Bringing a flagship to life
For the first illustration of my portfolio, I wanted to create a captivating picture that would truly convey the vibrant energy I felt when changing career and embarking on a completely new life journey. I envisioned being carried by the winds of life toward exciting new adventures! The main subject had to be one of the most elegant ships ever built, so I’ve chosen the magnificent Elena sailing yacht as my focal point for this piece.
The first step was to meticulously build the ship from scratch, carefully following the beam and sectional lines plans to obtain a perfectly shaped hull. Next came the creation of the sails, where I focused on giving them the right look by working on the translucency of the material. I aimed to give them a rough texture and ensure that they moved realistically with appropriate cloth physics, capturing the essence of wind filling each sail.
Finaly, details after details, she was finaly ready to set sails
Sculpting an appropriate environment
The next step was to create a suitable environment that would enhance the subject and align with the underlying message of adventure and exploration. For this, I chose a distant landscape inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Faroe Islands, characterized by their lush greenery and sharp rugged cliffs. Additionally, I meticulously crafted dynamic waves using fluid physics to properly crash against the hull, creating an immersive sense of motion. To further enrich the scene, I included a seagull soaring above, escorting the viewer’s gaze and giving them the impression of flying while gently touching the tips of wave crests as they roll in.
Paint over and color corrections
Finally, once all the intricate work had been completed in 3D, an important step remained: adding the finishing details that would bring the scene to life. This included carefully crafting dark clouds to fill the sky, and improving the sence of movement. Enhancing the scattering light filtering through the waves by improving their vibrant green hues. Additionally, I focused on creating realistic foam atop each wave, as well as incorporating atmospheric effects that would evoke a sense of depth and movement throughout the entire composition.
