The progression from my original vector illustration, I built the signpost in 3D using Blender
The progression from my original vector illustration, I built the signpost in 3D using Blender
Art direction 1, modelled and lit in Blender, then rendered out as a flat 2D image for laying out a book cover design in InDesign
Art direction 2, modelled and lit in Blender, then rendered out as a flat 2D image for laying out a book cover design in InDesign
A pdf of the cover designed in InDesign is adjusted in Photoshop and then taken back into Blender to model a promotional shot of the 'finished' paperback
A pdf of the cover designed in InDesign is adjusted in Photoshop and then taken back into Blender to model a promotional shot of the 'finished' paperback
3D Case Study
I've always been a fan of Googie, a type of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Space and Atomic Age, it was popular among motels, coffee houses and gas stations in the US. I thought it would be a great way to interpret on of my favourite books for a cover design. I decided to pay homage to the imprint from the early eighties, the Pan paperback design where I first discovered The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
My initial layouts were vector illustrations, I was pleased with the design, but to be honest felt they could be better... they needed to be modelled in 3D. But nailing the design first was a good piece of design practice – it forced me to make the 3D software deliver what I had drawn rather than cave in and model whatever the software did easily, a lesson I endorse to all creatives.
Once I was satisfied with the way the models were staged and lit I rendered hi-res output files to bring into InDesign to generate cover artwork. Hi-res pdf output was than adjusted in Photoshop to create the correct UV shading image to bring back into Blender creating a promo shot of the 'finished' paperback.