CGI & Digital Artistry: A Dynamic Duo

Popcorn & movies. Baseball & Cracker Jacks. Batman & Robin. As a collective, not many would argue that these independent things paired together simply just make sense. Like these classic duos, CGI also has a complementary partner in (non)crime that makes complete sense: Digital Artistry. Let us show you what we mean.

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) is so technically perfect, that it doesn’t always reflect what we see in real life. Often, this leaves people with the feeling that something isn’t quite right with the image or medium they’re viewing. The visual may look a bit “off” due to a shadow oddity, or perhaps a surface is a little too shiny compared to what it would look like in real life. Natural distortions happen with lighting, angles, etc., that are not usually present in CGI renderings. To make up for this lack of authenticity and remove any doubts about the validity of a computer-generated image is where CGI’s perfect complement of digital artistry comes into play.

How Can CGI + Digital Artistry Impact Your Brand’s Visual Assets?

The talented digital artists at Kalman & Pabst have collaborated with national brands in many different industries to create beautiful digitally enhanced assets. So, instead of just talking about how your brand team can tap into our artists for premium content, we’ll show you some impactful examples of projects we’ve done for our clients in the past.

Compositing Photographed Lifestyle Elements Into Pre-Existing Computer-generated Images

Another skill our digital artists have mastered is the art of compositing photographed lifestyle elements into pre-existing CG images. One of our clients, Hansgrohe, asked us to add lifestyle into an existing CGI room scene our team created for them during a previous project.

To do this, our team first replicated the set-up of the CGI kitchen and photographed the model who would ultimately be in the final image. Then, our digital artists inserted the visual elements of the model into the existing CG image, creating the following composite.

Compositing CGI Assets Into Pre-Existing Photographs

Uno-reverse the previous example, and you’ll see that brands sometimes require compositing CGI elements into existing photographs. Due to the appliances not being physically present for a client photoshoot, our CGI specialists digitally modeled a washing machine using the CAD files from the client. Then, our digital artists composited the computer-generated image into the scene as if it was there during the actual photoshoot.

L’or de Seraphine CGI Candles + Packaging

Using a combination of CGI and digital artistry, our team created a series of photorealistic L'or de Seraphine candles and their respective packaging before the products existed. To achieve this, our CGI artists used the CAD files (product blueprint) of the candles and packaging provided by the client to model accurate builds of the products. Then, using the die-lines, our artists digitally manipulated the label artwork, “wrapping” it around the candles and packaging to produce the final image transformations below.

Post-Production Change-Outs

Sometimes, clients need to create multiple assets that are similar in style yet have subtle differences--like showcasing the same CGI kitchen in different ways with the key changes being that each kitchen features different finishes on light fixtures & hardware. This is exactly what Hansgrohe needed for this particular project. Our team of digital artists was able to swap out the different types of hardware and ultimately accomplish the needs of the client. Talk about efficiencies!

Digital Artists Are The Secret Weapon To Photorealistic CGI

Digital artists are the secret weapon and key component behind making your brand’s CGI look photorealistic. They pull back the technically perfect image and add the realistic flaws that appear in real life. For example, a digital artist will add imperfections like tiny scratches or nicks on a car door, a wrinkle in a rug, or a scuff on a doorknob. They also account for how light reflects off of different materials and surfaces. The result is an image that looks like it exists in the real world instead of an alternate reality where everything is too polished.

Digital Artists Create Efficiencies

Digital artists allow your brand’s audience to spend more time focused on your product and its benefits and less time contemplating why an image of your product may look “weird.” Additionally, digital artists are a great asset to have when creating efficiencies. Once they get their hands on a freshly rendered image, they add in these extra touches of realism that CGI can achieve but would take longer to complete in the program. In short, it’s all about using the right tool for the job and creating time & cost efficiencies.

Couple computer-generated imagery with digital artistry, and you have one heck of a dynamic duo that can take your brand’s visuals to the next level.

In short, digital artists can pack a one-two punch when combined with CGI. With decades of experience between KP’s two seasoned digital artists, we’re confident we have what it takes to offer a creative solution to your visual communication needs and produce the highest quality imagery around.

Have questions? Send us a note! We’d love to learn more about your project needs and share how we can make your job easier and you successful.