Photorealism - How real is Photoreal?
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One of our more popular illustration styles has been photorealism. We create photoreal illustration through the judicious mix of 3d, 2d and natural media painting techniques. But before we go any further, this subject is begging the question - Why photoreal illustrations when you have photography?

Thats a pretty good question really. In the age of Flickr, Google web albums and Morguefile why do you need photoreal art. Isn't it easier to shoot and then photomanipulate? Why simulate realism?

Costs of shooting a product

First, there are simple practical reasons. Like the Yamaha job where the photoshoot (with a product the size of a grand piano) is bound to cost a packet. Through 3d modelling and lighting we are able to do pretty much the same thing through 3d graphics. It's also easier to change the lighting on the fly and make changes.

The flexibility in 3d is very helpful. For example consider the role of 'negative ights'. N-lights suck up light in the surrounding region and it's perfect if I have too much, say fill-light in the scene.

Inaccessible technology

How about if you needed a shot from an Scanning Electron Microscope (S.E.M) ? Sure, you can eventually find one to shoot with, but it's a lot easier to just simulate it in 3d. This image is a highly magnified section of human bone. We copied the primary aspects such as texture, focal issues, and lighting and created our own image. Modern 3d software easily simulate S.E.M effects. 

Hard-to-find Props and rare artefacts

Imagine having to hunt through Corbis, Masterile or suchlike for a rare African Dan Mask because your whole campaign hinges on it. Perhaps you even have to make changes or allowances to the concept because you didn't find the exact shot that you need. A photoreal illustration is a huge help in cases like these. Our rigorous research ensures that the final image is authentic in terms of size, texture, material and structure. 

The Human Body

This is the final bastion of phtography. Photorealistic and believable people are the most difficult to illustrate by far. The uncanny valley tries to explain the problem. Nevertheless, there are still certain areas where graphics beat photography. We worked on a series of large format limited edition prints for Rockfish. The theme was Irrezumi - Japanese body art. We used technology such as sub-surface-scattering to realistically scatter light across delicate skin. We also cheated on the models, bumping up a pelvis here, shrinking a shoulder there... to suit the shots.This gives us a huge amount of flexibility over real-life models.

Product Visualisation

What if the product itself doesn't exist? Photoreal illustrations are perfect for quick comprehensives when you developing packaging or even for quick campaign mockups. Of course our quality is very high, so you can use it in lieu of the actual product shot itself. Here are a couple of calf-leather handbags we created for a client. On finalisation, the bags get prototyped. The savings are huge.

Architects have been using visualisation for years! Here are some of our own...

Natural elements

Sometimes you need an environment that just isn't available locally. While it's happier to pack bags and shoot on the alps, our illustrators can actually do a pretty good job. We build everything from environments, flora and fauna to landmarks.

Ewww? Imagine yourself running after roaches when you have a tight deadline. Alternatively, we could just build you one.

Our photorealistic work is a result of good research and common sense. For example half the battle in photorealism is POV. The point of View from which we see an object in everyday life. Then there is lighting which has to be replicated meticulously. The material and texture is perhaps the most difficult part (Regardless of whether it's a 3d or 2d technique) and people spot even the smallest mistake very quickly.

If you have a requirement for a photoreal illustration, do call us. We enjoy a good challenge.