I´ve always liked to do image retouching. Trying to visualise the impossible and trying to find new ways to do things. I´ve used matte painting, 3D models, Miniatures, cardboard cutouts, you name it.

I have also set my goal some time ago. Some day I would like to do photography and retouching for movieposters, especially for Superhero/action movies. I know this is pretty out there, since there are only a handful of people getting these kind of big jobs, but you have to have dreams that push you better.

Well, last week I decided to try out if Im up to par to do these kind of things. I decided to do some kind of tribute version of some Marvel action movies, and I decided to go with Iron man. I looked trough the posters and found Iron Man 3 poster that just looked awesome.

Reference poster image is here.

I decided to build that image from ground up and see what kind of image I can make during the weekend with the techniques that I have at my disposal. I decided to do my own version out of it, not 1:1 version. Putting my own twist and style into image.

First I looked trough if I can find 3D model of the Iron man suite I could use for this own project, and I found pretty decent 3D model from Blendswap. The model was not rigged or posable so I had to tweak the model quite a bit so I could put the character in a right position. Tweaked some of the materials, and made lightsetup that would be suitable for my needs.

I did the modelling and rendering Blender, and when I got the rendering done I switched to Photoshop. Spend some hours retouching the model, background and the needed effects. I think I ended up with over a 100 layers of bits and pieces. Most of the textures, water, effects I got from cgtextures.com. Only “photo” I took for this project was the characters left fist, and I took it of my own hand with iPhone.

Final touches in Lightroom, and there I had it .. my first Marvel Movie poster done from scratch.

Im really happy the way it turned out .. and this process made me more confident that I will be heading for those big jobs some day.

Believe in your dreams.