Diary of a VSWIP (Very Slow Work in Progress)

[elarcano]

Ok, first things first,

I'm still new to zbrush, in fact I'm new to all the 3D world... -heck- ZB is the first 3D/2.5D program that I've ever used.

The main goal on this thread is to show the development of a model from the point of view of somebody that doesn't know squat about 3D. For new users I think it will be a relief to see someone who knows less than them and for more advance users... well, to review some basic mistakes made in the process -and there shall be a LOT of mistakes-

Since there is sooooo much I have yet to learn, I'll try to do so on the way, from the basic zsphere structure to a fully painted model.

-Warning-
This is NOT a tutorial nor the "good" way of doing things right, just a diary of a VSWIP made from someone who has no remorse in showing his 3D clumsyness


With that said... off I go:

Character: Ezequiel

Ok, I started with a basic zsphere structure, very simple... in fact... Too simple after knowing that a good zsphere structure will help you a lot to get things done ahead in the mesh's form

With this structure I found a lot of problems when going to preview mode (A - shortcut) as shown in this thread

It seems that when the connections between zspheres are too close to each other it creates overlaps in the mesh, which will give you a BIG headache trying to fix it when you spot it -generally after you have advance in modeling-

Basic recommendations:

• Go from zspheres to preview and back A LOT to see if there's no mesh overlaping
• To pose generic models -or as Jason call them "templants"- based on zspheres structures you MUST "Store Morph" in Tool/Morph Target with the preview off before doing any modeling or posing
• Be sure to be completely happy with your zsphere structure before storing your morph, because if you add or delete a zsphere, then you'll lose your stored morph without even knowing it

After some recommendations and re-thinking I went back to creating another zsphere structure

Ok ok, I went bonkers with the magnets -I have to admit it- but it worked for me because Ezequiel is the "Muscle" character and needed quite a big "mass" mesh... that and that I couldn't achieve it just with linked zspheres

After reviewing it, I didn't find mesh overlaps... so I went on

This is how it looked in preview mode at SDiv 5

Not very flashy at all nor muscular -sigh -... hmmmm... but I went through anyway

This is after some modeling on SDiv 5 -I've read that it's better to start modeling from lower levels to upper levels... well it's just a recommendation which I followed

Well... more to come

Any critics, comments, feedback or corrections to my nonesense are very welcome

PS.

Just in case you missed Jason's thread you can find it here / highly recommended

[Prayer]

good luck man !

[Jason Belec]

Well it's looking good so far.

[elarcano]

Thanks guys. Kind words from kind people

Ok, here we go again,

First of all... hmmmmm, remember I recommended you to press Store Morph before doing any modeling when using a zsphere structure?... well, the best way to learn that is to not do it and later on making you life a living hell when you try to repose the model within Zbrush... well... I forgot doing so -OH THE TRAGEDY
as far as I know, pressing Store Morph with the preview off helps you when you want to repose your model in zbrush by tweaking you zsphere structure and if you know how to do it "right" you have a lot of reposing possibilities without exporting your model to another 3D program.

So ok, I made a BIG Zsphere mistake -Sorry Jason-... knowing that, I went on with my life and made an Adaptive skin... and then did some basic anatomy remodeling.

I really prefer to go from general to particular -an old art school habit -... and that I'm veeeeeery slow

[womball]

I think that's a very good workflow. General to specific, that way you can get your proportions right before adding details.

[Jason Belec]

I agree with womball. Then you wouldn't have forgotten a key step. That's like an oil painter forgetting the canvas!

Pretty cool other than that.

Of course now you are learning old school - repetition, do it enough times and you will get it right.

[elarcano]

From general to particular, that's a habit I acquired in art school. It's important for getting the "Big picture", because you could make some fine details and the rest is still to be defined but the problem with this is that you could spend a lot of time in the fine details and not necesarily look good when you finish later on the rest.
In painting it's called painting by layer -sorry, it's not a technical name - First you start with a washy kinda first layer -so the paint impregnates the fibers of the canvas- and then you go on by layers and in each layer you add more more details but as a whole... ok... I've gone to far with this method thing

Thanks for sticking around guys, much appreciated

[elarcano]

Almost a week from the last post with images! And you're suppose to get "quicker" as you get used to the program!
Man, am I sloooow or what?!!!

Well, here are some improvements -if they qualify as that-
Just some anatomy tweaking -I'm pretty happy with the proportions so I'm going foward for the details-

And a bit of a close up to the yet undetailed head

Yep! That's all folks

-Any tips or comments are as always, very welcome-

-That's what took you all week?- My relentless concience

-SHUT UP!-

-Your gaining some weight and smoking way too much- My relentless concience

-Where's my antipsicotic pill?-

[Santis]

Omg, thats one of the coolest monsters i have ever seen!

[Jason Belec]

Really nice work Fidel! This is going to be a cool monster! I do hope you went back and made him poseable!! For a guy in the corner you sure do learn fast.

[wenna]

This is very cool! I like the idea of this thread.. maybe I might be able to follow along! Thanks again for writing out your procedures and even the mistakes, that way we all can (maybe) avoid them.


wenna

[Santis]

For how long have you ben into ZBrush?

[elarcano]

Oh Dear Diary,
Today I feel that I love Katty even more than yesterday, because evertime I think of her, I feel like I can fly high into the... OH! Sorry,wrong Diary

Hey guys! Thanks A LOT for the kind words!
This is the first time I get to "answer" somethings one by one... that's pretty cool!

Santis:

Omg, thats one of the coolest monsters i have ever seen!

Wow! It amazing that you like the "little fella" SO muc... wait a minute... mom? Is that you?!!!

No really Santis, Wow! pretty strong words, thanks! But I must STRONGLY recommend you to look around the community. The are sooooooo many awesome artist who really know what their doing and that are tremendously gifted. Just to mention a few: alexleia, sebcesoir, BlackNull, madmac, kissb, boozy floozie, asims, carlos_sr, joe_seig, metamesh and my very favorite Jedi Zmaster Jason Belec -who I like to refer as my friend... or the guy who just tolerates me

For how long have you ben into ZBrush?

Well, I would have like to spend 2 years working on something really cool before posting it and then saying that I just had ZB for 2 weeks... but I think I blew that opportunity
I think I've had ZB since February, so thats makes... -where's my calculator?-... 3 months now -and really enjoying it- But to be honest I have to say that I've had a 5 year formal Fine Art studies... that and that I'm unemploid... so I got TONS of time on my hands now!


Jason:Thanks man! -means a lot to me

I do hope you went back and made him poseable!!

I guess this is the part that I could say that my dog ate my zsphere tools?
Unfortunately I didn't went back, just foward with the experiment to see the other "option" -adaptive skin-
But I'll to come up with another guy with zspheres all the way. This is just one of several characters I intend to do... if I don't dye or get a job at flipping burgers before
I went through with my zsphere mistake because I wanted to leave a straight record of what you can do when you mess up a very simple but basic rule -of course, I could've done the zsphere structure again, but didn't- So don't forget gang... Store Morph before any modeling or posing... and stay away from drugs -that was the Mr. T in me-
So yeah... I'll have to use another 3D program to pose him

Wenna:
I'm very glad that this could help you or anyone... that's the idea of the thread... and to meet someone who can avoid the possibility of me flipping burgers... I even burn water!

Man! This is getting long and looks more like an interview to a very bad unemploid comedian... so ok... I've tried to do some detailing but... AHA! -no, not the 80's band- A posible mistake or something my little gray matter doesn't understand and don't know how to fix it!
Ezequiel has already 2568512 poligons but I don't know if I've pushed to much the mesh from the original result of the zsphere structure -post 1/ pic 3- that when I try to do some fine details it just isn't possible without the poligons showing in a very aweful way

I've tried dividing it as high as 7 millions -I think- as a test, but my computer will puke blood if I really work on that level... besides -yep! another question- What's the max amount of poligons that I can migrate to another 3D program without losing all the fine details done at this division?

I hope these questions doesn't send this thread to the "questions and troubleshooting..." basket

Thanks for the futher assistantship -really need it!-

Chau!

[Santis]

"The are sooooooo many awesome artist who really know what their doing and that are tremendously gifted."

Yes I know, they are really good. They can do cool and detailed monsters, but your monster looked sooo cool. Even if some of the other monsters are more advanced then yours, your designe was cooler, they are too classic. Like a Vampire, it can be detailed and stuff like that, but they already exist, I have never seen a monster like THAT before, and that impressed me.

[slocik]

7mln polys is way to much, dont worry about the polys looking taht way, it wont be wisible anyway when the whole model will be on the pic, you can turn off the quick 3d and in tool> display> turn on smooth ad set dsmooth 1 :]