Insects

They live alongside us, whether we see them or not. Their beauty and the sympathy they inspire in us can vary according to the branch they represent and our perception of them. “They” are insects. But whether we like them or not, these little creatures have their place and importance in our world, and they make up no less than 55% of our biodiversity. They help to pollinate flowers and contribute to the food chain, and therefore to the progress of life as a whole.

But these little insects are also an interesting and fascinating exercise for our students, offering a huge diversity of shapes and colours. It’s a great way to exercise the students’ eye and get them thinking about anatomy. It was on this subject that teacher Jean Bultingaire got his 2nd year 3D Animation and Special Effects students in Toulouse to work.

SUBJECT OF THE EXERCISE

Creating a detailed and realistic 3D organic insect.

EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS

• Choose an organic insect,
• Model it realistically and in detail,
• Place the insect in a concrete set and composition,
• The lighting must be realistic,
• The framing must be macro-photographic.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE

This workshop enables students to work on and integrate several concepts: anatomy (reproducing an insect faithfully and realistically, which involves taking an interest in and studying how it works), the composition of a scene and its framing, working with colours and textures, and lighting, which must be integrated and natural.

TECHNIQUES

Maya, Renderman, Photoshop.