Kevin Leong
Computer Science (B.S.) & Creative Computing (B.A.)
Mr. Roboto*
This was the final project that I have made with Maya (thus far). I really wanted to focus on aesthetics and design this time. Most of my past projects were very rushed and sloppy when it came to the actual design aspect, so this time I really took my time to design a visually appealing and creative scene.
First, I created a scene and backdrop for the item I was using. I took a basic plane and curved it to 90 degrees, with a smooth curve at the bottom(much like the canvasses professional photographers use). I kept the color a neutral grey. After, I imported this model of a robot from Free3D. I aligned my subject with the backdrop and adjusted the pose of the robot to something a little more casual.
Next, I created a camera and positioned it in such a way so that the robot was framed in the center of its view. I knew I wanted a 3-point lighting system, so I created 3 area lights that surrounded my object. The fill and back lights are a contrasting warm orange and a cool blue (respectively. The keylight is a simple white light.
Below is a pre-rendered non-lit version of the camera’s perspective (left) and the stage’s setup (right):
I really was not a fan of the default material that the model came with, so I created my own. I knew I wanted the final image to be monochromatic and “futuristic” looking, so I decided to have the robot also be a grey color. This would highlight the different textures that I used.
The first (and main) texture I created was a matte grey that is used for much of the robot’s body. At first, it was the only texture I had, but I realized I wanted to pull the viewer’s attention to the robot’s distinctive uneven-sized eyes. So, I created a fully glossy and reflective texture for the eyes that really made them stand out.
Below is the final rendered image:
I really love the image that I created. What especially makes me happy about it is the way the contrasting lights keeps the scene interesting, and the different textures on the robot draws the viewer’s attention to all parts of the robot. However, I think that I could’ve added more to the background. Maybe something like a futuristic city skyline would really make the image pop!
* NOTE: This project has nothing to do with the infamous Styx song released in the 1983 of the same name. I just thought that the robot in my final render looked somewhat similar to the ones from the Mr. Roboto music video.