The Perfect......Sandwich

This month The White Balance have created a fully CGI sarnie!!! are we just peckish for pixels? nope this was for our monthly feature slot in BBC Focus Mag - writer Daniel Bennett reveals the rigorously researched methods of making a sandwich fit for scientists.

Resort of Fire and Water

After a few months of top secret projects (noticeably last post was xmas!) we can finally release one into the world of websites, twitter and blogs. At The White Balance we love a good old show and tell so here we go - Back in early 2010 The White Balance were approached to work along side IDG on a conceptual master planning proposal. The Brief - The Resort of Fire and Water. Pretty exciting times! we produced 6 marketing stills along side a 3 min Full CG animation. The resort comprises of a 350 bedroom 5* hotel, 48 Bedroom Boutique Hotel, Sports Pitches and Watersports Centre. The design of the resort focuses on two of the four elements, fire and water, which are reflected not only in the two wings of the 5* hotel but also across the site with multiple water features and flame pits. The resort aims to indulge its clientele providing relaxation, leisure and conference facilities for the local commercial enterprises.

How we did it?.........Happy Christmas

2009 is coming to a end, and here at the White Balance we wanted to show you how we do what we do! We have broken down the stages we went through to create our 2009 Christmas Card! Enjoy, and we welcome your comments.


When brain storming ideas for this years christmas card we saw this image of a standard light bulb. We kept coming back to the bulbs simplistic form and thought wouldn't it be nice if we could have the shape of a christmas tree glowing inside the bulb! using 3d and post production its possible ...

Stage 01.
First we create the 3D Environment, and model the details on the bulbs.

Stage 02.

Render a Ambient Occlusion Pass. We use this to add realistic grounding in Post Production.

Stage 03.

Next step Texture and light it up! and press Render (sounds so simple doesn't it!) 

Stage 05.

Post Production - We colour grade and add that extra Sparkle.

Stage 06.

Render a depth of field pass. We use this as a mask when we blur the image. This gives the illusion of a Macro lens camera.

Stage 07.

Using the depth of field mask we blur the final image.

Stage 08.

Finally a Happy Christmas and we are done :-)

My lifes a Jigsaw

See the Making of the "Jigsaw". We entered this table in this years Bristol Design Festival. This short film was shown at the festival, as part of the Grafikea competition! Make sure you have the sound on for this! although beware, the tune might be in your head all day!

Sunshine and Podcasts

Last month The White Balance were asked to take part in the new Bristol Media Podcast, the podcast was to be the first in a three part series discussing Business Start-up, Growth and Exit, in association with Business Link

Bristol Media invited five business start ups and six advisers from the world of business to discuss the issues around starting up a business. The Podcast covers everything from coming up with the big idea, business plans, money, marketing, bootstrapping, networking, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Download the podcast here to have a listen as Matt debut's on the airwaves.

We have been busy with a highly anticipated architectural project for the Award winning Dan Brill Architects. Last week we were thrilled to see the project featuring as BD magazines project of the day! The White Balance produced 3 CGI's for the proposed chalk extension. Click here to read about this great little project.

The White Balance are enjoying working closely with BBC Focus Magazine on a series of 3d illustrations. In this months issue see the images we created explaining the new surf reef in Bournemouth, and stealth wind farms. Here's a sneaky peek at a few of the images.

Having just got back from the beautiful island of Kefalonia we are fully recharged and ready for the next few busy weeks here @ The White Balance.

Jam Packed July and a Football or two

I have a spare 20mins so i thought i shall update the old white balance blog! its been a while! Cant believe we are half way through July already! last month was crazy and it seems July has carried on the trend! We have been busy on a couple more illustrations for BBC Focus Magazine (issue released 30th July!)Last week we finished 12 Exhibition stand CGI's for our Paintworks neighbors at Ignition DG, Unfortunately Ignition have whisked the views off to the USA for a series of presentations. Hopefully we can show them off soon!

The White balance entered the Annual Bristol Media 5 aside football tournament last Sunday (12th July)! After some very poor preparation Team White Balance rolled up in matching football shirts (no time to print logos) and a team put together the night before due to injuries and last min drop outs. Oh dear it wasn't looking good for our boys, never kicked a football together and entering a tournament! The guys did good! but not good enough! if it wasn't for those pesky kids! Theres always next year. Here's some lovely photo's of the day by Neil Young.Photography (capturing Team White Balance Versus Team Aardman (Blue) Result 2-2 - Pahhh so what if they have an Oscar!)

Thats all for this month busy busy i better get back to it - what ever it is! just better do it.......

Banksy, Grafikea and Milan

What a month here at the white balance!

Busy busy busy end to May getting everything ready for the Bristol Design Festival. As well as being proud supporters of the festival we were not only exhibiting, but entering 2 entries into the Grafikea competition! big love for the BDF!

The exhibition was on from the 5th - 11th June at the old fire station here in the heart of Bristol. We had a really good response so thanks to all of you who wrote in the comment book and enjoyed the constant supply of MAOAM sweets!
So next up our Grafikea entries! firstly the "jigsaw" inspired by a, well jigsaw. This was a tongue and cheek spin on ikea's famous flat - pack - furniture. my lifes a jigsaw........ tune is now haunting all those poor BDF folk! that was the theme tune to the film we put together of the making of the table. somebody must have liked the film so much they decided to steal the laptop playing it! bad form thief.
Second entry was "tablego" an ikea table with a pixel art splattering of lego. lots of lego, lots of glue, and lots of patience.
Here's a few piccies of the Grafikea tables.

Last week we woke up to find our favourite local artist that pesky Banksy had taken over the Bristol Museum. His largest ever UK exhibition had been unveiled as a top secret plot on the usually conventional museum. At the white balance we are massive Banksy fans - especially our northern leanne! Banksy was actually one the reasons "for" moving to Bristol - some say fan, some might say stalker. As u can imagine we were very excited to get down and see what all the fuss was about! we queued for an hour behind a family in chordory and "explore Bristol maps" - not the expected Banksy fan, but hey who are we to judge! there was a massive turn out of all sorts of art lovers - just shows what diversity Banksy has pulled in!
We were not disappointed! amazing - over 100 new Banksy pieces.
here are a few snaps from the exhibition.....

And Finally we are off to Milan in September for the Italian Grand Prix. Very excited here for a couple of days in the Italian city of culture! bit of art, hint of grand prix bling and maybe a spot of shopping!

Its non stop! work wise we are busy working with our friends at preconstruct on a big architectural project, a couple of illustrations for BBC FOCUS magazine.