Advanced Visual Design Design Portfolio

Final Design

by ward2021

Having solidified the concept for the animation, delved into Edward Tufte’s theories, and crafted numerous storyboards, I am now ready to embark on creating the components that will shape my final design. This post highlights the progress made on these components and briefly explains the specific Edward Tufte theory applied in each case.

Component Creation

Glass Bottle (Use of Colour)

The glass bottle and grapes in the animation both adhere to Tufte’s theory concerning the use of colour. As the central focus of the animation lies in the creation of wine, both the grapes and the wine bottle carry greater design significance than the other components. Tufte’s approach of employing neutral colours for less important data and brighter colours for more significant data is reflected in this design choice. By using this strategy, the animation ensures that the essential elements, the grapes and the wine bottle, stand out prominently while maintaining a balanced and visually appealing composition.

Figure 1: I imported an image of a simple wine bottle using the panel layout and selecting the image plane tool.
Figure 2: Since the image size was too big, I scaled it down using the scale tool and altered the position using the move tool.
Figure 3: I next added a polygon cylinder for the poly modelling tab, altered the size and added more height and cap sub-divisions.
Figure 4: I removed the faces off the top of the cylinder and selected edges in preparation for the extruding process using the tool in edit mesh.
Figure 5: Using the extrude tool, I manipulated the neck of the bottle using G&W on the keyboard to bring the cylinder up and R to extrude the cylinder.
Figure 6: Moving onto the bottom of the bottle, I selected the two inner circle edges and extruded them using the same method as in fig 5, checking the wireframe view.
Figure 7: I edited the thickness of the bottle and inserted 2 edge loops with the tool from mesh tools.
Figure 8: Selecting the edges of the second row from the top, I used the extrude tool to create a lip at the top of the bottle.
Figure 9: Using the smooth tool to ensure that the model is looking how it should so far.
Figure 10: Once I was satisfied with the shape, I assigned it a new material, AI standard surface.
Figure 11: In the last stage of the modelling process, I focused on adjusting the surface settings to create a glass-like effect. I applied texture to the bottle using Maya, primarily altering the opacity and slightly changing the colour. Because there were only minor changes, I avoided Substance Stager since it would be easier to do this in Maya

Grapes (Comparison of Small Multiples)

Incorporating Edward Tufte’s theory, Comparison of Small Multiples, I introduced varying sizes of grapes in the design to depict realism. By doing so, each grape was given a distinct size, mirroring its natural form in an inconsistent yet authentic manner, just as they appear on a real grapevine.

Figure 13: Here, I have inserted a polycube and used the smooth tool in the edit mesh menu to make the square more spherical.
Figure 14: I have elongated the model and used the extrude tool to create a dent in the top of the grape.
Figure 15: I have inserted a cylinder and altered the settings in preparation to create the stem of the grape.
Figure 16: Using the edge tool, I have manipulated the cylinder to mimic a stem.
Figure 17: I duplicated the grape and some of the stem, changed the size and orientation and combined the stalks together.
Figure 18: I duplicated the model from Fig 17 and added an extra grape to the vine.
Figure 19: using the same process as creating the grape’s stem, I created the bigger vine to where the grapes will be attached.
Figure 20: This is the result of adding the grapes to the vine.
Figure 21: This is the final model created in Maya in preparation for adding colour and texture. The final product is made up of the model in Figure 20.
Figure 22: I moved the model to Substance Painter and created a base layer for my grapes.
Figure 23: After working on the model in Substance Painter, I transferred it back to Maya for additional modifications to enhance its visual appeal. Maya offered superior tools for editing attributes like opacity and other intricate details, making it the ideal platform to finalise the model. To achieve a gradient effect, I utilised AI standard surfaces and Ramp surfaces.

Barrel (Use of Colour)

The use of colour across the components is intentionally restrained, employing a limited palette. Notably, the textures and colours applied to the barrel were also reused in the secondary components. This design approach aligns with Tufte’s preference for neutral colours for non-important components, as evidenced by the incorporation of brown in the wooden texture, adhering to another one of his theories. The animation achieves a cohesive and harmonious visual presentation by following this principle.

Figure 24: I am inserting a cylinder and adjusting the settings to mimic a basic barrel shape.
Figure 25: I added 3 loop edges to that I can create the exterior fixtures to the barrel.
Figure 26: I kept those selected faces and used the extrude tool to extrude them.
Figure 27: I repeated the exact same process to the bottom of the barrel too.
Figure 28: Using the cylinder model, I created a small bolt which will be placed around the extruded parts of the model.
Figure 29: Here I am beginning the process of creating a lid to the barrel by copying the top surface of the cylinder and extracting it.
Figure 30: Using the face I extracted, I used mesh tools to manipulate the plane to replicate the barrel lid.
Figure 31: While creating the barrel lid, I hollowed out the actual barrel.
Figure 32: While texturing the barrel, I encountered numerous challenges, leading me to utilise textures I found online. Incorporating these textures, I set up a Lambert layer and inserted the PNG files accordingly. Although the final result didn’t achieve the realistic effect I initially aimed for, it still managed to mimic the appearance of a barrel to a satisfactory degree.

Other Components

Once the three major components were completed, I crafted four smaller ones to enhance the animation. Unlike the previous components, these minor elements didn’t demand as many steps in their creation. Therefore, I didn’t document the process extensively, considering their relatively minor appearance within the overall animation.

Figure 33: Wooden bowl
Figure 34: Grape squasher device
Figure 35: Barrel tap
Figure 36: Wine glass

Background

Initially, my plan for the background was to use a simple solid colour, either black or white. However, as I progressed with the animation, I realised that the plain background didn’t complement the realistic look I was striving for. Consequently, I incorporated an HDRi image, which I applied to the skydome background. This addition allowed for a more natural and immersive environment and significantly improved the lighting, eliminating the need for constant readjustments. With the HDRi image in place, the lighting was perfect, enhancing the overall quality of the animation.

Figure 36: A HDRi image used as the background of my final animation.

References

I’ve included videos that helped me create these components; they aren’t direct copies, just a guide that helped me get the components’ basics.

Videos

  • MH Tutorials, the Modeling Hub. (2015). Maya 2016 tutorial : How to model and texture a Wine bottle. [Online Video]. 4 July September 2015. Available from: https://youtu.be/yIFNgPbDHvY. [Accessed: 14 May 2023].
  • Robot Army. (2020). STYLISED BARREL Game Asset (FULL VERSION) -Maya-Zbrush-Substance Painter. [Online Video]. 26 March 2020. Available from: https://youtu.be/uy6b4cicSik. [Accessed: 14 May 2023].
  • SimplyInfo. (2018). Water Tap(Steel) Modeling Tutorial in Autodesk Maya 2017 | 3D Maya for Beginners Series. [Online Video]. 18 April 2018. Available from: https://youtu.be/ODSJef16KVE. [Accessed: 25 May 2023].
  • TrimitKala. (2020). 1. Creating Grapes in Maya | Modeling | Learn Maya Step by Step. [Online Video]. 30 July 2020. Available from: https://youtu.be/ym9VyKM3YOA. [Accessed: 25 June 2023].

Background Image

Maya Textures

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