Environment Development
A gallery containing in-depth explorations of environments and locations. Each piece focuses on form, motifs, and environmental storytelling.
Feel free to click on the images below to view the full image, or click the arrows to learn more about each piece!
Zantu
SCAD Student Film | 2020 - 2022
The Greenroom | 2020
The greenroom was an initial concept for one of the settings featured in "Zantu." This room would explore Zantu and his mentor's relationship further. While the greenroom was cut from the film, I still enjoyed fleshing out the world of "Zantu."
The Temple Hallway | 2022
Once the architectural designs for "Zantu" were solidified, our 3D team worked on setting up 3D models for our background painters to use as guides. I painted this background with 3D reference using the finalized hallway designs while adjusting perspective for more appeal.
The Temple Hallway Model Sheet | 2020
As a hybrid film with 3D environments, the "Zantu" team needed solid designs to base their models off of. I illustrated this 2D model of the hallway for our 3D artists to use as reference.
The Prophetic Door | 2020
The Prophetic Door is one of the most integral designs to the creation of "Zantu". With feedback from the director and the film's crew, I was able to implement key story elements to foreshadow Zantu's past.
The Collapse | 2020
Designing the collapse was an interesting challenge, as we needed something that could be easily replicated in 3D while serving as a logical transition from the jungle to the temple. The result was a large formation of stone debris that Zantu could slide down.
Temple Wall | 2020
The temple walls were tricky to design, as they had to tile correctly for 3D. The design was eventually modified for that purpose, but the overall shapes remained the same.
Temple Pillars | 2020
One of the most used 3D assets in "Zantu" is the temple pillars. I designed the pillars so that they flow visually with the other temple structures. The design mirrors the frame of the Prophetic Door.
Planters & The Temple Platform | 2020
I had the pleasure of applying the visual language of the temple hallway to two important items. The planters were designed to demonstrate how the crystals were sacred to the aliens and were viewed as a source of life. The hallway platform echoes this, and serves as the catalyst for the acceptance of Zantu's more painful memories.
Concept: Foliage | 2020
To make "Zantu" more believable as an alien world, I designed various shrubs and foliage that appear familiar yet departed from Earth's plants. I used references from tropical plants while adding a twist that makes each design unique.
Concept: Primary Trees | 2020
The overall feel for "Zantu" is to have an environment that's similar to Earth's, but distinctly alien in some way. This resulted in winding and twisting shapes that meshed with a focus on silhouette.
Concept: Secondary Trees | 2020
Further explorations of Zantu's alien trees focused on smaller trees that would be used to pad out our hybrid environments. The secondary trees are meant to mirror the trunks and foliage of the primary trees, with branches being the main way to tell the plants apart.
The Jungle Forest - Color Keys | 2022
Towards the middle of production on "Zantu", I was tasked with designing the color keys for the jungle forest present in the film's credit sequence. These backgrounds served as a guide for how to handle day and night scenes, as the director wanted the night scenes to feel bio-luminescent and foreign.
Various Work
"Old Bones" Location Concept | 2023
This is a location concept that centers around a large, bio-mechanical corpse scattering the hillside. Originally I planned for this to be a sister world to another project, but found the concept too different for what I planned for "Hematemesis."
"Abex" Location Concept | 2021
For this illustration, I wanted to create a secluded landscape that felt pulled from a fairy tale. I had struggled with creating a palette that fit my whimsical idea while also complementing Abex's design, eventually settling on a mix of red, green, and teal tones.