Barber Shop

Barber Shop Building

This project was created with the help of Yanli Truong (ArtStation), and I would like to thank her for all the incredible work she contributed.

Our goal was to design a Barber Shop in the Art Deco style, and for me, this was my first environment project.

It was an amazing journey that began with planning our approach, researching color palettes, gathering asset inspiration, white-box blocking, and ultimately bringing everything together in Unreal Engine.

Using Unreal Engine to set up the entire scene, from the initial stage to the final look, taught me to be more systematic with asset management, including proper naming of assets, files, textures, and materials. I also learned to be more efficient by using material instances instead of creating a new material for each asset.

I figured out how to:

Create transparent materials
Incorporate dust particles
Experiment with smoke effects (I attempted to add smoke for the cigar; while functional, it didn’t work visually, so I decided to leave it out)

In addition to my experience with Unreal Engine, I created my first semi-complex material in Adobe Substance Designer, which I applied to the floor.

If I were to start this project again, I would focus on learning how to use modular assets and trim sheets for the walls, floor, and possibly the ceiling.

Finally, I’d like to acknowledge Edward Hopper, the American painter and graphic artist, from whom I borrowed two canvases for this project:
Manhattan Bridge – https://whitney.org/exhibitions/edward-hopper-new-york
&
Early Sunday Morning – https://whitney.org/collection/works/46345