KITCHEN
3D ENVIRONMENT MADE IN MAYA AND TEXTURED WITH SUBSTANCE PAINTER
OVERVIEW
For this project, I created a kitchen scene inspired by 2D concept art provided in class. My goal was to bring the environment to life by focusing on core 3D principles. I chose a kitchen because it’s a perfect storyteller—where objects can show wear, damage, and the passage of time, crafting stories in mere seconds.
Each asset in the kitchen was designed to offer a glimpse into someone’s life, habits, and personality. Through expressive textures and subtle lighting, I transformed simple objects into meaningful pieces of a larger narrative, creating not just an environment but a lived space.
FAVORITE STILLS
CHALLENGES
The main challenge came along with the texturing process. I intentionally kept the topology simple, aiming to convey most of the detail through textures. This decision placed a lot of weight on that stage of the pipeline. Because of this, I found my self overdoing the texture because of the lack of intentionality and a clear story.
Achieving the right balance between detail and intentionality proved to be a real test. I struggled with a persistent feeling that every prop wasn’t “finished” or “detailed enough” and by doing that the narrative I was trying to tell was being lost. I did not know the WHY behind every prop, so the textures were not contributing to the larger narrative.
wireframes
To address the challenges in texturing, I created a brief outlining the narrative and atmosphere I wanted to convey. This brief became my guide whenever I felt tempted to overdo a prop or add unnecessary detail. By frequently revisiting it, I grounded my work in intention and ensured every scratch, crack, and imperfection served the story I was telling.
This approach provided the clarity and focus I needed, and it ultimately made the project successful, transforming the environment into a cohesive and meaningful space.
SOLUTION
FAVORITE PROPS
