If you’re doing some work with Unreal Engine 4, you’ve probably seen the most recent scene “Kitchen 1930” by Michał Kubas. It’s an incredible project with very vivid, colorful details, wonderful assets and incredible lighting. We’ve contacted Michał and he was kind enough to talk about the production of this scene. Michał has a vast experience in 3d art, having worked on Dying Light, Dead Island: Riptide and Painkiller: Hell and Damnation. He has a lot to share, so we’re incredibly honored to feature some of his advice on our website.

“Kitchen 1930”, UE4 © Michał Kubas, 2015

Introduction

I fell in love with computer graphics at a time, when I got my first 3D computer game „Croc: Legend of the Gobbos”. Back then, when I was around 8 years old. I was pretty sure that every frame is ‘drawn in MSPaint’ and computer was responsible only for choosing between them, depending on a pressed key. However my adventure with graphics has started much later. When I was 17 I got my first paid remote job, which was connected with mobile games. Next step in my career was working in a studio, where I spent 2.5 years.

Presently I work solely as a freelancer. My main activity is creating guns strictly for first person view, although as often I make some props or complex environment elements for games.

For me, environment should be something more than kind of decoration, collection of stuff which tells us where action is placed. Good level can easily give us story, cause feelings, emotions and carry the strong message. Game world is extremely essential, at last we’re talking about VIDEO games.

The Kitchen Environment

“Kitchen 1930”, UE4 © Michał Kubas, 2015

Impulse, which inspired me to create kitchen was a photography of an old fridge. When I decided what I want to make, I’ve started searching movie shots, pictures from catalogues, books, photographs of the reconstruction of the museum etc.

“Kitchen 1930”, UE4 © Michał Kubas, 2015

Design from the thirties contains all the elements which I appreciate and which are in harmony with medium of the video game. All the forms are thick and expressive. It can be noticed in massive hinges or in pumped details. Everything is clear and obvious at first glance. Unnecessary details, requiring close focus, have been omitted.

“Kitchen 1930”, UE4 © Michał Kubas, 2015

During planning of environment, essential is choosing elements which are characteristic. I focused mainly on a furniture (fridge, stove), popular color juxtaposition back in the days and also design of labels. Labels design from the thirties is rather unique, properly reflects visual atmosphere and décor.

Choice of objects with different size gives much more possibilities regarding to presenting and building natural arrangement than in case when we’ve got objects with similar size.

Creation of the Interior