Mocco

Totally pointless, but kinda cool looking 3d images with light streaks coming out of the wazoo, that make little or no sense.

About "Pointless"

I've always been impressed with the Photoshop skills of graphic designers Jens Karlsson & James Widegren. I'm referring to their skillfully cut together composite images containing 3d shapes and light streaks. I've found these images intriguing, impressive: how were they put together? As for the actual content of these types of images, I never gave them much thought. In fact, I always found them to be utterly pointless.

Perfect for Noscope.

So for April, I decided to explore how this was done, using what Photoshop knowledge I have accumulated over my 4 years of doing Noscope. The recipe was this:

1. Extrapolate flat 3d shapes in a 3d app
2. Add a light additive material
3. Render as best possible
4. Add colours and gradients in Photoshop
5. Grab a lumakey such as a picture of smoke, and use that as a channel in Photoshop
6. Use that channel as selection, and scale the smoke to fit as though it was light

Ultimately, I only made 1 picture. The big secret (except for using lumakeys, which I'll probably go in to at another time), is to spend A LOT of time just painting and nudging. This was time I didn't have this month. So I made one picture, and tinted it in 5 colours.

Yeah, so sue me. Atleast you can now pick your favourite and do some colour psychology:

• If you pick #1, you're the serious type.
• Number 2 is for energetic people who might like money and/or just sunlight
• Number 3 gets picked by people who like to relax and/or need to
• 4 is kinda like 2, but less
• If you pick #5, you're the passionate type

Yep, I learned that in school.

Now that April is launched, I'm going to celebrate. Noscope works again (including photography) and best of all, spring is here!

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