Year
2024
Client
Cozy Hospitality Group
Category
Product Duration
6 Weeks
With “Paradise” as both a literal and visual anchor, I explored travel-inspired visuals like passport stamps, warm tropical palettes, retro overlays, and vacation textures. These elements helped build out the dreamy, getaway vibe that matched the lounge’s outdoor atmosphere.
For the characters, I took inspiration from real nightlife culture and pop references. I created a diverse cast of women inspired by icons like Ice Spice and other figures in Black pop culture. My goal was to reflect a wide range of Black beauty and style while staying rooted in the familiar silhouettes of nightlife fashion. The characters needed to feel fun and instantly recognizable, but also empowering and inclusive.
I started with a base LEGO-style model I found online, which helped speed up early development. But because it wasn’t rigged or animated, I had to build out a full control rig system myself. That meant adding bones, assigning weights, and troubleshooting parent-child relationships so every accessory moved naturally with the model.
Part of the design challenge was bringing personality to each LEGO figure. I started with rough outfit sketches in Procreate, then translated those ideas into mapped textures once the 3D characters were ready. Each figure needed to look like they belonged to the same world, but still have their own attitude and style. David’s hair was sculpted from scratch, and I customized each of the women’s hairstyles and outfits to give them distinct personalities. Most of the hair models came from online LEGO-building communities, but I modified them to better reflect Black hairstyles and nightlife glam.
Creating new parts for already-rigged models was one of the biggest technical challenges, especially getting things like hair or accessories to follow head movement properly. Figuring that out gave me flexibility later, allowing me to swap or adjust pieces for new compositions.
Each flyer featured a new pose, new scene, or a visual variation that made the campaign feel connected without becoming repetitive. The vibrant colors, 3D depth, and playful tone all tied back to the central idea: Paradise isn’t just a place, it’s a vibe.
This project required me to step outside my comfort zone. I had experience in 3D modeling and sculpting, but this was my first time handling full rigging and animation in Blender. I had to teach myself UV mapping, weight painting, control rig setups, and basic animation principles.
Texturing the models was one of the most technical and rewarding parts of the project. After sketching out outfit designs in Procreate, I learned how to unwrap the 3D models in Blender to generate UV maps. This gave me a precise canvas for placing skin tones, clothing details, and accessories directly onto each LEGO figure. To speed up the creation of new models, I built a streamlined workflow using Blender’s material and texture nodes. This allowed me to quickly adjust skin tones, hair colors, and outfit details without starting from scratch each time.
Animation and rigging were layered on top of that. I used what I learned about keyframe animation and weight painting to bring each figure to life—starting with broad movements and layering in subtle gestures to give them character. Once I had the characters rigged and textured, I used it to generate high-resolution renders in different poses for static flyers. These designs formed the foundation of the weeklong campaign, promoting multiple themed nights while keeping everything cohesive.
I also created a short teaser animation of the LEGO waitress walking into a beach sunset. This served as an early concept launch to validate the idea with Cozy’s audience. It was met with an overwhelmingly positive reaction, confirming we were headed in the right direction. That early response gave the green light to move forward with more detailed assets. It also helped set expectations for the campaign’s tone and visual energy.
“LEGO to Paradise!” was a wild idea that paid off. Every weekend event drew a crowd, with Saturday and Sunday completely selling out of tables and sections. The Cozy team was all in on the creative direction and even mentioned turning it into an annual summer theme.
But beyond the packed events, this project pushed me to grow in real time. I had to learn Blender’s animation tools on the fly, troubleshoot unexpected challenges, and bring a full 3D concept to life with real-world results. It became one of those rare projects that was equally demanding and rewarding creatively, technically, and professionally.
This is the kind of work I want more of: bold ideas, new tools, high stakes, creative risks, and the chance to make something unforgettable.
