Grove of the Old Gods

My submission for the Artstation - Box of Mystery (Prop Design) challenge. I just wanted to include it in my portfolio proper since I was quite happy with the way it turned out. Rendered in Blender Cycles. Modeled in Blender and Zbrush with texturing in Substance Painter. The legendary Ian Hubert provided the ground foliage 3D scans.

Concept

I was imagining an earth well after human life has ceased where a small population of intelligent and self-sufficient robots exists. They have slid into a contemplative and nomadic society that grapples with their purpose and existence. They can see relics of the old world around them including the fact that they existed at the same time as their human creators. Writings, knowledge, and artifacts from the old world are highly desired.

A sect of the robot society has turned to an amalgamation of old-world religions in an attempt to understand their place. Locations of worship are important, as are ancient trinkets that hold some symbolic meaning.

Shrine of Perpetual Motion - A forest shrine dedicated to the concept of perpetual motion/life/immortality. We can see a constantly rotating motor with tumbling cylinders. Powered by the solar-powered roof it runs with minimal intervention from priests who mind it. Pilgrims leave spinning bearings hanging on strings as an offering to symbolize long life.

Singing Bowl - Very much inspired by Tibetan Singing bowls I wanted to create a device that would create an audio tone with significance to a spiritual robot. The tape player suspended above the bowl plays found tapes of audio which pilgrims and priest deem noteworthy. I edited some audio of dial-up sound, slowed, pitch-shifted, and reverbed to create a more Om style tone or chant. You can hear some of the audio in the video below.

Decanter of the Old Gods - For this prop, I wanted to create a more heavy and grim relic used for a Christian inspired rite. The pilgrim applies oil to their mechanical joints, from the skull of their past creator. In this, it mimics the concept of wine being consumed at communion to symbolize Christ's blood.