Okay, so today I’m gonna walk you through my little adventure with the ‘the tannery boylston’ project. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but hey, that’s how we learn, right?
It all started when I decided I needed a new portfolio piece. I was scrolling through some design blogs and stumbled upon a really cool concept for an apartment complex. ‘the tannery boylston’ just kinda stuck with me, I liked the name, had a cool ring to it. I thought, “Yeah, I can work with that.”
First thing I did was some serious research. I mean, I googled the heck out of “tannery boylston” and anything remotely related. I wanted to get a feel for the area, the vibe, the kind of people who might live there. You know, the whole nine yards. I even checked out some historical records to see what the actual tanneries in the area were like back in the day. Gotta have some authenticity, even if it’s just for show.
Then came the fun part: brainstorming. I grabbed my sketchbook – yeah, I still use pen and paper, old school, I know – and started scribbling down ideas. I was thinking modern industrial meets historic charm. Exposed brick, lots of natural light, maybe some reclaimed wood. I wanted it to feel both edgy and comfortable, you dig?
Next up was the 3D modeling. I used Blender, because it’s free and I’m cheap… I mean, resourceful! I spent a solid week just wrestling with vertices and polygons, trying to get the basic structure right. Let me tell you, 3D modeling is not for the faint of heart. There were moments when I wanted to throw my computer out the window, but I persevered. I blocked out the basic shapes of the building, making sure the proportions felt right. This is where I really started to visualize the space.
Texturing was next on the list. I scoured the internet for high-resolution textures of brick, concrete, and metal. I even took some photos of my own, just to add a personal touch. Applying the textures and adjusting the materials was super time-consuming, but it made a huge difference in the overall look and feel. I was aiming for a realistic, gritty vibe.
After texturing, I started adding some details. Things like windows, doors, balconies, and even some fire escapes. I wanted it to look like a real building, not just a generic box. I spent hours tweaking the details, making sure everything was just right. It’s the little things that make a big difference, you know?
Then I moved on to the environment. I wanted to create a scene that felt lived-in and realistic. So I added some trees, some cars, some streetlights, and even a few people. I used a mix of free assets and some that I created myself. The goal was to create a sense of place, to make it feel like you were actually there.
Lighting was a real pain in the butt. Getting the right balance of light and shadow is crucial for creating a believable image. I experimented with different lighting setups, trying to find something that looked natural and dramatic. I ended up using a combination of ambient lighting and directional lights. It took a lot of tweaking, but I finally got it to a point where I was happy.
Finally, it was time for the rendering. I used Cycles render engine in Blender, which is known for its realistic results. I set the samples high and let it run overnight. When I woke up the next morning, I had a beautiful, high-resolution image of my ‘the tannery boylston’.
Post-processing was the last step. I took the rendered image into Photoshop and did some color correction, sharpening, and other minor adjustments. I wanted to give it a final polish, to make it really pop. Once I was happy with the result, I saved it and uploaded it to my portfolio.
The whole process took me about three weeks, working on it in my spare time. It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun. I learned a ton about 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering. And I ended up with a portfolio piece that I’m really proud of. So, yeah, that’s my ‘the tannery boylston’ story. Hope you found it helpful!
