- Sam w SingleCell Animation
- Sep 9
- 4 min read
The Spark That Started It
For me, sometimes the story behind the idea drives the creative process.
It’s where the work meets emotion and finds its structure.
This post isn’t just about one image. It’s about the learning and discovery that revealed how storytelling in the creative process shapes creative work.
This image was inspired by a series of animations and anatomical illustrations we were working on for orthopedic health. Business as usual...then a spark hit me. I didn’t know exactly what it was yet, but I knew I wanted to express something more.
Searching for the Story
I let the idea swirl for a few days, searching for reference and inspiration. Nothing clicked.
What’s the story?
That’s always the question at the heart of the creative process.
About a month later, I stumbled across my niece’s jewelry box. She opened it, the music played, and the little ballerina began to spin.
And suddenly... 💡
From Spark to Obsession
From that moment, I was obsessed.
I woke up with the idea. Fell asleep with it. Even dreamed about it.
At first, I pictured an elaborate 3D jewelry box, a ballerina, maybe even a cartoon version of my niece running in to play with it. I imagined using zBrush, Substance Painter, sound effects, music... all the bells and whistles.
But then reality hit.
If I overcomplicated the idea, I might never start.
So I stepped back and asked some questions we ask on every project...
What’s the point?
What am I trying to say?
What am I trying to accomplish?
What makes this interesting?
Finding the Core Image
The answer became clear.
It wasn’t just about showing a ballerina. It was about showing what the body endures, the years of repetition, the wear and tear, the beauty in the mechanics.
The obvious image revealed itself... a ballerina en pointe.
Once the idea took hold, I knew it had to live somewhere between photography and 3D. I had only a week, so I needed the best of both worlds.
I started searching for a background. Not just any image, but one with mood, contrast, and the potential to support visual storytelling.
Then I found it... a stock image of a ballerina practicing in front of a mirror.
Visual Storytelling in the Details
I loved how simple it felt. Stripped down. No distractions, no props. Just the foot carrying the weight of the story.
Every detail became part of the storytelling. The mood. The framing. The worn floor suggested history. The blurred dancer in the distance was more than background. It was a reminder of the performance just beyond focus.
Together, these details set the stage.
I knew I wanted a square composition. Something that would draw the eye in. At the time, Instagram’s platform was built around square posts, so it made sense. I adjusted levels, shifted colors, and pushed the contrast to give the image more impact.
With the base in place, it was time to begin compositing the 3D anatomy.
Choosing What to Leave Out
Now the question.. how do I make this feel like it actually lives inside the photograph?
At first, I wanted to include everything. That decision is always the hardest.
But I remembered something I once heard..
an artist isn’t defined by what they add, but by what they choose to take away.
So I stripped it back to the skeleton and layered in detail from there.
To get it right, I had to imagine where the fat and muscle would actually sit.
How does it look inside this shoe?
How close is the bone to the skin?
How thick are the muscle and fat tissue?
How do the toes look under that kind of pressure?
Every adjustment was guided by these questions.
I tweaked the model, test rendered, adjusted the comp, then tested again. I jumped back and forth between Softimage, After Effects, and Photoshop, refining lighting and materials until I was content.
There were countless test renders and experiments, but they led to the final pass.
What This Project Taught Me
All the small choices added up, and I was happy with the result.
It’s a strange feeling when you know you’re done. You feel ready to show your peers, even if it leaves you open to judgment.
The work becomes an extension of you. You put yourself out there with the hope it resonates, and in the process, you build a thicker skin. You learn not to take opinions personally.
Looking back, there’s much I would improve. But I had given myself one week, and I had to follow through.
It was never about perfection. It was about shaping a story that gave the work its purpose, and reminded me why storytelling in the creative process matters.
