Drawing on ( quick sketches )

[Tartan]

I havent posted in awhile but got inspired at seeing the great work that the Beta testers have done. Obviously a lot more detail can be added here so the sculpting isnt done. Beyond that a lot more work on the body, hands and feet. Then 3dc for a retopo with Zbrush being the next stop for more detailing and texture. I tried to experiment with texturing but for some reason when I would mask an object like the body, portions of the mask would appear on his robe. I couldnt fill the object without the same thing happening. This had to have happened when the map was being built.

[JoseConseco]

Looks ok, just remember that eyes go in the middle of head height. U need bring them down something like 1 'eye height'. Also from 3/4 view the right most point on skull should be above ear not below, . Hope this helps

[Tartan]

Hey Jose,

I think you are looking at it wrong lol. If you notice I have sculpted his face looking up instead of dead on. Originally he was the model I have on the 1st page of this thread and I had been attempting to make him look more comical with exaggerated features. It didn't work but I still wanted to continue with him. I just wish I had chosen a dead even sculpt instead of looking up Once you put him full frontal and even his pose a bit, it gives you a better idea. Also the beard can make things look off. I do agree with you about the 3/4 view but thats something I wasnt concerned about addressing because of the robe and hood and because the ears are so horribly bad Now I will have to go correct it

[belbe]

Wow i really like a lot of your works! I wish i was as good as you .
How do you make the hair? i cant make it work.
Really good job!!

[Tartan]

I don't really think I am that much better than you Belbe. When I started out in Zbrush in 2004, my early models were primitive. I am assuming that these are your first 3d models where you had complete control over the sculpting/fashioning of the model. If it werent for the box modeling I have done off and on it would be the same for me when I got Zbrush (Zbrush is hands down the best single 3d investment I have ever made) Even so when I compare your early models to mine I see that it just wont take long for you to be up and running.

On the hair I created enough mass around the edges of Jawline to the chin and also his eyebrows to give me something to work with. Then I used a lot of Crease tool with smooth tool in some cases and more sparingly Inflate and Draw using Draw in both positive and negative modes to build up and dig down. I am still not satisfied with it so on my next attempt I will use the masking tool and then come back with Crease etc. I dont know how Bas did it but the Hair he did was what I used as inspiration. http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=143508

Look at some of the other Beta testers like Jose and Michalis etc. More prime examples. And not just the Beta Testers but the regulars here. Patience is Key!

[Thomas Sankt]

What is that thing in the background - a golden cut?

[Tartan]

Hey Thomas,

You had me confused as to the reference to the golden cut. I am assuming you mean the background as a reference background for proportions. If so yes. If you read on seceond page of the thread you will see me discussing it with Blue Ferret. Its an aid I threw together to help me visualize proportions and give me an idea of where the sculpt is going. No need to be exact just rough as all humans are different. For instance if my leg proportions matched my torso proportions I would be 6'4" or 5" instead of 6' 1"

[Knacki]

German pupil were tortured with theory about "golden cut" or "golden ratio"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_cut

Not bad to know - but better to store basics in your belly to keep your had free for art

[SpiritDreamer]

Hi Tartan. .Hey nice going so far on this last character..

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthre...9&page=9&pp=15

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthre...NES+SKETCHBOOK

Above are a couple of links that I think you might enjoy..If you haven't already seen his works that is...His sketchbook,..the bottom link is loaded with all kinks of useful knowlage concerning the human figure..Some great stuff in there... Enjoy..

[Thomas Sankt]

Hey Thomas,

You had me confused as to the reference to the golden cut. I am assuming you mean the background as a reference background for proportions. If so yes. If you read on seceond page of the thread you will see me discussing it with Blue Ferret. Its an aid I threw together to help me visualize proportions and give me an idea of where the sculpt is going. No need to be exact just rough as all humans are different. For instance if my leg proportions matched my torso proportions I would be 6'4" or 5" instead of 6' 1"

I correct myself: It is not the "golden cut", it is "golden ratio(Sectio aurea) or golden rule or golden section" what I am talking about. Where did you get this background from and do you have a more detailed - but simple - explaination on how to use it?

[Tartan]

Thomas I think I will answer that in another thread. I want to start one that those of us who are more experienced at art in general can help beginners with tips on anatomy etc. I will cover how to use that background in Sculptris to shape a basic head. It will take me a couple of days to write it though. I put it together out of a unit circle, a numbered grid and the rulers from Photoshop CS2. I will be dropping the rulers as they are pretty much useless.

Thanks Knacki, that was a fascinating read. It recalled to my aging head about the Golden Ratio and the Egyptians I can see where a student could be tortured with it LOL

Thanks Spirit those are both very good links. Maybe he can help me solve the problems I have with ears . When I start that thread I was talking about I will be sure and relink them because they are useful for both beginners and experienced.

[Thomas Sankt]

Thomas I think I will answer that in another thread. I want to start one that those of us who are more experienced at art in general can help beginners with tips on anatomy etc. I will cover how to use that background in Sculptris to shape a basic head. It will take me a couple of days to write it though.

Please update here when you'll have finished it for me to be notified via eMail.

[Tartan]

Hey Thomas. I decided to keep this in my thread. I know its long and drawn out but hopefully it will help you and maybe others.

When I first picked up Sculptris I needed to exercise my rusty sense of proportion again and I put this rough indicator together. It is made of a trignometric chart called the Unit Circle and a simple line graph and I used it to give me a rough idea of how the proportions needed to be. The axes indicate angles which I should have assigned degrees to. I went back and remade it but it is Not perfect. Just save picture and enable as background in options. You will need to resize it if you are running at a lower or higher resolution.

What I am doing here is creating a base shape to evolve a generic head from. Very simple thing to do. The X axes indicates the eye line. There are a handful of different approaches to measuring the human faces average proportion from Leonardos http://www.2d-digital-art-guide.com/...oportions.html to various links off this page http://www.google.com/search?q=face+...w=1280&bih=632 . One useful one is found here and this is the general system I learned as a boy http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs40/f/20...uktopgicha.jpg

First thing to remember is to cut off detail and do Not scroll the ball in and out of perspective. Its just easier to do without zooming in and out. All thats needed in movement here is Front and Right Side. Use either your traditional Sculptris keys or Zbrush keys and mouse to lock the camera on Front or Right. Last, make sure that the Mesh is showing and center line is enabled in options.

The only thing we are really trying to do is a rough shape for a human head. Something to start with. If you look at the beginning sketches of some pros they block out their subject to get their pose and lay out proportions and they always use a roughly Oval head with lines indicating where the eyes nose mouth etc should go.

Starting with fig 1 increase the size of your Move brush as high as it will go and center it at the North pole, then bring it down to the second circle as shown in fig 2. Repeat with the south pole. On the West pole you will need to work it differently. Try and maintain the center mesh line of the ball along the X axes and work the mesh in to the Third circle. You will need to realign the brush several times, just maintain the center line of the mesh east to west. Maintaining the X will keep your meshs head in a neutral pose. Not looking up or down as I did in this threads beginning with Vito and then the use of Vito as a base to get my monk from.

In figure 3 in order to maintain your generic head and produce the oval bring the bottom sides in.

From there turn the model to the right side. Time to rough the profile. Fig 4 shows what your mesh should look like at this point. In Fig 5 bring in the west side to about -8 on the X axis and work the chin out a bit. Then bring the back of the head to the third circle (+10 on the graph). Then bring the bottom of the mesh up to about -9 on Y axis. Turn it back to the Front. The south side of the model (Fig 6) may need to be brought down again so you maintain the rough proportions (Fig 7).

From here you are set to start modeling the front but remember that you are bound by the rule of rough proportion. The eyes will always be on the X axes of the graph etc. The exception is cartooning and caricatures but you should still have a firm understanding of proportion.

[Bas Mazur]

Hey Tartan, interesting

[Tartan]

Thanks Bas but its not like You need it hehe. You can do Blind what it takes me to do with glasses and I dont generally wear them Its something that might help out beginners