Details
This project began as a challenge: take an everyday object and make it tell a story. Inspired by Zippo, the lighter becomes a vessel for time, shifting through decades using shader transitions and fluid animation to capture its evolution and cultural presence.
Tech
Blender
React Three Fiber
Zustand
Each transition is driven by custom shaders, allowing the lighter to evolve in real time. Form, surface, and light shift continuously, creating a seamless sense of progression.
The project features seven fully custom lighter models, each representing a different era. Materials, lighting, and surface detail adapt between states, reinforcing the illusion of time passing within a single object.
Built with performance in mind, the experience balances high-quality rendering with smooth interaction. React Three Fiber handles the scene orchestration, while Blender provides the foundation for precise modeling and material definition.