Mandelbulb 3D & Photoshop: PAINT SCI-FI CITIES AND STRUCTURES
ImagineFX|September 2020
Jacek Pilarski reveals how he constructs futuristic cities, filling them with intriguing, complex structures using Mandelbulb 3D
Jacek Pilarski
Mandelbulb 3D & Photoshop: PAINT SCI-FI CITIES AND STRUCTURES

This workshop features an image from my personal sci-fi project, Fracton 8. My creative process involves Mandelbulb 3D (a greeble generator), 3D elements modelled and rendered in software such as Blender, and then Photoshop for finalising the composition.

Fracton 8 is set in the distant future of our planet, with no cities in the usual sense. People are gradually colonising outer space, building their new home on top of megastructures left behind by aliens.

In every piece I try to present human interaction with large-scale environments: flying vehicles, industrial lighting, TV screens and holograms. These elements helps to bring the cold steel structures to life, which are often seen from a person’s perspective – in a dark hotel room or behind reflective glass, say. Doing this adds another level of detail and scale.

Composition is the key to visualising an interesting story. That’s why I spend time choosing the best angle before tackling the details. For that process I usually use my own references. Being a photographer and matte painter means I’ve built up a massive photo library t hat I use both at work and in my personal art.

How I create… A CITY IN SPACE

1 Composition and rendering

I start by finding interesting shapes and angles generated by Mandelbulb 3D, before adjusting the lighting and camera focal length. I like wide angles and usually go for something around 24mm. Finally, I texture the generated structure with a tileable map.

Esta historia es de la edición September 2020 de ImagineFX.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición September 2020 de ImagineFX.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE IMAGINEFXVer todo
Jan Wessbecher
ImagineFX

Jan Wessbecher

Dominic Carter talks to the visual artist about creating his own comic and why sketchbooks are great for creative experiments

time-read
9 minutos  |
Christmas 2024
Kyounghwan Kim
ImagineFX

Kyounghwan Kim

The Korean character concept artist speaks to Dominic Carter about staying open to ideas and the value of drawing regularly

time-read
5 minutos  |
Christmas 2024
Slawek Fedorczuk
ImagineFX

Slawek Fedorczuk

Dominic Carter talks to the concept artist about what keeps him motivated and the advantages of using physical sketchbooks.

time-read
10 minutos  |
Christmas 2024
Raquel M. Varela
ImagineFX

Raquel M. Varela

Raquel is inspired by magic, fantasy and fairy tales. She loves designing female characters from distant worlds. \"My greatest reference is Loish's art, thanks to her I learned to draw the movement and fluidity I like to convey.\"

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Estrela Lourenço
ImagineFX

Estrela Lourenço

Estrela is a children's book author and illustrator. Her work is influenced by her background in character animation and storyboards for clients such as Cartoon Network, and she channels comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Daria Widermanska
ImagineFX

Daria Widermanska

Daria, also known as Anako, has been drawing for as long as she can remember. Inspired by Disney and classic anime, she loves creating new characters and often finds that a single sketch can spark a unique story.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Allen Douglas
ImagineFX

Allen Douglas

Allen has been painting professionally since 1994 for the publishing and gaming industries. Inspired by folklore, he distorts the size, relationships and environments of animals, and calls his paintings 'unusual wildlife'.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Thaddeus Robeck
ImagineFX

Thaddeus Robeck

Thaddeus has been drawing from the moment he could hold a pencil, but it was the 2020 lockdowns that gave him the time to focus on honing his skills.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
DRAW FASCINATING SYMBOLIC ARTWORK
ImagineFX

DRAW FASCINATING SYMBOLIC ARTWORK

Learn how JULIÁN DE LA MOTA creates a composition from his imagination with a focus on crafting figures, volumetric modelling, and light and shadow

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 2024
First Impressions
ImagineFX

First Impressions

The artist talks about his journey into the mythological world

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 2024