Define, Prototype
Learning goal:
Try to create at least two or three concept art pieces for the environment, that can be used as a portfolio item and to be uploaded on ArtStation, since keeping an active engagement on social media proves to help companies recognize you and helps with making more connections.
At this of the project, the focus is researching and establishing the kind of visuals that will be needed for the final product: simulations or more simple 3D assets.
After a meeting with our client, a conclusion our team and the client came to was to explore different styles for the courtroom, to see what can be interesting and appear most to the client.
As the first step in the process, I started with research on whether there were similar experiences already existing and what they looked like. This research can be found in
The next step at that time was to start brainstorming for different concepts and see what would be feasible. The goal here was to create a product that would both check the client's needs and allow the students in our team to complete their learning goals.
Me and my team decided to create an experience that is not only immersive but also engaging the audience to participate in it. It was important for it to not only appeal visually but also immerse them on a different level, make them think, and more importantly form a discussion. This was an important detail to establish at this step of the project because it also helped when figuring out the needed visuals.
The key findings from this part of the process were that:
experience will be similar to the one in the cinema - chairs for the audience, a big screen with a scene built around it
chairs, however for the experience to be immersive enough, we decided on around 30 people maximum for each time the experience is performed;
if possible the screen to be curved so the audience feels like it is truly participating as a part of the setting;
The same day the other artists came to the idea that it would be interesting to put AI as kind of a center in the theater room. Personally, my inspiration came from a picture of a performance of "Slat Dance" by Oskar Schlemmer in 1920. To me, it appeared as an entity held by cables to the walls around it and gave me the idea that AI can be also portrayed as something similar - "inside" our computers and phones, always there to answer our questions. I imagined the experience happening in a dark room with a projected human-like figure that the audience can have a conversation with. The entity is portrayed high above the ground, with wrists held by cables.
In Fig. 2 it can be seen the development of this process, with reference images and explanatory notes.
Figure 2: First steps of Concept development for courtroom environment. Reference images are from Samurai Jack, Ghost in a Shell, and concept art from ArtStation. There are also cables sketched on the reference image to portray my idea better.
Explaining the concept, my idea was for the AI character to be projected as a hologram in the middle of the room, with exaggerated size, hovering above the ground slightly. Its wrists are going to be held by cables that are connected to screens, surrounding the figure. The audience can have conversations with the AI and for example, if too many people write to the AI the hologram starts appearing red as if mad, or lighting changes. However in this idea it is important to note that displayed this way, as in this concept, the AI appears more captured and submissive rather than evil or taking the world over as the robots in Carl Capek's theater play. This is one reason why this concept might be altered after discussing it with the client.
Figure 3 is a representation of an additional explanation of the current concept. However, the problem with this concept is the limitations for the audience:
A limited amount of computers can be provided, probably max 5
People will have to take turns asking or participating = the audience might lose interest quickly;
Nothing unique except for the visual is being shown since people can also text with ChatGPT from home;
However, this concept provides the opportunity for the audience to feel like they are the ones in charge, similar to the performance by Marina Abramovic, who puts her life and body completely in the hands of strangers, to be used as one wishes. This can be an interesting way to look at the concept, however, it is uncertain if this is an approach the clients will approve of.
Figure 3: A more detailed sketch representing the current idea for AI "captured" by the humans, "talking" with the audience through the screens or the other way around
After feedback from the client and a group discussion with our studio, our team settled on the idea of basing the whole experience around a courtroom, with the audience being judged by the AI entity. Everything will be happening in the future when AI has taken over the world. The audience will have discussions on important questions and will try to save themselves. As for the AI character - it will be portrayed as a statue, representing the judge in this case. The environment is not decided upon, the only note from the client was that a traditional courtroom setting appeals most to them at the moment, however, explorations will be provided later in the document.
My next step in this project was to do some quick research on how the American courtroom looks like, how furniture is positioned and important details that are best to include in the concept later on Figure 4. shows an exploration mood board I made to gain more insight about this type of courtrooms.
Notes:
mostly wood as texture
warm colors
bright ceiling with lamps attached to it;
the panel behind the judge appears different to grab attention perhaps
golden detail on panels
black chairs
wooden floor or carpet finish
Figure 4: Mood board for initial courtroom idea, traditional American style
In Figure 5 some AI-generated images are shown that I was planning to use as a base if our team decides to continue with the current idea. I did not find it necessary to draw an environment concept for this idea, possibly only for different assets. This is why these images can be useful as they more or less show the same thing, but I was able to do quick tests and reach some conclusions based on the generated art.
ceiling can be higher to make the courtroom appear more hostile and open
more windows bring a lot of light into the room - not a great idea if the judge figure will be a hologram
The idea for this concept was to appear both not too hostile but also not calm, more serious so people immerse themself into the experience that they are defending humanity
Figure 5. AI-generated images of American-style courtroom
Next step of the process I decided to focus on what kind of furniture would be placed around the courtroom, and what colors would be adequate for the scene. I presented the options using a witness stand desk as an example. Some of the designs 1-7 are more traditional, while designs such as 8 and 9 appear more modern.
As the client was interested to see what other ideas there might be except for the traditional American courtroom, I made one more mood board, altering the values from one of the previous concepts. The plan was to use cooler, hostile tones and materials such as metal, stone, and dark wood as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. The second mood board including a new idea for a more dark and "cold" environment, more modern perhaps too
Developing this idea, our team decided to try out how a courtroom might look if it was made in a brutalist style. Naturally, the first step for me was to research what are the elements of such type of architecture and make a simple guide that I can follow if we decide on this concept. (Figure 7)
Figure 7: shows a guide on "How to achieve brutalist interior design, key elements, and reference images gathered from ArtStation.
Findings and notes for brutalist interior:
Notes on Achieving Brutalist Style Courtroom Interior for Concept Art:
Brutalist architecture often features raw, unadorned materials. Consider using concrete as the primary material for walls, floors, and prominent surfaces.
Incorporating angular and geometric shapes in the design of furniture, fixtures, and architectural elements.
Experimenting with sharp corners, right angles, and bold, imposing forms to create a sense of strength and solidity.
Opting for harsh, direct lighting to cast dramatic shadows and highlight the texture of concrete surfaces.
Keeping furnishings minimalistic and functional. Choosing simple, utilitarian furniture with clean lines and a lack of unnecessary ornamentation.
Consider built-in elements like benches or integrated seating to maintain a clean and uncluttered aesthetic.
Embracing the texture of raw concrete and exposed materials. and highlighting imperfections and irregularities to add authenticity.
Also adding subtle textures to surfaces, such as concrete imprints or slight variations in finish, to create visual interest.
Exploring the use of large, open spaces and monumental volumes. Avoid unnecessary partitions and opt for an open layout.
Experiment with the verticality of the space, emphasizing height through tall ceilings and vertical design elements.
Sticking to a limited color palette dominated by neutral and earthy tones, emphasizing the natural colors of concrete and steel.
Consider incorporating subtle accents of muted colors, if necessary, to add visual interest without compromising the overall minimalist vibe.
Based on the notes and findings, I experimented some more with AI image generation. It was easy to formulate them using keywords from the notes above. In Figure 8. six different images are generated with DALLE. They served me as a guide for the concepts later in the process.
Figure 8: Six AI-generated concepts of a modern brutalist-style courtroom with dramatic lighting, windows, and no windows at all
To get more familiar with the space I again did some explorations on a separate object, in this case - a futuristic brutalist-style desk design. It was a useful experience to combine different features while exploring these designs. (Figure 9)
The next step was to choose the designs after consulting with the team and developing them further by adding more sketches from different angles. This is always a useful step since it helps me to imagine the object from all angles and have the perfect references.
Figure 9: Futuristic desk exploration sketches; experimenting with simplicity, shapes, possible details, and silhouettes
Figure 10: Sketches from all angles and screenshots from the Houdini 3D model, which is also procedural.
(UPLOAD VIDEO SHOWING PROCEDURALISM TOO)
For the statue part, apart from Niki's concepts I also wanted to explore some ideas - for example in Figure 10. Some different representations of the AI judge are shown. A change of lighting behind the statue's head is also presented. The idea for this concept was to only include Artemida's head, placed in a big stone frame to look more mysterious and scary. Only the mouth and the facial muscles connected to it can be moved. However, together with the team, we decided on rather using at least the head and upper body for the final concepts.
For the character, it was decided to make it appear strong and majestic, awakening respect in the audience. Instead of making the wrists being held by cables, it was decided that the hair could appear like cables, coming from the ceiling.
Figure 11 shows the first concept from the brutalist-style courtroom with color exploration. Personally, the result did not seem suitable for me, the room did not look spacious enough and also I wanted to experiment with adding more furniture. Trying different lighting and making it more saturated and dramatic was a note from my team, so Figures 12 and 13 show how I approached this feedback.
Figure 11: First concept art for courtroom environment with green and purple lighting exploration.
Figure 12. Concept for the second concept, establishing the lighting and scale of the scene as well as the positioning of the judge; 's statue in the space. Hair design is more floating and more cables are coming from the ceiling. Yellowish lighting is also explored, making the room appear more sacred and not so hostile.
In figures 13,14,15 - using the same background I also did some exploration with different statues to represent the judge to see what can be most suitable. Some of them were more detailed than others, and some were photoshopped and drawn on. Posture options were also useful to see since body language can tell a lot about the character of the hologram.
Some testing was done to gather feedback on the different options for the main character.
The test was done with a total of two people outside the project. The participants were explained what the background represents and asked to give one/two words that can represent the judge's image in the three following concepts.
For Figure 13 - Hopefull, holy, brutalist, active, kind
For Figure 14 - passive, owe-inspiring, however in a bad way, hopeless, all-knowing;
For Figure 15 - trustworthy, majestic, brave, active;
Figure 13. Photoshopped image with a cutout from a statue picture.
Figure 14. The character is portrayed as a woman's figure, painted by hand.
Figure 15. Photoshopped image of Artemida's statue.
At this point I was positive I gathered enough information and already did some explorations of 3D modeling in Houdini as well as testing. The plan is to make one final concept of the courtroom scene including all the information gathered up until this moment. This time my process included a base sketch, a value sketch, and a color version of the concept. (Figures 16,17,18)
Figure 16: Initial sketch for final concept with some explanatory notes about planning beforehand to make the 3D model of the desk adjustable, light placing, and simple details on walls.
Figure 17: Value painting of brutalist courtroom environment, based on the sketch in Figure 16.
Figure 18. The final concept for the courtroom with dramatic lighting and colors added.
Overall as a reflection, I am happy with how the concerts turned out. Ai helped me by providing a solid base for me to build upon. I believe I achieved a good result with the image appearing both majestic and without evoking a hopeless feeling in the audience. Lighting also compliments the statue, drawing the eye towards the center of the image.
I wish I had also explored more color variations for the lighting and decorations throughout the room.
Findings: After meeting the client in Oslo, projecting the images on a bigger screen in the center of the theatre, and testing how it looks a change in the concept was made.
The concept appeared more hostile in real -life and decor would be hard to build around this screen in the same style and materials.
In Figures 19 & 20 pictures from the theatre scene with the projected concept can be seen.
images be resized
scene could be brighter, more lights and stronger
the statue is okay as a focal pint
pedestal instead of a desk might be more suitable
Figure 19: Projection of one possible concept for the courtroom.
Figure 20: Projection of the final concept on the screen in the theater.
Conclusion:
A more realistic and American look is what the client decided on. So after these tests, I went back to assembling a quick planning sketch for the new courtroom to use as a guide when modeling.
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