RHYTHM & HUES RELIES ON BODYPAINT 3D FOR 'HULK' FX
The studio is credited with working on 234 shots for the feature film. A team of eight texture artists used BodyPaint 3D primarily to paint and texture The Hulk and his nemesis, The Abomination. The application was also used to paint props and portions of buildings and environments featured in key scenes.
The studio uses a combination of proprietary and off-the-shelf software for its FX work. Sarah Kym, a lead texture painter at Rhythm & Hues, says BodyPaint 3D has numerous tools that helped in executing the project, including its Clone tool, its ability to hide faces to get around tight spots, its multiple cameras, and its layer effects. She also notes the application's extra-large texture map capacity, customizable user interface, Raybrush technology and projection painting.
For the transformation sequence, in which Bruce Banner becomes The Hulk, MIG (Muscle Influence Group) maps were created in BodyPaint 3D, enabling lighters and animators to control the way the muscles rippled under the character's skin. Additional key scenes developed with the help of BodyPaint 3D included The Hulk coming under heavy weapons fire and both The Hulk and The Abomination demolishing vehicles.
The weapons fire scene required painting different types of damage onto The Hulk's body. Crafting the destruction of a Humvee and motorcycle was equally challenging, and BodyPaint 3D handled the textures and maps necessary to paint them in the detail and in 4K resolution.
Rhythm & Hues is currently working on Mummy 3, They Came from Upstairs, The Fast and the Furious 4, and Land of the Lost and is employing BodyPaint 3D on all of these features.