Automotive Rendering Techniques

cmiVFX has published a video tutorial by Swedish designer Mikael Lugnegård titled "Automotive Rendering Techniques", which explains in detail the rendering process of a 3D sketch model, from the 3D mockup in Maya to the final touches in Photoshop. It can be purchased online at $19.95.

Automotive Rendering Techniques is a new instructional video published by cmiVFX which provides an insight on how to get quality images by using Photoshop to accelerate final render times for client review.

Created by Swedish 3D-artist Mikael Lugnegård, Automotive Rendering Techniques can be purchased at $19.95 USD from the online store.

For more information visit cmivfx.com or see the gallery of screenshots published by Virtual Car.

The video is part of a new series of training videos called cmiDirect, which focus on one topic at the time. Below we report the complete Press Release.

Automotive Rendering Techniques

3D Mockup in Maya

Starting off in Maya we will quickly show a very rough car model that will be the foundation for the design. The car is done with traditional polygon techniques which are not covered in this tutorial. The car was modeled in just a few hours and is very rough, but serves the overall purpose of a sketch model.

By toggling between a standard polygon mesh and a smooth mesh preview you will get an instant preview of the final surfaces. This technique is very useful when making sketch models. Sketch models are important in the process as it allows for easy straight-on modeling and evaluation. Using a polygon modeler like Maya makes the process both faster but also more flexible then it would be with Nurbs.

Rendering in Hyper Shot

Export the entire model to an .OBJ file and then import into Hyper Shot. Learn how to apply materials, change the environment, set up the camera for a successful rendering. Hyper Shot is indeed a great application for fast renderings and this section aims to reveal how it can be used in a slightly more advanced way and efficient way.

Different camera angles are evaluated and once the camera is locked down. Multiple renderings can be created using the same exact camera. Different materials and environments are tried out and this material will later be composited together in Photoshop.

Image Assembly and Color Correction in Photoshop

The renderings are now brought into Photoshop for assembly and initial color corrections. Bits and pieces from different renderings are put together using layers and blend modes. Some initial color correction can be made to make sure that the overall palette is consistent and coherent.

By using adjustment layers it is possible to work in a non-destructive manner and really tune the levels and colors.

Learn how to work with the path-tool to create sharp and accurate design element such as cut-lines, vents and body creases.

Utilizing a set of brushes in combination with selections created with the path-tool a painted look is achieved. This technique allows for both precision rendering as well as for a more painterly style.

Details

Utilizing the path-tool, details and color trims are created in a fast and creative manner. The front is given some extra attention as well as a number of other key elements. Headlamps and splitters are designed and painted in using different tools.

Final Touches

Learn to fine tune the project by continuing the work all over the rendering, adding details and sharpness, paying extra attention to textures. Utilizing a variety of techniques, learn to add sharpness, key lines and highlights to accentuate.

The final step before completion is the introduction of overlay textures that really make the project come alive. By using a variety of textures, the original colors are mixed and blended in a very artistic manner. This technique is somewhat of a signature to the artist and really takes the rendering to a whole new level.

About the Author

Mikael Lugnegård is a Swedish 3D-artist who has worked as a freelancer and CG-instructor for many years now. He attended Umea Institute of Design in Sweden where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design.

Mikael is proficient in Model Making, Graphic Arts, Photo Editing, High End Product Rendering, Project Management and more. He is passionate about the arts and education as well as photography, downhill skiing and is a snowboarding instructor. Mikael is currently a consultant and design for Red Digital Cinema and runs his own company Lugnegård Designs in Sweden.

(Source: cmivfx.com via Luciano Bove, Virtual Car)

Ferrari Enzo Modulo II

An exclusive gallery of new images for the Ferrari Enzo Modulo, the dynamic concept created by Paolo Martin to reinterpret his legendary Modulo dream car in a modern way. Includes several renderings and 3D CAD views.

The new set of images show in more detail the design of the Ferrari Enzo Modulo, a concept created by designer Paolo Martin as a modern rivisitation of his iconic Modulo dream car.

Above: side by side, the original Ferrari Modulo (left) and the new Enzo Modulo Concept (right)

Compared to the original Modulo, characterized by the low height, lenticular-shaped profile, clean surfaces, the Enzo Modulo has a more dynamic look, with large exposed rear wheels visually framed by muscular wheel-arches, which break the almost-perfect simmetry of the iconic Modulo and - combined with a number of air-intake and grilles - contribute to an aggressive and performance-oriented appearance.

It however maintains the trademark proportions (about 4.5 meters in lenght, under 1 meter of height and over 2 meters in width), the large glass surfaces, the color scheme and the overall almost sci-fi look.

(Image Courtesy: Paolo Martin)

Alaska Motors Competition

Local Motors has announced the results of its Alaska Motors Design Competition, which asked to create a concept for an Alaskan race in 2013. The first three places were won by Anthony Colard, Pierre Gimbergues and Armand Herve.

Launched back in December 2009, the Alaskan Motors Competition asked the Local Motors' community to create a racing vehicle for theWrangell Mountain Extreme, a fictional race to be held in Alaska in 2013.

Unlike the previous contests, this one was not constrained to real-production limits.

The first place was won by the B-Polar Concept by Anthony Colard.

The vehicle has a unique moving chassis with a rotating axis around its fuel tank.

This allows the B-Polar to go over snowdrifts, go in and out of crevasses, over rocks and through any kind of rough terrain.

The gas tank is located in the middle as the vehicle is GPL powered for less impact on the environment.

There is a small engine in the front to power the front wheels and a larger one at the back of the car for the rear wheels, which produce the main traction.

The wheels are equipped with holes to evacuate the snow; disk brakes are hidden in a sphere in the middle of the wheel.

Anthony explains: "My Alaska Motors concept is B-Polar, as a reference to one of my inspirations, the polar bear. It has a very bipolar design as well, with organic front and mechanical rear, all along with the feel of a buggy."

The second prize was received by Pierre Gimbergues for his Banshee Concept, a snow racer conceived to face any kind of bad weather and difficult ground, thanks to its 4-jointed articulated, directional and suspended caterpillars.

"Inspired by mountain animals, the Banshee is incredibly capable, able to climb, and jump. Moreover its 4 additional big lamps allow for perfect visibility throughout the blizzard. Banshee is powered by a hybrid bioethanol and electric engine."

The third winner is Armand Herve with the TW-Ice Concept, a two-seater vehicle powered by a BMW V12 bioethanol engine. The name refers to the idea of 2x (2 times).

The vehicle has two distinct parts connected together by a semi-rigid material. Because of this unusual suspension, the vehicle cannot flip over.

The TW-Ice can use tracks or wheels depending on the circumstances.

The rear storage space can store everything is needed for the race, including a compartmentalized box

(Source: Local Motors)

Car Design Webinars

Car Design News has launched a series of free one-hour car design webinars. The first one - titled 'Design and Visualisation of Materials and Textures' - will take place on 27 January. The next two webinars will cover interior lighting and ecological micro-fibers.

Car Design News is launching a series of free webinars. Each one will last about 60 minutes, will be presented by professionals from sponsoring companies and will include a Q&A session.

Registration for each webinar is available about three weeks before the presentation date.

Interested users can sign up for free from this registration page. They will receive a weblink for the live view and will be able to access the presentation later from the website's archive - in the Tutorials section.

The first webinar is titled "Design and Visualisation of Materials and Textures" and will take place on January 27 at 15.00 GMT.

It will be presented by Michele Hess, Materials Research, and Marian Johannes Endres, Product Management, from Realtime Technology (RTT) AG.

The second webinar is titled "LEDs for automotive interiors - Visualization, Illumination and Sensing; Designing Next Generation Automotive Interiors with LEDs".

It will be presented by Michael Godwin, Director for Visible LEDs (Osram Opto Semiconductors) and is scheduled for February 17, 14.30 GMT .

The third webinar is titled "Ecological microfibres for automotive interiors", sponsored by Miko, and is scheduled for next March (date to be confirmed).

CDN is planning to launch additional webinars in the future.

(Source: Car Design News - Image Source: RTT)

Car Honda CR-Z new

the 2010 Detroit Motor Show Honda has presented the production version of its CR-Z sporty hybrid coupe. Focused on energy efficiency and driving fun, the model will be followed by a variant with a 2+2 layout for the European and Japanese market, that will be launched in summer 2010.

The all-new Honda CR-Z made its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. With sporty looks and agile handling,

The coupe body is coupled with a responsive chassis to give nimble handling and direct steering, and a 6-speed manual transmission.

Its gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain - with a 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine coupled to the IMA hybrid system - offers good fuel economy and a low exhaust emissions package.

The European version of the CR-Z goes on sale in Europe in summer 2010, and will debut at the Geneva Auto Show 2010 in March.

Design

The CR-Z platform shares some components with the Insight, but the wheelbase, track width and set-up are all bespoke for the new coupe hybrid.

Compared to the dimensions of the Insight, the CR-Z is shorter in length by 295mm and its wheelbase is 115mm shorter than the Insight's.

This enhances agility and reduces kerb weight by 44kg compared to its 5-door, five-seat, family car sibling.

The CR-Z's exterior styling is formed around a "one-motion wedge" concept with a low hood line and wide stance that gives the car a sporty, exciting exterior that should appeal to younger drivers.

Design features, such as the split level rear glass hatch and aerodynamic, shallow raked roofline are reminiscent of the Honda CRX, but brought bang up-to-date with deep, muscular sculpting.

The European version of the CR-Z has daytime running lights (DTRLs) with eight LEDs that bring out the lower line of the sweeping headlights.

This is the first time DTRLs have been fitted to a production Honda, and combined with the front fog lights provide a tailored look to the European specification CR-Z.

The shallow raked roofline and sharply truncated tail of the CR-Z are features shared with many Hondas past and present.

This slippery design allows the car to cut through the air with minimal disturbance, lowering fuel consumption and emissions.

Interior

The interior of the production car has been developed from  the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show CR-Z Concept, with its 3D displays and driver-focussed cabin.

The high-technology instrument binnacle places all of the commonly used controls within quick and easy reach of the driver.

The dashboard of the new coupe has a two-level construction, with a dark upper portion appearing to float above a light grey lower dash section, which continues into the centre of the inner door panels.

The CR-Z model for Europe and Japan will have a 2+2 layout, enabling customers to carry smaller adults for short distances or children on longer journeys.

The rear seats can be flattenned in a simple one-touch motion to increase luggage capacity when it's needed.

Technical Features

For the first time a parallel hybrid system is combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox – made possible because of the flexibility of Honda's IMA hybrid system.

The manual transmission is complemented by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. The medium capacity enginehas additional 78Nm of torque provided by the 14PS electric motor, which is situated between the engine and transmission.

The 1.5-litre engine, combined with the power and torque of the IMA parallel hybrid system,  gives an overall power output of 124PS and 174Nm of torque.

The peak torque figure is identical to that of the 1.8-litre Civic but offers CO2 emissions of just 117g/km** (35 g/km fewer than the Civic 1.8-litre model).

The electric motor gives the CR-Z a flat torque curve with the maximum arriving at just 1500rpm – unusually low for a naturally-aspirated engine.

Teamed with a 6-speed manual transmission, the IMA assisted engine provides great in-gear flexibility, low exhaust emissions anda sporty exhaust note.

The 3-Mode Drive System allows the driver to choose between three driving modes (to maximise enjoyment, economy or a balance between the two). It alters the responses of the throttle, steering, idle stop timing, climate control and the level of assistance provided by the IMA system. 

Forged aluminium MacPherson struts have been used in the CR-Z to reduce weight and increase strength over the pressed steel items used in the Insight.

The CR-Z suspension features new springs and damper settings and the tolerances are individual to the compact coupe.

(Source: Honda)

Car Aston Martin DB-ONE Concept

The Aston Martin DB-ONE is an original interpretation of the classic sportscar theme. The author is Ruben Vela, who has a Master Degree in Automotive Design at the Polytechnic University (Valencia, Spain).

The DB-ONE Concept is a proposal for an extreme Aston Martin, with a design of that combines the classical style typical of Aston Martin's sportscars with ultramodern surfaces, to get as a result "a fresh vehicle that also represents all the tradition of the brand."

The author is Ruben Vela, a Spanish designer who received a Master Degree in Automotive Design in 2006 at the Polytechnic University in Valencia.

Its proportions give it a lot of dynamism, keeping the elegance but increasing the emotions.

"To design this car, I have taken the D.N.A. of Aston Martin (which are the big front grille, the long bonnet and the side grilles) and I have re-designed it to obtain a fresh product" explains Ruben.

The front grille has been increased becoming the most important element of the front view, and starting all the tension that goes from the front to the rear of the car.

The main characteristic in this project is the dynamism. The line tension and the body surfaces show all the power of the car even when it is parked.

"Cars aren't static objects, so I believe it's important to show dynamism in the design. And this is much more important when you are designing a super-sports car."

We can see the direction and the line tension in the side surfaces, in the top view and especially in the rear part of the car.

This part is very clean thanks to the gap that contains the taillights, and thanks to the rear diffuser that reduces the visual weight in the rear.

"The DB-ONE Concept has been specially designed to excite, and not only if you are the lucky man who is driving it."

"But if you could drive this two seats super-car you will feel integrated in it because the dashboard wraps you, and the glass-roof makes you feel like being inside a F-15, feeling the power pushing your back."

Aston Martin DB-ONE Concept - Technical specifications

Dimensions
Length	4,820 mm
Width	1,960 mm
Height	1,200 mm
Wheel Base	3,000 mm
Weight	1,840 kg
Powertrain
Engine	6.035cc. V12, 550bhp @ 6500rpm, 445lb ft @ 4000-6000rpm
Transmission	Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive.
Performance	0-60mph 4.0sec (est.), 215mph (est.)

About the author

Rubén Vela has a Master Degree in Automotive Design (2004-2006, Polytechnic University - Valencia, Spain) and an Industrial Design degree (2000-2004) at U.P.V. (Politecnic University of Valladolid - Valladolid, Spain).

In 2005 he has won the first prize in the VIII Nissan Design Contest with the Nova Concept.

Above: Rubén Vela's Nissan Nova Concept (2005)

Contact details:

• Email: ruben.vela@gmail.com
• Portfolio: Cardesignnews.com
• Telephone: +34 667 242 565

Car Tatra 903 Concept

Czech magazine AutoDesign&Styling has asked designer Mike Jelinek to create his vision of the Tatra of the future. The result is the 903 Concept, a fuel cell luxury sportscar with innovative aerodynamic solutions.

The Tatra 903 Concept is premium fuel cell/electric vehicle with "a unique combination of emotional styling and aerodynamics efficiency."

The car takes inspiration from the Czech automotive brand Tatra, historically famous for its unforgettable aerodynamics and revolutionary technical solutions.

"The water drop shaped back refers to one of the most characteristic values of Tatra, the aerodynamics – same as covered rear wheels.

"It may look retro, but in the term of aerodynamic optimisation it has its own purpose.

"The A-pillar has moved in the axis of the car – again, not just a quotation of split screen theme pointing back to the original models, but certainly a safety factor designed to offer a better view from the car." describes Mike Jelinek.

"I didn't want to refer to any model from the history of this legendary manufacturer, but I tried to catch something like the spirit of Tatra cars and bring it to aesthetics a the 21st century." said Jelinek.

Tatra T87 (1936-1950)

Nowadays, Tatra doesn't produce any passenger cars, just heavy trucks, but the heritage hidden in the extraordinary cars is still waiting for rediscovery.

More information can be found in the No. 14 issue of the Czech car design magazine AutoDesign&Styling.

About the Designer

Mike Jelinek worked in many roles for design studios at Skoda Auto, Volkswagen, Citroën, GME, Daimler just to name few.

Today he works as a senior consultant for conceptual design at Autodesk where he is responsible for the automotive design customers.

(Source: AutoDesign&Styling)