Sam Hill virtual Lego by James Dick

Jul 7, 2009

James Dick is a mountain biker and 3D artist. He recently decided to combine his skills for both to create some really amazing work. Check out what's possible if you have the talent and inspiration.

All the images you see here are 3D models, and they do not exist in real life.

1. Some info about you relating to the work. What's your day job? What kind of education do you require that helps with this type of work?

My job title is a '3D Artist' I work for a visualisation studio producing computer generated images and animations mainly for the architectural sector, although we also work on other projects including boats and a few other bits and pieces. It involves using 3D software to produce imagery of things that haven't been built or made yet, in order for them to be marketed and sold. You can do university courses specifically on this type of work, but I came from an art background. I studied fine art at uni, my work was mostly photography based. I continued to produce artwork afterwards, having a couple of exhibitions. Although my (mainly self taught) computer software skills allowed me to get a job as a graphic artist, and I kind of moved into 3D, from there.


2. How did you get into this? Were you always into art? Cycling?

I've always been into drawing and art, and studied it at GCSE, A Level and at uni. I got into mountain biking when I was about 11 in the early nineties. After my Mum bought me a mountain bike magazine. It was my main thing until I went to uni, for some reason I gave it up for a few years, bt then got back into it.


3. What bike do you ride? What are your favorite places to rip? What was your first bike?

I've just got a new frame actually, a Cotic Soul, which I've built up with a single chain ring and Pikes. I'm really enjoying it so far. It takes me to work and back and does local xc rides, but is equally happy messing around in the woods on jumps and downhill runs, and the local BMX track. Before that I had an Orange Sub Zero.


My first so called mountain bike was a 'Peugeot Ranger 15 Storm' which I rode at every opportunity. The first good bike I got was a Rock Lobster, which I still have and recently rode it from London to Paris on a charity road ride.

4. What was you inspiration to create the Lego cycling stuff. Why lego? Why did you pick Hill and Fairclough?

Like lots of people I love Lego and think it's the best toy ever invented. So in a spare moment I just thought I'd have a bash at making a minifigure model on the computer. Then I got the idea to make the mountain bike set, and Hill changing to Specialized was in the news at the time so thought I'd do them.


5. What is typically the process for creating this type of stuff? Did you have to create all models from scratch?

I modeled everything from scratch for this project because that was part of the challenge/fun. But I know there are quite a few Lego specific 3D/CAD software packages available, Lego even have their own 3D software you can download from their site.



Once the virtual 3D model was built, I then created the textures for the faces and the kit etc. These were then mapped on to the 3D surfaces in the software. Virtual lights and cameras were then added to the scene, and set up in much the same way as you would in a real photographic studio. The computer then has to 'render' the images to work out all the calculations for the lighting and shadows and depth of field etc. This can take quite a long time depending on the settings and size of the image. Up to an hour or two for some other, more complicated projects.


6. Are you an artist with computer skills or a nerd with art skills? How important is it to be able to have the skills and tools in the tech side of things? When you studied art did you ever think that computers would be such a useful tool? Are they?

Ha ha, I would definitely consider myself more of an artist with computer skills. You have to have the idea before you can make the work, and the idea is the most important bit.

In the world of 3D imagery you do see a lot of images of impossibly big breasted women wielding swords etc., which is ok to a point, but has been done to death. It gives you a vision of some nerdy bloke sitting alone in the dark with his computer for too many hours at a time.


Computers are very clever and very useful, but like most things, including bikes, it's mostly down to the user / rider, rather than the fancy bit of kit they're on.


7. What software do you use in this process? For modeling, rendering, the graphics, etc. What kind of "nerd box" do you use to create all this?

3D Studio Max for modeling and lighting etc.
V-Ray for rendering
Photoshop and Illustrator to create the textures
Photoshop for any post editing (color balance etc.)

I'm not really that into computers themselves, but I know it is quad cored and has 4 gig of ram.

Check out some more of his amazing work at www.jamesdick.co.uk