- From virtual humans (soft music)
to products that appear to defy physics,
advancements in 3D software
are bringing digital photorealism to the mainstream.
If we're reaching a point where
digital creations are able to pass as authentic,
what does that mean for our sense of reality?
(soft, upbeat music)
The rise of 3D as a creative paradigm
is bringing with it some big changes.
Artists and designers are learning to think spatially
rather than just trying to fake it with tricks in 2D.
As with any new process, there's a bit of a learning curve.
But once some basics have been established,
3D ends up being a massive time saver.
One core shift in 3D
is how artists navigate around the virtual space
and set up their compositions
allowing them to prototype objects and environments.
In this sense, they're not just artists.
They're also the director, cinematographer, set designer,
and photographer within the virtual scene.
Once upon a time, 3D software faced a big challenge,
replicating accurate light, especially in real time.
Physically based rendering was a solution for this problem.
Physically based rendering means that
in 3D software like Substance,
light and materials behave like they do
in the physical world.
It takes great skill for artists
to create digital humans that fool our eyes.
And when digital techniques almost get there
but aren't quite right,
we fall into the uncanny valley
and experience a sensation of discomfort.
But take a look at this character
created for the video game, Dying Light Two.
It's challenging to distinguish it from a photograph.
The right balance of imperfections
is key in passing as real.
None of us has completely symmetrical features.
Take a look at this character's nose.
We can see in the accent light that it's slightly crooked.
You'll also notice that different areas of the skin
have different tones and textures.
One way we're able to pick up on this
is through a material property called subsurface scattering.
Human skin is actually somewhat translucent,
absorbing some of the light that hits it.
Subsurface scattering means that
light will scatter realistically
as it enters the outermost layers of skin
varying depending on the intensity and placement
of light in the environment.
The implications of photorealism also start to land
when we turn away from recreating the physical world
and lean into hyper realities with imaginary things.
Take a look at this mushroom by Matti Tauslahti.
It doesn't necessarily look like something
we'd encounter in the wild,
but it still looks lifelike.
The power of subsurface scattering is evident here,
bringing the imaginary to life
by emulating how light from the physical world
would interact with the mushroom,
especially in its outer layers.
These technologies, which originated from VFX and gaming,
are now being applied to completely different industries
and use cases.
Photorealism is also impacting product design, marketing,
and eCommerce in profound ways.
Designers can now create digital twins
of products and packaging.
These not only look the same as their physical counterparts,
they even have all the material attributes.
With the rise of eCommerce,
consumers can configure products in real time,
or designers can test out how they'll appear
in various types of lighting and environments.
Texturing is an important way
that 3D objects can be made to look
exactly like their real world counterparts.
That involves applying various types of materials
on the digital surface.
Materials can be created many different ways,
procedurally, painted, or using 3D scans of real surfaces.
Material properties like color or roughness
can be customized by the artist
to get textures incredibly close to real life.
Take these renderings from Maximillien Vert.
Or these architectural visualizations
from David Bayliss and Ciro Cardoso.
Not only do they look super real,
they can be used for practical applications.
The benefits of digital twins,
prototyping, and texturing converge
in the rapidly evolving field of digital fashion.
Designers are now able to immediately mock up and test out
realistic fabrics as they design clothes,
seeing how they look in different situations
whether that's on the street or the catwalk.
In addition to unlocking creativity,
digital fashion is also more sustainable
both for designers and consumers using virtual try-ons.
As we spend more of our lives online,
the line between the physical and digital
will continue to blur through innovations in photorealism.
This is bringing about new categories
of augmented and virtual experiences.
In some cases, it's even pushing the limits
of what we imagine is possible,
creating new expressions of surrealism,
but more on that in the next episode of Taking Shape.
Meanwhile, you can visit the Taking Shape virtual gallery
to learn more.
(soft, upbeat music)