Behind the scenes with Krisztina Wagner

Geometrical Cityscape by Krisztina Wagner.

One of the most gratifying parts of working in the creative industry is being able to engage with artists that are leveraging Adobe content and tools to create unique works. In this Behind the Scenes article, we took time to connect with Krisztina Wagner to learn more about her artistic process when creating this stunning cityscape with Dimension, Illustrator, and Adobe Stock 3D.

Krisztina started her educational studies as a communication’s major but followed her creative calling and switched to graphic design. While working as a design intern, Krisztina discovered 3D and was instantly hooked. After being introduced to Dimension by a colleague, Krisztina started to explore and create more work in 3D, sharing insights, learnings, and ideas with other designers. As Krisztina became more immersed in the 3D space, she began to discover interesting artistic possibilities, pushing her creativity to a new level.

We had a chance to catch up with Krisztina this week about her Geometrical Cityscape and discuss a few of the strategies she used to make this one-of-a-kind scene.

Tip 1: Finding the perfect color palette

A color palette as identified by Adobe Color.

One of the most important parts of any artistic endeavor is finding the right color palette. To make this more complex, for 3D, colors can vary from the original concept and are often heavily dependent on the materials and lighting used in the scene. For Krisztina, her first step in locating the perfect palette is to explore art-sharing sites like Behance or others. Seeing the work of other artists helps Krisztina to identify common themes, trends, and color schemes that are eye-catching and relevant within the broader creative community.

Another strategy Krisztina uses is to leverage a site like Adobe Color. Not only can she explore trending color palettes by industry, such as fashion or graphic design, but she can use the built-in tools to find the right palette based on a specific image. Regardless of how the best colors are discovered, Krisztina always recommends testing them in 3D before committing to the final palette.

Tip 2: Leveraging depth of field

Changing focus properties in Dimension.

One of the Dimension properties that Krisztina used in this scene was Focus, creating a depth of field effect. By strategically placing her assets around the center of the composition and increasing the depth of field to create a blur effect, Krisztina was able to create a central focal point to the scene. In addition, by incorporating the blue, curling river pattern in front of the camera and running this design element towards the middle of the canvas, Krisztina was able to enhance this visual effect. These techniques, when pulled together into a single work, provide a strong focal point and draw viewers into a composition.

Tip 3: Using a gradient as a background

Developing a gradient background in Illustrator.

In order to emphasize the dreamy feel of this scene, Kristina decided to leverage a gradient background. Using Illustrator, Krisztina created a blank canvas and started with the soft, cool blue found in her color palette. She then began to play with different aspects of the gradient tool to bring in subtle yellows and tans, slowly blending these colors together. Being aware that Dimension’s depth of field would contribute to the blur effect, Krisztina was able to create a subtle background image that enhanced the overall composition and design of this cityscape.

To learn more about Krisztina and her work, visit her design agency website pflow or her Behance profile.