TOOLS USED
- Unreal Engine 5
- Quixel Megascans
- Quixel Mixer
- Davinci Resolve
- PolyHaven HDRi's
- PureRef
This project was a study in rapid composition. Long hours of mesh adjustments and texture tweaking were foregone for more permanent decisions. I put together a small PureRef document and began designing. The below result is a path traced render from Unreal Engine 5, graded in Resolve.
The final render using Unreal Engine 5's Path Tracer.
The first image in this grid is the proof-of-concept for the project. A generic grass asset was scattered in the general positions I had in mind and the base dune mesh is flat, with just a texture applied. The grass was later replaced with a collection of grasses more suited to a beach dune. The two cliff assets, posts, flotation device, and planks were kept for the final design. The second image has the updated grasses. Additionally, the dune mesh has been heavily subdivided and displaced for a more realistic look.
Initial Design
Adjustments
Dusk Design
Dusk Adjustments
Further dusk adjustments
The third through fifth images show a small diversion in looks. This dusk look involved several small scene lamps placed to give the impression of light scattering along the sand and bleeding from over the dunes. This look was fine but ultimately was too far removed from the initial concept.
After a few camera adjustments and a new HDRi, the final composition was landed on. The only differences between these two images and the final render are the slight changes in color grade.
The left has a higher overall brightness and pink pushed into the highlights and mids. The right image has the shadows and mids reduced by around 5-10% and green pushed in the shadows to compensate for the pink highlights.
A grid view of the left, right, top, and unlit perspective views of the scene.
Sand Dunes Meshes
With Props
With Foliage
The above shows the final base meshes by themselves, with the props, and with the foliage.
