Cabo Logo

The original Cabo logo was developed by another designer, but when Tim Hansford (owner of cynaps*kreativ) began development of Cabo's materials, there were no files available. A 3D version had been used in previous designs, and the owner liked the look, so it was necessary to recreate, or even better, improve the logo. After re-creating 2D black and color versions of the logo from existing printed materials, the next step was to create the 3D version. For the marlin, star, and CABO letters, paths were rendered and a shape with a rounded end was "attached" or flowed around the paths. The outer parts of the bottom tag line were created and extruded and a chrome texture was applied to everything. The 2D "fill" pieces were created and imported, and a texture map was created with color and a bump map to make the edges inside the outlines, appear raised or reverse-embossed. A photo of the restaurant's bar, with chrome and neon, was used as an environmental reflection map to add reflections in the chrome textures, and this same map has been used within all the 3D illustrations. This 3D logo became an integral part of all materials developed for Cabo over the next few years.

House Restoration

For a project managed by Jeff Gray & Associates, Tim Hansford was contracted to design and layout a brochure and develop a series of illustrations for a restoration services company. To save time and keep the elements consistent, all illustrations were created using layers that could be turned off and on. A pressure-sensitive tablet was used to "hand-render" the art in Painter, utilizing the application's paper textures, and the final file was exported to Photoshop for pre-press.

Cabo Guitar

One of many Cabo 3D illustration projects, this guitar was created to promote "Buckets & Bands" nights at one of the locations. The 2D source pieces were rendered from a fabrication diagram of a Fender guitar, and other reference images found on the Internet were used to create the finishing elements, such as the tuning pegs and output jack. Cabo's signature six-point star element was used throughout the design, on the head, body and control knobs. A color map was created for the body, featuring the Cabo logo, and a signature from the 3D artist, Tim Hansford. A bump map for the chrome pick guard was created featuring Cabo's marlin. A benefit of 3D modeling, the images to the right show how different camera positions and settings can generate various images for multiple uses. View the bucket illustration below.

Earth & Sun

A company's brochure included a statement about their commitment to protecting the environment, and an illustration was needed to help convey that message. An existing model of the earth was found and it's textures adjusted to improve the image. The model also included a surrounding "cloud sphere" and it was improved by adding a subtle aura effect. The sun was created using a simple sphere, but a high "glow" setting and aura and lens flare effects were applied to create a dramatic image. A tiling star image was created for the background and adjusted several times to get the right density. The element positions and effects settings were adjusted several times, and numerous test renderings and adjustments were made to achieve the perfect composition.

Union Pacific Christmas Card

Union Pacific's Washington D.C. office wanted a special Christmas card to send out to all of their local contacts. Staff members composed a special version of "A Christmas Story" where Union Pacific helps Santa save Christmas. Tim Hansford created a series of 11 illustrations to tell the story using Painter and a pressure-sensitive tablet.

To see the complete card see the Print Design page.

LEED U.S. Green Building Council Emblem

This graphic was developed to accompany a company's statement about helping other businesses become LEED compliant. Vectored 2D pieces of the logo, needed to "build" the 3D model, were exported from a PDF found on the Internet. These were imported into a 3D modeling application, extruded, and positioned to create the model. Then texture and reflection maps were selected and applied, and several pre-render tests were performed before rendering the final high-res version.

Fresh Food Illustration

A new restaurant opened that offered fresh home-cooked meals. It served a mix of vegetable and seafood entrées, and this illustration was developed for their Web site and printed materials. Each item was "hand-rendered" separately using a pressure-sensitive tablet in Painter, then imported to layers in Photoshop. They were used together and separately in different designs.

Cabo Beer Bucket

This was the "bucket" part of Cabo's "Bucket & Bands" promotion and was modeled and rendered to go along side the guitar illustration illustration above. A special label was created for the beer, and condensation was created by applying bump maps on the bottles and bucket–meant to add a "refreshing" touch to the illustration.