The concept
In this scene, I wanted to subvert the typical “gritty cyberpunk” trope. Usually, these environments are filled with rain-drenched action or heavy machinery; instead, I focused on a moment of domestic stillness. By placing a cat grooming itself at the center of a massive, oppressive industrial alley, the narrative shifts from one of danger to one of quiet resilience.
Technical breakdown
- Atmospheric volumetrics: Used Cycles volume scattering to build layered fog depth and a strong sense of vertical weight.
- Material science: Built wet-surface PBR shaders for the ground to reflect distant light and reinforce central symmetry.
- Lighting strategy: High-contrast backlighting silhouettes cables and pipework, guiding focus to the biological subject in a synthetic space.
- Composition: Vertical framing via hanging wires and tall structures emphasizes scale and isolates the focal point.
Urban Quiet - a still-life moment inside a high-density industrial corridor.
Part of my environmental storytelling series exploring contrast between hard infrastructure and soft, everyday life.