neon scenes

2017

A series of 3d images inspired by music, liminal spaces, and Japanese nightlife. Initially a personal project, Neon Scenes developed into an opportunity to work with musicians around the world, creating album artwork tailored to their music.

a room with a neon sign reading ノスタルジア illuminates an armchair chair against a window, with books on the window sill. a coffee table holds a gameboy SP and a matcha latte in a mug. there are three CDs on the floor. — nostalgia

Bedroom Beats

I had the pleasure of working with Capsun ProAudio to produce three cover illustrations for their Bedroom Beats & Lo-fi Hip Hop series of audio sample packs.

For each of these images, we envisioned the relaxing atmosphere of a bedroom music production setup, creating an environment that complements the mood of the sounds that make up Bedroom Beats.

The first two works in this series were modeled and rendered with Cinema 4D. By the third, I had switched to Blender as my preferred 3D tool, as I became attracted to the soft, diffused contrast provided by the lighting treatment of the Cycles renderer.

nighttime scene of a desk against a window. a neon sign reading "ローファイ" illuminates a half-closed MacBook, a synthesizer, a cup of tea, and a sequencer on the desk. a monstera plant is beside it. — volume 01

a pink neon light reading "エネルギー" illuminates a thumb piano, a sequencer, a notebook, a can of soda, and a cup of flowers on a desk — volume 02

a neon sign with the character 楽 illuminates a desk with incense, a synthesizer keyboard, an oil candle, and a MacBook beside a palm plant — volume 03

Personal works

While in college, I spent a bit of my free time working on personal illustrations as part of this series. The first of the neon scenes, Stardust, came about in an early graphic design class when I was tasked with creating a work that reflected my own personality in a somewhat abstract, visual form. I immediately turned to the music I listened to, as the enjoyment and production of music has always held a large role in my life.

That first project sparked an exploration into an aesthetic that I found could offer a momentary escape from the stresses of everyday life.

a neon sign reading 真夜中 illuminates a desk with a vinyl records, a cup of boba tea, a tube-shaped lamp, a soda can, a book, and some flowers on a desk. a turntable on the desk spins a record. — midnight

a TV showing ocean waves at sunset on loop stands in front of a neon sign on the wall reading 誘惑. a bamboo palm lies in the background. there is a keyboard synthesizer on the floor and a baseball on the TV stand. a digital clock on a shelf reads 11:07 pm — temptation

a nighttime scene of a living room. a sleeping cat atop a couch lies below a neon sign reading "stardust" in Japanese. a turntable spins slowly on a side table surrounded by records strewn about on the floor. — stardust

a neon sign reading シェルター illuminates a turntable stand and a bean bag on the floor. a gameboy and vinyl records are laid out. — shelter

a neon sign reading メロドラマ illuminates a couch with a vinyl record on it and a coffee table with a rainbow neon sign and a Nintendo 64 controller on it. — melodrama

Soulhouse

I created the Soulhouse scene as the cover artwork for the debut of neo-soul electronic artist mellowcoup. Items in the scene reflect personal icons of his music and aesthetic.

With this series of imagined scenes, I hope to immerse the viewer in a cozy, worry-free moment in time.