LogInEmma Siret showed us how she created stylized washing machines with a fish-eye effect and vibrant TMNT-inspired texturing using Blender and Substance 3D Painter.
Introduction
Hello to the 80 Level community! My name is Emma Siret, and I'm a French 3D artist. I learned 3D animation and special effects at ESMA in France, and now I work as a freelance artist. I love experimenting with new visuals and universes through personal projects, often mixing 3D and 2D! Today I will present to you my washing machines project.
Inspiration & References
Before starting any creative work, I begin by carefully defining and analyzing my references. In this case, I wanted to make a loop of a laundromat, mixing 2D and 3D. In this project, the aim was to produce a stylized rendering inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) universe. If you look at the film's visuals, you'll notice that the textures are entirely hand-painted, almost scribbled, with a profusion of hand-drawn lines. It was precisely this "doodled" aspect that interested me, as I saw it as a superb opportunity to experiment with the Grease Pencil in Blender and fully explore the 2D/3D mix. I usually direct my projects towards new techniques in order to keep progressing and pushing back my limits.
The search for references is a key stage, requiring time and rigor. It allows you to define precisely what you want to convey in your images. Pinterest is an excellent tool for that. I first look for films that inspire me, but also lighting, concepts, textures... Anything that seems relevant, I select and then sort into a PureRef. In this case, I wanted an aesthetic that was a little more geometric than TMNT, notably by taking inspiration from certain procedural/forms used in the visual treatment of Spider-Verse or in certain concepts by Léa Pinto (a very talented French concept artist who offers many fascinating masterclasses, I highly recommend her!).
Modeling & Composition
My aim was to create a simple model so that I could concentrate fully on texturing. That's why many of my elements, such as the posters, the lamp, and the floor tiles, were textured directly. Only the washing machine and laundry basket required a bit more work.
Duplicating the machines also saved me time. To avoid visual repetition, I used a lattice to bring asymmetry and liveliness to my set. As I have stylized visuals, I can afford to push the shapes, distort, add curves, and thus make the furniture more interesting.
Tip: Remember to unfold your UVs before duplicating an object! – time-saving guaranteed.
For the composition of the image, I wanted to introduce a fish eye to break up the rectangular aspect of the machines. Rather than adding it in post-production, I chose to do it directly in Blender. It's very easy to use, but beware of rendering on Cycles and not Eevee, which is not compatible. This detail cost me a few hours of research, which I'd rather save you!
Finally, I haven't done a blockout, but I regularly go back and forth between layout and final modeling. This allows me to see the progress made and adjust the composition of the image. For example, I started out testing a floor with modeled tiles but ended up opting for a textured version, more in keeping with the stylized look I was going for.
Texturing
I mainly use Substance 3D Painter, which I combine with other painting software such as Photoshop or Procreate, in particular to create patterns or posters.
Pattern and poster done with Procreate:
In Substance 3D, there are many texturing methods, but I generally start with a simple base and then add other fill layers. This retains a high degree of flexibility: colors and masks can be modified at any time. I then generate the roughness from these layers. For this exercise, I didn't make any particular changes to my normal, as I wanted to keep a smooth, stylized look, close to 2D.
Once the base has been laid, I move on to hand-painting, always using masks at first to remain non-destructive. It's only at the end that I paint the final details directly into a layer, pipetting here and there. I apply a simple method: start big, end small.
Tip: I often limit myself to 2 or 3 brushes maximum (in this case, one square brush and one round brush with clean edges). This keeps the artistic direction consistent and the graphic style harmonious!
Finally, don't hesitate to play not only with value and saturation but also with hue, to enrich your textures. I paint shadows and reflections directly to accentuate the stylized look, then add, in the last pass, lines simulating pencil strokes, perfect for adding rhythm and the desired scribbled look.
Final Assemble
As with layout, I go back and forth a lot between texturing and final rendering, which I often rework in Photoshop. Don't hesitate to do some photomontage at this stage: it allows you to quickly test ideas without having to produce everything in 3D. For example, I frequently adjust the hues and saturations of my concepts or test my lines in Photoshop before reworking them in Blender. This pre-comp is a good way to anticipate the final rendering.
Once the texturing and lighting have been done (here, a classic setup: colored HDRI dome, key light, and fill light), I prepare my layers for rendering. In the interests of efficiency, there's no point in rendering a complete animation on a still set. In my case, only the machines and their animated reflection on the floor move. So I separated these elements to render only what was necessary.
The images are then imported into Nuke for post-production: I adjust the contrasts, accentuate the look on my animated machine, saturate my midtones... I rely on my concept drawn up beforehand, as well as my visual references, to obtain the best image possible.
This phase is also essential for integrating my 2D elements. Here, my washing machine animation, rotoscoped from a video of my own machine. I test several fusion modes before finding one that works. To save time, I created a 17-frame loop, broadcast at 12 fps, which stays fluid in a stylized render like this, and saves me painting frame by frame.
Conclusion
To sum up, for me the most important thing in a project is to know what you want to work on and what you want the viewer to feel. The aim is not to show off all your skills and do the hardest thing possible, but to find a strong aesthetic. It's better to concentrate on short, high-impact projects that deliver quick results, keep you motivated, and build your confidence over time.
Don't hesitate to feed yourself with references, to experiment, to fail, to start again; that's how you progress. By observing, imitating, and identifying the characteristics of a graphic style, you can gradually build your own artistic path. It's by exploring new techniques, particularly by mixing media, that I've managed to find a path that suits me.
Finally, don't forget that this profession is first and foremost a team effort: exchanging with friends, sharing progress, and asking for feedback makes all the difference. It's in this dynamic of learning, collaboration, and exploration that we evolve.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article and to the 80 Level team for giving me the opportunity to share this project! Hope you found it interesting!