SUPERKIDS (2026)

More about the project:
https://madebythings.com/work/superkids/

I was the Lead 3D Artist for the upcoming Superkids reading program.

The Superkids reading program is a comprehensive literacy curriculum designed for early elementary school students, typically from kindergarten through second grade. Developed by the Rowland Reading Foundation and now a part of Zaner-Bloser, the program focuses on building a strong foundation in reading through systematic, explicit instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

For the Characters models, I started with the 2D initial concepts by Peter Francis. The 3D models were sculpted in ZBrush. Retopology, UV, rig in Maya. Base color maps painted in Substance 3D Painter. And then using blendshapes in Maya to tweak the features and outfits as the characters grow older while maintaining the same rig. Then adjusting the base color maps in Substance 3D Painter. Finally they would be posed and ready for the 2D pass.

For the Classroom model, I started with a texture map (a painting by Peter francis) for each of the four walls and the floor. Then, I created 3D planes (geometry) for each of these surfaces and projected the textures onto them. On the first pass, the classroom seemed packed and small. To address this, I expanded the floor texture map by adding two rows of tiles, making the room appear larger.
For objects that required depth, I modeled and textured them separately. These objects included the students' desks and chairs, the teacher's desk and chair, the cubby wall, and other elements.
For more complex objects that didn’t need depth, we placed them onto 3D planes (geometry) and created an alpha (a black and white texture that defines transparency) for them. This approach was used for items such as plants, the globe, and the children's belongings on the cubby wall. The software we used for this process included Autodesk Maya, Substance 3D Painter, Photoshop, and Arnold (for rendering).

To make the model more accessible and easier to view, I created an optimized version for Sketchfab, a platform that allows users to upload, share, and navigate 3D models easily and smoothly. This made it convenient for the entire team to explore the 3D classroom.