QUARTZ CHARM
We designed the Quartz Charm to be simple; just a little etching on the stone to give it a sense of a more 'hand-made' appeal. Yet what it seeks to represent is energy and its balanced amplification. Of all the charms, it is the most selfless and the most supportive. To harness energy, reciprocate, and redirect positively is its essence.
PHASE 1: CONCEPTUALIZATION
The quartz itself is not as refined, giving a feel of something raw and solid. You can see the symbolism of energy via the capacitor etching. The main etching can be customized for the user's gender. Not much elegance; it's just that. A conduit.
PHASE 2: MODELING
The model is as straight forward as it gets, everything done via the subdivision modeling technique. Two meshes in total, to separate the gemstone and the brace or the holder.
PHASE 3: TEXTURING AND RENDERING
The texturing required a bit of tinkering and testing. The challenge was to get the right balance between the subsurface scattering property of the quartz mineral and the refractivity, since it is mostly crystal-like but not completely transparent. We added a "scratches" layer on top to give it a damaged and worn-out look. Then we applied a dirt layer on top of that. The metal holder has a worn-out look to it as well, where the scratched parts are the most reflective and shiny, also possessing its own dirt layer.
As for the render, we decided to go for a simple scene setup. There are two light sources: the main light is on the left, and a rim light is on the right, to highlight some parts not exposed by the main light.
Bring the energies of the world into your attunement with this Quartz Charm.
