Allen Jones
From The Gods
The Project
In 2022, Velvet Badger was presented with the thrilling opportunity to collaborate with the iconic Christian Louboutin and one of the UK's most celebrated pop artists, Allen Jones. Together, we created a state-of-the-art digital art piece that was displayed in Monaco and Paris.
Working directly with Allen was an absolute delight for the entire team. Witnessing the workings of his brilliant mind up close, from engaging dinners to private tours of his studio was profoundly inspiring.
Roles
Digital Art, Installation, 3D Modelling, Avatar Creation, Metahuman, Mocap Tracking
The Brief
Our challenge was to translate Allen's renowned Body Armour sculptures into the digital realm, continuing his artistic exploration that began in the 1960s.
Adorned in bespoke Louboutin heels, we crafted a digital ensemble that integrated the shoes, body, armour, and character into a singular art piece.
This creation was showcased in an exquisitely designed display unit, enabling us to highlight the intricate details with such precision that it brought the artwork to life.
Development
This project presented significant technical challenges. Our first step involved bringing the artwork and the unique Louboutin heels into our studio for laser scanning and 3D modeling. This preparation enabled us to proceed with animation.
Now that the armour was successfully scanned, our next challenge was to create a female form that would wear the armour seamlessly. To achieve this, we sculpted the body from scratch, starting with the skeleton, muscles, and skin, to ensure that she was proportionally correct.
Research
Once we achieved the perfect figure for the art piece, we utilised a 3D clothing design tool called Marvelous Designer to create a skin-tight suit for our digital model. We painstakingly refined every detail, from the gloves and seams to the wrinkles at the knees. Moreover, we created a custom hair wig using the 3D software Maya, designed to mimic the style of a renowned wig designer selected by Allen Jones.
Process
We used MetaHuman Creator via Unreal Engine to craft the precise facial features Allen Jones had envisioned. This tool provided us with significant flexibility, ensuring that every nuance of the actor's performance was captured and accurately represented on our digital human.
Once all assets were created and finalised, we cast our ideal model who not only matched the sculpture's dimensions but could also walk in 7-inch heels! After a full-day shoot directed by Christian, Allen, and our founder Chris, we captured tebibytes of motion capture data, which were then cleaned and edited into the final piece.
