Illustrator James Joyce collaborated with CGI studio The 3D Agency to create a new image (shown above) which is featured as one of six such collaborations between artists and CGI studios in our Joining Forces feature in our current (June) issue... All six images are now showing until June 30 at Concrete Hermit's gallery in East London. Here's how Joyce and The 3D Agency worked together on the image...

"I've been imagining moving my work in a three dimensional form for some time now, explains James Joyce. "For this project I wanted to try and transform my 2D shapes into 3D sculptures in a gallery environment."

"The tricky part was to translate the illustrations into a sculptural form yet retain the look and characteristics of my drawings so as to still to be recognisable as my work," he continues. "It was important that the 3D objects looked like my versions of them - rather than the real things."

"I talked through the ideas with John Fox at The 3D Agency and sketched out a few ideas highlighting what these sculptures would be made of, the finishes I wanted on them and the composition of the objects within the space. I sent photographic reference of various gallery spaces that I liked and they created a completely new imagined space from scratch. Everything from the floor to the light fittings was digitally constructed. We discussed in detail the lighting of the gallery space and on the objects themselves - the 3D Agency can replicate any lighting scenario you can imagine."

"James supplied a series of photographic images of galleries and vector files of his 2D graphics," explains 3D Agency's John Fox of the image making-process...

Above: some of the imagery and notes Joyces sent to the CGI studio at the start of the collaborative process

"We used the vector files as templates to create the 3D models in Maya," continues Fox. "Once the modeling was complete, we provided James with some viewpoints and arrangements in grey-scale form. He decided upon a very graphic central viewpoint. The next stage was to texture and light the scene, consulting with James at every stage. Once the scene was lit, we added some imperfections, such as scuffs to the wall and floor - to try and make the environment as life-like as possible."

The image file created for inclusion in the magazine (top most image here) was just 30 x 30 cm at print resolution, so for the current exhibition of the work showing until the end of June at Concrete Hermit in Shoreditch, Fox recreated the image at a larger printable size - changing the ceiling (in collaboration with Joyce, of course) and the image below is the one you will see should you visit the show while it's on...

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. The show runs until June 30 at Concrete Hermit, 5a Club Row, London E1 6JX.

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Fans of James Joyce lucky enough to own an iPad might be interested to know that this week the illustrator and designer launched his signature Granimator pack with app developer ustwo. Users will be able to play around with imagery by Joyce to create their own on-screen artworks (one such image used as iPad wallpaper shown below). Find out more at granimator.com