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Adam Payet
Environment Artist at Rebel Wolves
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Operation Claymore

Operation Claymore - A WW2 commando raid carried out over the area of Lofoten, Norway, aimed to secure and destroy fish oil stockpiles used by the axis to produce high explosives. I took some artistic liberties that served my scene, and fit the art test brief.

This piece was a follow up to a failed art test for an Environment Artist position as I am a strong believer in learning from failure. It was a personal challenge to overcome my own limitations in terms of looking critically at my own work, as well as implementing heavy re-use and optimisation techniques.

The level ended up looking drastically different to the original draft (and what I submitted at the time), but I have grown and learned a lot from the process. I have relied mostly on the kind feedback of:
- fellow artists on polycount https://polycount.com/discussion/comment/2738875#Comment_2738875
- as well as some great pointers from a friend and an amazing artist: https://www.artstation.com/lewislabram

Lighting was inspired by none other than Bob Ross, and his paintings of winter, proving that cold can have warm colours. I chose a low sun position as in my mind snow is always quiet, just like a morning after a terrible night.

Lighting was inspired by none other than Bob Ross, and his paintings of winter, proving that cold can have warm colours. I chose a low sun position as in my mind snow is always quiet, just like a morning after a terrible night.

References for architecture, landscape, and colour palette, also for small assets you'd expect to see in that period and location. I ended up diving a bit heavier into purples and oranges, since those are my favourite sky colours, and they added vibrancy.

References for architecture, landscape, and colour palette, also for small assets you'd expect to see in that period and location. I ended up diving a bit heavier into purples and oranges, since those are my favourite sky colours, and they added vibrancy.

These are all of the unique and modular assets I've made for the scene. Everything made out of wood and/or rope is sampled from one 2k trim sheet. Exception being the red house planks, that was a tileable 2k texture.

These are all of the unique and modular assets I've made for the scene. Everything made out of wood and/or rope is sampled from one 2k trim sheet. Exception being the red house planks, that was a tileable 2k texture.

The trim sheet covered everything from white wood trims on the house, planks and beams in the decking, to the boats, crates with bottles and even tree trunks. There was no metallic in it, so I used the channel to pack decal alphas to it.

The trim sheet covered everything from white wood trims on the house, planks and beams in the decking, to the boats, crates with bottles and even tree trunks. There was no metallic in it, so I used the channel to pack decal alphas to it.

I really like making bottles, so to rest my brain from all the trimming and tiling, I threw them into SP to give them some character and treated them to extra geo for a more interesting close up.

I really like making bottles, so to rest my brain from all the trimming and tiling, I threw them into SP to give them some character and treated them to extra geo for a more interesting close up.

The map and cards were the only other uniquely textured assets in the scene. I was conscious of my original work being poorly optimised in terms of re-usability, so I tried to tile and trim and decal as much as I could before being too plain.

The map and cards were the only other uniquely textured assets in the scene. I was conscious of my original work being poorly optimised in terms of re-usability, so I tried to tile and trim and decal as much as I could before being too plain.

House modules. I decided to split the roof into 2 parts, so I could decide on the height of the building more easily, or add half height extensions if I wanted to expand the scene. White painted wood as well as the steps were sampled from the trim sheet.

House modules. I decided to split the roof into 2 parts, so I could decide on the height of the building more easily, or add half height extensions if I wanted to expand the scene. White painted wood as well as the steps were sampled from the trim sheet.

Decking modules and ropes, sampled entirely from the trim.

Decking modules and ropes, sampled entirely from the trim.

Trim sheet crate

Trim sheet crate

Trim sheet sitting paraphernalia

Trim sheet sitting paraphernalia

Trim sheet boat, boy you can do a lot with a trim sheet.... it's the last one, I promise!

Trim sheet boat, boy you can do a lot with a trim sheet.... it's the last one, I promise!

The four mixer materials I prepared for the scene. I wanted some consistency between the mud type and debris in the trampled snow and mud, as well as grass growth in shingles and mud.

The four mixer materials I prepared for the scene. I wanted some consistency between the mud type and debris in the trampled snow and mud, as well as grass growth in shingles and mud.

Camo net material prepared in substance, I used a basic car net material from source as a base.

Camo net material prepared in substance, I used a basic car net material from source as a base.

First scene block out in blender (part of the art test). The main learning here was that while I had something that made sense specially, it was not designed with a particular angle/composition in mind - also known as a problem.

First scene block out in blender (part of the art test). The main learning here was that while I had something that made sense specially, it was not designed with a particular angle/composition in mind - also known as a problem.

First block outs and modularity tests in UE4. Checking scaling to TPS template.

First block outs and modularity tests in UE4. Checking scaling to TPS template.

One of the "beauty" shots provided for the art test. Very bland and plain, lighting was not a criteria, so I just wanted to show the textures and models as best as I could.

One of the "beauty" shots provided for the art test. Very bland and plain, lighting was not a criteria, so I just wanted to show the textures and models as best as I could.

First attempts at re-framing and refocusing of the scene after I've been told I did not make the cut. I have since ditched the default sky and cheap flat backdrop. And developed a couple of other angles I found interesting.

First attempts at re-framing and refocusing of the scene after I've been told I did not make the cut. I have since ditched the default sky and cheap flat backdrop. And developed a couple of other angles I found interesting.

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