Critical Analysis

Tomáš Březík – Japanese Shrine Link

“I was recently very fascinated by Japanese architecture. After looking back at the last ArtStation challenge I got really inspired to create an environment with the Japanese theme. I started with a concept by Mengxuan Li. After doing the block out of the main palace I decided to place a small shrine behind it and got very fascinated with it. I decided to get rid of the big palace and only use the small shrine to make a peaceful sanctuary in the woods. I really enjoyed working on this project and fell in love with Japanese architecture.” –  (Březík, 2019)

I have previously researched this project in my Level 2 studies. This case study has inspired a lot of my artistic intentions for my project. I remember seeing this last year and I loved the work and aesthetic. I want my work to inspire others, as this inspired me, therefore it is fitting that I include this into my research.

What it is?

Student Tomáš Březík created a scene in UE4 inspired by Japanese architecture and nature. This beautiful scene was created in his free time, as he wanted to challenge himself and create something based on his interests and fascinations.

This scene is truly stunning, the use of lighting, architecture, and natural assets provides so much depth, creating a mystical and enchanting aesthetic. The artist thoroughly demonstrates the technical and artistic process of his work and how he achieved the final result.

Style and Inspirations

The artist has shown in his work a passion for outdoor landscape level design in Unreal. He builds beautiful outdoor scenes, which usually contain natural elements such as lakes, trees, paths, and an architectural element. He has made two levels in Unreal based on Japanese architecture and inspired by Japanese concept artwork. He made the project Samurai’s Path which reflects a similar Asian inspired theme. The artist has a very high standard of quality and all of his work looks extremely crisp and professional.

Technical Point of View

The artist demonstrates a strong use of technical skills to reach the final artifact. Such skills include; producing clean and effective cinematic sequences, photographic composition, and creating depth in the high rendered screenshots. 3D Asset generation such as 3D modeling, texturing, and positioning in the scene. Creating an atmosphere in Unreal and using post-processing effects and lighting the scene to complement assets. The artist is strongly experienced in building landscapes and scenes in this software, showing a high level of the required technical skills required for my project.

(Figure 1): https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/023/327/808/original/tomas-brezik-webp-net-gifmaker.gif?1578859387

Artistic Point of View

From an artistic point of view, this artifact is beautiful. The complementary lighting, elements, and effects bring the scene together, from the choice of architecture to the selection of trees. The cherry blossom tree is an effective touch in adding color to the scene, as well as contrasting with the traditional colors of nature and greenery. The warm lighting of the sun hits the temple in a soft way, creating an attractive shadow and level of depth to the architecture. The scene is both magical and realistic at the same time. The positioning and level of detail in certain assets make the scene look real, yet the picturesque setting it creates connotates with a mystical oriental forest that would appear in a game or animated film.

(Figure 2): https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/023/327/886/large/tomas-brezik-14.jpg?1578859526

How does it inspire me?

Both the artistic and technical aspects of this artifact stand out to me, therefore being my main inspiration. When I saw this project, I instantly fell in love with it and wanted to create something like this myself. This piece of work strongly impacted me and gave me a sense of excitement to build a scene in Unreal. The thing that inspired me the most is the peaceful and pleasant emotions that came alongside watching the cinematic video. The visuals and soothing audio created a sense of comfort and relaxation. Therefore creating a digital meditation space.

What is the relevance to me?

This artifact relates to my skill area and focus, being the Unreal Engine and scene/ level building. My main intention is to produce a digital meditation space, therefore I will use this as an example of the final result.