3d Architectural and Interior Visualization: Mid Century Modern Living Room

Hey there! I want to share a recent render that I had the opportunity to put together in my downtime. 

3d Rendering  of a Mid Century Modern living room by Jonathan A. Kaplan

I have always been fascinated with the Mid Century Modern Era of architecture (think Mad Men)

See examples of Mid Century Modern homes here:

https://shar.es/14PFdi

To me, this was the pinnacle of creative design, as architects and designers of this era were intent on imagining what the future was going to look like and incorporating this creative thought into the buildings and homes of all Americans. This style of architecture has also been referred to as "Space Age" and "Atomic" because of it's forward thinking inspired designs. From the huge fins on classic Cadillacs to the houses that sprinkle the hills of Palm Springs, Mid Century Modern Architecture made a major impact on both American and international culture, especially in architecture and interior design. 

Process:

1) I started this project while practicing my tufting skills by modeling the Knoll Barcelona chair which is very common in many interior designs (the pink bench in the middle.) After modeling the Knoll Barcelona, I decided to run with it and create a full scene which would compliment the chairs I had modeled.

2) From there, I envisioned a color palette which included grey tones and shades of pink complimented by vibrant selections of blue and green which really pop against red as green is the complimentary color to red. 

3) I used this great website I found for furnishing selections which is a marketplace for antiques, especially those of Mid Century Modern designers: 

https://www.1stdibs.com/ ; however, I did not limit myself to the colors found in the original reference images.I used this site to pick the lamps, side tables, and chandelier. While I often incorporate my own designs into my personal 3d renderings, for this project I wanted to get the authentic, period look.

4) Once the focal furnishings were established, I picked a retro brick texture for the back wall and vintage fabrics and patterns for the pillows and rug. I accented the design using the Mid Century Modern, egg style, "swan chairs" which I had previously modeled when developing my 3d modeling skills. 

Designer Chairs previously modeled for practice

5) Finally, I added some V-Ray IES Lights to the back wall to give the room a moody but realistic feeling, and of course, living in Las Vegas, I picked a great photo of the original Sands Hotel and Casino as the cherry on top of this vintage inspired 3d rendering. 

Please visit my website at www.kaplandesignlabs.com

Software used for this scene: 3ds Max & V-Ray

3d Architectural and Interior Visualization: Tron Suite and Concrete Penthouse

As I mentioned in my previous post, again, I have found myself working in the Architecture and Interior Design industry for the past couple of years.

If you follow my blog from its beginnings you know that when I first graduated from school (back in 2010) I worked for a couple of years doing Retail Design for a company called Ayalas Inc.

After a hiatus from interior design/ architecture, during which time I worked on 3d Illustrations and Motion Graphics (as well as 2d illustration, 3d animation, and graphic design) for a internet startup/ website that is about to launch called www.LifeTimeStock.com, I re-entered the Architecture/ Interior Design business with Steelman Partners, one of the highest grossing and productive Hospitality Design firms in the world.

Since my beginnings with Steelman Partners, my 3d and Design skills have grown exponentially on a daily basis. I currently find myself in charge of 2-5 projects at a time which include visualizing spaces such as hotel rooms, hotel lobbies, casinos, nightclubs, spas, shopping malls and many more large scale hospitality spaces.

Some days I model 10+ pieces of highly detailed furniture, chandeliers, sculptures, or even whole interior spaces.

Below are a couple of interior spaces for penthouse/ hotel concepts that I designed and created in my spare time using %100 assets which I modeled, textured, and created lighting for myself.

Both are works in progress (as are all great works of art.) For these I used 3ds Max and V-Ray.

Please feel free to let me know what you think. As I mentioned, both are works in progress and I will be updating them as I have more spare time for personal work. 

If you have any questions about techniques used please feel free to email me or comment. I have been having a lot of fun with these designs and I look forward to posting some of my professional projects in the near future.

www.kaplandesignlabs.com Enjoy!

Using 3d / CGI (or the illusion of) for presenting your work

I wanted to do a quick post about presenting artwork by using 3d software to make your portfolio shine above the rest. A long ways back I wrote an article about how presentation is your portfolio is just as important as the work/ content in your portfolio.

http://jonathankaplan.blogspot.com/2012/02/portfolio-updates-presentation-tips.html

 This is an extension to that advice. Below are images that I put together which showcase some of my 2d artwork using 3d compositions to bring the artwork to life:

As you can see, presenting your artwork in simple 3D compositions can really make your work stand out. Most art directors go through hundreds of portfolios a day. Use techniques like this to make the cut.

If you do not know how to use 3d software, try something like this:

I made this piece %100 in photoshop (artwork itself was done in illustrator and photoshop.)

You don't need to be a 3d artist to creatively showcase your work, you just need to be creative with the tools you have available!

If you can't be bothered with this kind of stuff or would like me to do it for you shoot me an email for a quote. 

If you found this information helpful please consider donating to the blog so that I can continue to offer free advice and do so on a more regular basis...

The Magic Lamp: Concept Sheet, Drawing, 3D Model, & Turntable

This is a project I created a little over a month ago. For this project I used 3ds Max and Mental Ray for modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering. This project demonstrates concept art, traditional drawing, vector art, and 3d art. The Magic Lamp was done as a skills test to showcase my ability to take an idea and develop it from concept to polished artwork. Initially I was just going to do a sketch and create a 3d Model & Turntable Rendering of it but instead I decided to do a full concept sheet featuring a variety of different spouts, tops, handles, and styles. Then I chose my favorite sketch from the concept sheet and developed it into a finished drawing including a logo to show its possible application as commercial art. From there I decided to do a stylized vector version to display my skills in not only traditional drawing but to show my proficiency in Adobe Illustrator as well. Once all of these elements were done I then went on to model The Magic Lamp in 3ds Max. After the 3d Model was completed I created a scene with emulated studio lighting to place the object in where I proceeded to texture it with a "gold" finish. I decided to add the ruby's for extra pizzazz. Once I was happy with the rendering I animated a turntable to show the consistency of the mesh and texture from all 360 degrees. I was extremely happy with the results and this project ended up being perfect to show my full creative process for my portfolio. My advice to you is when you are working on a project, push yourself as hard as you can to go above and beyond your own expectations. You may end up surprising yourself! Always be your own number one critic :)

Project created with 3ds Max & Mental Ray. For commercial or non-profit use please contact jonakap1@gmail.com for details.

www.kaplandesignlabs.com