I developed the project from the first sketches to the final animation, handling the assets, rigging, animation, lighting, FX and compositing. I wanted the truck to feel like a toy that had spent a full afternoon on a dirt track: colourful, dusty and a little battered.

Real RC trucks helped me establish the proportions and mechanical details. Racing graphics, toys and pigeon references informed the character of the design. In the sketches, I worked out the truck’s silhouette and how the pigeon would sit on top.

I modelled the suspension, wheels and exposed mechanical parts with the close shots in mind. The chunky tyres and compact body establish the truck’s proportions, while the smaller parts underneath give it the detail of a real RC vehicle.

I combined bright racing graphics with worn paint, dirt and scratches, and tried alternative liveries to give the same model different personalities. I also built the ground material in Substance Designer, including the surface detail and tyre tracks.

I went for warm afternoon light, with strong shadows across the track. The main challenge was keeping the truck and pigeon readable against the busy background without losing that sunlit feel.

I created the dust effects to support the truck’s movement and connect it to the track. In compositing, I integrated the effects and adjusted colour and contrast across the shots. I also edited and assembled the audio for the final animation.

I rigged both the truck and the pigeon for the final shots, preparing the controls needed to animate them together. The tests below show the range of movement and how the setup responds before animation.

Credits

Project:Personal Project Role:Concept · 3D Generalist Responsibilities:Concept, modelling, rigging, texturing, look development, animation, lighting, FX, rendering, compositing and audio editing.