top of page

Eric Zhang

☺

creative practice specializing in design & motion

Product promotional video

Client: Nike
Product: Air Max 90
Skills: Art Direction, Motion Graphics Design, 3D Modeling, 3D Texturing & Shading, Lighting, Compositing, Video Editing
Software: Cinema 4D, Substance Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects

//Final ads

//project overview

Nike Air Max shoes are identified by their midsoles incorporating flexible urethane pouches filled with pressurized gas, visible from the exterior of the shoe and intended to provide cushioning to the underfoot. As the name indicates, all Air Max shoes feature one or more translucent pouches of pressurized gas embedded in the midsole and visible from the outside of the shoe. Referred to as "Air units" or "airbags," their stated purpose is to provide superior cushioning to traditional foam while also reducing weight. For this project, I wanted to focus on "Air" and showcase some of its features: breathable, lightweight, flexible,. And I wanted to reflecting on an active and minimal tone for the overall art direction.

//Colors

Below is the brand color palette used in this project. In order to make the product stand out, I had the light blue contrast with the color red on the product. I also wanted to use the light blue to create a lightweight atmosphere and reflect on the word "Air" in "Air Max".

#BA2B2B

#93BCCC

#FFFFFF

//research and development

Reference for 3D modeling, texturing & shading.

nike (3).jpg

nike (1).jpg

nike (2).jpg

nike (5).jpg

nike (4).jpg

nike (6).jpg

nike (7).jpg

nike (8).jpg

//shot breakdown

Shot 1: I created and animated the product display stand in Cinema4D. I used the same light blue as the BG from the color palette for the top of the stand. And I made the sides of the stand hollow-carved and textured it with a translucent plastic texture to enhance the "lightweight + breathable" feelings.

ezgif.com-gif-maker (22).gif

1 (1).png

Shot 2: Nike has never been one to use 2 words when 1 will do. In fact, their world-famous slogan, “Just do it,” is as straightforward as it gets. We shouldn’t expect anything else from their call to action. As soon as I revealed the Nike logo in shot 1, the video quickly cut into the product animation just like their slogan "Just do it".
The shoe animation was mostly done with bend deformer in Cinema 4D. And the shoelaces animation was done with tracer. I cached the Tracer object to splines using Alembic in Cinema 4D. I wanted to use this animation to reflect on the "flexible".

Texture maps

NIke_air_max1_bump_l copy.jpg

NIke_air_max1_diffuse_L1 copy.jpg

Shoe Diffuse Map

Shoe Bump Map

Shoelaces Bump Map

2 (1).png

2 (2).png

3 (7).png

3 (8).png

3 (3).png

3 (4).png

3 (2).png

3 (1).png

3 (6).png

ezgif.com-gif-maker (19).gif

Shot 3: Once the product animation were completed with the red Nike logo being attached, I have the shoes quickly go down and step on the display stand to activate the product name "Air Max" before the brand logo popped up. It's just like clicking on a button to blow up a balloon. I wanted to use this way to remind viewers the three features of the product "breathable, lightweight and flexible"

ezgif.com-gif-maker (23).gif

Cinema 4D R23.110 (RC) (Student License - Non-Commercial License for Yijiao Zhang) - [bubb

bottom of page