OVERVIEW
This project originated from one of my sketches, featuring a surreal, orange-themed stained glass arch surrounded by clouds. I brought the concept to life by experimenting with Blender’s physics features, applying gravity and collision to the objects, and using shaders to texture the clouds and stained glass. The experience deepened my understanding of Blender's capabilities and allowed me to translate my 2D concepts into dynamic 3D compositions, enhancing both my technical and creative skills.
The tall, stained glass arch stands in a vast meadow, evoking a sense of surrealism and offering the viewer an escape from the present moment.
THE JOURNEY
Understanding Shaders/ Nodes
From watercolor-textured clouds to softly shifting grass, I crafted a whimsical scene in Blender using a combination of shaders, physics simulations, image textures, and particle arrays.
To achieve realistic yet stylized clouds, I utilized shader and node sliders, allowing full control over their density, shape, softness, and color. By adjusting the density, I created wispy edges, while a color ramp enabled dynamic shifts in hue based on lighting conditions. Textures applied to the sliders provided further customization, ensuring accuracy in replicating natural cloud formations.
The grass was brought to life using a particle array and an image texture, which added depth and subtle variations in color. Wind physics introduced organic movement, enhancing the scene’s natural flow. The stone columns featured a color ramp toon shader, allowing their appearance to shift dynamically with changing light directions.
For an additional element to the scene, the pottery incorporated brush textures, displacement, and bump nodes to mimic the tactile qualities of clay. Finally, rolling oranges, with applied collision physics, interacted naturally with both the floor and each other, adding vibrant pops of color and fluid motion to the composition.