Instagram story viewer> @kai__3d> Posts

Kai Uyekawa

@kai__3d

1.5K

followers

609

following

Gnomon
Sharing my art with you. @kaiuyekawa

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Hello Hello! I’d like to share my most recent project “The Silo.” It’s a rough night for this poor farmer. This piece was created for my Dynamics 4 class at @gnomon_school taught by Helen Kwok. Created using SideFX Software’s Houdini and finished in Foundry’s NukeX.

This was my first real step into controllable art directed RBD setup in Houdini which further pushed my technical ability. The more I learn about Houdini the more creative ways I find to approach obstacles and problem solving. This was by far one of the most satisfying learning experiences with simulations. Huge thank you to my mentors Helen Kwok, Eric Araujo and Beau Janzen who have been such huge help through this learning process. Thank you to Nicholas Kapoulas for supporting me and always showing me new creative ways to think. Thank you to all of my friends and classmates who have spent the time with me providing feedback, knowledge and inspiration.

Of course, thank you to my family, my mom, dad and brother for always being in my corner! I wouldn’t be here without you.

The more I do this, the more I love it! I can’t wait to show more of my work and continue working in a community and atmosphere I cherish. It is a privilege and a gift.

Here is to the next one!

Cheers!

Responsible for all aspects except grass and car asset. #houdini #3dart #nukex #noai by @kai__3d

7k

124

2 months ago

I’d like to share with you all my most recent project “Sorrow.” This piece was created for my VFX design class and utilized my procedural Houdini digital asset from my Houdini 4 class. This piece was fully created using @sidefxhoudini and finalized in @foundryteam #Nukex.

My goal was to create a piece that both challenged my technical ability and created a unique pyro effect. Huge thank you to Eric Araujo for providing feedback and helping me break down the behavior of fire that creates an interesting effect. Thank you to Matt Puchala for challenging and pushing my knowledge of Houdini as a software. Finally thank you to all of my amazing classmates and friends who have provided countless hours of feedback, teachings and have inspired me to push my art beyond.

Of course, thank you to my mom and dad for always being in my corner and helping me make this journey a reality. I wouldn’t be here without you.

Big thanks to my brother for helping me out with sound effects and just being the best.

Although I’m a sci-fi nerd till I die, I decided to pivot and source inspiration from dark fantasy with this piece. My love and admiration for movies like Harry Potter and Fantasia really drove a lot of my creative decisions.

Being in the early stages of my artistic journey in this modern age is both truly exciting and nerve wracking. I am surrounded by some of the most talented and inspiring artists I have ever met, while simultaneously having the most cutting edge technology at my finger tips, it all truly makes me feel like the sky is the limit. There is still an air of anxiety surrounding taking my first steps into the creative industry as I aim to balance both meaning and intent with technical prowess within my pieces.

I am gifted with the opportunity and privilege to spend my time working as an artist. I am thankful for these blessings everyday and will continue to express my gratitude by putting my all into everything I create.

I am responsible for all aspects excluding textures, the fence and some grass elements.
#3dart #houdini #nukex #noai by @kai__3d

579

89

5 months ago

Hey everyone, it’s been a while! My newest piece, “Zeus’s Hammer” utilizes all the skills I have accumulated on my creative journey. What started as a class project turned into a great opportunity to push my skills with @sidefxhoudini, and brush up on my knowledge of the @foundryteam NukeX compositing software.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been deeply influenced by science fiction. I can still remember the moment my parents introduced me to Star Wars on VHS tapes. It’s safe to say that my love for sci-fi has only grown since then.

This piece is a nod to the many unique ways artists and writers have depicted the speed of light and space travel. What did it look like? Was it quiet and elegant? Or maybe it was loud and violent. How much energy would be created, and how would that manifest? At the same time, I am early on in my journey into FX and eager to push my skills in everything from simulations to final rendering. My goal is to create a visually striking and original interpretation of what it might look like to warp out of lightspeed.

Drawing inspiration from Dune, Star Wars, Halo, Elite Dangerous, Helldivers, and No Man’s Sky, I set out to learn as much as I could. Working in Houdini 2 gave me a solid foundation, introducing me to Pyro simulations, particle simulations, and RBD dynamics. Suddenly, all the pieces started coming together. Alongside the class, I also designed a spaceship model inspired by Space Goose’s creative take on a can opener, which fit perfectly into my scene.

This project pushed me to dive even deeper into Houdini and fully embrace the learning process. Huge thank you to @gnomon_school, my professors and my classmates who provided support throughout the entire project. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next

#houdini #nukex #3dart #gnomonschool #noai by @kai__3d

272

97

a year ago

Serenity. My Houdini 1 Final. Rendered in Karma.
Thank you to @cgedds for a challenging but satisfying intro to this software! Even though some parts definitely kicked my butt, I was really able to push my learning and I’m happy with the outcome. There’s definitely somethings I will be adding.

Comp > render. by @kai__3d

185

35

a year ago

Just the beginning…

Lighting and rendering 2 by @kai__3d

64

6

a year ago

Lazy Sunday

Lighting and rendering 2 by @kai__3d

83

7

a year ago

Curious little guy…

Lighting and rendering week 6 assignment

Raw render by @kai__3d

64

3

a year ago

An old project but it’s been a while since I’ve updated the gram. This project was a part of the Texturing and modeling club prop jam, we were given 3 hours to create an asset and a render. The prompt was Legos, and this little guy landed me first place! by @kai__3d

89

8

a year ago

TOF Unit-1
.
.
.
From just a quick sketch in the car to a finished animation, this piece has been a beautiful experience of challenges and rewarding emotions. I’m happy that I was not only able to push my creative and technical skills but also bring an original concept to completion. This piece was inspired by my own writings from an original universe that is very near and dear to my heart and it’s been so exciting to get the chance to bring aspects of my story to life. Beginning its journey as only a helmet piece this project evolved to much more. I’m thankful to David Mooy for allowing me to push myself and giving me incredible guidance along the way. The modeling process was quite a battle and taught me many lessons of not only discipline but planning and organization. I owe a huge thanks to gnomon student Jazmin Hernandez for helping me fully flesh out the final character concept. It was exciting to be able to take this piece to the texture phase, and even more so with the help of Tran Ma. Not only did she teach me the technical skills to pull off a good texture job, she gave me invaluable modeling and lighting skills that helped me refine my piece and train my eye. Huge thank you to Brian Lee for phenomenal feedback back and helping me push my lighting even further.

After texturing came the compositing. I wanted to push even further and teach myself nuke, to really understand and break down the finishing process. Thank you to all of my friends and classmates for helping me learn NukeX in such a short amount of time. I am forever grateful to be a part of this beautiful community, surrounded by like minded individuals. This project was a catalyst, opening new doors in my 3d skills and giving me knowledge of the pipeline from start to finish. I am so thankful to Gnomon for providing the softwares and environment for me to push myself like never before. While I could spend forever just tinkering with this project, I am thankful for the journey it led me through. by @kai__3d

195

59

2 years ago

Heart in Hand. My art history 2 final, inspired by the work and personal style of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. by @kai__3d

87

7

2 years ago

Just a bot and his meats🍖 by @kai__3d

73

4

2 years ago

Finally done 🙏🏻, had this song my head so long I made visuals for it. @humantheoryuk. Made for my AVFX and intro to comp class. by @kai__3d

93

20

2 years ago