PostWorks Media take computer generated imagery

PostWorks Media take computer generated imagery to a new level.
Postworks Media specialises in the production of
high-end, high resolution Computer Generated
Imagery (CGI) for marketing literature and has
clients ranging from advertising agencies to the
automotive and electronic industries. Working from
client data , physical product or reference imagery,
the company produces the highest possible level of
detail and accuracy, allowing it to create worldleading CGI.
When Honda Motor Europe (HME) asked
advertising agency Nexus/H UK to demonstrate
whether Computer Generated Imagery had
matured sufficiently to replace photography in high
quality printed brochures, Nexus/H turned to
Postworks Media.
With a proven track record in producing highly
detailed 3D models cost-effectively, Postworks
Media worked closely with Nexus/H on an initial
technology-proving project. 3D scan data from a
previous client proved to be inaccurate and very
difficult to resurface or otherwise work with,
forcing Postworks Media to work by eye once again.
www.3dscanners.co.uk
Despite this set back, the project was a success and
Postworks Media was commissioned by Nexus/H and
Honda to produce Computer Generate Images for a
series of Honda brochures, but this time they
approched 3D Scanners UK.
With the successs of the test project, Postworks Media
set about improving the technical and creative
workflow - the key technical issue being the quality of
scan data.
Before scanning commenced on the Honda S2000,
3D Scanners UK worked very closely with Postworks
Media, refining and optimising their approach to
scanning and data processing to ensure that the
meshes supplied to Postworks Media were suited to
the creative process and printed imagery.
‘Customer liason is very important to us. We like to spend
time with our customers to understand their specific
requirements, and this helps us to achieve the best results.’
Nik Alimaras, Sales Director, 3D Scanners UK
Tel 03330 300 300
The S2000 project time-frame was very tight, and
the limited edition production car was on a ship
somewhere in the Indian Ocean at the time 3d
scanning needed to commence, so a previous
model was acquired, and all panels and
components common to both were tackled first.
The S2000 was 3d scanned on-site at 3D Scanners
UK, with an armed based laser scanner. Parts
unique to the actual car were scanned once the
vehicle was available late in the project.
The scan data was organised, aligned and meshed in
Innovmetric PolyWorks Software. The team then had
to edit the individual parts, trimming them back to
create sharp edges. This work was also undertaken in
PolyWorks Software.
In high-resolution print, attention to detail can be
critical. For automotive models the lights are
particularly important, so particular attention was
paid to them throughout the project.
Individual light units were carefully disassembled by
3D Scanners UK so that multi-element components
could be scanned in high detail, including front and
back surfaces of lenses, housing, bulbs and LEDs everything visible in the final shots.
The S2000 covered in white spray ready for scanning.
The screenshot above shows the polgon mesh
headlight assembly in wireframe and below in smooth
mesh using PolyWorks software.
3d scanning the S2000 with an arm based scanner.
The alignment of the smaller components and
some of the interior were complex and time
consuming, due to the fact that a number of
global scans were needed as well as detailed
scans. This allowed 3D Scanners UK to achieve
high accuracy on the small parts, and be able to
align them correctly in the final assembly.
www.3dscanners.co.uk
Tel 03330 300 300
The scanned point clouds were aligned and meshed
with PolyWorks as individual components. These
were then aligned to the global scan as a
complete lighting assembly in car
line and sent to Postworks
Media for surfacing.
Right: The assembled
S2000 headlight as
a polygon model
within PolyWorks Modeler Software.
Each panel, part and component was
resurfaced as a low-resolution polygon
cage, from which high-resoloution
polygon surfaces were created using
subdivision-surface algorithms. A
major advantage of this approach is
that the base model can be easily
re-used in different media - such as
the web, film or television. With the
agency unable to determine creative
or art direction in advance, it was
critical that the 3D model be of the
highest possible quality and detail, so
that high-resolution images could be
rendered close-in at any point on the
car.
Copyright Postworks Media Ltd
Left: The Polygon
model assembly of
the interior in
PolyWorks Software.
Below: A screenshot
of the final rendering
by Postworks Media.
As with the lighting assemblies, the interior had to
be scanned in small parts, to achieve the accuracy
required. A global scan was also carried out to
make sure that the interior was assembled in the
correct co-ordinate system.
www.3dscanners.co.uk
Copyright Postworks Media Ltd
Created by Postworks Media with Nexus/H. Copyright Honda Motor Europe. Used by permission.
Tel 03330 300 300
Created by Postworks Media with Nexus/H. Copyright Honda Motor
Europe. Used by permission.
Once all the parts were surfaced, the complete
S2000 was assembled in Autodesk Maya, and
basic materials were applied. The complete car
was then taken into the render system,
Bunkspeed Hypershot, where detailed, accurate
‘real-world’ materials were created.
Screenshots above: The complete assembly in
Polyworks Modeler Software
The images here, (below & the one on the first page)
are the final renderings by Postworks Media....
Copyright Postworks Media Ltd
Created by Postworks Media with Nexus/H. Copyright Honda Motor Europe. Used by pemission.
www.3dscanners.co.uk
Tel 03330 300 300