Reality Reshaped by Philip Luck

Philip Luck

Reality Reshaped

By:
Thomas Jukes

Beautifully rendered forms float and twist in a void, colours compliment and contrast the shapes as exquisite textures create depth and add a tactile feel to these swirling masses. Philip Lück, or better known by his Instagram handle, “philiplueck”, is a German artist working in the medium of 3D computer-generated imagery. Currently working freelance within the world of 3D & Motion Design these impressive works are gaining a surely deserved following online, including a successful Patreon page in which interested parties can support the artist and gain access to everything from 3D models and textures, to animation loops and video tutorials on how the artist achieves his fantastic outcomes.

Working with the Cinema4D R20 software and rendering with Octane as well as post-production work in the Adobe Suite. There is certainly a lot of hours and skill that go into the work of Philip Lück. Technically these pieces are incredible, the viewer could easily be mistaken for thinking they were looking at a piece of physical sculpture, that I suppose is a discussion that will divide opinions. Can digital 3D work ever be considered as sculpture? An idea I will put to you the reader for personal exploration with friends or colleagues. There are shared decisions and considerations between digital creations and physical sculpture though, that being a point of the artist choosing: color, form, texture or elements that either complement or conflict with each other. Concepts that Philip Lück tackles incredibly well, leading to 3D shapes and forms that the viewer wants to touch and explore in the same way a physical sculpture invites all the senses when viewed.

The artist's understanding of color theory is plain to see in his abstractions. Background colors play a pivotal role in his works and can often change the whole atmosphere of a piece. From bright vibrant blues, deep impactful purples to soft and muted pink and beige. Whilst the shapes that float in front share similarities throughout the pieces, the background transforms the feeling. From something akin to childlike making one think of the building blocks that children play with, to a quality that one could expect to see in a trendy interior design environment. It should be noted with this point that Philip Lück does a very good job of keeping his work on-trend as it were. The colors used throughout his portfolio are not just well-chosen for their aesthetic influence on his renders but they also keep up well with current trending colors in the design industry.

A predominant feature of many of Philip Lück’s renders is the inclusion of real world objects, a seemingly limitless imagination sees all kinds of objects making their way into his abstractions, washings machines, glasses, animal skulls, they’ve all been touched by the artist's mind. Unlike his full abstractions which are simply about form, color and texture his works with recognizable objects turn to abstracting the purpose of said objects. Clocks become dumbbells, a turntable begins a new life as a gas hob and a car wheel takes on the life of the Apple pinwheel. Many of these abstractions invite an air of humor and serve the viewer as a brief and unexpected departure from the norm. Some of his more recent pieces do appear to have some semblance of added meaning to them, however. A can of diet coke sits on a set of bathroom scales, the two objects seem randomly placed under a guise of color combination. Perhaps a message on the dangers of addictive unnatural products on our bodily health. An Instagram like icon lies precariously on the footplate of a bear trap. A quest for likes and Internet adoration is a dangerous path to follow, a deadly implement is lovingly rendered with a fantastical iridescent hue over a baby pink background. It’s almost like the artist is trying to portray the wonderfully perception of digital social life with the threat still perfectly obvious but simply beautified as well.

To speak nothing of the artists' motion graphics for which is freelancing at the current time would be an unfortunate undertaking. The recent viral video phenomenon under the tags of, “most satisfying thing to watch!” and “most satisfying video in the world” has seen a rise in interest for the viewing of videos with no other purpose than to transfix the viewer with wonderfully seamless motion. Whether that be the skilled hands of a worker completing a task or repetition of a simple object motion it has seen many forms. Philip Lück takes this format of animation loops and raises it to the standard of art, beautiful in their aesthetic both visually and in motion, they really seem like watching an M.C. Esher picture coming to life. The similarity between the artists extends to the repeating of pattern and the seeming impossibility of the image before us. An object in motion that is just so perfectly balanced and in time that it doesn’t strike one as being natural. The animation skill of Lück and his attention to detail when it comes to physics makes the videos appear instinctive.

What is so refreshing about the work and character of Philip Lück is that all his work and skill has been self-taught. All of this started in 2015 with his overwhelming interest in computer-generated imagery and the self-induced challenge of creating a piece every day for two consecutive years. It is truly inspirational to see an artist grow into such a proficient and loved creator simply from a personal drive and an unflappable love for exploring a medium. I do not doubt that Philip Lück will keep wowing us with his stunning 3D art, keep an eye out as I think this talent will surely be picked up. If you want to check out his work head over to his Instagram page or give his website a look, I warn you, you may be there for some time!