Step-by-Step Guide on Creating a Pile of Photorealistic Used Erasers

Introduction

My name is Erik Scotti, and I am a 3D Artist. I first became interested in graphic design around 2015, when I was about 14 or 15 years old, starting with simple text animations using Cinema 4D and After Effects. Over time, my passion for 3D art, especially photorealism, grew significantly, and I began to focus more on this area, teaching myself and working on personal projects.

About the Erasers Project

I was starting some personal projects, one of which focused specifically on a pencil. At first, I didn’t plan on creating a series of school-related objects. I had modeled this pencil some time ago, and it felt like a waste not to do something with it. So, I developed that pencil into a full project, and I was really pleased with the outcome — both in terms of the style and the overall result.

One day at home, I picked up an eraser, and that’s when I had the idea: “This could be the next part of a mini-series on school supplies.” I used a white eraser I had at home as the reference to start. For the other two erasers — the green and blue ones — I collected various references to better understand how different materials behave under different lighting conditions. This helped me achieve the realism and detail I was aiming for in the project.

Modeling

For the modeling process, I start by creating a basic low-poly model on 3ds Max, which I then bring into ZBrush to add various imperfections by sculpting, making it look more realistic. Normally, after working in ZBrush, it’s recommended to go through a retopology process to make the model more manageable, especially for UV mapping and other optimizations.

However, for this project, I had a specific goal that didn’t require retopology. Since the low-poly model had a geometry that worked for me, I unwrapped the UVs before importing them into ZBrush. This allowed the UVs to remain intact on the sculpted version, where I focused on adding details and imperfections to make the mesh as realistic as possible.

Once I was satisfied with the final result, I exported the erasers with fewer subdivisions than what I used in ZBrush for adding detail. I brought the models back into 3ds Max and simply unfolded the UVs, rotating and adjusting them as needed. Since the geometry and UVs were already done, it was a straightforward process. I also exported the high-poly versions of the erasers to use in Substance 3D Painter for baking the details onto the low-poly versions, and that’s where I began working on the materials.

Materials & Rendering

For the eraser materials, I started with a basic shader to mimic the look of actual erasers and then added wear and tear to make them look used, as you would see in real life. This included details like worn corners, darkened edges from erasing pencil marks, and little imperfections, such as a pencil mark doodled on the eraser during a moment of boredom. I aimed to tell a story through the textures, adding life to the object with small realistic details. This approach to texturing — bringing realism to 3D models by considering what could happen to an object in real life — was advice I received from Silvia Mingolla, one of my instructors at BigRock. It changed the way I see and approach realism in 3D art.

Next, I moved to Cinema 4D to set up a simple scene. I used an HDRI and two lights: one on the right for the rim light and one on the left, which served as both a rim and a fill light. The HDRI handled the overall lighting, and I placed a white plane underneath to soften any overly strong shadows, adjusting the material color to control their intensity. I cloned the three types of erasers to create a pile and used a rigid body tag on the cloner to simulate them interacting with each other. By tweaking the following position and rotation parameters, the erasers moved and stacked naturally in the simulation, creating the effect I was aiming for. In some cases, I also used a force field or spherical modifier to push them toward the center.

I chose Cinema 4D because it’s incredibly efficient for motion design and animation-related tasks. It’s also special to me because it’s the program I first used when I entered the world of 3D as a kid, and almost 10 years later, it’s great to come back to it.

Lastly, I used Redshift as my renderer, and its seamless integration with Cinema 4D made the entire rendering process smooth, delivering results I was really pleased with. During post-production, I experimented with Redshift’s LUTs to find the right mood, and since I had planned a series of school-related objects (including a previous pencil project), I opted for the same LUT that worked well for the pencils, achieving a consistent and pleasing mood. I also added a bit of bloom for a soft glow and used a background gradient that transitioned from light at the top to darker shades at the bottom, effectively framing the scene.

Summary

I didn’t take long to finish the project, as my goal was minimalistic and focused on the assets themselves. The main challenges were sculpting the right details where needed and creating imperfections. For example, in the blue eraser, I made it appear slightly recessed, mimicking how it would look in reality. This involved crumpling the plastic mesh in that area, which helped achieve a more realistic look, especially with the reflections. In the green eraser, I added curves to replicate the dust that gathers around it after use, emphasizing the wear that comes with erasing.

Another significant challenge was working with shaders and materials, particularly with subsurface scattering and texturing. Although the objects are simple, they require precise details. It’s essential to know exactly where to focus your efforts and how much detail to add to avoid overdoing or underdoing it. There were times when I wasn’t satisfied with the results, so I would return to Substance 3D Painter to make adjustments before heading back to Cinema 4D.

What I enjoyed most was the process of storytelling through the assets. I aimed to convey the journey of each eraser, from its initial creation to how it has been used over time. The erasers aren’t excessively worn but show subtle signs of use, maintaining consistency with the pencil project. One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of having fun with your work. Enjoying what you create is crucial.

When creating realistic assets, it’s essential to tell the story of the object — how it was manufactured and the wear it has experienced. If you’re struggling with materials or modeling, don’t hesitate to seek feedback and critiques, as they can provide valuable insights on what you need to improve. If you’re facing challenges with texturing, find online objects to texture in your chosen software until you’re satisfied with the results. For modeling issues, push yourself to sculpt in ZBrush and see how much detail can transform your base model.

I highly recommend checking out the Adobe Substance 3D channel, as well as tutorials by Arvid Schneider and Greyscale Gorilla. Another standout tutorial is “Substance Painter: Pushing Your Texturing Further” by Jason Ord, which I found particularly insightful and would encourage everyone to watch. You can also find a wealth of tutorials on ArtStation that can help enhance your skills further.

I would like to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to share my journey and creative process as a 3D Artist. It has been a pleasure discussing my work, and I hope that my experiences and insights have been helpful. I’m always excited to push the boundaries of 3D art and continue exploring new creative possibilities. Thank you once again for your time and consideration.

Erik Scotti, 3D Artist

Interview conducted by Amber Rutherford