Environment Design | Project 1 : Exterior and Landscape Design

21.4.2025 - 27.6.2025 || Week 1 - Week 10
Yong Zhen Xing || 0359473
Environment Design || Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 1 : Exterior and Landscape Design

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Contents

1. Lectures (Links to the Exercises Page)

2. Instructions

3. Exterior and Landscape Design

    Final Outcome

4. Reflection

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Instructions

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Exterior and Landscape Design

In project 1, we are to choose and develop a location/exterior from our own selected game/movie/cartoon. This will be further developed in project 2 as well as our final into a 3D model. The importance of project 1 is to capture the atmosphere and feeling of being in that location. 

My selected game is Split Fiction, a coop game on 2 protagonist with 2 different worlds ; Fantasy and Sci-Fi. As we are to develop a location, I have decided to choose on the fantasy theme as in case like environment design, it plays a stronger role in storytelling.

Firstly, I gathered up as much reference I can get on fantasy structures. These types of structure are also associated with the medieval theme, which is what I would be aiming for. I looked into conceptual sketches as well as real life location to get a better understanding of the feel of the place. Below shows a compilation of moodboard that I have found.

fig 1.1, Moodboard 1 - Fantasy Building Structure (21/5/2025)

fig 1.2, Moodboard 2 - More Fantasy Building Structure (21/5/2025)

fig 1.3, Moodboard 3 - Building Structure Breakdowns (21/5/2025)

fig 1.4, Moodboard 4 - Real Life Medieval Houses References (21/5/2025)

I begin by drawing simple silhouette sketches of the building structures. My aim for this to is to create something interesting yet makes sense to exist in my selected game's world. 

fig 2.1, Silhouette Sketches (21/5/2025)

Afterwards, using the same shape of the silhouettes, I begin sketching simple designs on them making sure to adhere to the medieval/fantasy theme.

fig 2.2, Thumbnail Sketches (28/5/2025)

We then were to create compositions to show the kind of environment we would be working with, I experimented with environments such as jungle, forest and beachside. The compilation below shows the flat painted sketch as well as the value studies (fig 3.1 & 3.2)

fig 3.1, Composition Studies (27/5/2025)

fig 4.1, Value Studies (2/7/2025)

Continuing from the thumbnail sketch, I have decided to expand on one of the designs. After receiving feedback, I need to continue developing it more and make it more interesting because as of now, it lacks character.

fig 5.1, Initial Building Structure (4/6/2025)

The image below shows a more refined and coloured version of my building structure. After receiving feedback, I now have to do a value paint and add a bit more details to really sell the idea.

fig 5.2, Building Structure Refinement (11/6/2025)

The image below shows the rendered version of my structure. I have also added a ground and props surround it to give it more character to the overall structure.

fig 5.3, Value Painting and Adding More Details (7/7/2025)

We also needed to do an ambience study on the structure. So I worked on 3 different ambience, which are morning, night and snowy. I chose snowy as another ambience option as it seems common when it comes to medieval/fantasy structures like this one.

fig 6.1, Ambience Study 1 (7/7/2025)

fig 6.2, Ambience Study 2 (7/7/2025)

fig 6.3, Ambience Study 3 (7/7/2025)

Lastly, we need to do a props breakdown on the structure as well as photobashing. For the photobashing part, I aimed for a more realistic approach to better match the style of the game.

fig 7.1, Exterior Props Breakdown (7/7/2025)

fig 7.2, Photobashing (7/7/2025)

Final Outcome

fig 8.1, Project 1 Final (7/7/2025)

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Reflection

Working on the design of the structure was really difficult at first as I wasn't good at coming up with ideas. But after careful studies and observation of similar structures, it just clicked in my head. When observing similar themed structures, there is a sort of pattern and flow I started to notice. In my case it was the wooden beams and bricked designs. So I then took that and utilized it in my design which in this case turned out great in my opinion!

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My Other Environment Design Work :

Exercises

Project 1 : Exterior and Landscape Design (Current)

Project 2 : Interior and Set Design

Final Project : Complete Environment Design Bible