First time posting, won't be my last

[panta]

Hey guys! I've been watching these forums since I started modelling in ZBrush about a year ago. I've finally worked up the guts to post some of my work I'll be updating this thread often as I try to reach my artistic goals.This is a WIP for a game I'm working on. The basic concept is that he's a monster who is covered in gaseous bubbles. Still getting the polypainting right and I'm really looking into moving the diffuse map into Photoshop to paint on it a bit. Any crit or questions on technique are welcome! Thanks

[LordSoth]

Wow that's brilliant! Great use of imagination with all the eyes, arms, etc sticking out of that thing!
Would it be possible to show some of the steps you've taken to create this wonderful model?
Cheers thanks for sharing, huge inspiration!

[unnamed.h]

GoodJoB
You have to try TOYPLASTIC material with wax preview on !!!!

[panta]

Wow that's brilliant! Great use of imagination with all the eyes, arms, etc sticking out of that thing!
Would it be possible to show some of the steps you've taken to create this wonderful model?
Cheers thanks for sharing, huge inspiration!

Yeah man, I really appreciate the positive feedback!

Since you asked, I'm making a series of video tutorials from sketching concept to final product to show the workflow that I use when I create an organic monster. I'm going to concept something right now that had some hard surface plating too so that I can get those points across as well (no hard surface in the model above). I'll post updates in this thread as I make each video.

Steps should be:

1. find reference material/get inspired from the people on this forum!
2. start sketching my creature on paper
3. create a ZSphere model of basic anatomy - adaptive skin it
4. sculpt main details and the larger alpha details in Dynamesh; I'm sure to keep symmetry for some parts and add asymmetry where needed
5. retopologize the Dynamesh sculpt using ZBrush's rigging and topology palettes
6. using the projection palette, project Dynamesh details for up to 4 levels of subdivision - anything past this is unnecessary and won't look good since Dynamesh has a "fuzzy" quality to it
7. GoZ the model into Modo to fix the issues resulting from the ZBrush retopo (this seems like an unnecessary step, but as you'll see, ZBrush's retopo tools are functional, but not perfect - it doesn't understand a typical bevel topology and will put the normals facing in the wrong direction)
8. GoZ the game-res mesh back into ZBrush and subdivide 2 additional times, up to resolution 6
9. Polypaint and add detail to the sculpt at the same time! I've found mixing my polypainting in with the detail sculpting, rather than doing one then the other, gives better results
10. Export all maps and low res geo using MultiMap Export or XNormal. Model should be ready for the engine now!

That's my pipeline! I hope that helps and I will post videos as I create this next character.

[panta]

Hey guys,

Been working on a new character. He's a sort of woodland sprite/forest guardian.

I've recorded every bit of the workflow so far (over 6 hours of ZBrush movie footage with the "record on pen down only" option checked) :P I'll add commentary and upload to YouTube if anyone is interested (the pipeline is as described above)

I'll be finishing the sculpt and polypaint this week, then tossing him into the game engine

[panta]

Hey guys, just posting another character I started. Sort of juggling three sculpts right now :P

He's a sea monster with armoured plates.



Comments/crit would be much appreciated

[panta]

Recent hard surface adventure in modelling a processor and heatsinks.

100% dynamesh yo

This model is going to be incorporated into a hard surface character I'm currently working on. It's his brain; get it?

[KC-Production]

nice job on the processor modelling first creature is really freaky^^
keep it going!
Cheers,
- KC

[tyrellcorp]

how are you making the pipes? zsphere? or something else.. nice work dude

[panta]

how are you making the pipes? zsphere? or something else.. nice work dude

Thanks guys I appreciate the comments.

The pipes are zspheres
Process is:

• Draw in zspheres, holding shift to make them the same size
• Create the lowest subD adaptive skin possible
• subdivide a few times
• use Smooth Directional to take out some of the hard angles

I think I just used the transpose tools after that to get the proper insertion into the processor holes.


I retopologized the processor today in Topogun/Modo 601 so it would be low res enough to append to the rest of the character.

here's a preview of what he looks like:



Heavily influenced by ced and mike jensen, if you know their styles

[tyrellcorp]

so there will be a glass dome over the top of his "brain"? hope he will be painted BRIGHT..!

[panta]

Progress on the character.

~40 different 1024 resolution Dynamesh pieces, still WIP

Heavy usage of Dynamesh's auto clay polish and projection!

[KC-Production]

really nice hardsurface sculpting, great parts they are working very well mate!
Definently keep it going and looking forward to the end result!
Have fun sculpting
Cheers,
- Kenny