DMAN3D - Sketchbook, WIPS and Evolution

[Dman3d]

Sounds like a good idea, figured I would wrap up the sculpting first this time
then paint, but I am liking the b/w treatment as well. Be nice to have that wax
shader in 4r2 cant wait, could do some neat comping with that.
See if I can wrap up the modeling in the next session or two and get
down to painting which I really enjoy.
If anything I will work on nuance and subtlty rather than that overdone
sss feel, like its made of resin or something, err, at least I hope.

[dapharmer]

i've been slowly wrapping my head around the zbrush mats but i wish i could get just a bit deeper. it seems like there has to be a way to attach texture files as more then just reflection modifiers on a shader chanel. Like if you had a skin mat and wanetd to create a shader channel on it that not only provided a bit of subsurface detail but also instead of scattering noise scattered fine red lines as if capilaries/veins. i could swear i've seen people do it but either im blind (or lazy) and cant seem to find good explanations how and havent had much luck when trying to use textures in various tests within the mats. i know alot of people will just use individual mats>render passes and use photoshop to layer their subdermals in and such.. but i would like to figure it out direct within zbrush so that the end result has the depth associated with assigning a channel at specific cavity levels.

something like that though done in black and white, with a texture using a mixture of soft circular blobs and fine fine black lines in capilary fashion.. would make for an awesome translucent subdermal effect really giving the feel of an ancient lifeless creature..

maybe i'll experiment with materials a bit today

[Dman3d]

Im sure I can paint it but as for making a one shot shader in Z Im not sure
I wonder if you could use a quad shader and layer texture maps in each
more or less making an SSS/translucent effect? (never tried it, only colors
can be assigned to each right??)
I used to make different renders from Z using various shaders then comping
now Im using just the quad skin shader 4 (preview render) and then using
various techniques in photoshop to isolate reflections, shadows and what not
but even with all that it relies on the base render. Color or no I desaturate it.

The previous versions of this guy I did in color and had done a bit of the vein
work by painting but abandoned it in favor of focusing on the sculpt for the
time.

[dapharmer]

from what i can tell so far.. with the shader channels certain channel types you can add textures to and you will have them react with the reflectivity slider. different blend modes get different results but in almost every case it appears that the texture itself is applied planar style to the model... a good way to test is with a quad skin shader find the normal blend channel.. turn the blend mode to pheonix.. the reflectivity to 100 and pic the canyon/clouds texture. it'll most likely be stretched across the entire subtool..... it's probably a wholly unnecessary experiment as you can accomplish the idea msore easily by storing various layers of polypainting as textures and just reloading them as necessary but i like experimenting and finding nifty ways to accomplish an effect without ridiculous effort.



if i can manage to figure out something i think may be of interest to you i'll post it later.

[Dman3d]

Yeah cant hurt, all fun. I use Z in the capacity of a hobbiest or just plain
creativity so its a place I dont care too much (yet) about workflow.
I get that all day at work

[Dman3d]

Argh, took him over to MAX and the sculpt is still really jacked up, way more to
do and fix, thought I had gotten somewhere. The max render revealed more
short comings, problems and outright oversights.
So back to sculpting, worry about all the texturing and whatnot later for sure.
Really sucking. May have to take a break and work on my annual halloween
painting, maybe sculpt this time and come back with fresh eyes and will!

All the cool shaders hiding too much, going back to basic2 for a bit
sometimes the simplest advise is best eh.

[dapharmer]

hehe i still think it looks pretty wicked man

[Dman3d]

thanks for the vote, see if I can get some reasonable progress before posting
again or something new altogether. Even annoying myself at this point.
Thinking as an experiment, visiting my old models to see how I, well,
see them now. Progress in art is more than technical techique or prowess,
it is often your perception. Of more than your subject but your tools as well.
I've beem in archviz and comsumer products for years so my time with Z
is limited but I love drawing, sketching and painting monsters and robots.
Cant wait to get into some heavy hard edge, got tons of little mech
doodles and sketches.
That aside I am very disappointed in my progress, been using zbrush too
long to still suck this much but then again Ive been lax on focus. Been
away from z for more than a year. Still a lame excuse.
Going to probably pick up that Eat3d dvd on mech modeling.
http://eat3d.com/zbrush_hardsurface
Looks promising. Want to do it straight in Z and skip MAX
modeling if possible. If anyone has seen/followed the DvD I am curious
to hear some reviews, seen a couple but would not hearing/reading
some more.

Cheers
-d

--edit--
and I really, really hate the P key

[Dman3d]

Ok new stuff, worked on this spradically this past week or so
detailing, further form fixes then teeth.
Proportions are off, working on it.
Started as sphere

[KC-Production]

the evolution in your art is very straight forward mate!
Really nice sketchbook and great work on the last model and rendering, love the shader!
Looking forward seeing more from you, can I hear a TAAAMPPA-----BAAAY!
I was born there and great to see one from Tampa
Best regards and happy sculpting,
- Kenny =)

[Dman3d]

Ty Kenny your stuff is coming along great too keep it up. Trying to find some time to get back into Z, stupid life and stuff all up in my time.

Had ended up using that skull for the 2011 halloween challenge but that are seems dorked up so cannot relink it.

[Dman3d]

New WIP critter be working on this guy a bit longer
adding some fiber stuff (of course!) soon as I can.
Cheers
-d

[tobbeo]

Looking very nice!

[Dragon]

Hi D, went through all your posts (from the start, till here). For just 'playing around' with Z (doing it for awhile, leaving it for a year, then coming back to it), your amazing with it. About 'life' getting in the way, man, I feel ya (wished the house and car and everything else would just pay it's self, that way I could just stay home and learn more about Z-) Anywho, your sculpts and textures are beautiful (real cool looking). Best.

[Dman3d]

Thanks guys I really appreciate it.
I love Z but it makes me nuts not being able to constantly work with it.
Simply my favorite medium so to speak. With any luck I can make a sustained
effort at it soon-ish, haha another caveat I guess.

Keep on sculpt'n
-d