Model a Soda Can in Cinema 4D

In this series of lessons we will cover a lot of topics to give you a solid understanding of the entire product visualization workflow including:

01. Reference and Inspiration

• Gathering reference and inspiration images and viewing various label designs.  

02. Modeling with Parametric Primitives, Points and Subdivision Surface.

• Creating a project folder to save all your files. 
• Configuring a viewport, importing a reference image and scaling to real-world size
• use a parametric primitive cylinder as the basis of modeling, add height and rotation segments. 
• the use of the make editable function to gain access to points, lines and polygons. 
• Using the point mode for shaping the soda can and loop/path cut tool to add segments as necessary
• Use of the scale tool to resize sections of the model uniformly to match the reference image
• Use of the polygon mode with the inset and extrude functions to model the top and bottom of the can. 
• Use the subdivision surface object to smooth the edges of the can. 

03. Modeling the Pop Top

• Connecting splines
• Use of splines, extrusion and sweep NURBS to to model details. 
• Store selections function

04. Label Design

• Reference gathered inspiration images to create a unique design. 
• Use of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to custom-craft a label with illustrations, text, nutritional information and bar code.

05. Texturing

• Create a label and chrome material.
• Use stored selections to apply different materials to various parts of the soda can model. 

06. Environment and Lighting

• Create a seamless background using a plane, background object and Cinema 4D compositing tag. 
• Create a 3-point light setup with a main light and 2 fill lights. 
• Vary the light color properties for added visual interest. 

07. Cameras and Composition

• Overview of composition and strategies
• Use the the cloner to duplicate soda cans
• Enable camera ‘grid’ to reference the rule of thirds. 
• Enable Depth of Field in rendering settings for added visual impact.

08. Rendering

• Use of Cinema 4D’s Physical Render engine in conjunction with multi-pass layers and object buffers
• Set up final output render settings. 

09. Post-Production

• Adjustments in Adobe Photoshop to enhance the image. 
• Blurs, sharpening, vignettes, adjustment layers, hue/saturation, curves. 

10. Bonus Lessons

• Learn additional composition, modeling and post-production techniques
• MoGraph cloner with random effector 
• Radial and motion blurs and focusing the viewers attention on a specific area of an image
• Use the MoGraph cloner in object mode to create water droplets on the soda can