Luxology Modo art.(Portfolio)(Modo 201)

Since the unique 3D modeling software Modo was released in September 2004, digital content creators have been using the software to create a range of images, many of which can be considered CG works of art. According to Brad Peebler, president of Luxology, not long after the software was placed into beta testing, those early Modo 101 users began sharing their images with the company. Now, a year and a half later, a new crop of beta testers--those of Modo 201, which will be released in a few weeks--have once again utilized the tool to produce some amazing 3D imagery, taking advantage of the software's fusion of modeling, painting, and rendering tools that enable the artists to see their results appear fully rendered with shadows, reflections, and complex materials as they work.

The still images, like the artists who created them, represent a wide range of disciplines, including feature films, visual effects, game development, video production, print graphics, product design, visualization, architecture, and scientific viz. The Modo render engine is a hybrid, so it can render with a traditional 3D-style look or use a physically based shading model. As a result, the engine allows for a plethora of aesthetics. "One comment we hear about Modo renders is that they contain certain organic warmth similar to that of capturing light on film," Peebler says.

Presented on these pages are some of the first Modo 201 still images, whose beauty--whether simplistic or complex--makes them digital works of art.

Blackbourn Marbles Created by Michael ...