Works in Progress

Fish Scales in Zbrush

Koichi Nakai — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:47:39 +0000

Scales Achieved! Didnt use the Match Maker Brush Technique. Match Maker failed to go completely around the fish. Instead I used a Cylinder of Cylinders made in 3ds Max, using the Bend Modifier to bend the patch of Scales into a perfect cylinder. After that, its just a matter of using the Elastic Move Brush to sculpt it into a fish's body.

Zbrush Session 10/24/10 - Oriental Garden

Koichi Nakai — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:29:52 +0000

An exercise on hard surface modelling in Zbrush 4.0.

My Logo

Koichi Nakai — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:16:00 +0000

I've always envisioned my logo to be extravagant with lots of swimming Koi Fish. Here is a Work in progress/concept sketch done in Zbrush. To pull off an animation of this scale, I am most likely going to need to use Houdini. Time to pick up a few training DVDs and begin learning!

The World is a Steam Engine

Koichi Nakai — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:28:00 +0000

high res quicktime file (34 mb)

Synopsis

A steam locomotive takes us on a journey through a steam filled environment. As the train chugs to the beat of the music, a sudden shift in time and space shows this ethereal world in all of its glory. The work as a whole is often viewed as a metaphor to ones passing life. We emerge from the fog, pass through its beauty, and end up somewhere unexpected.

About this Work
The World is a Steam Engine was originally a song I wrote in 2006. I removed the lyrics and turned the song into a short musical animation. The project served as my thesis for New York University's Center for Advanced Digital Application graduate degree program. It took 2 semesters to complete, one semester for previs and the other for production.

I am extremely grateful for this experience and for all of the support from my family, friends, classmates, and professors. This project really was an exercise in troubleshooting, and now that I have it under my belt I look forward to working on more ambitious projects like this in the future.

Demo Reel 2008

Koichi Nakai — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:04:00 +0000

High Res Quicktime File (83 mb)
Resume - PDF

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Koichi Nakai — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Here is my poster image for The World is a Steam Engine.

steam tree

Koichi Nakai — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:01:00 +0000

Ok sorry for not updating for a while. Client work, crazy schedule, yadda yadda yadda...

Ive been working on my technique and I think I nailed it. Attached is a WIP of a tree. There will be many more of where this came from. If anyone is interested in helping make more of these please help! I will be training friends how to make trees like this next week. The more trees the better! When this animation gets played on the big screen, you can brag to all of your friends and say "I made that tree!"

Download the quicktime here: bonzai_looph264.mov - 574kb

Industry crit

Koichi Nakai — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:17:00 +0000

industry crit: pdf 220 KB

Thesis Time

Koichi Nakai — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:19:00 +0000

I spent the majority of my winter break getting myself together and organized for this upcoming thesis project. I built a home studio for recording and visual effects. It will come in handy when all of the computers are taken up at the CADA lab.

Now that I built this bunker in which I will be spending the next three months in, It is time to go through all of my previs work and plow ahead with this steam engine project. "Push the pedal to the metal efficiently" - thats my motto that will get me through the year.

Stay tuned!

Vanessa's Character WIP

Koichi Nakai — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000

I'm helping Vanessa, a fellow CADA thesis student with some character modelling. I started with the head tonight and stayed up till 4 in the morning... time flies when you are Zbrushing.