Creating a Sci-Fi Alleyway

In this lecture, senior environment artist Devon Fay takes you through his process of creating complex and believable CG environments. He starts at the very beginning with the development of an idea with research, reference and exploration. Devon then discusses how to expand on your ideas with clear steps towards working efficiently and creatively. Topics include reference gathering, blocking-out scenes through effective layout techniques, modeling, lighting, texturing, painting, rendering and the exploration of new tools. Through this project, Devon demonstrates how to get the full benefits of programs that include Maya, VRay, Photoshop, ZBrush, and others. As his science fiction inspired alleyway is full of narrative detail, Devon explains the importance and application of composition, set dressing, storytelling, realism and the final post techniques that create an immersive environment. By the end of the lesson and demonstration, artists should have a clear idea of how to approach detailed environment work for production.