I made this piece in Blender, using add-ons such as HardOps, Node-It, and preset assets to speed up my workflow. I started by blocking out the scene with one main light source and atmosphere to keep it feeling natural.
From there, I used Photoshop to layer in photo textures and details, making sure to balance realism with a painterly style. To finish, I broke up the 3D look with the Dry Brush filter and tweaked the colours with Hue/ Saturation layers.
01. Figuring out the story
First, I think about what needs to be in the shot to sell the story. I look at references to establish the mood and composition, then block out my scene and play with camera angles.
I add some atmosphere and take a couple of screenshots, including a solid view ‘clown pass’ for masking later.
02. Adding detail in Photoshop
In Photoshop, I usually do a rough paintover to figure out what areas need more work, then go back into 3D to add extra assets. After taking new screenshots, I start painting over them again. I mix in photo textures and paint on top to make things look more detailed.
03. Colour tweaks and final polish
I use the Dry Brush filter to break up the 3D look and create a painterly feel. Once it all feels balanced, I use Hue/Saturation layers to shift colours, and brush in changes.
For the final pass I copy-merge, apply a 3.4 High Pass, then set it to Hardlight, Overlay or Soft Light around 35 per cent Opacity for sharpness.
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