About
Hello 🙂 My name is Anton, and I am an artist from Dnipro, central Ukraine. My passion is graffiti, illustrations, and digital art. I have been working as a freelancer for nearly 5 years, and for the last few years as a stocker of 3D models on different marketplaces. I prefer low poly cartoon style 3D, because I think illustration never gets old, as happens with classic 3D.
Background & Training
In 2008 I started to study 3D at academy using 3ds Max. In 2013 I discovered Cinema 4d and it was much simpler, faster and works on Mac. It’s the perfect software to create cartoon low poly illustrations, animation.
For the last few years I have been interested in real time renders,engines, game 3D, UVW texturing – I think this is the future of 3d. And Sketchfab is it!
Why this model?
This project is the second version of a planet, that I created a few years ago. This first project was featured on marketplaces, and sells very well, so I created the 2.0 version.
The updated Planet is more detailed, colored, optimized, and most importantly this item is game ready.
The Process
Modelling:
First I created a UVW texture with continents shapes in Photoshop, to texture the sphere in Cinema 4d and extrude continents.
Next all the pieces were disconnected, colored and smoothed using subdivision surface.
Texturing:
All scene objects were textured by one image with a palette, and the polygons’ UVW group was placed to color the area.
Here is how the texture looked: just small 100×100 pieces of key colors and gradients, to fill polygon groups.
Next the scene was completed with details from previous assets, such as buildings, trees, ships + some new elements.
Animation:
Here are the elements that are animated; the anchor point is at the center of the planet, so rotation can be looped on 360 keyframes.
Rendering:
I used Physical Sky for lighting and a few effects, such as Global Illumination + Ambient Occlusion. The rendered image had Alpha channel for post production.
Final Image:
The static image went to Photoshop for postproduction: custom background, color correction, light leaks.
Uploading and setting up in Sketchfab
The exported format was .fbx with animation.
For the Sketchfab upload I worked with the same rules and effects. The scene was lit with a spotlight, I uploaded a custom background, I added effects such as SSAO, and I increased contrast by using a Tone Mapping effect.
Custom Background:
JPEG image, that overlaps the scene.
Light:
3 point light objects, with violet and orange light colors, to create a “warm-cold” light effect.
Postproduction effects:
SSAO, Vignette to increase depth and add little bit of contrast.
Final 3D:
About the author
Anton Moek
Digital 3d freelance artist, love to create low poly 3D models
