Portfolio - Nathan J. Zeichner

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Nathan J. Zeichner
Before May 10, 2008: 310 S. 36th Street MB 359, Philadelphia, PA 19104
After May 10, 2008: 418 West 51st Street #1, New York, NY 10019
Email: nathanze@verizon.net
Phone: 917-912-4250

Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 with stylus from my own photography Subject: Forest Path Description: This image was for a book of poetry for my digital design class. This image was specifically done to match a poem by Pablo Neruda which uses a metaphor for leaving a forest for losing innocence. I tried to use an impressionist style while designing this image. I wanted to capture the fleeting nature of innocence in quick brush strokes that define the figure and forest, but have an individual nature all their own. I drew using a stylus in photoshop based on photographs I took of a woman in park. The back lighting on the figure was added later.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 with stylus from my own photography Subject: Description: This is another image from the same poetry book project in my digital design class. The style matches the image above in order to keep continuity of style throughout the entire book. I once again wanted to use an impressionist style. I used color and brush strokes to capture the forms rather than lines and shading.
Medium/Application: Digital Photography Subject: Blossom Description: This image comes from my digital design class where we had to take "botanical" pictures. I decided to take a macro image of the flower, trying to get all of the beauty of the veins in the flower. This image gets its power from the stark colors. There is a great constrast between the reds and the yellows that gives the image an eye-catching nature.
Medium/Application: Adobe Illustrator CS3 Subject: Computer Case Design Description: This is an orthographic render of a concept for a computer case. It contains 5 views of the computer case, along with extremely detailed ports on its exterior. The design was an influence between a minimalistic design and the curves of islamic tessalations. The monitor on the left was made for presentation reasons. Everything in the image is made from scratch and no image has been borrowed to create the image.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3, Wings3D, 3D Studio Max Subject: Federation Miranda II class Description: This is a starship design for the mod, Star Trek Armada II: Fleet Operations V3. It is based on a ship design in the Star Trek series. I took the old design and completely redesigned it, while still trying to keep the old design feeling intact. The original model was created in Wings3D, then edited in 3D Studio Max. The texture, alpha and bump maps were created in Adobe Photoshop CS3. This is a render created in 3D Studio Max of the final model. When designing I was limited to a max of 2000 polygons.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3, Wings3D, 3D Studio Max, Star Trek Armada II Subject: Federation Miranda II class, Ingame Screenshot Description: This is the same model as above but an ingame screenshot. This shows what the final model looks like in the game. Hardpoints and glow points have been added to the ship, so that when the ship comes in contact with other objects in the game, the glows and lights on the ship will affect other objects. The hardpoints are used for the game to recognize where to have weapons and vital areas on the ship. See above for a description of the ship itself.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: Tarken Network of Stars Description: This is a poster design I came up with for a group of novels I am in the midst of writing. This design influences many of my other pieces. It is all made in Photoshop CS3 from scratch. I use the render clouds filter to get random forms and use those to sculpt out images. I then use adjustments and color affects to create the atmosphere I find is best with starscapes. I then used a simple design logo and type face to title the piece.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: Ringed Planet Description: This is one of my many starscapes that I have designed in photoshop. I use the clouds filter to get forms for nebulas. Then I use the pen tool to sculpt out shapes of planets and rings. I then rasterize the vector images and use adjustments and brush affects to bring out details. All elements in this image are created from scratch and have not been taken from other images. There is a certain feeling that star gazing makes people feel, I like to try to catch that wonderment and imagination and put it into my starscapes.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: Vortex Description: This is another one of my many starscapes that I have designed in photoshop. I use the clouds filter to get forms for nebulas. Then I use the pen tool to sculpt out shapes of planets and rings. I then rasterize the vector images and use adjustments and brush affects to bring out details. All elements in this image are created from scratch and have not been taken from other images. There is a certain feeling that star gazing makes people feel, I like to try to catch that wonderment and imagination and put it into my starscapes.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: OrigamiUSA 2007 Collection Cover Description: This is the cover I designed for the OrigamiUSA 2007 Collection. I was limited to two colors. I decided to go with black and a very icy blue. I wanted to bring my starscapes into the cover and transfer that style I had been using. I decided to bring the folding sequence of the iconic paper crane into the design. Unlike my other starscapes, I decided to bring in the landscape below it. I added glows to each of the steps to make them stand out on the paper.
Medium/Application: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: OrigamiUSA 2007 Collection Back Cover Description: This is the back cover I designed for the OrigamiUSA 2007 Collection. The back cover had to be related to the front cover in some way. I kept the same moon on the back and the front to give it some kind of continuity. But I removed the group in favor for a dark gradient. I decided to take the idea of a crane in the sky and apply it to a constellation. I kept the crane, and used stars create it in the sky. I drew very faint lines to connect the outline of the crane in order for people to understand the image better.
Medium/Application: Wings3D, 3D Studio Max Subject: Gothic Architecture Description: I decided to model a building with gothic style architecture. I built it in Wings3D and lit and rendered in 3D Studio max. Rather than make this model for a game, I wanted to try something that didn't have polygon restrictions. It has not been textured since all the details have not been added yet. I've always had an interest in architecture, and I wanted to make something outside things for video game modeling. I was also interested in gothic styles that tried to reach towards the heavens.
Medium/Application: Wings3D, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Subject: Surprise Attack Description: This image contains two models, both modeled in Wings3D and edited, uv unwraped, and rendered in 3D studio Max. The yellow ship is a cardassian ship designed based on a ship from the television show, Star Trek. The ship is done similar, but with lower polygons. The second ship is based on Romulan designs, but is an original design. Each one has a texture and an alpha texture. Glows were applied in 3d Studio Max and then rendered. After that a background was applied, along with some adjustments done in Photoshop.
Medium/Application: FreeHand Subject: Origami Wolf Diagrams Description: I had created an original origami model of a wolf. I then created instructions on how to create this model called diagrams. I created them in Freehand, a vector based program that is good for created origami diagrams. Dotted lines indicate a valley fold, or a fold inward. Dashed lines indicate a mountain fold, or a fold outward. The model can be made out of a square piece of paper, I recommend at least a 10x10 inch piece of paper. I also recommend using foil paper. Clicking on the image on the right will open or download the pdf instructions.