My second assignment was to create 3D Gems Assets of 4 types and render them. The types were Garnet, Lapis, Topaz and the last was Magic Stone. Garnet Lapis and Topaz all used the same model but different colors so it made the task easier.

This was my reference. I analyzed the gems and tried to understand what type of cut the gem was before modeling it. I found that first three used a Hex-cut while the Magic Stone used a mythical style of an Emerald Cut. I modeled out the gems, and figured out that the best results for gems in rendering are through Blender Cycles with the Glass BSDF Material with proper material nodes.

After an agonizing wait for the renders. I was able to progress to compositing the renders in photoshop to get exactly like the reference.

Applications used:

Autodesk Maya, Blender, Adobe Photoshop

Conclusion:

For this assignment, I was nervous but determined to create strong results. It was my first time modeling a gem, using Blender officially, and working with the Glass BSDF material. The project took about three days, including part of my weekend. While my Photoshop skills felt rusty, I received guidance from my supervisor on compositing, which helped refine the final output.