3D modeling, lighting, texturing, rendering, and color correction. All geometry was created with Cinema 4D. Lighting was handled with Octane Render. Texturing was completed with Octane Render and Substance Painter. Color correction was handled with Photoshop.
I've always enjoyed the designs of androids that have an air of plausibility in their construction. For this meditation, I wanted to create something that would convey to the viewer how the form is 'assembled'. To this end, I spent a lot of time creating the various plates and components to the Servitor's design
It was important to me, early on in the process, that the materials used for this project not be purely metallic in their textural quality. When it came time to create the materials for the craniofacial fascia, I combined several materials within my Substance Painter library, isolating various channels to highlight the textural qualities I enjoyed most
The particular Substance Painter material which resonated with me most for the fascia was that of a sequins texture, particularly its bump and normal channels, which can prominently seen in this shot
The inclusion of the sequin's bump and normal channel information created some really interesting highlights when paired with the lighting setup I created with Octane Render
I'd like to say that the resulting 'looks' present in this project were deliberate, though in truth, they were the result of pure creative happenstance
As I continued to develop the helmet for the Servitor, particular in creating its various parts, it occurred to me that by hiding certain aspects of it various helmet 'styles' could be achieved, adding to a wider breadth of visual exploration at render time
Of the three 'styles' present, the one I enjoy the most is this one here, which to me evokes something similar to that an android scout may wear (in the not too distant future)
To date, this was my most extensive texturing exercise with Substance Painter (a software I've come to use in nearly all of my more recent projects, both in client and personal work)
By leveraging Substance Painter's powerful and versatile mesh map baking tools, extremely nuanced materials were able to be created for the Servitor, taking full advantage of the model's sculpted topology
A prime example of the power of mesh maps are the various areas of grunge/dirt along cavities and edges of the model, which add both character to the materials and enhance the overall believability of the materials
To retain the shape of the helmet during rendering, I used a telephoto lens (~200mm) to reduce the perspective distortion that typically accompanies smaller focal lengths
The main inspiration I drew from while creating the helmet was that of various types of medieval styled jousting helmets
Like the varying looks of the helmet, the circular opening present in this shot was also arrived at purely through creative happenstance. After debating as to whether or not to include this in the final design, I decided that it added some much needed visual interest to the lower visor
Most notably in allowing it to serve as a 'window' to the Servitor's gun metal teeth, highlighted beautifully by the emissive materials of the eyes
