Welcome to Macro. The second course in the SESSIONS series. Continuing the theme of creating more with less, Macro explores the close-up aesthetic.
When a camera is close to an object, a beautiful artifact occurs: Depth of field and bokeh blurring. The result is a magical visual genre that emphasizes photorealism, high fidelity detail, and a strong sense of depth.
Each project is designed to be created within 2 hours or less, as is required by the SESSIONS format. The point is to create something every day in less time. Start your sessions routine, now!
A symbol of trying your luck; taking a risk. This project is a fun introduction to the macro aesthetic, where high fidelity detail is paramount and bokeh blur narrows viewer focus. Rigid body simulation also makes a cameo.
Manifest the slow down, bright sunny vibes of summer. Learn to utilize Blender's ocean modifier to simulate body-of-water behavior. Then discover the trick to make that behavior loop seamlessly. And finally, capture mesmerizing bokeh shapes as they dance on the water's surface.
Craft the peace and tranquility of early morning. This project draws your attention to the beautiful details of leafy organics. We will utilize micropolygon displacement for maximum geometric fidelity. Along with simple rigging and f-curve modifier power.
Embrace complimentary contrast in this simple, satisfying animation. Unlike other macro projects, depth of field is not applicable here. Instead we will lean on micropolygon displacement to achieve a believable level of detail at such a close proximity.
An elegant, timeless instrument with repetitive shape complexity - perfect for fast creation. The material plays a key role in tactile realism while the glowing orbs serve as unique flare and interesting bokeh fodder.
Blurring the lines between the macro and product rendering genres. Or should I say bokeh blurring the lines...
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These sessions projects are so helpful, honestly... I run into the "There's too much to learn, how is there ever going to be enough time for all this" depressive slump at least once every few weeks. And when I do, I remember that even if you only know so much you can still make cool things, and then I can go and make a piano about it or something.
Rescuing our mental health and giving us hope with these very manageable projects, thank you Kent for putting good things into the world.