Challenge

• Pre-production

• Overview

Following is the preproduction challenge to create a 3D asset, I'm planning on creating cupboard bookshelf hybrid with some additional elements. I'm planning on a low-poly cell shaded model to make it more simple top create then a realistic model. Following are some images for real world version of what I want along with some pre existing assets for examples. 

• Reason for choice 

The reason for choosing to make the model of a bookshelf is the fact I'm waiting to go and create my own company after leave leave college, so I need to have a somewhat even idea of what to di in every area of game making. The reason I chose to make a model this time is that games require a lot of models and its probably easier to come up with a decent single model with the available time thane a whole scene.   

• Aim

As stated above my aim is to create a gothic inspired bookshelf owned by a witch doctor. This will hopefully be archived my making a low-poly cel-shaded bookshelf and populating it with appropriately themed smaller assets.

• Examples of assets

• Book shelf

The following images are of bookshelf's similar to what I would be interested in making, I'm planning on creating a gothic "witch doctor" inspired bookshelf complete with a couple books along with other relevant objects.

• Things to be placed on shelfs

The following are a couple ideas of basic assets to be placed on the shelfs. Things stereotypically associated with gothic, witch doctors and/or bookshelf's. 

• Photobash of idea.

Following is a basic idea of my idea created by photo bashing several different photos, this is just to give a rough idea of what I'm planning. (Ordinal on the left photobash on right)

• Examples of Cel-shading

The following is examples of cell shading used in other peoples projects, this has been looked up to get a rough idea of the colour pallets typically used in Cel-shading.

• Colour palette.

Here are a couple ideas that could be used for the colour palette of the project,  the top one being extracted from, the photobash and the bottom one from the middle image of "examples of cel-shading". I think using a combination of both may have the desired effect I'm going for.

• Questionnaire.

This is a questionnaire about my project to maker a model of a gothic bookshelf for a "witch doctor", following questions are to check the viability of some aspects of my idea.

 Questionnaire results.

The answers for the above questionnaire can be found at the following link. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GUL-DnBHFklTbBJggwmC-IOeRB-gg0l_3zanXsFV_I0/edit#responses)

The results shows that "option A" for the question asking about their favourite bookshelf from a selection of three was the most popular. It also shows that "option c" was also chosen, but the reason I chose "option B" was that I didn't think I could get a version of the other to create in the time allocated.

I also got some interesting feedback to why they choose the options they did choose, I did use this in my final model so add books and other miscellaneous items.

For the question about what else they would expect to see, "potion bottles" was the top choice. I did take this on note, however the end result of the bookshelf looked like it would suit a "wine bottle" over a potion so I opted for that instead.

As for the "additional items" I was intending on adding on but was running short of time to complete the rest of the project.

As for the final question on colour palettes they liked the more traditionally based colours so i decided to keep to that when choosing most of fthe colours.

• Production

 • Overview 

In the following sections you will see some screenshots taken at various sections through the creation of my bookshelf, along with a brief description of what I did on that section. The same as the last few 3D models I am doing some of the work at home and have yet to get a computer that can run OBS alongside blender or unreal. So just like the last few times I kept screenshots, I also have kept the save files for each separate screenshot that can be given if needed. 

• Bookshelf designs

The bookshelf I created was supposed to be designed after something that you could potentially see in a Victorian home, the following images where taken during creation.

• Development notes

• Version 0.1

For starters I created the base of the bookshelf from a basic cube.

• Version 0.2

As for version 0.2 I created some alcove like spaces in the mesh that would later become an area for shelfs and a cupboard like area. I also gave a more detail to the front of the bookshelf by adding a kind of table like shelf. 

• Version 0.3

In this version I added shelfs to the main alcove and then proceeded to add a frame to the alcove to make it have a more distinct and less flat look.

• Version 0.4

For this version I added the doors to both the "cupboard" section and the "bookshelf" section. I also did a few changes to the mesh as I had created some noticeable overlaps.

• Version 0.5

For this version the main change I made to the mesh was to add a "pane of glass", the rest of the time was taken in trying to make a convincing glass texture. Alongside making the glass texture I also created a wood texture at this time and added a couple "door handles" to the doors.

• Version 0.6

For this version I created a book asset and added it to one shelf, I then textured it and decided before making anymore to keep this as a backup just in case I needed it.

• Version 0.7

For this version I took the model of the boo created in the last version and altered its size, colour and reposition it multiple times to add more books to the top shelfs.

• Version 0.8

For this version I created a "scroll" asset to be placed on one of the shelfs. Also did some minor changes to the mesh in several areas.

• Version 0.9

For this version, I has realised I needed to change a lot of the underlying mesh. I had decided to make a new version before trying just in case I needed to revert the changes for any reason. 

• Version 1.0 

For this version I added books to the bottom shelfs, then altered their size and colour to prevent them looking to repetitive. 

• Version 1.1

For this version I added both a "wine bottle" to a shelf and a "glass ink pot" to the shelf with the scrolls.

• Version 1.2

This was the final stage, I added a couple glasses to the shelf with the "wine bottle", I also decided to make a few more bottles and increase the noticeability by giving each a small glow effect. The final result was the rendered.

• Final render

The following is a final render of the bookshelf I created for the challenge.

• Bookshelf Evaluation

 • Overview

The creature had decided to create was supposed to be based on a darkness and be a creature "mythological creature of darkness" . Seeing as creating a creature of just darkness would be a difficult concept, a smoke effect was used to make the creature more apparent. 

The bookshelf I created was supposed to be based on what I thought Victorian "witch doctors" bookshelf would look like, i had to remove some of the inital idea to keep to the schedule though.

 • Planning the project

The initial plans for the project included a bookshelf with a couple objects associated with "witch doctors" and/or bookshelves. The main plan was to look for a couple bookshelves as examples as well as what items where typically kept in Victorian bookshelves, that and other items associated with witch doctors. 

• Initial ideas

As stated above I would create a bookshelf, I would start by creating the main part of the bookshelf and add as many items as I could within the time frame. This way if I ran out of time I would still have a somewhat complete looking model, even if I need to scrap a few parts. 

• Brainstorming/timing the project

Similar to what was stated above and with the help of the answers in the questionnaire I came up with the following list, this list was what order i would make the items in. (I would make them until I felt I had just enough time time left to finish the rest of the project and upload it)

1. Make the bookshelf itself.

2. Create a book and populate the bookshelf with them.

3. Create a book and populate the bookshelf with them.

4. Add paper scrolls and ink.

5. Add some potions (later replaced with wine and glasses)

6. Add a skull with cobwebs

7. Add a medical bag.

 • Final thoughts

Looking back on the project I have a couple things I might have done differently, I also noticed i am lacking in a few key areas that I am planning on improving in for later projects. Following are some key points about the project and how I think I can improve in that area for following projects.

• Timing

For timing  I think I need to pace myself more as I tend to try doing everything all at one and tend to burn myself out, this causing me to lose concentration at key moments. Having a set rota of times to work would help with this. I do however think listing the items i wanted to create in order of "importance" did help in actually having  reasonable result to show by the end of the project. 

• Creating the mesh

Being mostly self taught with blender I sometimes make minor mistakes in creating mesh, I am trying to improve my skills but that takes time.  So the only real way to this is to practice  more and to maybe ask for more help in the future. 

• UV Unwrapping

As stated above with being mostly self taught , I never really got the hang of how to properly UV unwrap a model. I did try to unwrap the final project to add some proper texture to the model , but i ran out of time before I could get anything decent.

 • Moving forward

This task has taught me a few important things about myself and creating models, I have a few key areas I need to brush up on as follows:

1. I need to learn how to improve on mesh topology.

2. I need to get a better understanding of UV maps.

3. I need to brush up on rendering images, and lighting them properly. (I've only ever really made models for 3D printing before joining the course)

4. Learn to pace myself.