Andy Gilmore teamed up with Simon Allan of Happy Finish to create the above image – one of the collaborations we instigated for our Joining Forces feature in our current (June) issue...

"Initially I experimented in wrapping some of Andy's images around the inside of a sphere, using it as a light source to bathe some test objects in coloured light and reflections," explains Happy Finish's Simon Allan of working with illustrator, Andy Gilmore. Here are some of the initial experimental images they created:

"However," continues Allan, "Andy felt this was too much of a break from his style, so we came up with another treatment together."

Allan then rendered a "low polygon object" resembling a gem stone with flat grey colours on its facets. Gilmore could then apply his distinctive colour pallette to the tiny polygons to create a finished image.

"The object had to be something simple and easy to read, something elegant but interesting, unusual enough to capture the eye," says Allan. "We thought about everything from cars to skulls, but settled on a stag beetlebecause of its distinctive silhouette. The challenge was in creating all those shapes from a small number of polygons, while capturing as much detail as possible. We also had to find the most elegant and expressive pose so the beetle could show off its shape to maximum effect."

Joining Forces features the work of artists James Joyce, Emily Forgot, Seb Lester, Von, Andy Gilmore, and Solomon Vaughan – and also the CGI studios Taylor James, TIGERX, Happy Finish, The 3D Agency, Saddington & Baynes andRecom Farmhouse. An exhibition of the six images created for the project runs until June 30 at Concrete Hermit, 5a Club Row, London E1 6JX.