Three guitar pedals bathing in the sun on the edge of a west coast mountain. Conceptual CGI product photography by commercial photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr.
“All branding, logo design, ad design, creative direction, art direction, CGI photography, retouching, compositing and post-production ©Brian Rodgers Jr. All Rights Rights Reserved. www.digitalartthatrocks.com”
I've worked as a commercial photographer and digital artist specializing in product photography for over 15 years now. A few years back, in an effort to expand my creative capabilities as an artist, I started experimenting with the 3D and CGI product imagery. In this article, I'm highlighting a project that really stands out to me. I created a really cool conceptual series of guitar pedal images. But these aren't just any guitar pedal images. These are beautiful, conceptual products that I developed from the ground up; also known as product development. I created a full product line that includes 3 guitar pedals; a Peach Fuzz pedal, a 51 Roswell Phaser pedal and the Surf's Up Tremolo pedal.
These aren't tangible, physical products just yet. So you might be asking, "Brian, how did you create photos of a product that doesn't yet exist?" The answer; they're actually photo realistic 3D / CGI product renderings. As I discussed in my previous article "Product photography - CGI, Digital Photography or Both?", using CGI to create marketing and advertising imagery for ideation, proof of concept and prototyping is perhaps the strongest use case for using CGI product imagery. Furthermore, this may very well be the most ambitious creative project I've worked on to date. Not only did I have a blast creating this series, I also learned a lot along the way.
This article is twofold. First, I want to take this opportunity showcase a creative, cohesive body of work that I'm really proud of. And two, I want to visually demonstrate the level of creativity and experience that I bring to any product driven advertising campaign.
Through hours of creative exploration, I created a guitar pedal brand from the ground up. This included things like:
Concept Development
Name Development and Strategy
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Logo Design
Product Design & Development - Developing prototypes and mockups. Designing the product's appearance, functionality, and user experience.
3D Modeling
3D Rendering
Post-Production, Compositing & Professional Retouching
Ad Campaign design - Developing advertising layouts
Copy - Writing compelling advertising copy
About The Surtic Sound Guitar Pedal Series
The concept behind this guitar pedal series was to create a cohesive body of work using CGI... a series of creative, music driven product imagery from products that are uniquely mine. I designed each guitar pedal from the ground up, including the branding and written copy associated in each magazine ad. I wanted to incorporate inspiration from the Great American West as visual theme throughout this series. I also wanted to create vibes reminiscent of the 50s & 60s surf guitar era. This series of product imagery is 100% CGI with the exception of the the skies and clouds found in the hero shots; which were derived from actual photographs that I shot and composited into each scene, adding additional realism.
The production of this CGI product photography series started with modeling each guitar pedal to real world scale, creating materials that represented the distressed vintage look I was going for, then incorporating the logo designs and artwork to each pedal. From there, I began building a unique 3D scene around each pedal, setting up virtual cameras and lighting the scene. The process of creating sets, choose the right focal lengths, creating pleasing compositions and professionally lighting each scene involved drawing from my years of experience working as a professional commercial photographer who specializes in product photography. I've learned that having real world photography skills is essential when working in 3D, because these skills directly translate to making much better 3D art.
DOES CGI IMAGERY NEED POST-PRODUCTION & RETOUCHING?
With commercial photography, post-production (i.e. compositing, retouching & finishing services) is a crucial part of the production pipeline. CGI is no different. Post-production also plays an integral role in CGI work as well. Though it’s possible to get nice looking renders out straight out of any given 3D software package, there’s still a lot of work to be done if you want photorealistic results. In this guitar pedal series, once each of these 3D scenes were completed, I rendered out multiple render passes and variations of the scene, specifically for compositing and retouching in Photoshop. This provided ultimate creative control over the final images.
Take notice to the “before” and “after” of the guitar pedal image above. In the “before” image, you’ll see that the colors are washed out, there’s very low contrast and the overall image is a bit dull. That’s what the image looked liked straight out of the render engine. For ultimate flexibility I rendered this image at a bit depth of 32Bit (high dynamic range) in the ACES color space using multiple render passes. The result is very similar to an unprocessed RAW file from a modern day mirrorless camera.
To get the most from this output, it’s absolutely necessary to bring this render into Photoshop for additional processing. You’ll notice that color adjustments have been applied, contrast has been added alongside other creative adjustments. I replaced the rendered sky with a real sky that I photographed using a camera. I also made enhancements to the lighting, added some lens blur effects and sharpening for final output.
Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Guitar Pedal Ad Campaign Case Study
Hero shot of a fuzz guitar pedal standing the middle of a desert next to fuzz ball tumble weeds and a large fuzzy cactus. 3D production visualization by commercial photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr.
Hero Shot #1 - The Fuzzy Desert
The first hero shot visualizes a low perspective of the Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Pedal on dry and hot summer day in the middle of a desert. The pedal appears larger than life establishing its dominance as the main subject in the scene alongside a mountain scape of sand dunes and uniquely shaped cloud formations coasting through the deep blue sky. The pedal is surrounded by fuzz balls acting as tumble weeds and other desert plant life. The varying degrees of size and fuzziness visually represent the wide range of fuzz and tonal capabilities of the guitar pedal.
Right behind the fuzz pedal is a tall fuzzy cactus flexing its muscle in order to reemphasize the pedal's strength and durability while the other arm of the cactus is behind the pedal in a show of support. Each of these objects are strategically placed both near and far throughout the scene in order to accentuate a shallow depth of field. The clouds were actually made from real photographs that I had taken. I experimented with various skies and ended up making use of 3 separate cloud formations which are strategically placed in the scene. Each cloud required advances selection techniques in Photoshop in order to cleanly isolate the clouds from the original images.
Hero Shot #2 - Fuzz Pedal Laying on a Field of Fuzz
The second hero shot that I created for the fuzz pedal visualizes the pedal surrounded by a field of fuzz. I set the virtual camera to a focal length of 80mm to compress the scene a bit, shooting the product at an 3/4 overhead view. The light quality is both soft and warm, which perfectly compliments this predominantly monochromatic hue of the scene.
Fuzz guitar pedal sitting in a field of fuzz. Creative CGI product photography for guitar pedal manufacturers by Brian Rodgers Jr.
The Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Pedal Product Design
The Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz pedal has a design aesthetic reminiscent of classic guitar pedals. It features die cast durability with 3 rotary knobs for volume, tone and fuzz control as well as an octave switch to thicken your tone. This pedal had to look like a "rock n' roll" pedal constructed in an era where things were built to last. So naturally, it had to look like it had been around the world a few times with its warn and rough looking vintage painted metal exterior.
Boutique fuzz guitar pedal magazine ad layout. Hero shot product imagery by commercial photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr.
The Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Pedal Logo Design
The logo is my interpretation of a characterized peach; a slight nod to the classic 7Up Spot from my childhood. I created this logo by starting with a simple primitive circle, then illustrated some some retro sunglasses and a peach leaf mohawk to add that extra bit of rock n' roll attitude.
The Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Pedal Color Harmonies
The pedal itself consists primarily of a complimentary red and green color theme with a touch of muted yellow. While red and green are complimentary colors typically associated with Christmas, I completely avoided the highly saturated red and green hues typically commonly associated with that holiday. Instead, I went for more subtle, muted hues. For the hero shots, I also created a palette of warm, monochromatic desert tones.
The Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz Pedal Print Ad Campaign
They said it couldn’t be done. We said, “go fuzz yourself.” From fuzz to fur, grumble to growl, the Peach Fuzz pedal by Surtic Sound offers the widest range of fuzz tones you'll find in any pedal. Create a sonic soundscape of classic tones from psychedelic fuzz to aggressive modern day overdrive using our unique DSP technology. Use the integrated octave switch to thicken your sound from cuddle to cripple. So whether you’re writing the next desert rock anthem or just looking to create that ripped speaker sound without the ripped speaker, Sahara sized tonal possibilities are just waiting to be discovered.
Guitar pedal advertisement in a guitar magazine.
Studio Shots - The Peach Fuzz Pedal Studio Product Images
In addition to creating hero shots for the fuzz pedal, I also created a series of studio images of the Surtic Sound Peach Fuzz pedal. The CGI studio shots visualize the peach fuzz pedal in a clean studio environment sitting on a muted seamless background, focusing on various angles of the pedal that showcase the design, functionality and materials qualities. CGI allows you to isolate lighting to very specific parts of a product. In this series, I used a combination of soft light and hard light, starting with an HDRI to provide a small amount of ambient lighting, the key light representing more of a bare bulb the created hard shadows and some soft light was added in for some extra fill.
Studio shot of a boutique fuzz guitar pedal with hard light and long shadows. Product photography by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Studio shot of a boutique fuzz guitar pedal with hard light and long shadows. CGI product photography by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Boutique fuzz guitar pedal studio shot with hard light and long shadows. CGI product imagery by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Closeup studio image of a boutique fuzz guitar pedal showcasing custom materials and knobs. CGI Photography by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Closeup studio image of a boutique fuzz guitar pedal showcasing custom materials and knobs. CGI Photography by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Macro closeup studio image of a boutique fuzz guitar pedal showcasing custom materials and knobs with shallow depth of field. CGI product photography by commercial product photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr.
Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Guitar Pedal Advertising Campaign Case Study
Hero shot advertising product image of a tremolo pedal in a beach scene.
Hero Shot #1 - West Coast Summer
This product image is 100% CGI with the exception of the clouds that I photographed and composited into the final image. The concept behind this CGI hero shot was to visualize the Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal in a coastal environment, creating vibes reminiscent of the 50s & 60s surf guitar era. The image is balanced with aesthetically pleasing color harmonies suggestive of decades past.
This hero shot portrays the tremolo pedal front and center, using a shallow depth of field to add visual emphasis on the pedal. In order to create a sense of the suns rays passing through the leaves of nearby palm trees, I relied on the use of gobo lighting to enhance the feel of this outdoor lighting. Multiple variations of this scene were rendered out and composited together in Photoshop to create the final polished look.
Guitar pedal magazine advertisement for print ad campaign.
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal Product Design
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo pedal has a design aesthetic reminiscent of classic guitar pedals. It features die cast durability with relicked paint, 3 rotary knobs for speed, wave and depth.
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal Logo Design
The logo resembles a simplified surf wave contained within a circular shape. The waves are light blue, while the top portion of the circle is orange, representing the sunsets that coastal communities are known for. The side of the pedal has tropical leaves with a hand painted look.
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal Color Harmonies
The pedal itself consists primarily of cooler tones with a hue located somewhere between surf and sea foam. The yellow hand painted wood knobs really pop. For the hero shot, I wanted to continue the west coast theme by creating a palette of warm sand tones representing a west coast summer at the beach.
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal Print Ad Campaign
Headline: An Ocean of Endless Possibilities. The Ad Copy: Surf’s Up Tremolo by Surtic Sound offers classic tones with the modern control of DSP technology. Whether you’re riding an epic wave of Dick Dale proportion, writing space rock anthems or just looking to create some retrospheric waveforms, there’s an ocean of endless tonal possibilities just waiting to be discovered. Branding, creative direction, art direction, CGI photography, post-production & design © Brian Rodgers Jr. All Rights Reserved. Digital Art That Rocks™.
The Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo Pedal Studio Product Images
In addition to creating hero shots for the tremolo guitar pedal, I also created a series of studio images of the Surtic Sound Surf's Up Tremolo pedal. The CGI studio shots visualize the tremolo pedal in a clean studio environment sitting on a muted yellow seamless background. To goal was the showcase this product in a standalone environment to focus more on materials and design.
Studio product image of a boutique tremolo pedal with hard light and long shadows. CGI product rendering by commercial photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Medium closeup of a boutique tremolo pedal in a studio environment with hard light and long shadows. CGI product imagery and commercial retouching by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Medium wide shot of a boutique tremolo pedal in a studio environment showcasing a die cast metal chassis, flip switch and custom speed, depth and wave knobs made from old painted wood.
Closeup studio detail shot of a boutique tremolo guitar pedal showcasing a custom switch. CGI Photography by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Overhead closeup of a boutique tremolo pedal in a studio environment showcasing custom speed, depth and wave knobs made from old painted wood.
Closeup detail shot of a boutique tremolo pedal in a studio environment showcasing a metal switch and custom speed, depth and wave knobs made from old painted wood.
Macro closeup detail shot of a boutique tremolo pedal in a studio environment showcasing a metal switch and custom speed, depth and wave knobs made from old painted wood. 3D product visualization and commercial retouching by commercial product photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Guitar Pedal Case Study
Boutique phaser pedal hero shot with west coast dessert UFO theme. 3D product visualization and cgi rendering by commercial photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr at Digital Art That Rocks.
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Hero Shot - New Mexico UFO Desert Scene
The first hero shot visualizes a low perspective of the Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal on dry and hot summer evening in the middle of a desert. The pedal appears larger than life establishing its dominance in the scene while surrounded by the vastness of desert mountain scapes, rocky terrain and desert plant life. Behind the pedal is a custom modeled UFO that illuminates the desert landscape. I placed strategically placed every 3d object in the scene to accentuate a shallow depth of field and lead the eye toward the pedal. The green light further emphasizes this.
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Design
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser pedal has a design aesthetic reminiscent of classic vintage guitar pedals. It features die cast durability with with speed, mode and depth options controlled by a single rotary knob. This pedal continues the "built to last" look of vintage metal pedals with relicked paint.
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Logo
The logo is my interpretation of a simplified UFO reminiscent space themed designs from the 50's & 60s. After completing the UFO design, I integrated the typographic design into an aesthetically pleasing laser beam.
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Color Harmony
The pedal itself consists primarily of a complimentary purple and green color theme with a touch of blue. The color harmony was really important here. In order to create consistency and cohesiveness throughout this pedal series, I wanted to continue building on the west coast theme from the other Surtic Sound guitar pedal images. I continued this color theme by integrating a palette of warm desert tones inspired by the red rock formations found in New Mexico.
The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Print Ad Campaign
UFO themed phaser pedal magazine advertisement for print ad campaign.
Headline: "Comet Me Bro." Advertising copy: While phaser tones this good remain tight lipped and highly guarded, the 51 Roswell Phaser pedal is far from a conspiracy theory. It's an out of this world guitar pedal that crash landed somewhere in the mountains of New Mexico. We Can't tell you where or we'd loose our jobs. It's made from rare space elements, cosmic stardust and a touch of dark matter. So whether you're writing the next space rock anthem or just looking to create troughs of frequency attenuation in your bedroom, it won't be long before Surtic Sound guitar pedals are invading your entire pedal board. Comet me, bro! Branding, creative direction, art direction, CGI photography, post-production & design © Brian Rodgers Jr. All Rights Reserved. Digital Art That Rocks™.
Studio Shots - The Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser Pedal Studio Product Images
In addition to creating hero shots for the phaser pedal, I also created a series of studio images of the Surtic Sound 51 Roswell Phaser pedal. The CGI studio shots visualize the phaser pedal in a clean studio environment sitting on a muted green seamless background, focusing on various angles of the pedal that showcase the design, functionality and materials qualities. Colored gels were also added to the lights in this studio scene in order to create rim lighting with complimentary accent colors.
Studio product image of a boutique phaser pedal with UFO / space theme. This view showcases the custom branding, design, die cast chassis and features of the pedal.Product rendering by commercial photographer Brian Rodgers Jr.
Medium wide shot of a boutique phaser pedal in a studio environment showcasing a die cast metal chassis, led push buttons, and fabric speed knob.
Medium wide shot of a boutique phaser pedal in a studio environment that highlights custom branding, LED push buttons and a fabric speed knob.
Overhead closeup detail shot of a phaser pedal in a studio environment showcasing LED push buttons and a fabric speed knob. CGI product photography by commercial photographer and digital artist Brian Rodgers Jr.
Macro closeup detail shot of a boutique UFO themed phaser guitar pedal in a studio environment highlighting a custom fabric speed knob.
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