So updates include camera movement and the animation of the car paint transition using Xpresso. Essentially I created three separate paint textures, each a different color, and layered each on top of the other. I then used multi-layered animated noise shaders as alpha channels. These were linked to the scale of a circle slpine using Xpresso.
The car is lit via studio lighting and composited using Nuke.
Updates and Lighting for my Focus
So a couple more days has yielded some more updates! First and foremost, following much scrutiny of reference pictures, the textures have been heavily overhauled and now contain virtually nothing but reflections to color them in order to increase realism. The car paint in particular has three reflection channels: a base color of blue, a secondary color of bright teal, and a third glossy layer that acts as the primary reflection layer. Many of the shiny materials have been modified in this way.
The car is also now being lit via HDR maps rather than studio lighting. With all this being said and done, there are still a few things left to do including the finalization of some animation and the post compositing.
Learning Cinema 4D
I'm excited to say that for the last month I decided to take the plunge into MAXON's Cinema 4D for the first time! Then, beginning last week I decided to put all this new-found knowledge I'd amassed to the test. What better way to test myself than to build one of the hottest new little cars on the block? This is how my 2016 Ford Focus RS was born.
Now, with this being said, the car is still a WORK IN PROGRESS as far as lighting and texturing go.
I've also been working on some smaller pieces of what I plan to be a much larger whole animation, in which I'm planning to feature the car itself. Feel free to take a look at a few of my test renders!
