Alien plant with friendly visitor. 3D modeling with hand painting in Photoshop. The plant structure was created with procedural modeling.

Outcast is an experimental 3D typographical illustration.

We have photographed and retouched Burt's Bees products for years, but there are times when 3D modeling and rendering solve problems that exist with photographing printed products. This is a case where the printed label made the product more difficult to retouch. The printed halftone dots destroyed the product etching illustrations and the fine typography. Our client needed a better solution, so I modeled these lip balms in 3D and imported the Adobe Illustrator mechanicals to create a more pristine result.

3D Typography Experiments

Experimental 3D figurative fantasy artwork

3D study of an invented species using procedural modeling and textures.

3D creation of a new species of flora.

This art was created during the beta phase of "The Foundry's" development of their procedural tools. It was used to promote their new Modo 10.1 software.

I created this Stephen Curry Water image for Brita.

3D Character design. Entry for the 2015 Modo Halloween Contest

Hunter Watermelon ~ Save good food. From going bad. Character development and advertising image for Glad campaign. The challenge of this series was to show a fresh fruit or vegetable under the Glad wrap and the dried out, scary alternative without the Glad product. There was a long period of character and concept development to get to this final execution. We had early versions where the fruit/vegetables were cut on both sides, but it proved to be a little too gross because it was a character too. Along the way, we toned down some meaner characters, making them more mischievous and less aggressive. I created a the character directly in 3D, using the modeling and sculpting tools. My goal was to complete most of the image in 3D. About five percent of the work done was completed in post. Photoshop was required for minor retouching refinements, highlights, color, lighting and the cracked surface.

I hand painted these logos in Photoshop for the Saturn brand. I had to adjust the illustrations to accommodate various uses.

I conceived and executed this image to show our creative retouching and imaging capabilities.

This is a landscape from my "Turbulent" series.

I had to convert each image to a quadtone and retain the full color of the product. The contrast of the photography was pushed and drop shadows were painted.

Initially, the creative team wanted to use retouched photography as a solution to this concept. Getting rights to photograph near runways was not possible. The client tried to find pictures that would fit the ad design format, but they were impossible to retouch. The photographic noise was terrible because of the low lighting and the plane angles weren't matching the composition. Rather than kill the ad concept, I suggested a 3D solution, which was kind of new for print work at that time. I created a high resolution jet, using a low polygon base model as a guide. I had to remodel all of the parts and ad graphics to the side of the plane. I positioned the plane and set up the lighting to match the night time concept. I created a runway and the plus lights too. After rendering, I painted lighting effects and color corrected the image. The client approved the concept and the ad was published.

The first part of this project was to create a copper FTD Sign for use in the photo shoot. I painted it in Photoshop and the print was mounted on circular-cut foam core. The art director took this to Italy for the shoot. After the photo shoot and some retouching, the brand image changed direction from the original concept of flowers sprouting up through the cracks. The revision included having the flowers rush forward and stop at the man's feet. This was changed to match the television concept. After removing the flowers up front and balancing the photo, I redesigned the composition based on the creative team's instructions, cloning and painting in the flowers and shadows. The lighting on the man changed drastically. The key lighting on his left and right was subdued and the light was rendered to look as if it was coming from above.

Two photos of Jimmy Hendrix were merged together. Some painting was needed to get the composition just right. The rainbow fountain effect was painted in Photoshop.

This is the first ad that I retouched for the HP+ campaign. The creatives, Hunter Hindman and John Norman wanted a surreal look for this image. The astronaut reflects infinitely in his own visor. The initial campaign cost several hundred million dollars. A 16 page campaign was run in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. It was the first corporate marketing campaign after Hewlett-Packard acquired Compaq Computer, the largest merger in the history of the computer business, at the time.

The Goodby Silverstein Studio Manager asked for help on figuring out how to produce these images. I came up with a production process they could use to make arranging all of the plus signs easier. The files were huge and hard to work because of the amount of the pluses. First we scanned the images, then set up the 18res files, making sure the bounding box wasn't changed. I made low resolution versions of each ad and supplied the studio with a vector plus sign made in Photoshop. The files were set up with a special blending mode function. All the studio artists needed to do was draw out the vector pluses to the art director's FPO position. Since the pluses were vector, the images could be enlarged to any size. During their design process, we color corrected and retouched the high res images. They returned the low res files and our staff sized and inserted the high resolution images.

The Creative Director wanted an improvement on the photographer's solution. I used Photoshop to paint the swollen areas around the puncture marks and increased the length of the juice so the drips would mimic blood. I also reduced the scale of the droplets on the surface so they looked more natural.

This series of ads required major retouching and color correction.

This image was made using a photo of a balding man.

This image was composed using stills from the movie. The background was extended and a mountain added. The various machines were moved and flopped. I painted dust into the scene to give more depth. I also added distortions and blowing dust from the engines. I've also included some renderings of the same shot with a laser added, and another of the same scene at night.

On this campaign, I outlined the images and hand-painted the shadows on dozens of objects.

Seagate provided CAD data for their line of hard drives. I converted the CAD data, created materials, composed the lighting and rendered these final images for their packaging.

DDB California needed high resolution images for their print ads and store displays. I designed, modeled and rendered the tree and created new high resolution legs for the bird in ZBrush. The flowers were also created in 3D. I also created the typography for the add.

DDB supplied an image that needed to be creatively retouched to make the plumbers and foam look more like the actual product. Clorox is very particular about the accurate representation of their products. This product had to be shown as the two liquids collide and mix to form foam. It was a challenging composition to problem solve. I had to repaint the lighting so the plumbers looked more like they were down inside the drain. Readjusting the lighting helped emphasize the drain opening and the mixing of the two cleaning components. I created a new cloud of foam in 3D and retouched it into the existing plumbers and I modeled and rendered gel for the hair clog. Thomas Mangold, a great photographer and CGI artist created the original composition. Bearfight Animation provided some of the original plumbers from their excellent animation. https://youtu.be/Gu717PSJ2XI

I designed and modeled this new metal version of the Brita logo. During the concept stage, I experimented with a number of materials and reflection variations, using 3D software. The packaging won a 2012 GD USA Award.

These ads required complex retouching to place the fruit in the Press N Seal wrap, and compose the products within each landscape.

The ninjas were composed from multiple photographs and required a lot of image manipulation, painting and color correction in Photoshop. The Tank ad required color correction and lighting adjustments. DDB San Francisco Chief Creative Officer: Lisa Bennett Creative Director: Dustin Smith Art Director: Natalie Chambers Copywriter: Aimee Lehto Print Production: Issy Penaflor

Nasty Ninja Lettuce Save good food. From going bad. Character development and advertising image for Glad campaign. The challenge of this series was to show a fresh fruit or vegetable under the Glad wrap and the dried out, scary alternative without the Glad product. There was a long period of character and concept development to get to this final execution. We had early versions where the fruit/vegetables were cut on both sides, but it proved to be a little too gross because it was a character too. Along the way, we toned down some meaner characters, making them more mischevious and less aggressive. This character was developed using Modo as a concept tool. I created a rough character directly in Modo using the modeling and sculpting tools. Multi-res brushes were used for sculpting the final character details and plastic wrap. Because the client wanted the hard floor shadow, light linking was used for the floor and character to separate the shadows. My goal was to complete most of the image in Modo. About five percent of the work done was completed in post. Photoshop was required for minor retouching refinements, highlights, color, lighting and the cracked surface.

Pirate Salmon Character Save good food. From going bad. Character development and advertising image for Glad campaign. The challenge of this image was to show fresh fish under the Glad wrap and the dried out, scary alternative without the Glad product. There was a long period of character and concept development to get to this final execution. We had early versions where the fruit/vegetables were cut on both sides, but it proved to be a little too gross because it was a character too. Along the way, we toned down some meaner characters, making them more mischevious and less aggressive. This character was developed using Modo as a concept tool. I created a rough character directly in Modo using the modeling and sculpting tools. Multi-res brushes were used for sculpting the final character details and plastic wrap. Because the client wanted the hard floor shadow, light linking was used for the floor and character to separate the shadows. My goal was to complete most of the image in Modo. About five percent of the work done was completed in post. Photoshop was required for minor retouching refinements, highlights, color, lighting and the cracked surface.

This is an Illustration that I created during the Modo 901 beta phase. The Foundry are using it in their Modo 901 release ads. Anna Veronica Luraghi is the graphic designer.

Image conveying the disorienting effects of Dementia

This is another remnant of a dream. I created it using 3D software and Photoshop.

Experimental 3D image of ancestral totem.

Experimental 3D image using multiple faces

This is an experimental 3D portrait.

A portrait of a mother.

This is a 3D illustration about the hidden Internet

This is an experimental 3D portrait of Mikhail

This illustrated series of labels was awarded first place in the 2013 American Graphic Design Awards. These illustrations were modeled and rendered in 3D software. The textures were hand painted. and 3D fur was used to create tiny hairs on the plants.

DDB San Francisco needed to improve some wonderful images shot by photographer, Mark Laita. Plastic is always difficult or impossible to photograph and many times images like this requires a lot of retouching. The complexity of this plastic required a photorealistic illustrative approach. Since the client wanted to see the "Griptex" pattern clearly in the photograph. I illustrated the pattern and embossed logos across the surface of the product. I had to incorporate the goldfish swimming in the water and emphasize the grip area.

Dread X is an experimental animation using Modo 801 3D software..

I love to make experimental art in 3D, so I was excited to see the new Mesh Shatter tool in Modo 801. Process: I fired the mesh shatter tool on separate parts of the mesh, and used the Glue settings to make larger pieces. I selected all of the pieces and set them to rigid body dynamics in the Setup tab. After designing the motion, I used the new iridescent shader for the figure and gold for the decoration. I love slow motion films shot with HD high-speed cinema cameras, so I set the animation to slow motion. With a little motion blur and Depth of Field, I was able to create a dynamic slow motion 3D animation. Design and Animation: Steve Barrett Sound Design: Aaron Bianchi https://soundcloud.com/aaronbianchi

Slow Motion 3D Glass Shattering Animation made with Modo 801

3D Character development and advertising image for new Glad campaign. Save good food. From going bad.

Illustrative experiment using 3D in a painterly fashion

Happy Halloween! This is my entry for the Foundry's 2013 Halloween image contest. I modeled this personal work in 3D and hand painted the finished art in Photoshop.

This image of San Francisco is from my 3D Impressionism landscape series.

Brand Image for Poser Pro Software

Mask was created for a Poser Pro 2010 advertisement

This is a representation of a figure from one of my recurring dreams from childhood. I created this using a variety of 3D techniques. This image was features into CGSociety's Expose 7, an international publication celebrating the world's finest digital art. "Thirst" is currently promoting a movie concept.

Burt's Bees wanted to photograph a large number of lip balms for a display. Instead of ordering hundreds of tubes and photographing them, I created a few lip balms using 3D software. I used a 3D physics engine to drop them into a virtual container and set up a virtual camera to photograph the products.

These cats dance around looking for their litter boxes.

Digital painting of a Rorschach Test ink blot

3D Typographical illustration for Armor All

This is the second series in the Lost Litter Box campaign

3D Modeling and Rendering of Saturn Catalog Spread

These are fantasy drawings from my sketchbook. These ballpoint pen drawings are done on my daily train commute. I start drawing random lines very quickly and these drawings emerge. I enjoy the results that emerge when I draw on the jarring and uneven train ride.

This a digital sculpture of a judge

This is an image from my archive of creative retouching work. I really enjoyed making this one. During the HP+ campaign, Claude Shade of Goodby Silverstien asked me to create this image of circuit board on the Moscow University grounds. I modeled the circuit boards in Cinema 4D and retouched the pieces into an aerial photograph he commissioned.

Character development and advertisement created for Liquid Plumr.

These are ink concept sketches from my Warrior Series.

Photo realistic 3D render

Metal Head is from my "3D Metal" series. It was featured on the Luxology's Modo web site. I'm a Modo beta tester.

I created this conceptual brand image for Burt's Bees, Gud Shampoo. I modeled and rendered this image in Modo 601. The concept includes flower shaped droplets of water as a design theme.

This is a digital sculpture

This image promotes Poser Pro software.

Fetish Series 2012

3D Illustration

These are concept sketches for a new series.

Illustrations for Pine Sol labels.

3D model and rendering of Burt's Bees products

Brand image for Armor All Wax

Airbrush from airbrush concept series.

This is a 3D concept for Glad Force Flex.

Endangered Animal Series

Personal Work

Xperimental

Xperimental

3D Art

This is an experimental 3D image.

Human+ Exhibition