Many of you may know us best for our CGI creations for the furniture Industry. We have come a long way in just three years, and would like to think that we are really starting to make a name for ourselves. But as an agency we have adapted and transformed over the years according to the skill sets we have gained, and as an ever-growing team, we are taking a look at where we started, and where we are going. Yes, we go on about it a lot, but we really do take pride in the realism of our fabrics. Those of you who have never dabbled in the creation of CGI, may not know how much of a gaping hole in the industry realistic fabrics are. We even have oher agencies approaching us to outsource fabric building because of the difficulty and the level of our results. Never completely satisfied with the level of our ‘photorealism’, our technology and skill set never stays still. As a tech-based creative agency, we are always striving to stay ahead of the curve. Here’s a quick run-down of our fabric making journey:
Three years ago, when we first ventured into the world of CGI, making weaved fabric textures seemed like a challenge. A year later, we were perfecting velvets and how the colours change as the light hits the fabric in different places. We hunted down specialist kit to record the texture, reflection and transparency of a fabric to streamline the process. Once found, we then worked with the creators to adapt the software for the furniture industry. Once we had perfected that process, we realised there was still more to do! Most recently, we have adapted a CGI plug-in normally used for big box-office films, and transformed its use to add all of those teeny tiny fibres that appear on real fabric samples, to add to our roomsets. Even on the shots where the fibres aren’t visible to the naked eye, they are still there, just to make sure that high level of detail is achieved. You would be amazed at the tiny details which add up to create a realistic image! For our work relating to creating fabrics in CGI, we are constantly moving forward, staying ahead of the industry in our details and technology. So much so, that we have recently been recognised and awarded a Research and Development grant. The grant is only awarded to organisations which develop and test innovative products and services. In fact, it is defined as: “The work that qualifies must be part of a specific project to make an advance in science or technology.”
Now, we won’t reveal our secrets, of course. A magician never reveals his tricks, but we can show you the results. The only difference between a plain wool material and a plain flat material? These tiny fibres! Have a closer look above where we have magnified the fibres on Warwick’s Amatheon Wool. We have also included an animation, just to show off the details and what we are able to achieve through CGI. Fabrics are what we do, what we’re known for and what we love, and with a gallery full of thousands of them you are able to take your pick. When working in the furniture and interiors realm it is so important to not only get the products and rooms looking photorealistic, but to make sure the fabrics on every product look real, natural and shows off their best qualities. We will always be looking for ways to improve and develop our skills when it comes to fabrics – not only by keeping up with the latest tech, but really educating ourselves on each and every fibre found in the fabrics our clients use! Make sure you follow us on our social media channels so that you can keep updated with our latest work that we love to showcase!