UHF-Head WIP

[groBoto]

I've never really had the time to see a ZBrush project through -- always caught up in 'lab work' -- looking into future GroBoto/ZBrush interplay.

See: GroBoto Lab Work

Thought I'd take a shot at working a GroBoto construct (using current export options) up to a respectable ZBrush model.

You can see the progress so far in the images below...

Original GroBoto model consists of an 'AutoBot' form (the angular branchy stuff), and a single large primitive (the tapered barrel). I exported every thing with low poly counts (basically 8 sided for all radial objects)... wanted to start with something that would allow good subdivision options in ZBrush. When importing the OBJ, I set the Tri2Quad setting to max. Groboto's meshes are all triangles, but they are ideally structured for conversion to quads.





Some preliminary sculpting on the head, and refining of the 'antennae' -- using Scale, Inflate, and a bit of translation to add variety & character...



...more head sculpting including some ridges & bumps to tie the head and antennae together. Still more tweaking of the 'line weights', tapering, bulges & other antennae details. Working mostly at subdivision level 3, 'tho I sometimes drop to 2 or 1...




...and here's where it stands so far. Just a couple hours work (mostly because I have virtually no idea what I'm doing in ZBrush yet, but I'm learning.) I don't want to get too carried away with detailing (already complex due to GroBoto geometry), but would like to use displacements to add some geometric lines and forms to the 'skull' -- both to enhance tie-ins with the antennae, and for aesthetic reasons.

Looking forward to playing with materials/texture/paint.

Would also like to al least build this out to a 'bust' with neck & shoulders... maybe more. Thanks for looking.

Darrel

[Ls3D]

Pretty cool! I noticed Meats did a piece for SIGGRAPH this year using your tools,... nice endorsement, fun piece of code.

-Shea

[infamouskiller]

[groBoto]

Thanks Ls3D & Infamous,

Yes, we are pretty excited about Meats' SIGGRAPH piece. Likely you'll see some more GroBoto based stuff from him in the coming months.

...a quick update on UHF-Head. Found time for another brief session... a bit more sculpting on the 'skull', added a neck.

I'll focus back on the antennae next.

Darrel

[jamespthornton]

Hey, great work!

So what I would like all of you to notice about this workflow, is a feature that I would LOVE to see in a ZBrush update. The very first image is a screenshot from Groboto. Check out the "true geometry", which is rendered geometry with NO polygons. It's a 3d sculpture that doesn't have polygons at all! Once the model is finished, it's exported as a polygon model and translated with correct topology! That's freakin' awesome!

Imagine how free sculpting would be with no polygons. You could make anything from a sphere without worrying about the limitations of topology. THEN, you could translate, or export, the sculpture to polygon geometry for use in other 3d apps and animation, with various subdivision levels, etc. Just an observation.......

TRUE GEOMETRY, that's the word for the day.......

[groBoto]

Hey James,

Thanks.
Yes, I'd love to see that too. It's so quick and easy to come up with 1000 base mesh variants by pushing around sliders in GroBoto.

I decided to put UHF Head aside (who am I kidding, just no time -- getting ready for SIGGRAPH). But I stole a couple of hours to whip up a brother for ol' UHF. He's pretty rough, but I see potential.

Same procedure, but I'm able to move pretty quickly through the tiny fragment of ZBrush methods that I've learned thus far.

-Darrel








... a few tweaks -- starting to bring hardware and head together.
D.

[jamespthornton]

That's awesome, man! Good luck at Siggraph! I'm sure, with Meats incorporating Groboto into the main Siggraph image, "The Mother of Animation", you'll get great exposure and recognition.

[groBoto]

Hey James,

Thanks.

I'll be at the Smith Micro booth (right next to Pixologic) if anyone wants to say hi, or see GroBoto in action.

Here's the latest on the 'longhorn demon cyberCow'... or whatever it is.

Darrel

[groBoto]

It was great meeting lots of ZBrush artists and the Pixologic folks at SIGGRAPH.

I'm finally working Z3.
I was amazed & thrilled with the improvements -- both in the variety & quality of the sculpting tools, and the ease in handling high density meshes.

I reworked the 'cyberSteer' model. I used custom alphas and the displacement brush to tie the skull & mechanical elements together.

I plan on uploading some of these alphas as freebies here (I'm creating them in GroBoto).

Also see my 'Other' forum posts for some new Z3/Groboto hybrid work (most recent posts at the end of the thread).
GroBoto Lab Work

Thanks,
Darrel

[groBoto]

As I was playing with this, started thinking about cephalopod's incredible camouflage abilities -- able to alter their shape as well as color... how about a fish that mimics it's predator?

Started this with a GroBoto Boolean. You can see the progression in the first two images. The piece is splitting into two versions -- one more organic, one possibly sculptural or mechanical (bottom two images).

More on using GroBoto with ZBrush here:

GroBoto Lab Work

Thanks for stopping by,
Darrel

[groBoto]

Some incremental progress here... splitting into the 'organic' and 'metal sculpture' versions.


My GroBoto/ZBrush synergy thread:
GroBoto Lab Work

Thanks for looking,
Darrel

[groBoto]

I imported a GroBoto mesh purely for testing purposes --before I knew it, this guy showed up...

Still very much wip -- I'm trying not to get sucked into detailing -- just beginning to learn ZBrush sculpting.

The upper left corner of the 4-panel was the first incarnation -- liked it ok, but wanted something more stylized. The other 3 panels, and the rest of the images show a move in that more stylized direction. The last image takes it a bit further.

Thanks for stopping by,

Darrel

My GroBoto/ZBrush Synergy thread:

GroBoto Lab Work

[groBoto]

Hey Vudoo,

Thanks -- can't take much credit 'tho.

Just took the standard Red Wax, swapped in the oxidized copper colors, and tweaked a couple of sliders. Here's a link to the Mat file.

DA greenCopper Mat

...as long as I'm here, thought I'd show the genesis of this piece. Imported GroBoto mesh (left), messed it up with the displacement tool and a complex alpha (right... shown with the copper material).

As I mentioned, I was really just testing and got sucked into sculpting.

Darrel

[groBoto]

Playing with a high-density GroBoto UniMesh (small Red Wax image).

Holds up pretty well -- a few Z tools don't get along with these meshes very well, but most do. I find I am able to selectively soften the very crisp original edges for transitioning from mechanical to more organic.

My GroBoto/ZBrush Synergy page:

GroBoto Lab Work

Thanks for stopping by,
Darrel

[DELTATHUND3R]

Some of these are really nice experimentions of your wikked Groboto, Im liking the facial stuff very nice and dam crazzy I like it ..