tacom
Tactical Adaptive Communications Module
Tactical Adaptive
Communications Module
Concept Design
3D Modeling
Texturing
Rendering
Project Overview
TACOM is a handheld communications device inspired by 90s pagers and reimagined through a modern, rugged, tactical lens. What began as a small side project quickly grew into a deeper exploration of form language, function, and believable engineering. Through multiple iterations, moving between 2D sketches, CAD blockouts, and refined 3D passes; the design evolved into a cohesive, field-ready communications tool.
Developed under the guidance of mentor Ivan Santic, TACOM became a personal study in decision-making, visual clarity, and iterative problem solving. A key milestone in this project was shifting to a UV-free Redshift workflow inside Cinema 4D, allowing for rapid visual experimentation without technical bottlenecks. This unlocked more freedom to explore shape, proportion, and detail without getting pulled away from the creative flow.
The final polish came through extensive post-processing in Photoshop, an area where my graphic design background came forward. By refining the interface graphics, lighting, and overall visual presence, TACOM transformed from a functional design study fully resolved design with clear, believable functionality.
CONTEXT + GOALS
Project Intent
Design Exploration
Create a handheld communications device inspired by vintage pagers, evolving it into a modern tactical node with believable engineering and grounded industrial design cues.
Iterative Improvement
Push beyond the first render pass and re-approach the design with stronger fundamentals; refining proportion, silhouette, and interface logic through feedback from mentor Ivan Santic.
Workflow Evolution
Adopt a UV-less workflow, removing technical friction, accelerate iteration, and focus on creativity over pipeline overhead.
Cross-Disciplinary Integration
Leverage graphic design knowledge to enhance interface layouts, screen graphics, and post-production polish for a stronger cinematic presentation.
Tools Used
PureRef
Photoshop
Plasticity
Redshift + Cinema 4D
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
Initial Inspiration: Started with research into 90s pagers, focusing on form factors, interface simplicity, and tactile physical design.
2D & 3D Iterations: Explored multiple silhouettes and layouts through a mix of sketches, CAD blockouts, and design passes.
Functional Exploration: Experimented with purpose, interface flow, and storytelling to establish the device as a ground-team comms node.
Refinement: Re-approached the design with mentor feedback, improving structure, proportions, and detail language.
UV-less Redshift Workflow: Shifted to a UV-free Redshift workflow inside Cinema 4D, enabling rapid changes and more design freedom.
Look Development: Dialed in materials, light direction, surface wear, and overall vibe for a grounded but stylized military look.
Graphic Polish: Used Photoshop to enhance interface elements, overlays, typography, glow passes, noise, and cinematic finishing.
FINAL ASSET
The final TACOM design represents the culmination of multiple iteration passes, technical refinements, and real-world reference studies. Built through a UV-less Redshift workflow, the asset was developed with a focus on believable function, grounded engineering, and clear visual hierarchy.
EXTRAS
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