Research
Research
Forged To Be Seen is a concept ad I designed and animated end-to-end for Chrome Hearts, a brand that famously never advertises. From 3D modeling and texturing to environment design and motion, I built every product and scene from scratch.
Project
Forged To Be Seen
Timeline
Jul — Oct. 2025
Role
Concept, 3D Modeling, Texturing, Motion Design
Project overview
Chrome Hearts has built its entire identity on silence, no ads, no slogans, no campaigns, just word of mouth and the people who wear it. Forged To Be Seen imagines what would happen if that silence broke. It's a concept ad that stays true to the brand's mystery while finally putting the craftsmanship on screen, told through nothing but silver and motion.
Content
Content
The Concept
A brand that's never advertised, reimagined through a single concept film. Forged To Be Seen honors Chrome Hearts' mystery while putting its craftsmanship in motion, no models, no slogans, just silver.
Design Approach
The visual language blends minimalism with a raw edge, mirroring Chrome Hearts' handcrafted identity. High-contrast black and silver tones highlight the texture, weight, and detail forged into every piece. Typography stays sparse and bold, appearing only when essential so the products speak for themselves. Macro shots, rotation, and cathedral-style lighting build a cinematic aura while keeping craftsmanship and mystique at the core.
3D Development
Every piece was modeled from scratch in Blender. With no official brand assets to work from, I built each ring, pendant, and bracelet by studying photos of the real products, recreating the intricate cross detailing and forged textures Chrome Hearts is known for.
Storyboards
Storyboards
First Draft
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
First Draft
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
Second Draft
Early 3D comps testing typography, motion, and product framing.
Final
Refined cinematic frames locking in the look and flow.
Key Scenes
Key Scenes
A selection of final frames where the modeling, lighting, and motion come together.
Project Reflection
Forged To Be Seen pushed me in a completely different direction than my UX work. Instead of solving a user problem, I was chasing a feeling, the mystery and craft of a brand that has built its whole identity on staying quiet. The challenge wasn't research or flows, it was capturing an aura.
The hardest part was technical. Chrome Hearts has no brand assets available, so every ring, pendant, and bracelet had to be modeled from scratch in Blender using nothing but reference photos. Getting the intricate cross detailing right meant studying the real pieces closely and rebuilding them detail by detail. Texturing and lighting them in chrome taught me how much mood comes down to how light hits a surface.
Working across 3D, motion, and design on a single piece showed me how much I enjoy living in that intersection. If I revisited it, I'd push the motion further and explore sound design to match the cinematic feel. More than anything, this project reminded me that strong design starts with a strong idea, and that sometimes the boldest move is making something a brand never would.
Personas
Latest projects
Latest projects
Research
Research
Forged To Be Seen is a concept ad I designed and animated end-to-end for Chrome Hearts, a brand that famously never advertises. From 3D modeling and texturing to environment design and motion, I built every product and scene from scratch.
Project
Forged To Be Seen
Timeline
Jul — Oct. 2025
Role
Concept, 3D Modeling, Texturing, Motion Design
Project overview
Chrome Hearts has built its entire identity on silence, no ads, no slogans, no campaigns, just word of mouth and the people who wear it. Forged To Be Seen imagines what would happen if that silence broke. It's a concept ad that stays true to the brand's mystery while finally putting the craftsmanship on screen, told through nothing but silver and motion.
Content
Content
The Concept
A brand that's never advertised, reimagined through a single concept film. Forged To Be Seen honors Chrome Hearts' mystery while putting its craftsmanship in motion, no models, no slogans, just silver.
Design Approach
The visual language blends minimalism with a raw edge, mirroring Chrome Hearts' handcrafted identity. High-contrast black and silver tones highlight the texture, weight, and detail forged into every piece. Typography stays sparse and bold, appearing only when essential so the products speak for themselves. Macro shots, rotation, and cathedral-style lighting build a cinematic aura while keeping craftsmanship and mystique at the core.
3D Development
Every piece was modeled from scratch in Blender. With no official brand assets to work from, I built each ring, pendant, and bracelet by studying photos of the real products, recreating the intricate cross detailing and forged textures Chrome Hearts is known for.
Storyboards
Storyboards
First Draft
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
First Draft
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
Rough sketches mapping out the core sequence and key shots.
Second Draft
Early 3D comps testing typography, motion, and product framing.
Final
Refined cinematic frames locking in the look and flow.
Key Scenes
Key Scenes
A selection of final frames where the modeling, lighting, and motion come together.
Project Reflection
Forged To Be Seen pushed me in a completely different direction than my UX work. Instead of solving a user problem, I was chasing a feeling, the mystery and craft of a brand that has built its whole identity on staying quiet. The challenge wasn't research or flows, it was capturing an aura.
The hardest part was technical. Chrome Hearts has no brand assets available, so every ring, pendant, and bracelet had to be modeled from scratch in Blender using nothing but reference photos. Getting the intricate cross detailing right meant studying the real pieces closely and rebuilding them detail by detail. Texturing and lighting them in chrome taught me how much mood comes down to how light hits a surface.
Working across 3D, motion, and design on a single piece showed me how much I enjoy living in that intersection. If I revisited it, I'd push the motion further and explore sound design to match the cinematic feel. More than anything, this project reminded me that strong design starts with a strong idea, and that sometimes the boldest move is making something a brand never would.
Personas
Latest projects
Latest projects