D
2024
TIDE
An original sneaker concept, designed, modelled, and rendered in Blender, with every material built entirely from procedural nodes. No image textures, just maths.
Year
2024
Role
Modelling, Texturing, Shading,
Lighting, Rendering
Category
3D Product Design
ENGINE
Blender Cycles
Concept
I wanted a shoe that feels easy to wear before you even put it on. The design is built around a single wide strap that replaces laces entirely, wrapping over a breathable, perforated upper. Below it, a chunky foam midsole with a visible cushion window at the heel adds comfort you can actually see. The teal and sand-yellow colourway keeps it fresh and summery, with a hint of the beach.
Modelling
Sneakers are full of curves that have to flow into each other: the upper into the collar, the strap over the midfoot, and the midsole wrapping around the heel. I focused on clean surfaces and smooth transitions, so the shoe reads well from every angle, even without colour.
Procedural Materials
Every material on this shoe is built from nodes, with no image textures or painted maps. The knit pattern and perforations on the upper, the speckled foam of the midsole, and the soft sheen on the strap are all generated procedurally. This keeps every detail sharp at any resolution, and lets me change the whole colourway in seconds.
Lighting & Render
Product shots live on a black stage. I lit the shoe with soft key lights to bring out the texture of the knit and foam, and a gentle rim light to separate the silhouette from the dark background. The goal was a clean, catalogue-style image where nothing competes with the product.
