PDN

Re-Formation, Image nominated for this years awards, breakdown. Royal Cabinets, Image nominated for this years awards, render and paint breakdown. 30% max (with simple lighting, 70% photoshop.

Studio/Institution: Paul D Nicholls Client: Self Motivated Genre: Other Software: 3ds, vray, krakatoa, thinking particles, ghosttown, pflow, fume fx, realflow Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: Sequel to the award winning GOLDEN AGE - THE SIMULATION, 'SOMEWHERE' attempts to visualise the notion of a 'downloaded architecture'. We are in a time where much of what we do is online. The notion of the online will radically change, the notion of the computer and the home will merge. We will download parks and places to relax, have skype phone calls with simulated telepresence of our friends and family, be immersed in nanorobotic replications of any kind of objects or furnishings downloaded on credit based systems. The local becomes the global and the global becomes the local. Consumer based capitalism would change forever. A truly 'glocolised' world. SEE THE PREQUEL HERE Mainly constructed in 3ds Max, using thinking particles, ghosttown, box2+3, particle flow, thinking particles, and rendered in vray. Footage of character was from a Canon 7D. All composited in After Effects and Premier. Visit my site: http://WWW.FACTORYFIFTEEN.COM

Studio/Institution: Paul D Nicholls Client: Self Motivated Genre: Other Software: 3d Max 2011, Vray 2.0, Photoshop, After Effects Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: Exhibited at Apha Ville Festival 2010, Onedotzero 2010, and part of the Autodesk Showreel 2011. Also 2 of the images from this project were nominated for the 2011 best architectural image competition of CG Architect. In an age of progressively automated manufacturing and fabrication processes, the Royal Cabinets are an aggressive expression of labour. Assembled from a contractor led design approach, the cabinets draw on highly skilled local craftsmen and artists to produce the fantastical. Staged within the proposed baron 'facadescape' of a financially fragile Canary Wharf, the Cabinets are programmatically charged with the loss of yet another great British labour force, Royal Mail. Two ideas of labor are therefore existing in parallel. The capitalist driven one that we experience everywhere in the West, and the accomplishment of public service in a building that recounts its essence by its architecture. The film plays with both ideas in an abstract assemblage of the cabinets themselves, before exploring the strangely formed architecture. Nominated in best image category 2011

Studio/Institution: Paul D Nicholls Client: Self Motivated Genre: Other Software: 3d Max 2011, pflow+box#2+3, thinking particles, fume fx, krakatoa, Vray 2.0, photoshop Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: WINNER OF BEST FILM ON CG ARCHITECT AWARDS 2011 THE GOLDEN AGE is a film which speculates on a simulated architecture. It is concerned with technology, synthetic programmed spaces, and the temporality of our immediate conceived environment, physical or otherwise. It is part of a wider project which looks at a ‘downloaded’ architecture, radically changing the consumerist lifestyle we are all used to. 'The Simulation' is an abstract part one of a 2 part series under the title THE GOLDEN AGE... SEE PART 2 HERE Visit my site: http://WWW.FACTORYFIFTEEN.COM

Also, Jonathan and myself had designed every bit of those images and animations. Composed all of the elements, and done a heck of a lot more DESIGN then most architectural visualizers out there, who get given 99% of their models and even have their camera view set up... We are designing the spaces and the image..! A lot more architecture then an evermotion bathroom...

Seriously, what is the fuss...! I met with some of the judges in La Coruna whose professions ranged from visual effects, architectural visualizer, and even architect, and they agreed that it (all the nominations and film) was very much an 'architectural representation' how can you disagree with that. It visualizes an architectural concept. Many more mainstream architectural visuals are pure fantasy, a concept for an architect trying his luck in a competition with not much more of a clue on how it would be built, my elevated brood image which you are saying is pure fantacy, is very capable of being built, i know as i drew all the details for it years ago...! Year after year the same old stuff wins these competitions, and knowone bats an eylid. eventually something would have to change, to let in the more abstract and the more fantastical. You are acting like this happens every year... look back at the best image and best films from last year. I best people thought that Tianyi Zhu would win this year. His beautiful animation is fantastic, but nothing new. The best bit was the beginning with the flowers, but how is THAT ARCHITECTURE.... you see my point. This year marks a change, and a welcome and needed one at that... But next year it seams that there may well be 2 image categories, commercial and non commercial.

forgot to put my number in : 07725986715

Hi Jeff, Im glad you like my rant...! Jonothan and myself will be arriving at 8:15pm local time. Give em a ring around this time and we can meet you for dinner.! if you get my answer machine then i will ring you back once we land (if were at all delayed). We both look forward to meeting you. Paul...!

As the old saying goes, bad news is better than no news. As the author of the 'exploding spaceship' and the other abstract building barnacle I thought I'd put my 2 penny's into this discussion. I am also setting up a company with one of the other nominies discussed in this board Johnathan Gales, whos megalomania images are probably the best images to ever feature in this category. People have said that this kind of work never appears in the gallery. This is simply untrue. I was vis pro of the week twice, and one with a very moody collage piece titled 'elevated brood'. My gallery is a mix of more traditional arch vis and more creative ARCHITECTURAL imigery. The important thing is that they are both SPATIAL, both types of representation are spatially constructed and consider the viewer and the camera. THEY ARE BOTH ARHCHITECTURAL REPRESENTATIONS, Even the exploding spaceship, which yes is a concept image for a film I made in 2010 but still abides by the rules above... The industry is changing, it is becoming far to easy to produce photorealism with certain combinations of software packages. We (and the awards) hit a peak last year with alex romans film, third and the seventh. Many of the projects entered this year were of a similar vein, slow pans and beautifully rendered shots and time lapse's are nice but that cannot win every year. Look at squints film nominations. There are better rendered films for sure but they represent their subject very well and communicably in each project, even with a subtle flare for the abstract. My entry in the film category may also cause a fuss, but you would be brave to say that it is not spatial, as it is inherently spatial and considers the camera and viewer in its construction. It is architecture. All of my image and film nominations were constructed within an architectural framework for my masters IN ARCHITECTURE. I also do these kind of images professionally for clients, architecture based or otherwise. So its not something which exists solely in education. Narrow minded people who live to perpetrate other's who do something different need to look at themselves and re-think what they think they know about our profession. Sure there is a differrence, I work on both kinds of work, but they both have a place. Somehow I doubt we would be having the same conversation if 5 boring yet beutifully rendered house extensions were nominated, with limited 'VARIATION'... Paul Nicholls ............................................................................................................... paul@factoryfifteen.com Director at: FACTORYFIFTEEN

Studio/Institution: PDN Studio Client: self Genre: Other Software: 3ds, vray, krakatoa, thinking particles, ghosttown, pflow, fume fx, realflow Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: Testing technique for my latest film GOLDEN AGE - SOMEWHERE Made using max, vray, pflow, krakatoa, fumefx, realflow, thinking particles. PAUL NICHOLLS --------------------------------------------- WEBSITE: http://www.pauldnicholls.com/ VIMEO: http://vimeo.com/user2515070/videos

Studio/Institution: PDN Studio Client: N/A Genre: Other Software: 3d Max 2011, pflow+box#2+3, thinking particles, fume fx, krakatoa, Vray 2.0, photoshop Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: Some concept images for a film im working on at the moment, these forms were created using particles to drive geometry deformation and are animated as a result...! All rendered including clouds which are procedural. See tests and other short films HERE [ [ SEE PROCEDURAL PARTICLE TESTS HERE: PAUL NICHOLLS -------------------------------------------------- WEBSITE: http://www.pauldnicholls.com/ VIMEO: http://vimeo.com/user2515070

hey great work, could you tell me where you got all your 60's furniture from, im looking for some similar bits. I love the book 'how things work in your home' paul.

Studio/Institution: PDN Studio Client: / Genre: Landscaping Software: 3d Max 2011, Vray 2.0, photoshop Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: A mid poly model made for my latest film im working on...

Studio/Institution: PDN Studio Client: / Genre: Residential Exterior Software: 3d Max 2009, Vray 1.5 Website: http://www.pauldnicholls.com Description: Some re-graded images for a competition a few years ago... The original challenge was to create renders which had no post production, however these images have been graded. The interior isn't quite there but I was happy with the exteriors and overall mood. I have a short test fly-through here (less work on grade): I hope you like it. Paul ------------------------------ http://www.pauldnicholls.com/ http://vimeo.com/user2515070

Thanks John, regarding the shadows i do have spotlights scattered around and there in the same model and the trees, i think the issue is that the lights are slightly below the trees, so they don't cast shadows onto the floor, and in post i have lightened the trees a bit, making it a bit contradictory. One of those classic architect things of wanting to see everything regardless of light physics im afraid. Tempting to render it again for my own purposes but i dont have a spare 3 days to let it render... lol Paul.