✌️Artists References
Junliang Zhang is from Shanghai, China. he is currently working at 3BLACKDOT in Los Angeles as a 3D environment artist, and he is also pursuing a Master's degree in Entertainment Arts and Engineering at the University of Utah.
From his work, you can see that it has reached the professional level of 3A games, and its choice of colors and backgrounds is very worthy of my study and reference.
🤔His pipeline
In the creative process, I observed that this artist employed a variety of different software tools to craft his artwork, showcasing a multifaceted approach to digital creation. The diverse range of software he utilized indicates a comprehensive and intricate workflow.
Here is the detailed pipeline he followed:
Unreal Engine 4: Initially, blockouts were conducted with simple white boxes to lay down the basic structure of the project.
Maya: Following this, low-poly meshes were created as the foundational elements of the design.
Maya: Subsequently, high-poly meshes were developed to add detail and depth to the composition.
Substance 3D Painter: Baking and texturing were then undertaken to bring realism and nuanced visual effects to the elements.
Substance 3D Designer/Quixel Mixer: Tiling procedural textures were crafted to enhance the visual continuity and cohesiveness of the scene.
SpeedTree: Organic foliage and trees were generated to infuse a sense of naturalism and life into the environment.
UE4: Finally, scenes were set up and unique shaders were created as needed to finalize the visual aesthetics and functionalities.
Once the workflow was clearly established, he commenced by blocking out some simple white boxes and developing basic shaders and rain effects, setting the stage for the pre-production phase.
✌️Refection
The best way to master new 3D modeling techniques and software is to experiment with them. I am planning to do this by trying different features, tools, and settings to create various different effects and outputs. For example, I could use MAYA to create organic and detailed models and then use UE4 to set up the environment. Then, I can import and merge these MAYA models to UE4 to make the perfect scene.
📖Reference
Zhang, J. (2019). Texturing Breakdown: Creating a Cyberpunk Environment. Adobe Substance 3D Magazine. Available at: https://www.adobe.com/products/substance3d/magazine/texturing-breakdown-creating-a-cyberpunk-environment-with-junliang-zhang.html
