Serpent and Flowers

Introduction:

"Serpent and Flowers" is a meticulously crafted digital artwork that blends natural elements with mythological symbolism. Through 3D-models which from Skethfab and material fabrication techniques, this piece showcases a unique fusion of beauty and power. With intricate artistic treatment, I aim for the audience to perceive the profound meanings and rich visual effects behind the artwork.

Inspiration: 

The inspiration for "Serpent and Flowers" draws from traditional Chinese symmetrical art of door gods. Door gods, as guardians in traditional culture, symbolize strength and protection. 

The pairing of serpents and chrysanthemums in the artwork originates from ancient combinations found in traditional Japanese tattoo art. 

This combination not only reflects the ferocity and beauty of the wild but also demonstrates a profound cultural integration. The contrast between serpents and chrysanthemums signifies not only a juxtaposition of strength and beauty but also a dialogue between traditional and modern art.

Visual Effects:

 The visual effects of this piece are meticulously designed and crafted to evoke awe and mystery in the audience. Textured with Substance Designer and Substance Painter, rendered with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), the artwork presents vibrant colors and intricate textures, resulting in a highly realistic and immersive visual experience. Every detail is carefully polished, from the handling of light and shadow to the texture of materials, striving for the best possible effect. The symmetrical arrangement enhances the visual balance and power of the artwork, embodying the harmonious beauty of traditional art.

Serpents (UE5): 

The serpents in this artwork symbolize protection and danger, embodying the common duality found in the natural world. Their scales are finely crafted to capture light, presenting a lifelike appearance. 

In the damaged version of the artwork, the serpents' scales appear worn, and one serpent has a blind eye and a partially severed tongue. These signs of damage add a sense of vulnerability and imperfection to the serpents, contrasting with their usual depiction of strength and vitality. Despite their injuries, they still evoke a sense of awe and respect.

Main Serpents materials (Substance Designer & Painter):

The eyes texture, I use circle shape and blur the edge to form the main shape of the iris. Reshape the clouds to shape the texture of iris. By creating and combine two shaped narrow ellipse to form the pupil. Using brown to outside circle, dark green to inside pupil form the color of the eye ball. Then I turn the Roughness of pupil to max to make it pure black.

Creating the serpent skin texture was a meticulous process, requiring a blend of shapes, transformations, and wrap variations to achieve the desired pattern. I meticulously employed squares and circles to construct the pattern's primary shape and placement, refining it with transformations and wrap variations for a smoother appearance. To enhance realism, I utilized distance and edge detection techniques, meticulously adjusting gaps and contours to mimic authentic serpent skin.

To add depth and detail, I incorporated various noises, strategically blurred to fill gaps within the pattern, enriching the material's texture. Additionally, I introduced variations in roughness to enhance detail during rendering in UE, and further enriched the surface with diverse cloud and noise effects. Through a meticulous mapping process, I created height and normal maps, incorporating spot damage and scratches for added realism.

In Substance Painter, the material demanded substantial memory for application onto the model due to its complexity. However, the extensive effort was justified by the impeccable final result—the serpent skin texture precisely matched my expectations.

Flowers (UE5): 

Flowers symbolize beauty and fragility, forming a stark contrast with the serpents. Fine petals and intricate patterns created with Substance Designer and Substance Painter highlight the vivid colors and subtle textures of the flowers. 

In the damaged version of the artwork, the flowers appear wilted and yellowed, losing some of their vibrancy and vitality. This deterioration adds a sense of melancholy and transience to the flowers, emphasizing the fleeting nature of beauty.

The most challenging part of creating the flower material is unfolding its UVs using MAYA. Each petal has a unique model shape, requiring me to individually unfold the UVs one by one. This meticulous process involves carefully arranging the UVs to ensure they fit perfectly. Although it is time-consuming and requires a lot of precision, the end result is well worth the effort. The texture effect of the petals turned out to be far beyond my expectations, displaying an exceptional level of detail and delicacy. The intricate texture brings out the natural beauty of each petal, making the entire flower look remarkably realistic and exquisite. This attention to detail in the UV mapping process is crucial in achieving such a high-quality and refined final product.

Conclusion: 

In "Serpent and Flowers" the juxtaposition of serpents and flowers creates a harmonious balance between strength and fragility. The symmetrical composition adds depth to the artwork both culturally and aesthetically. By combining the symmetry of traditional Chinese door god art with elements of traditional Japanese tattoo art, this artwork aims to provoke the audience to contemplate the interconnectedness of opposing elements in the natural world and the eternal beauty they present when combined. This fusion of multiple artistic traditions showcases the importance and allure of symmetry in visual art and demonstrates the sparks that fly when traditional and modern art collide.