The Chest in the Corner

A full 3D modeling pipeline project created from concept to final render

Backstory

Deep in the forest stands an old castle. Long ago, it belonged to a noble family. This room was the private space of a knight, filled with warmth, candlelight, and a treasured chest. But as war approached, room was left behind. The knight stayed and tried to protect. The chest was dragged to block the door. Dust gathered. Cobwebs formed. In the end, the table lies broken. The candlestick is on the ground. The key lies aside. The only light is silver moonlight. The chest remains, but the castle has been abandoned.

References

My idea started from castle interiors in Hogwarts Legacy and similar images I found online. They helped me think about where a chest like this might be placed. At first, I imagined a large castle, then asked myself where this kind of room would actually exist. That led me to focus on a small, quiet corner. It could be part of a tower or a private space.

Candleholder: Tall, fits noble spaces. The real world photos helped me understand the texture, while vector images gave me clear shape references

Key: The key is based on vintage designs. I chose a form that feels old, as if it once mattered but has now been left behind. The pattern on the handle also suggests that this key belonged to something valuable in the past.

Gray-Shaded Model

UV Mapping & Checkerboard Validation

Textured Model (Substance Painter)

Hero Asset Implementation

Secondary Asset Implementation (Candlestick)

Texture Application (Hypershade editor)

Secondary Asset Implementation (Key)

Treasure Chest Turntable

Final Scene Render

Scene 1: The End

The castle is fully abandoned. From a low camera angle and mimic a rat’s perspective. The cold blue moonlight passes through windows, a collapsed table, fallen candle, and key, as if someone left in a hurry.

Scene 3: The Memory

A warm, peaceful moment from the past. A round table, stacked books, upright candle, and the chest rested safely in the corner. Everything was in order and soft yellow lighting shows this room was once loved.

Scene 2: The Decline

The last man stayed and lit a candle. The chest was dragged to block the door. A few cobwebs appear.

Scene Breakdown

Postmortem Analysis

Lessons Learned:
•Rough vs. smooth mode: Big differences; bevel didn’t work well, causing N-gons.
•Solution: Used Multi-Cut Tool and Inset Edge Loop to add support edges, keeping sharp edges in smooth mode.
•UV mapping challenge: Curved parts distorted after unfolding; needed extra cuts to flatten.
•Learned the standard workflow—from concept, modeling, UV mapping, texturing, lighting, to final rendering.

•Lighting affects story more than I expected, color temperature is narrative.
•Creating variation between scenes taught me how object placement tell powerful stories.
•Iterating over camera angle and lighting helped refine final mood.

The Most Enjoyable Moments:
•Enjoyed modeling the chest in Maya.
•It was also very fun to experiment with materials and generators in Substance Painter to create realistic rust and wood textures.
•I loved how the same props could tell different parts of a story just by changing their position and the lighting.
•That made the process more creative. I realized I was not just placing models. I was telling a story.

Credits for Free 3D Assets

Vintage books:

  • https://www.meshy.ai/3d-models/A-thick-ancient-book-with-an-orangebrown-leather-cover-secured-by-two-metallic-clasps-The-book-shows-signs-of-longterm-use-with-heavy-creases-and-an-oldworld-charm-The-corners-are-slightly-rounded-from-wear-Ideal-for-a-magical-archive-or-antique-collection-Use-realistic-PBR-textures-v2-01968887-3e7c-7d9d-b993-ab30e7a8fdba

  • https://www.meshy.ai/3d-models/A-thick-vintage-medieval-book-with-a-dark-red-leather-cover-The-edges-are-frayed-and-the-spine-shows-signs-of-wear-The-pages-inside-are-old-yellowed-and-slightly-uneven-No-clasp-just-a-solid-worn-book-Perfect-for-a-wizards-personal-tome-Realistic-texture-high-detail-PBR-rendering-v2-0196885f-f921-7d99-a3eb-9473a17badb2


Round table:

  • https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/furniture/furniture-free-pack-192628


Candlelight FX:

  • https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/particles/fire-explosions/candle-vfx-urp-299224

HDRI night sky:

  • https://ambientcg.com/view?id=NightEnvironmentHDRI008

Castle corner:

  • https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/coin-treasure-bundle-with-animation-3d-250070

Cobwebs:

  • https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/cobweb-pack-142869