Gold (2011)

Swarm (2011)

Arcadia (2011)

Industrial Design (2011)

Life Intersection (2011)

Horizon (2010)

Intelligence Compound (2010)

Skyscraper (2010)

The Visual Journey (2009)