01 / Visual Direction & Moodboard
The image began with atmosphere, material, structure and composition — before anything was modelled or rendered.
02 / Modelling the Necklace
The modelling phase was not only about building the form.
It was about finding the right stone sizes, rhythm and balance until the necklace felt harmonious, refined and intentional.
03 / Building the Composition
This stage was about translating a dark, heavy, absorbing environment into visual form.
I explored different structures, proportions and placements until the necklace no longer felt simply placed into the scene but emerging from it, still held by light.
04 / Lighting the Image
The light had to feel like a holding presence entering the darkness, shaping the atmosphere, but never competing with the necklace.
With so many diamonds reflecting and refracting light, the challenge was balance: enough light to keep the jewellery alive, but enough restraint to preserve the atmosphere.
05 / Materials & Details
This part of the process focuses on the material behaviour behind the final image.
For the sapphire, I used gemmological references to guide its optical behaviour, then tested how it reacted under different lighting conditions. The goal was not to create a simple blue surface, but a stone with depth, luminosity and subtle colour shifts.
The diamonds required a different kind of balance. Each one catches, reflects and refracts light in its own way — but too much sparkle would become visual noise, while too little would make the jewellery lose its presence.
The darker materials worked in contrast. They had to absorb light, carry weight, and help the jewellery feel as if it was emerging from the darkness.
The final image depended on balance: sapphire, diamonds, gold and shadow — all supporting the same visual idea.
06 / Render to Final Image
From final render to post-production.
The render took around 8 hours, but it was still only the foundation. The final image came together through hand-refined light, contrast, colour and detail.