Making of a glass of the right beer for Bochkarev

The glass was made with 3D Studio Max:

Today even kids know that a glass of beer is supposed to be misted over. So, I began experimenting with live objects. I poured (or, perhaps, dropped) some iced cola into a 2L vase shaped like a beer glass. After a while the familiar effect could be seen:

A series of experiments taught me that big drops appear only when there is ice. A cooled drink does not produce such drops. Besides, big drops have an unpleasant and unnatural look (it’s somewhat like orange peel surface):

Observing the cola in the vase for a day, I’ve discovered characteristics of the drops I needed…

…along with the shadows, light, transparency, reflections and other components that would make a 3D model of a glass of beer accurate.

The concept for Bochkarev website meant to create the feeling of thirst for drinking beer, of wanting it. We chose not to picture a group of young men drinking beer. If someone is already drinking it, there is nothing left for you to be wanting. It’s right there, in someone else’s hands. So, we decided not to show the beer up front, but make it possible to appear when wanted. The viewer entering the site would see a totally empty glass (and we should thank our clients for accepting such a daring idea):

Once the cursor was brought over the glass, it would get filled with the ultimate drink:

So, here is the rule—choose 3D to draw good beer, use real drops and have the right lighting to make the whole thing look natural.