Category: Final Major Project

Critical Reflection

Miro Board: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVM4xIshw=/

Schedule: I have established a basic schedule and timeline for the project, identifying which tasks need to be completed within certain time periods in order to meet the submission deadline. This has also enabled me to plan the project distribution in greater depth.

As this was only a rough block-out of the timeline, I expected it to evolve over time. However, it allowed me to have a general look at the scope of the project and what I needed to accomplish at each stage. It was a useful tool to motivate me to work and keep track of each task (including reflective notes for the blog).

Moodboards: I found detailed references for the assets and room structure, established the overall mood of the scenery, decided on a colour palette, and brainstormed VFX ideas.

It seems that I may have gone overboard with my brainstorming, as I fear I may have included an excess of details. While I do believe that these details enhance the overall worldbuilding and visual appeal of the setting, unfortunately, it was not feasible to execute all of my plans within the allotted timeframe.

Modelling: I developed the concept further by using the technique of kitbashing and creating multiple block-outs. My focus was on creating assets that would help me reinforce the particular style of the room and add visually interesting details to keep the audience engaged. Finally, I added the necessary Art Nouveau details by outsourcing the models.

During the project, I devoted a considerable amount of time to creating block-outs for the room, which led to a more captivating area to explore. In retrospect, I am satisfied with the outcome but recognize that I may have spent too much time on this phase. I could have transitioned more promptly to the asset modelling stage, which proved to be the most challenging aspect of the project. To expedite the process and shift the focus to texturing and lighting, I decided to outsource some models. However, this approach had its limitations. Some of the models had incorrect topology, which necessitated additional time for correction. Additionally, certain assets were not imported properly into UE5. Also, at times, downloaded models disrupted the existing style of the room.

Texturing: I corrected the UVs of the models and tested them in Substance Painter. After selecting one of the simpler-looking models, I applied procedural textures to it and created multiple templates for the remaining assets. Then, I textured each asset individually in the scene, modifying the templates (smart materials) to suit each model’s specific details and purpose, and ensuring that their colours complemented each other.

I am very pleased with the texture, especially when viewed up close. The subtle brush strokes complement the stylized look of the project, and the mix of colours and layer styles in Substance Painter matches the hand-painted textures created in Photoshop. Adding the outline in Unreal Engine 5 helped tie everything together, and it is my favourite part of the project, next to lighting. If I had more time, I would keep more details of the Photoshop patterns and blur them less. However, I am overall happy with the balance between detailed and generic textures that I managed to achieve. With so many assets in the scene, it was important for me to not overdo the painterly textures, so the scenery wouldn’t be too chaotic.

Lighting and Rendering: Initially, I set up the basic lighting for the scene and then proceeded to add all the models and textures. During the importing, I encountered a few issues with overlapping UVs and wrong polygon counts on some of the models. However, the overall process wasn’t too complicated. Unfortunately, I had to redo my Blender effects in UE5, which caused my scene to lose some of its unique stylized look. I feel that the blueprint Niagara effects look more generic. Additionally, I had to rush through the animation process, which lowered the quality of my final product.

In hindsight, I realize that I may have benefited from devoting more time to creating various camera shots, incorporating additional post-process effects, and shooting more scenes than necessary to assess their compatibility with one another. I acknowledge that I missed opportunities to experiment with more imaginative camera angles and capture more interior shots, which ultimately resulted in the video feeling incomplete and hastily done. While I am content with the life that my Niagara and Houdini effects breathed into the project, I now recognize that I could have intensified the visual intrigue with more animated elements, such as moving plants and cats.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I am happy with the outcome of my Final Major Project. I had the opportunity to experiment with Houdini and photobashing techniques, which I found to be very useful and plan to continue using. I successfully achieved my primary goals for the project, which included creating a UE5 scene, generating stylized procedural textures, and designing compelling lighting simulations. During the project, I learned a lot about different lighting approaches and hand-painting materials. Creating more mock-up lighting scenarios with free Unreal marketplace assets would be a good practice and addition to my portfolio. As for textures, I am interested in coming up with some organic shapes like people and animals, emphasizing details through hand-painted materials.

I regret not being able to focus on compositing and post-production for my project. Despite following a well-planned schedule, I encountered some unexpected setbacks. As I had mentioned earlier, during the initial stages of my work, I spent a significant amount of time exploring various styles and creating block-outs. While this allowed me to create a more detailed scene, it also caused me to fall behind on my original timeline. I plan to revisit it and add more visual effects to enhance it. I have started to rerender some scenes with passes to recreate the accurate UE5 lighting. Additionally, I believe that learning about compositing lighting will be beneficial for my career. After reviewing the finished product, I feel it lacks movement and needs more dynamic elements, such as subtle plant movements with the Niagara simulation around them. Also, I regret using a low poly model for the cat, and I think that adding more lively and animated elements will positively transform the scene and make it more immersive.

I would also like to explore Unreal Engine 5 more as a rendering tool. I have started a new stylized project, focusing on lighting and rendering in Unreal Engine, using only outsourced models. I will upload all of my future work to the Artstation: https://cervesna.artstation.com/.

I believe I have built a solid foundation for my future projects and have identified the mistakes I tend to make. My goal is to further enhance my skills in lighting and rendering, and hopefully secure a job that allows me to focus on these particular skills.

Exhibition Description

Martyna Adrianna Kowalska

Oneiromancy

“When we fall asleep, where do we go?”

Dreams possess a transformative and inspiring quality that can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary. The same power is harnessed here to create artwork that stimulates creativity.

“Oneiromancy” takes you on a journey into a mysterious space that transcends reality. The inspiration for this project comes from the literary convention of oneirism, which presents reality in the form of a dream to evoke a sense of mystery and wonder. The stylised environment is based on Art Nouveau, with natural forms and decorative visual effects achieved through hand-painted textures and cinematic lighting.

Explanation of the title:

Oneiromancy is a form of divination based upon dreams, and also uses dreams to predict the future. Oneirogen plants may also be used to produce or enhance dream-like states of consciousness. Occasionally, the dreamer feels as if they are transported to another time or place, and this is offered as evidence they are in fact providing divine information upon their return.

Wikipedia (2023) Oneiromancy. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneiromancy (Accessed: 11 July 2023).

Promotional Materials

As I wanted more control over the poster and we had to submit our designs a week earlier than expected, I decided to create a new scene in Unreal Engine to have full control over the assets and lighting. I used a few assets from my scene and a Megascans window. To export the image, I took a high-resolution screenshot with dimensions adjusted for the A2 print format. Afterwards, I modified the values and colours of the image with the camera raw filter in Photoshop and added hand-painted elements to create a more mysterious mood. For the postcard, I simply took a screenshot of the part of the scene that was already finished and slightly enhanced it in Photoshop with the same filter.

Through a series of tests, I installed several cameras to find the best angle and composition for my shots. To avoid confusing the viewer, I limited the use of multiple short shots from different angles. I followed the lighting path and placement of objects that I created earlier and used Film Dimensions to maintain consistency across all renders. Additionally, I manually adjusted the focus as necessary to ensure the best possible result.

To achieve a more cinematic and animated look, I followed some general guidelines. I rendered in 24 frames per second and applied the “shooting from shadow” theory. I also added a directional light colour. To keep the scene simple, I did not use many fill lights and rim lights. However, upon reflection, I believe that the interior scene may benefit from even more light sources. Additionally, I set up the Bloom method (PostProcessVolume) to convolution, which adds a nice glowing effect. However, it didn’t show up on the render as strongly as I would like.

Render Settings:

After test rendering, I realized that the scene still lacked the stylization I was hoping to achieve. To improve it, I added a simple outline material to the PostprocessVolume. The result was quite impressive and I intend to use this technique in my future projects.

Post Production

My ultimate goal was to create a dream-like scenery, but due to time constraints, I was unable to render the scene with passes, which resulted in losing some of the effects created in UE5. I am planning to re-render the sequence with passes so that I can properly composite it for my portfolio. In the meantime, I used render settings recommended by Emily to ensure that I still achieved the best possible effects. They were fantastic when I was short on time and helped me create images that were almost identical to those from the real-time view. After that, I simply graded and corrected the colours in Nuke and composited everything in DaVinci Resolve. There, I adjusted the overall grade slightly, added music and wind bell sounds, and tried to create a short, dynamic video. I still need to work on my editing skills, but I think I got close to achieving the trailer feeling from my sequence.

When working with lighting, my main focus was on accentuating shapes. I found that spotlights worked best for establishing credible light sources and gave me more control and softer shadows compared to point lights. Rect lights were used mainly for artistic and block-out lighting. I kept SkyLight relatively simple as it didn’t have much impact on the interior scene.

After working on the previous project, I decided to avoid baked lighting and chose to use raytracing instead. At first, the lighting seemed lacking, but I was able to enhance it by incorporating Global Illumination and authentic Ambient Occlusion. In addition, I made sure that all the Project Settings are fine (DirectX 12 is on, Dynamic Global Illumination Method is set to Lumen, Ray Lighting Mode is set to Surface Cache, Software Ray Tracing Method is on Detail Tracing, Shadow Map Method is using Virtual Shadow Maps, Support Hardware Ray Tracing is on and Use Hardware Ray Tracing is enabled). I also checked that the materials aren’t too dark and that they reflect enough light.

To improve the quality of my visuals, I made some adjustments in the settings of the Post Process Volume. Firstly, I set the infinite extent to unbound and disabled auto exposure by changing the Metering Mode to Manual and turning off Apply Physical Camera Exposure. Then, I manually adjusted the exposure compensation through the Post Process Volume. Finally, I worked on enhancing the Volumetric Fog and Volumetric Scattering Intensity.

Throughout the process, I made sure that all my light sources were set as movable and had raytracing enabled. For light fixtures, I used temperature as a colour to achieve warm tones and make themlook more realistic. When using area lights, I focused more on adding saturation and mood through hand-picked colours. One of my favorite discoveries was using color ramps for the materials in Niagara as it allowed me to create a more stylized look. One of my primary concerns was how to achieve soft shadows by paying attention to shadow penumbra. I also focused on creating soft, indirect shadows and adding depth to the scene through the use of out-of-focus foreground and midground elements.

My personal rule was to have a clear and distinct main key light (sun shining through the main window) to establish the focus of this shot. It was achieved through bright vs dark (value contrast). To help in determining how much of one side vs the other, I used the 70/30 rule, which means, 70% of the composition is darker while 30% is brighter. The “Sunlight” direction is diagonally shone as a dynamic angle to break the stability of the scene so it won’t be too boring. There is also a trail of light, leading the eye of the viewer to the bright area. The warm orange hue complements the more mysterious, cool blue and small light fixtures add overall interest to the scene. The subtle dim spotlight was added behind the sofa for the backlight to differentiate from the background. I would like to work with light channels next time, to have even more control over how lighting is affecting the environment. I’ve also included a slightly cool, purple tint to the skylight to balance out the warm setting sun and increase its intensity.

In order to achieve a stylized look, I made some adjustments to the shadow colour in the Unreal Engine. By modifying the shadow density of the light and tweaking the shadow colour with light settings, I was able to attain the necessary saturated look for the scene. To illuminate the scene, I used directional light as the primary source and utilized rect lights to produce soft, coloured shadows.

Lighting Structure

Unreal Engine tips to remember

1. Check the UE5 Marketplace every month to see the free projects available. 
2. If your project crashes, try deleting the config file. Similarly, if Maya or UE5 crashes, deleting the preferences should help. 
3. When importing objects, it’s recommended to combine meshes and use real-time Nanite. 
4. Creating a new project in UE5 is equivalent to creating a new level at the Basic Level. 
5. You can view UE5 statistics such as Lumen and Path tracing light. Path tracing provides better-quality light renders.

Stylised rendering: If you want to adjust the post-processing volume, create bookmarks first. Once you have the bookmarks in place, you can create a scenic or cinematic camera that suits your needs. As a lighter, you might find it helpful to switch to Detail Lighting mode in the Lit section of the engine. This will allow you to see the shadows more clearly without the distraction of textures and materials. When it comes to importing assets, it’s worth using a separate project to check them for any issues before migrating them to the main project. Finally, it’s recommended to use the USD file format when importing meshes.

Here are some important guidelines to keep in mind:

– Avoid combining meshes as it can make troubleshooting more difficult.

– When exporting from Maya, make sure to uncheck the skeleton option.

– It’s recommended to set up the scene in Unreal Engine to ensure better recognition by Lumen.

– Ignore the “smoothed groups” warning as it tends to appear even when not relevant.

– After applying smoothing groups in Maya, the situation worsened significantly.

– USD file format is generally better than FBX, although the latter is less problematic.

Importing the project to the UE5

After setting up the scene in Maya, I exported it as a single fbx file to avoid any potential issues with the usd. Since I knew that combined meshes could be an issue (especially with Lumen), I made sure not to include this option in the import. However, the first issue I noticed was a very bright light despite the interior being closed off. I wasn’t sure if the walls’ lack of thickness was affecting the lighting in Unreal, so I went back to maya and added a thickness of 0.2. Additionally, I deleted the history on all the assets, froze transformations and double-checked the UV maps. 

After reimporting the scene into UE5 and verifying that everything looked fine (which suggests that I was right about issues with the thickness), I migrated the items into a new project to ensure a problem-free workflow To start the set-up in Unreal, I adjusted the settings in classes and built a new level. After that, I focused on building basic lighting and landscape. The next step was to import meshes without combining them. I also added a third-person mannequin to check the scale of the level. As I changed the scale in Maya to 0.1, I had to scale up everything ten times. Though the real-world scale method might have worked if I had been rendering my project in Arnold, it was an unnecessary step when working with Unreal.

After adjusting the scale, I recheck the lighting. Adding the thickness to the walls has helped, but I still needed to block the lighting near the front wall. I focused on creating a free passage of daylight and connecting the interior with the outside. To achieve it, I placed planes near around the door area to block any unneccessary light sources. I also ensured a smooth transition between the dark entrance and the bright interior near the large window. Lastly, I looked at the position of each mesh to ensure they were in the correct place.

As my project is centred around the theme of transformation, I aimed to incorporate various visual effects into the scene. I envisioned the room filled with soft, bouncing light, and a thin mist creating a foggy image. As the illusion takes place, the colours gradually blend into each other. To achieve a stylised look, Blender was recommended by most tutorials as the best software. The process of setting up particle systems and customizing them with emissive materials, geometry, and noise was relatively simple and quick. I particularly enjoyed the moth simulations and the sparkle animation.

To create the moth simulations, I decided to import one of the models that had previously been designed as an architectural detail for the room. This particular asset was chosen because I wanted to achieve a more butterfly-like appearance for the simulation. Following this, I created three different simulations while using a noise randomizer to add more visual interest to the animation. The noise randomizer helped to create a more realistic and natural-looking movement for the particles, which was important to achieve the desired effect. After creating the simulations, I decided to bind them to a small sphere. I did this to allow the particles to swarm around the sphere, creating a more dynamic and engaging animation. This sphere was then placed near the lamps, adding to the overall effect of the simulation.

With the guidance of Iago Mota’s tutorial, I was able to develop an intricate particle system. My objective was to create the impression of turbulent simulations reminiscent of a natural phenomenon. I envisioned this effect would infuse a touch of enchantment into the scene and enhance the composition of the window, which serves as the centrepiece of the animation. I experimented with adding 3D texture coordinates to particles in motion, creating new particles from existing ones, and converting particles into force fields. To ensure that the textures followed the particles, I utilized a texture coordinate node in the shading (enabling “From Instancer”), which generated coordinates for an accurate 3D texture.

To expand my knowledge of importing VFX from Houdini, I decided to utilize the software to recreate an effect. My focus was on generating abstract animations using Poly Garden as a transition effect to convey the transformation of the space. Following Entagma’s tutorial proved to be effortless and uncomplicated, however, difficulties surfaced when attempting to import it into Unreal Engine. The polygons contained more than 6 faces which required remeshing. Triangulating first yielded no success. Moreover, transferring colour coordinates was unfeasible, so I had to reconstruct the texture in Unreal. While experimenting with various colours and textures in UE5, I concluded that implementing glass would complement the realistic scene I had created, and it would also bring depth and dimension to the shots. It also helped to create a more dynamic effect than just flat colours. Upon reflection, I think I could have made the simulation longer, but for the short video purpose, it worked well. To add more detail and complexity, I duplicated it and placed it around the room.

Unfortunately, when I imported the cached animations (ABC files) into UE5, only the Houdini simulation worked properly. In hindsight, I should have made the simulations directly in Unreal, as particle simulations work differently in each rendering engine. I wanted to try a more stylised look, but I found that Niagra doesn’t always offer it and instead develops more uniform/generic outcomes. Nonetheless, I still learned a lot about Blender and plan to explore this software more in future projects.

Regarding the FMP, I had less than two weeks left until the deadlines, so I decided to use the Niagara hanging particles simulation that I had explored in a previous project. I experimented with the flare material and added a colour ramp to create a colour gradient. I am satisfied with the changes I made to the simulation as it enhanced the overall look and made it more similar to what I had achieved with Blender. Furthermore, I added a simple floating particle simulation and adjusted the colour ramp accordingly. Overall, I believe that I achieved a good effects ratio, which didn’t overwhelm the already busy scene, but still added more visual interest to it.

Once I finished unwrapping the UVs on each 3D asset, I proceeded to texture the objects. For the final render of the exhibition, I made sure to assign 2k textures to small objects and 4k textures to larger objects and walls. To maintain a unified look of the interior, I constantly referred to the colour palette from the concept art and ensured that all objects had similar hues and values. As the interior contained many assets, it was crucial to keep the design balanced and not overdo it with too many colours.

To create a stylized brush stroke effect, I started by creating a base layer. Then, added multiple brush stroke layers with cell textures to enhance the hand-painted style and create colour variation. To achieve a hand-painted look, I used filters such as sharpening and blur slope. I also experimented with different brush stroke layer modes, such as overlay, darken, lighten, soft light, and screen, to find the best effect. Additionally, using AO, edges, and light highlights helped me add depth to the texture.

I found that creating procedural stylized materials in Substance Painter was much faster than painting them by hand. Since I had limited time and so many materials to create, I needed an efficient way to mass-produce cohesive textures. To do this, I created a few smart materials and used them first to see what base looks good on a specific asset. Then, I would adjust it and add details as needed. Even though I used Substance Painter, I still managed to give the scene a unique appearance by incorporating Photoshop textures into the process.

In my texture creation process, I found the tutorials below to be incredibly helpful in improving my workflow and learning new techniques. I particularly found the use of filters to be essential in creating unique and patchy textures. The Blur Slope and Sharpening tools were especially transformative in my Photoshop paintings, helping me maintain a consistent look throughout the space. Custom surface creation based on height and normal maps was another technique I enjoyed utilizing, as it allowed me to quickly differentiate the appearance of my textures without the need for extensive manual painting. This feature proved especially useful in distinguishing between surfaces of varying heights, given my preference for a highly stylized approach that often involved flattening textures.

For the walls and decorative materials, I created the textures with Art Nouveau patterns in Photoshop and then applied them to the object in Substance Painter. I also used them to block out the assets’ textures and colour palettes for the interior. I specifically faced some difficulty with the window material as recreating the opacity of the window glass was not easy. I also felt that the added textures would alter the properties of the window, making the texture less recognizable. After finalizing the surfaces in SP, I tested them in the Unreal Engine.

To ensure I am applying custom textures to the assets effectively, I created a mock-up of the finished room. This helped me identify the best colour combinations and image placements. After careful consideration, I decided to apply textures only to the walls and larger objects, as using them on every model would result in a very busy environment.

Unfortunately, I encountered an issue where some assets had multiple UV sets, which caused the textures in UE5 to become distorted. To fix this, I had to re-export and re-import multiple meshes. Additionally, I noticed that the textures transferred from Substance Painter appeared much darker in UE5’s render view. To address this, I adjusted the lighting and brightness levels of the textures. I had previously blocked out the interior, which made it significantly darker in the render view. For textures that lost details, I went back to Substance Painter and adjusted their values. In hindsight, I should have tested the base textures first in Unreal Engine. However, I believe that underexposing them was still better than overexposing them, as it allowed me to work with dark textures by adjusting light sources.

Final textures

Other Tutorials

Artscape (2022) Substance Painter Stylized Hand Painted Texturing – Tutorial for Beginners. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVRdep73hCQ (Accessed: 03 November 2023).

Lighting Boy Studio (2022) Arcane Tutorial Part 2 : Deep Dive Into the Arcane Look and Camera Projections (Blender 3.0 / EEVEE). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adBbCdu7D_U (Accessed: 06 November 2023).

References

Bradbury (2023) Arts and Crafts Friezes. Available at: https://bradbury.com/do/arts_and_crafts_friezes.html (Accessed: 26 October 2023).

Internet Archive (2023) Complete Catalogue. Available at: https://archive.org/details/CompleteCatalogue1905/mode/1up?view=theater (Accessed: 26 October 2023).

Internet Archive (2023) Decorative Vorbilder. Available at: https://archive.org/details/dekorative-vorbilder-14/page/n51/mode/2up (Accessed: 26 October 2023).

Internet Archive (2023) Traite De Peinture. Available at: https://archive.org/details/traitedepeinture03boud/mode/1up?view=theater (Accessed: 26 October 2023).

The Public Domain (2023) Plants and Their Application to Ornament (1896). Available at: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/plants-and-their-application-to-ornament-1896/ (Accessed: 26 October 2023).

UV Maps

During the process of creating the 3D model, I used camera-based settings to control the visible details for the UV unwrapping. The bird cages required more attention as I had to cut warped cage pipes and fix any mistakes resulting from combining the assets. The desk lamp was particularly challenging as my laptop couldn’t handle the complex mesh, and Maya would crash whenever I attempted to cut UVs using the camera-based setup. As it wasn’t an important asset, I opted to use automatic UV unwrap which worked well enough to move on to the next asset. To keep the file size smaller, I selected all items and replaced the textures with Lambert material. Afterward, I deleted the unused nodes in Hypershade, and individually centre-pivoted, deleted history, and froze transformations on each asset.

I believe the issues with the face sculpture arose because I had reduced the number of polygons in the asset by meshing it (as it is common practice with scanned objects). To address this, I downloaded the model again and only deleted the necessary faces. After doing so, I used a cylindrical UV unwrap and was able to unfold it without any problems.

Finished Scene

Since I did not have enough time to model every asset that I wanted for my portfolio, and it wasn’t the main focus of my project, I decided to use free assets that were available on Sketchfab and Turbosquid. This approach helped me populate the room with various objects, which resulted in a more chaotic and cluttered effect, which was what I was aiming for. Additionally, I included scans of actual Art Nouveau objects from museum websites.

Overall, the areas that I wanted to focus more on while creating sequences in Unreal Engine 5 showcase interesting compositions with many details and assets to look at. Parts of the room that serve more as a backdrop for lighting have fewer items to optimize the scene. Although I could have probably reduced the number of models used, it was hard to decide what to delete at this stage of the project.

Composition shots:

Outsourced assets in the scene

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/chinese-home-decor-element-bea2efb579254320aa2aae4c9cc55ef1

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/254026301-chiaro-2217ab15620e415687dc7ab37532f3bf

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tankard-with-a-biblical-scene-d968b14919544a7e81dbe6802049faae

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/secesni-pohar-1907-art-nouveau-cup-a8b6cf81daf642359f8b74576128006d

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/vase-art-nouveau-3c548ce890524a9c888270267d4e9efd

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tauleta-de-nit-modernista-museu-del-disseny-529963fcfea8471eb251bfd20df78614

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/refined-venetian-3-seater-sofa-936bc874f0ea4a7f9962764ecdff3c55

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/astronomical-quintant-4b8e17593bd5457aaa958a85c1e5440d

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/old-door-small-2c185d3f09414a34b4c478a2a8e5ea02

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/poppies-2dbbaf1cb1d342209b9e659e01aff28e

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/table-e2731054954542229359085648f45a10

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/vintage-gramophone-game-asset-e3a21ee0e1004cfea8c13dad50a18034#download

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/spring-iris-vase-f05c5b2399b2410aaa275994ef8f48bd

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/trumpet-flower-1a1cd26ec209455394d53d28ec695b67

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/classic-desk-a2c15d65216f43318950cdf2f068e3d3

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/cabinet-old-72547b6168e446c4b779eaf4442e11d4

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/an-animated-cat-aec25699660043a29595f9572149d1e8

https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3dsmax-art-nouveau-coffee-table/973232

https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/cabinets-0510bb5872b54e53a4204d1728e1db07

List of the assets to model:

• Door
• Windows
• Stained glass
• Arches
• Stairs
• Sofa/Armchair
• Table
• Cloths and pillows
• Chest of drawers
• Light Fixtures
• Divider Screen
• Bird cages
• Tea cup/Tea pot
• Vases/Bottles
• Candles
• Decorations/Ornates
• Flowers
• Mirors
• Mirror shards

I don’t have much experience in modelling complex assets, so I avoided wasting time on it. Instead, I focused on simple objects that could add uniqueness to the scene without much effort. Since Art Nouveau is not a well-known style, it was hard to outsource all the models I wanted. This was another motivation for me to model them myself to achieve a more accurate vision. To create ornate details and organic shapes, I mostly used curves, bends, and soft brushes as my sculpting methods. I wish I had time to implement the use of ZBrush, but that would be too inefficient given the time constraint I had. For more complex shapes, I started with a simple plane and modelled it by adjusting vertices in the orthographic view. I also had to remodel some of the 3D scanned assets and retopologize those. While modelling, I often used bevels to achieve smooth, round edges and individually adjusted edges/vertices to achieve a non-uniform look, characteristic of hand-made objects.

I also made sure that all the furniture assets had right architectural idmensions to ensure the reality illusion.

While working on asset modelling, I made sure to incorporate moon and flower symbols wherever possible. To add authenticity to the scene, I also researched Alfons Mucha’s furniture concepts and archival architectural pieces. For more complex sculptures, I outsourced them from museum scan projects in Sketchfab. However, after transferring the assets to Unreal, most of the details were lost. I attempted to optimize the assets by reducing the number of polygons and retopologizing them to eliminate triangles. Unfortunately, due to the massive number of faces, it wasn’t possible to unwrap the assets later, so I had to leave them in their original form. Nevertheless, I chose to keep them as I appreciate the organic forms they introduce.

Modelled assets (the close-ups of the models):

While designing the space, I considered what would make a visually pleasing interior that would reinforce the plot of the project. A circular building with a curving path that doesn’t reveal what’s at the end (and creates an atmosphere of mystery). Furniture, especially ornamental pieces, moved away from the walls to create dramatic shadows. Ornate details on the walls and windows which fragment the light. Architectural details and various shapes in the room could help the eye bounce around the scene.

Throughout the project, I experimented with various design approaches and styles to guarantee that the final interior is aesthetically pleasing. I believe that a basic square room would diminish the artistic value of the project, and the audience would be less interested in it. Therefore, I wanted to ensure that the viewer’s eyes are drawn to numerous intriguing shapes within the simple structure, guiding their gaze around the space.

After much consideration, I ultimately decided to combine the second and third versions. The curved walls of building two were visually appealing to me, but it was too narrow to be practical. On the other hand, while asset three had some positive aspects, such as its spaciousness, it lacked the unique niches that I was hoping for. By merging the two versions, I was able to create a space that had both the aesthetic appeal and practical functionality that I was looking for.

When creating 3D models, I used sculpting tools to achieve more unique and organic shapes. To further enhance the appearance of the assets, I dramatise the shapes to make them more visually appealing and interesting. I briefly considered scanning real-world objects and incorporating them into the scene but it would be too time-consuming.

For assembling the building model, I paid a lot of attention to real-world dimensions. This is especially important when designing interiors, as there are many objects in the space that viewers can use to understand the scale of the place. To model the shop, I took inspiration from old European tenement houses, with high curved ceilings measuring 3.6 meters. I used a human figure from Maya’s library, scaled down by a factor of ten, as my starting point. Since Maya’s real-world measurements work on a scale of 1/10 and treat centimetres as meters, this allowed me to accurately model the space. I placed the figure in multiple spots to check the dimensions of the imported furniture models and establish the scale of architectural details such as steps, stairs, and door frames.

During the project, I encountered a challenge with this particular part where I spent too much time trying to perfect the model instead of moving on. I focused too much on coming up with the concept of the building, which led to a rushed process for the following steps. As a result, I wasted a lot of time and could have managed my time better.

I also faced challenges with the topology of the building. I had to redo it several times to get it right. I followed various guides and attempted to retopologize the structure in Maya and also tried using the remesh tool in ZBrush. However, I found that for this specific project, retopologizing the structure in Maya, and at times completely rebuilding it from scratch, proved to be the most effective approach.

Retopologising:

1. Retopologising tool in Maya.
2. Export as obj from Maya, put in Zbrush and use ZRemesher in geometry (Target Polygons Count under 1).
3. Live Mesh, target weld and hand draw, or pick vertices, use soft selection and adjust it.

After much consideration, I have ultimately decided on a design concept that I believe adequately meets my requirements. The design comprises of smooth curves that have been carefully crafted to guide the eye in a fluid motion. Additionally, circular and organic shapes have been incorporated to create an Art Nouveau style that is visually appealing and unique. I am confident that this design will fulfill the desired outcome and provide a positive and memorable experience for the end-users.

Bibliography

Blender (2023) Retopology. Available at: https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/modeling/meshes/retopology.html (Accessed: 20 October 2023).

Render GPU (2022) Awesome Blender Addons for Retopology. Available at: https://irendering.net/awesome-blender-addons-for-retopology/#:~:text=1.,Instant (Accessed: 20 October 2023).

Shutterstock (2021) 3D Modeling Part 1: The Basics of Building a Clean 3D Model. Available at: https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/building-clean-3d-models (Accessed: 20 October 2023).

Sketchfab (2016) How to retopologize 3D scans into low poly game assets. Available at: https://sketchfab.com/blogs/community/retopologise-3d-scans-low-poly-game-assets/ (Accessed: 20 October 2023).

Stylized Station (2021) The 3D Artist’s Guide to Modular Environments – Unreal Engine Environment Breakdown. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnAuVtwxPI&t=1295s (Accessed: 20 October 2023).

Topology Guides (2023) Archive. Available at: https://topologyguides.com/ (Accessed: 20 October 2023).