Marshmallow Impact

This project was created for my Simulations 1 exam in the Soft Body category. I was inspired by Bram Gunst's "Satisfying Mandarin Simulation":
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YG65Dq
What I particularly like about his simulation is that the setup itself is relatively simple, while the final result is elevated by strong rendering, realistic textures and lighting. Since lighting is an area I still find challenging, I saw this project as a great opportunity to focus on creating a more appealing and polished lighting setup.

I wanted the environment and lighting to feel suitable for an advertisement, so I leaned towards a soft pink color palette rather than the more traditional colors typically associated with a kitchen setting.

For the second shot, my original idea was to have the marshmallows from the first shot land in a pan and begin melting, or alternatively land on skewers placed near a campfire and slowly melt from the heat. I decided not to pursue the melting effect for this project because I had to create six simulations for the exam and wanted to keep the scope manageable. However, the campfire concept is something I may revisit and develop further in the future.