Friday, June 29, 2012

Project Review E-Marketing -3D Custom Modeling PART IV 3d Signs and Billboards


 I built out a tall sign that was fixed to a building side for the Coffee House.


 Always a lot of details in there, with nut and washers, Neon clips and rivets, and various parts built components.


 The Sign for the Forum was Coffee based as well in the Icon.

 Rivets, straps, and Neon fill in the details on this second sign example I built out.


 The sign coming into town was an old wood billboard built from individual wood boards in 3D.




Here is a shot of the back of the sign as is seen in various shots in the final so the model was a full 360 design to be seen from any angle.


Project Review
E-Marketing -3D Custom Modeling
PART IV 3d Signs and Billboards

Client: E-Marketing via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: Greg Orlowski
Project Date: 2008.

This is part four, in the series I have started on my custom design and modeling services I offered to E-Marketing back in 2008, while in-house at The Cimarron Group in Hollywood, CA.

All week for my 3D postings, we have looked at custom modeling services for various clients which is helpful for teams with a 3D Artist, who needs assistance with the building phase, and I am always more than happy to provide this service to my clients too.

Today I have posted renders of some[ three] of the various 3D signs I designed and built out for the project. I do a lot of 3D Logos, and having done Theme Park Design as well for over a Decade, I have designed a few actual practical signs as well, so this is always a fun exercise in design to complete.

I thought this would be the last installment, PART IV for this work, but I found some added props I built out so there will be at least one more in the future.

You can view PART I here 
You can view PART II here.
You can view PART III here. 

Cheers, THOM

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Project Review Out Takes PART VI Universal City Walk 1992


 This was the closest sketch to what was finally built for City Walk.


 We experimented with various monitors and enclosures, along with every detail in the piece.


 The handheld input was swapped out a few times until a manufacturer was picked.

Many designs used the cable covers in those "chain-Like" covers seen in all motion control set-ups, and that was the point as this was to match the actual mechanical  workings used for the photography equipment used there.

Project Review

Out Takes PART VI Universal City Walk 1992

Client: Out Takes Via Eric Allard at All Effects.
Art Director: Eric Allard.
Project Date Summer 1992

Out-Takes was a blue screen photography studio at Universal's City Walk Outdoor Mall in California back in the late 90's, and in my sixth posting today on the project, I have some added alternate designs that were done for the project.

One part of design that is not as glamorous as people would imagine are the alternate options that are needed. These usually are not full new designs like what is done in the Blue Sky Concepting Phase, but it is all about refinement and options. Sometimes the changes are extremely small, but they need to be fleshed out in a sketch so that those who hold the purse strings can make a call and get the project moving.



PART I is here.
PART II is here.
PART III is here. 
PART IV is here. 
PART V is here.

Cheers, THOM

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Project Review Snow White and The Huntsman 2012 3D Type for Motion Graphics PART I


The first pass look I did was a flat faced font with a slight extrusion into the font mass.


This 3D Model is what finished for the trailers over at GreenhausGFX, for Snow White and The Huntsman.


 Here is the base mesh I built with a concave bevel in  Single Point Bevel.


 Here is the final Model with a subdivision added at level 1[ turbo-smooth]

Here is the version in Russian I did for Ukraine.

Here is the Korean Translation of Snow White and The Huntsman I did as well back in March of this year.

Project Review
Snow White and The Huntsman 2012
3D Type for Motion Graphics PART I

Client: Universal Pictures via Greenhaus Graphics
Creative Direction: Helen Greene
Project Date: August 2011 to March 2012.


I regularly build out 3D assets for my Motion Graphics clients to use in their trailers, and I did a series of 3D single-Point-beveled hand modeled fonts, for GreenhausGFX for the film now in theaters , Snow White and The Huntsman.
I was given the vector file from GHGFX, as it was locked in already, so I was to tasked to build it out as a hand modeled font and I did it as a Subdividable Quad Polygonal Model.

The client returned back to me to do a few translations of the title for Ukraine, and Korea, both Single Point beveled as well, with the Korean as a clean look, but the Russian was roughed up like the original title.

I also worked on this for another vendor, just last month for the opening to help out, though what I did for them was a clean version of the title with no roughness to the outer edges at all, and they went Gold for the finish as well. Look for that post in the future.

Cheers, THOM

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Project Review: The Phantom 2040 PART CII [103rd] Prop Design sketches


A Bengali Tribal Mask from Aunt Heloise from the show. Tall and Thin!


The Phantoms dog DVL, or "Devil" was chewing on a boot in a show so I had to design what that looked like as seen above.


Kit Walker was a Martial Artist so he had this collapsible quarterstaff prop I designed out.



Here we  have a holographic projector inside Rebecca Madisons Locket.


Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CII [103rd]
Prop Design sketches

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.


This is my 103rd post of my work from the TV animated series, The Phantom 2040 from in the early ninety's, and today I have put up a set of small props I designed for the series.

Each episode of the fifty-two aired ,had between 30-50 individual props needed to be created for the animators, and as Conceptual Designer and Art Director for the show, I did most myself.

Here are a few examples from simple to complex, and I also had to modify existing items as well[ like the boot with a bite out of it].

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Monday, June 25, 2012

Project Review: The Immortals 2011: 3D Type for Motion Graphics

Here is a Motion Graphics 3D card I built with a blood painted "300" for the trailer reference.

 Here is the quad-view of the mesh with the Turbo-Smooth shut off to see the base mesh.

 I built out the font that ended up finishing to match a print look that was provided to me, though that was a 3D fake done with Photoshop bevel-and-Emboss, so I emulated the actual 3D sculpt above.

 A font look I did when they were still experimenting.


 The final 3D card layout that became a full alphabet below.

 I made some adjusting to the font to sharpen it up as the first pass was a softer bevel with rounded corners and a convex bevel with a nice highlight section.

 The quad view of the full delivery of an alphabet in 3D ready to go.


 Here is a quick render shot of the type sent as a final delivery with a simple shader to test the surfaces via the reflections, an old car designer technique we learned a ACCD.

Project Review
The Immortals 2011
3D Type for Motion Graphics

Client: Relativity Media via Greenhaus Graphics
Creative Direction: Helen Greene
Project Date: May 2010 to January 2011.

I had a very busy late last week, so I did not get to post part one for this, so I've combine two post today.

I regularly build out 3D assets for a few Motion Graphics clients to use in their trailers, and I did a series of 3D single-Point-beveled hand modeled fonts, for GreenhausGFX for this purpose for the film last year, The Immortals.

It started with a few cards for the Motion Graphics team, so I build the type all subdivision, as a full quad model, so that when it is taken into Maya or C4D as an Export, they can add the mesh subdivision modifier on their end, to have a very lite file size during animation, without compromising the level of detail with smooth modifiers as needed for close ups , and fly-thrus.

You will see a few fonts were tried up front and once the final was picked, I ended up doing the full alphabet for the film.

Cheers, THOM

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Project Review: The Lady Killers[2003] Motion Graphics 3D Cards

 Motion Graphics cards from The Lady Killers from back in 2003.


 I used a slight fish-eye lens on these using Final-Render. It has a Real Fish-eye setting Camera that ships with the Plug-in. IT ROCKS!


 A little motion blur added for effect.

 The last internal card with all gold used.


 Here is the final card, the title with glass in the center.

Project Review
The Lady Killers
Motion Graphics 3D Cards from 2003


Client: Buena Vista Pictures via The Cimarron Group.
Art Direction: Roland Mesa.
Project Date: December 2003.


Back in 2003 I was in-house in Hollywood at The Cimarron Group, an Entertainment Advertising Agency, and I was tasked with some 3D cards to deliver to the Motion Graphics team for The Lady Killers, the then new Tom Hanks flic.

I had just started the prior month, so this was an early first job I delivered to Motion Graphics. As a department of one at Cimarron, I was responsible for all 3D assets for Print, AV,and the web.

These cards are simple three layer stacked plates, making up the final design.

I put thin gold brushed metal plates on front and back, sandwiching a central deeper plate. I did do the final Title with gold glass in between which was my first sell to them on a glass card. FUN!

Cheers, THOM


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Project Review E-Marketing -3D Custom Modeling PART III Small County Fair


 An overhead shot of the square set of The County Fair "Prize Park" that was done back in 08' for eMarketing.

 A shot at the entry gate with trash barrels ticketing and a look inside under the e neon and bulb-lit sign.


 On the right side of the set, I put a big family side-by-side slide behind the food trailer at the entry.


 In the center there was a "Hog Ride" and the "Vomit Chairs"....'er swinging chairs.


 Here is a shot of the County Fair from the Left side of the set near the front looking at the Ferris Wheel and the rest of the tents.


Project Review
E-Marketing -3D Custom Modeling
PART III Small County Fair

Client: E-Marketing via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: Greg Orlowski
Project Date: 2008.

This is part three, in the series I have started on my custom design and modeling services I offered to E-Marketing back in 2008, while in-house at The Cimarron Group in Hollywood, CA.

Today I have posted renders of the little County Fair I built out for the project for Greg Orlowski at eMarketing[ Nomadic]. This was a very fun litte set to make as it had a wide variety of contaptions to build out and lots of small detials with the wires chains and scafolding that is found all over a fairground.

These litte sets were delivered to their own in-house 3D artist, who lit and textured them, so all I needed to do was to create these designs and ship them out. FUN!

Look for the last installment, PART IV in the future

You can view PART I here 
You can view PART II here.

Cheers, THOM

Friday, June 15, 2012

Project Review: Team America World Police 2004: Motion Graphics 3D Animated Cards

 The main Title Motion Graphic I did for the TV spots back in 2004.

 Internal card used in a TV spot for Team America.

 I also did the Rolling Stone Logo in the same two layer chrome and gold stack.

 Here is an early frame in the fly-in as the type scissors into frame with each line as a group.

 Here is that above scene with the type seated.

    Here is a Quad Poly shot of the list of cards I did first

Project Review
Team America World Police 2004
Motion Graphics 3D Animated Cards

Client: Paramount Pictures via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: n/a.
Project Date: Summer 2004.

When I was the in-house 3D Design Department of one at Cimarron from 2003-2009, I got a few chances to work with the Motion Graphics team up on the 2nd floor, and I was tasked with creating these 3D animated Graphics "cards" for the TV spots we were cutting at The Cimarron Group back in 04.

The look was setablished for the theatrical , and I did our own take on the type for TV, and we finished out a series of commercials using these 3D cards in the trailers.

All cards flew in at various angles, to slam into place with some tilt on the camera to show of the '3D-ness' of the type. 

A fun little project for the boys from my hometown, Littleton CO.

Cheers, THOM

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Phantom 2040 PART CII [102nd] More Transportation design sketches


 This overlay still has the note from the producer "WRONG!", There is a genuine lack of subtlety in Entertainment so thick skin is a MUST.


 A mini background interior done in background and overlay format on velum. About 3' x 5" in size each.

 I modified Maxwells hyperlimo to a four fan version here in this overlay. " STILL WRONG" apparently...:o)


 Here we  have a flying hammerhead hypercycle. FUN!


Phantom 2040
PART CII [102nd]
More Transportation design sketches

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.


This is my 102nd post of my work from the TV animated series, The Phantom 2040 from in the early ninety's, and today I have posted transportation related sketches of vehicle exteriors and one interior.

Since I majored in Transportation Design, this was the fun stuff for me early on out of Art Center as I was still quite green. It was rare to be able to do flying cars and motorcycles and when I did get the chance to do it I LOVED IT!
I also did alot of the interior shots as these little mini BG's, and above you cans see the overlay of the seats and the background I designed for the vehicle, and these little velums were blown up in size to a 16 field size, and painted from these little drawings, many of which were done onsite in both South Korea, as well as the South of France for the teams using them when I made my trips to oversee Production Art Direction.

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Project Review: FOX Video On Demand 3D Motion Graphics 2007


 The FOX opening frame for the On Demand trailer button from 2007.


 I built out a generic Remote with some polished metal rounded buttons and trim.


 The Type in the main button in the middle of the remote flew out at camera and filled title safe.


 The new type slams in with 3D Motion Blur on.


 Here is the last frame 0149 , of the five second piece I rendered.

Project Review
FOX Video On Demand
3D Motion Graphics 2007

Client: FOX Video Entertainment via The Cimarron Group.
Art Direction: n/a.
Project Date: June 2007

About six years back I was in-house in Hollywood at The Cimarron Group, and I did this little bumper for the FOX client out of the International Division.

I designed a generic remote, built it out in 3D space, and animated and finished this piece for the Motion Graphics team upstairs from me.

It was a basic five second piece of a 3D remote the drifts to camera and has some type animation imbedded into the 3D footage I built. We rendered the final in only SD, though we used the entire 6 PC renderfarm available to us to do the multi passes.

I saw the new revised Motion Graphic on a FOX trailer a few weeks back now that this was retired.

Cheers, THOM