Project Overview
This personal project was an exploration into 3D design and animation, created as a way to develop my skills in Blender and expand beyond traditional graphic design.
I followed a Skillshare tutorial to establish a technical foundation, learning core principles such as geometry nodes, surface creation, and building believable environments. From there, I pushed the project further by focusing on animation, camera movement, and atmosphere rather than static modelling alone.
Concept & Animation Approach
To introduce a sense of narrative, I designed the opening shot to slowly zoom in, inspired by the pacing of cinematic opening sequences. I then developed a second camera movement that begins at the centre of the road and gradually pulls outward, revealing the full environment.
Vehicles move through the scene at varying speeds to create depth, rhythm, and a sense of everyday motion, helping the environment feel active rather than staged.
Visual Detail & Atmosphere
To enhance realism, I added street furniture such as benches and lamp posts, alongside considered lighting and shadow work to ground the scene and give it a lived-in quality. These details were important in making the environment feel believable and dynamic, rather than purely technical.
Outcome & Learnings
This project reflects my growing interest in 3D environments, animation, and motion-led storytelling. It allowed me to develop a stronger understanding of Blender’s workflow while experimenting with how camera movement and pacing can be used to guide the viewer through a scene.
