FOOD REHYDRATOR

Tools: Maya, Substance Painter, Illustrator

Finished this neat little appliance. The intent of this design was to create a futuristic appliance that resembles the current piece of crap appliances that populate our counters.

When I design content for games, I like to consider all of the little details that help ground an item in reality, and then I try to apply those details to make imaginary objects feel real to the user. In the case of this item, I wanted to to blend in with a modern day counter-top appliance but still provide the sense that it was something from the future. To this end, I included some features that the user might find familiar, such as the little push-button lid on the top of the machine for loading water, which is reminiscent of my coffee maker. The exterior material was meant to resemble the kind of cheap non-BPA plastics that everything on my counter is made out of, which also works to ground it as something tangible. On the other hand, a screen and a scanner are out of place on current appliances, but, given the current direction and advancement of smart home technology, seems like a possible, logical progression for the near future.

Concept Art

Orthographic reference drawing of the Food Rehydrator used to create the final model.

TOPOLOGY

Low Poly

High Poly

Bake Explode

CUSTOM DECALS

Stellar Dynamics logo used on the Food Rehydrator. I wanted the design to be simple but easy to recognize. Stellar Dynamics is a fictional company that manufactures appliances and devices for use aboard starships and space stations, so I opted for a very literal interpretation of this using a sun and gear. The arcs around them can be interpreted both as a chain or an infinity symbol, representing the link between their machinery and its place of use, as well as their commitment to providing this technology well into the future.