Riley's Robot in 3D

[notfitkid]

Hello all,

I have not posted in awhile but I am frequently checking in on the posts and am always encouraged to see everyone offering so much encouragement, wise counsel, and support for one another.

Though I am in no way a bonified/qualified children's book illustrator/author, I am always striving to develop my ability to tell impactful, entertaining stories through the visual arts. As result, I have been pushing myself to learn new mediums and believe that 3D opens up so many possibilities.

Translating my 2D illustrations into 3D, though, has been pretty challenging but extremely helpful in supplementing my understanding of anatomy, lighting, materials, and composition. It has opened up a world of options that would have been otherwise overlooked.

Here are some screenshots of what I worked on based on the illustration that I drew for the February prompt. Looking back, I wish that I had actually composed the layout in Blender first.

(Note: I sculpted and modeled the cat, the child, and the room. All other elements (tools, food, robot, car, boxes, were downloaded from SketchFab for free)

Though learning 3D can be super daunting and time consuming, learning a little here and there can add up quickly and can potentially be worth the investment.

Wishing you all best.

[Kevin Longueil]

@notfitkid Super nice!

[Asyas_illos]

@notfitkid wow very impressive!

[ThomCharles]

Excellent work! 3D modeling is a great way to find unexpected camera angles. You can get real low or look down from up above...because we so familiar with our view of the world, it is easy to slip into some comfortable compositions. The problem is the viewer/audience is also very familiar with those views. The challenge in unique camera shots is we can't easily do the calculations for perspective and foreshortening. 3D modeling can help with all that heavy lifting...Have fun, maybe try changing your horizon line so it's not parallel to the frame. The old "dutch angle" can add a little energy to the scene.

[notfitkid]

@asyas_illos Thank you!

[notfitkid]

@kevin-longueil Thank you, Kevin!

[notfitkid]

@thomcharles Thanks Thom. You are absolutely right about the ability to explore a variety of camera angles in 3D. The tedious nature of redrawing scenes from varying vantage points is what I dread most (I am not that adept at drawing in perspective fluidly yet). I will definitely be trying a new layout from a more compelling vantage point now that I have a 3D reference to rely on. Thank you for your helpful advice!

[miranda-hoover]

@notfitkid This is so impressive!!! Great job!

[notfitkid]

@thomcharles I took your advice and tried a few other angles with a wider angled lens.

If it isn't too much trouble, could you please let me know which of the 3 angles you prefer? Personally, I am drawn to the Upper Right but the lower right image tells more of the story.

[demotlj]

@notfitkid I was immediately drawn to the top right as well. I think its very dynamic and leaves the nature of the robot more mysterious.

[notfitkid]

@demotlj Thank you, Laurie! Sometimes less is more for sure

[notfitkid]

@miranda-hoover Thank you, Miranda!

[ThomCharles]

@notfitkid For me, the best composition is the lower left…the negative space between the kid and the robot feels right. Also the echo of the robot hand and the shadow is a nice detail that connects the foreground and background…

[Frogpunzel]

@notfitkid I too would say lower left.

[notfitkid]

@thomcharles I see your point. There definitely seems to be too much negative space in the one on the upper right. The one of the bottom left seems more balanced for sure and has a heightened sense of foreboding.

[notfitkid]

@frogpunzel Thank you!