My interpretation of our 3D Department at Pixel Farm…

Finally! Another post! I recently received the final ad images that I posed and rendered the Michelin Man into. It was a simple workflow, pose the Michelin Man, set up different render layers (fill light, key light, main, eye, reflection, etc) and tweak it like crazy in photoshop. He’s such a happy puffy man…. More to come!

I was not responsible for the ad design, just incorporating Michelin Man .

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Breakdown

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Ok, this update isn’t anything visually spectacular, and it’s not supposed to be. I want to show the technical process of something that is fast and looks simple, because there are still a lot of steps that go into live action tracking / integration.

The spot needed a 3D grapple with a rope to be tracked in, so I modeled the grapple, hand tracked it in maya using the footage as a backplate, simulated the rope using nCloth, and simulated the smoke using FumeFX.

Pixel Farm Credits

CG Modeling + Rigging + Animation + Lighting + Simulation
Joe Russo

Compositing
Tom Doeden

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This is a project I worked on with a colleague at Pixel Farm, Eric Schulist. The goal was to demonstrate visual effects integration into a live action plate rather than an in-depth story. It was entered into a local visual effects festival, Minnesota’s Electronic Theater, and shown. I was responsible for the modeling, animation, some simulation, and dust/plasma particle effects.

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Finally! I have dug through the vastness of that which are the servers at Pixel Farm and have uploaded two Michelin Man spots I worked on in August. In the maintenance garage spot I animated Michelin Man in every shot except the tool hand off. In the pump spot I animated Michelin when he walks behind the far gas pump and when he grabs the nozzle. I also built the gas nozzle in 3D and animated its base timing. Enjoy!

Pixel Farm Credits

Animation + Lighting
Chad Retrum
Joe Russo

Compositing
Tom Doeden
Rich Haesemeyer
Eric Schulist

Transfer + Color
Dave Sweet

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Pixel Farm Credits

CG Modeling + Texturing + Rigging + Animation + Lighting
Tom Doeden
Rich Haesemyer
Joe Russo
Eric Schulist

Compositing
Tom Doeden
Rich Haesemeyer
Eric Schulist

Transfer + Color
Dave Sweet

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A quick animation for the challenge. That silly Admiral Ackbar…

Another two weeks, another challenge. This time the theme was orange, so I decided to create a still image since I haven’t for a while.

I used 3ds max and Vray for the modeling & rendering of the flower & bee and Photoshop for texture maps, color correction, blurring, and all of those other post tweaks.

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I have completed another 2 week Challenge animation. The theme was cycle.

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Another animation for the physics challenge. The principle was elasticity.

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A concept I developed after traveling on a plane with an annoying kid kicking my chair. This animation expresses what the situation felt like and what I wish I could have done.

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Pixel Farm Credits

CG Modeling + Texturing + Rigging + Animation + Lighting
Joe Russo
Chad Retrum
Tom Doeden
Rich Haesemyer
Erich Schulist

Compositing
Kurt Angell
Tom Doeden
Eric Schulist
Rich Haesemeyer

Sound Design + Mix
Ken Chastain
Zac Bates
Jesse Marks

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Another animation for my school’s physics animation challenge. This time the topic was electro-magnetism. Therefore, the piece is entitled, “Magnetgician.” Enjoy!

Credits to Peter Starostin for the character rig.

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A commercial I worked on which promotes the SpiderWick Chronicles books. I created the Goblins.

Pixel Farm Credits

Design
Deb Kirkeeide

CG Character Modeling + Texturing + Rigging + Animation
Joe Russo
Rich Haesemeyer

CG Environment + Lighting
Rich Haesemeyer

Compositing
Rich Haesemeyer
Eric Schulist
Tom Doeden

Transfer + Color Correction
Oscar Oboza

Sound Design + Mix
Ken Chastain
Zac Bates
Jesse Marks