Design Tools

In this process and production session we looked at using Cinema 4D and Illustrator to create package labels for product containers. The aim of this session was to teach us how to wrap a flat 2D image accurately around a 3D object in Cinema 4D.

Can

First I went in to Illustrator and used the pen tool to draw half of the outline of my can.

After this I saved the Illustrator file as Illustrator version 8 because no other versions will merge in to Cinema 4D. In Cinema 4D I brought the shape into the view port and then applied a lathe object which wraps the shape and makes it 3D.

Next I created a texture for my can making it shiny with some roughness. I only ticked reflectance in the materials attributes and created a new layer choosing the specular - blinn (legacy) type which creates a very dark grey reflection texture. I created a second layer this time choosing the GGX type which made another reflection layer lighter this time and masked it over the darker texture making a dark silver texture.

Next I went back in to Illustrator and created my 2D can label. I came up with the brand name "Toxic" and the slogan "Seriously Sour Soda". The pattern of the can is made up of the gradient tool using the two colours black and orange covered in bubbles created using the shape tool.

Going back in to Cinema 4D I created a material duplicating the reflectance attributes of the can material and then I went in to the colour attributes and brought in my 2D can label. I then dragged my material to my can lathe object in the object manager. Now my can label was wrapped around my can but the positioning was slightly off. Looking at the list of tools on the left hand side I clicked on texture mode which allows me to edit a map wrapped around an object. I switched to the move tool and dragged my map up slightly so the detail at the bottom was visible as before it was underneath the can.

My can was now complete and now I had to set up my document to render. First I brought in a cloner object and dragged my "can" and "top" object in to the cloner. This duplicated my can sitting them next to each other, I edited the cloner attributes so I had 3 cans including my original and that they were equally spaced apart. Next I brought in a floor and a background object making a basic grey material dragging it both to my floor and background. I then brought in a compositing tag for the floor which combines the floor and background together so they appear as one object. Next I brought in 2 lights and a area light, both lights I positioned at either side of the cans both above the 3 objects so they can cast shadows. The area light I moved behind the cans and then slightly to the left rotating the light so it shines diagonally across the scene. This makes the scene even brighter making it look more dynamic. The final task was to rotate each can so the camera could see a different part of the can as if I had one can no one would be able to see the label displayed behind the object.

Bottle

Again I started in Illustrator drawing part of a bottle and imported in to Cinema 4D.

I brought in a lathe object and applied it to by spline which transforms it in to a 3D object.

Next I went in to Cinema 4D's content browser and found a glass material preset which was a dark green because that is what is found with majority of beer bottles. I then created a new material turning on reflectance and transparency and within these subheadings I changed the colour to a dark yellow almost like a murky gold. I applied this material to the liquid inside the bottle as this will represent the beer itself.

After this I went back in to Illustrator and started to design a label for my beer bottle. I decided I wanted to make up a brand that could have been designed 200 to 300 years ago and still was around to this day. So I called the beer Morning Star and then had two of the weapons overlapping each other.

After finishing my label I went back in to Cinema 4D and brought a cylinder in to the scene. I moved the cylinder into the middle of the bottle and then changed it's size until the cylinder was just sticking out of the bottle. Next I created a new material and imported my label as the material, when this was done I dragged the material on to the cylinder. Now there was the illusion my label was wrapped around the bottle.

Finally I set up my scene using the light objects, floor and background but this time I also decided to take models from the content browser and set up a scene the bottle would be found in.

What Did I learn?

I learnt the basics of wrapping a 2D image around a 3D object which acts as the objects texture. Additionally I now know how to create my own texture using a range of other software to apply to my 3D models. This session was a huge insight for me because it is the basics towards being a texture artist and if I aim to be a 3D modeller the skills of a texture artist will also benefit my work.