Cinema 4D tutorial "Underground" - from 3D model to rendering

This introduction gives you an idea of what to expect in our creative training: The modeling of a city scene, its texturing and lighting. Rendering and sharing/finishing in Photoshop will also be shown. You can easily follow this training if you have some basic knowledge.

To ensure that the post we need for the boundary of a subway entrance looks harmonious, we use a template that is loaded into Cinema 4D and traced using a spline. We then extrude the post using the appropriate tools.

We build the foundation for the entrance from a simple cube object. The cube is flattened and modified in length and width. The knife tool is then used to divide the proportions to create a symmetrical U-shape.

Using the bridge tool and the polygon pin, we close the inside of the foundation. This avoids holes that would be difficult for the viewer to understand.

As we do not need the mullion once, but in two rows of four, we duplicate it using the duplicate command. This creates the first row of mullions, which we duplicate using the symmetry modeling object.

To connect the posts to each other, we need a small metal base strip. To do this, we form a profile from a plane, which is then extruded and moved to the appropriate position between the posts.

The baseboard is intended to connect and stabilize the posts and the foundation. To do this, we use render instances that, firstly, place hardly any load on the computer's memory and, secondly, are linked to their original object so that they all change if the original object is changed.

The balusters are still missing. We create them from a cube object that is duplicated and distributed along the metal base using MoGraph. If you change the shape or size of the cube, all the other cubes or balusters change too.

The upper end of the balusters is formed by a handrail, which is built from two splines and a sweep. It is important to curve the handrail, as this makes it easier to capture highlights, giving it a more realistic appearance.

The subway sign is a simple construction that is created from a spline and an extrude object. The caps, i.e. the cover surfaces of the extrude object, which have been common since version R21, contribute greatly to simplifying the modeling process.

Of course, the entrance must not remain in a vacuum. We therefore model a walkway from a plane, which is selected and deleted at the appropriate point; this creates the opening for the stairs leading downwards. We use the magnet tool to create a stepped threshold from a finely subdivided cube.

We need the walls of the staircase so that you don't get the impression that you are looking into nothing below the walkway. We create them by selecting the edges and then extruding them.

We again build the curb, which is strongly rounded at the corners, from two splines; one goes around the sidewalk, the other determines the profile of the curb. The corners of the sidewalk that protrude beyond the curves are cut with the knife tool so that they can then be selected and deleted.

As kerbstones are not made of one piece but are divided into individual blocks, we create several cubes along the directional spline. These are offset against the kerbstone using a Boolean object; this creates the spaces between the individual stones, which can be changed at any time.

We use a sweep to construct the support for the banister in a new file. Since version R21, there are many options for changing and modeling the top surfaces of the sweep, which we make extensive use of.

To complete the construction, we create a banister using a sweep and build a luminaire from parametric basic objects. Both are mirrored on the other side of the entrance using a single symmetry object, which works well because we have built symmetrically.

The street lamp is a simple lathe construction. What it lacks is a stabilizing ornament. To do this, we first load the lantern and then the ornament template. We use the attribute manager to adjust them to the right size and position.

As the name suggests, you can draw polygons with the polygon pen. This is exactly what we do, tracing the template as a polygon object. We also use the pen to correct individual points or edges, creating a polygonal image of the ornament template.

Using the combination of volume generator and volume mesher, we first create a voxel object and then a polygon object from the two-dimensional polygon ornament. The advantage of this construction is that the individual parts of the ornament are organically connected and look very realistic.

Now we can load all other objects into the scene using the Add command and distribute them as we like. You can either develop your own ideas or stick to the predefined concept.

We start by texturing the scene. A fairly simple and uncomplicated method for creating asphalt surfaces is to map a photograph frontally onto the corresponding geometry. Here you can find out how to do it.

There are many ways to create asphalt shaders. This unfortunately paid shader comes from RDT-textures.com and leaves nothing to be desired. It was created using photogrammetry and looks extremely realistic. Take a look and see if this is something for you.

So that we can spread puddles on the asphalt, we need a texture that we can then use to control the alpha channel of a shader. We create it in Photoshop and use a special brush to pre-paint the future shape of the puddles in a new layer.

As water does not appear transparent but reflective when it lies flat on the ground and forms a puddle, we create a simple mirror material. We load the previously created puddle map into the alpha channel; this quickly creates very realistic-looking puddles.

Another option for loading realistic or even physically correct materials (PBR) is offered by Cinema 4D's Content Browser. There we find a series of metal shaders, from which we select one to map onto the banister. For a regular distribution, we set the direction spline of the railing to even.

You can also easily create PBR materials yourself. All we need is the reflectivity channel, which is used not only for the reflections of the shader, but also for its color. This is how we create the paint for the railing.

So that we can cover the subway entrance with tags and graffiti, we need to mask the previously photographed tags. Here you can find out how to do this even if the surface on which the tag was sprayed is rough.

The tag is now mapped to a clearly visible position on the first post. We change the mapping type from UVW to cuboid and then control its size and position in the attribute manager.

You don't have to own the Substance program, but you can still use a large selection of procedural Substance shaders. Here we introduce you to the Substance Share platform. All you need to do is create an account to download the shaders.

After downloading a Substance, it can be loaded into Cinema 4D via the Asset Manager. However, there are a few things you need to adjust to adapt it to the conditions of the scene. We'll show you what you need to pay attention to.

Since version R20, the node-based material system has been available in addition to the classic system. This makes it easier to design some materials and shaders and, above all, very easy to understand. Here you can find out how the Node Editor works and how to work with it in principle.

We need luminous material on the subway sign, among other things. To make it look more realistic, we create a layer shader in the diffusion channel in which a noise is set very precisely in terms of contrast and brightness.

To make the scene appear more complex, we use a photograph in the background. We load this onto a so-called backplate, i.e. a type of cardboard, which we simply place in the background of our scene and align with the camera. We map a scene edited in Photoshop onto the backplate.

Once the scene has been rendered without lighting, it becomes clear where we need which light source. We start with a physical light that already has an inverse square fall-off and an area shadow, scale the light source and move it over the input.

The two round entrance lights are given a luminous material. However, to ensure that they emit a more accentuated light, two simple all-round spotlights are also installed, which are moved close to the round luminaires. The brightness in the entrance area can be easily controlled by removing them.

We also place a point light in the two lighting units of the streetlights. It is given a so-called visibility so that it can also have a physical effect on the atmosphere and control the highlights of the geometry. The point light is assigned using the Apply command.

The visibility of the point light sources must be properly adjusted. Radii or intensities that are too small or too large appear unrealistic. In this clip you will learn how to set them and what is important.

To better connect the orange background to the foreground, we create another visible light source behind the façade on the left, which will be largely responsible for the orange reflections in the puddles. The strong backlighting also makes the scene much more exciting.

The façade on the left still looks a little lifeless. We create a polygon and assign a luminous material to it. This makes the windows of the façade appear brighter and the light reflections on the asphalt surfaces bring the scene to life.

As the settings of the physical camera have a lot to do with the settings of the physical renderer, we have combined the camera and render presets into a single video that explains the whole complex. You can find out which Blender and which focus we use for rendering. This clip also deals with the render quality and the brightness of the result.

So that you can paint light in Photoshop without having to worry about the technique, it makes sense to make a few settings: We define corresponding shortcuts for enlarging and reducing brush tips and load the brush tips required for this.

We create a separate layer for each group of lamps in the motif. Then we paint the light source into the respective layers. You will learn how often you need to click in the layer and with which brush size in order to gradually paint a bright, gently fading aura over a light source.

Finally, we create an image look using the Camera Raw filter. This consists of a color shift towards warm light, a vignette and a slight increase in structure and contrast.