Breadth

Boba Shop

I have been learning Blender through the summer, and this is a project I have been working on to develop my skills. The idea is to create a bubble tea shop, which is loosely based on Mr. Chu Tea & Coffee, in an “Apple-store-like” aesthetic.

I’ve always been drawn to the minimalist style and wood-plant interior of Apple’s stores, and I thought it would be interesting to connect it to a different setting. I frequent bubble tea shops, and I have always felt connected to it as a cultural symbol.

Beyond that, I also wanted to infuse a sense of story into the shop, hence the spilled drink. The idea was to add an element of busyness or occupancy in an environment without actually featuring people.

Sketches

The first sketches were very quick, mainly to represent the overall layout of the shop. Much more detailed objects were added later (and may still be added in the future).

Technologically, creating the different elements was no easy feat. Notably, the plant is implemented using a hair-particle system, the chair legs were sculpted at first but later rebuilt as a curve because of the excess topology, the boba in the tea had to be arranged petering outside of the milk for them to show through the bottle, and the menu was designed as a graphic entirely outside the program.

Wireframe

In terms of texturing, the wood texture was created entirely in the program procedurally, but the other textures were sourced from online collections, considering the time needed.

Given that I am still new to the program, I am very proud of how this piece turned out. The overall scenery gives a warm and soft feeling, matching the “vibe” I envisioned, and the objects are detailed enough to give audiences a chance for further analysis.

However, it is hard to balance a simple design with a crowded feeling. I feel as though if there were more elements that demonstrated a sense of motion—much like the fallen bubble tea bottle—the essence of “busy” would have been better conveyed. At the same time, I also feel that it is important to limit the number of permanent fixtures, like furniture, that might distract from the overall minimalist interior.

Full render