(WIP) Chinese General

JustinT

Hey all! I've been a long-time lurker on this site and haven't really posted much of my art because I feel a lot of my stuff is mediocre to many great artists here. As silly and obvious as it sounds, I've recently realized though that the only way to truly get better is to 1) get critiques and 2) get involved in the community by posting things, so might as well get started!

My goal is to create a real-time version of this guy below:

Brian "Panda" Choi

YES!  FINALLY!

nimlot's Chinese Warrior lady may be helpful with how you want to break down the low poly.

http://polycount.com/discussion/143157/female-warrior-realtime-character

JustinT

Starting off with a clothes base for the hanfu and pants in MD. gonna refine in Zbrush when I get the armor pieces in

JustinT

Brian "Panda" Choi said:

YES!  FINALLY!

Haha it's not easy for me to admit that if I'm gonna get any better that I need help 

Brian "Panda" Choi

Weren't you doing that already with the 10k posts?

JustinT

Brian "Panda" Choi said:

Weren't you doing that already with the 10k posts?

I tried to, but it seems the posts that get the most attention there are either completed projects or WIPs from artists that show either extreme of proficiency. I'm somewhere in the middle so I'm assuming that's why I hardly get noticed. 

JustinT

Blocking in the face (symmetry is still on for now)

JustinT

blocking in the base shapes

JustinT

small update adding more of the basic elements

LokiDokie

your amour looks pretty decent and clean cut with some detail and damage it'll look awesome, maybe add a bit more curve to the shoulder pads and puff them out slightly more. I think your face need some work for me his eyes could be sunk in a little more, his nose looks kind of flat from the front view (almost like he walked into a window). His ears need a lot of work, there not joined the head correctly and look a little chunky around thinner areas. 
I hear you on the advice part its tough getting advice/noticed (I constantly struggle with it too) but you can be your own critic and learn and better yourself from that too . Keep posting am sure other people will notice too if I get time ill try do a paint over for you  
Goodluck

JustinT

@LokiDokie Thanks for the feedback, I'll try to address these points asap!

stororokw

1. Ears should connect flat against the jaw
2. Needs more cheekbone and more defined separation between the front and side; he looks old, so you can see he is quite gaunt around the zygoma region.
3. Corner of the eyes need more depth, seems rather flat. I would also pay attention to his upper eyelid seems kinda lumpy and unrefined.
4. The superciliary arch needs to be more prominent and have a more defined plane shift.
5. Needs more depth and distinction between nose bridge and eye orbit.
6. Needs indication of the eyelid-cheek-junction. Completely missing at the moment.
7. Better defined planes of the nose. Kinda all mushed together at the moment.
8. Lacking volume for the nasolabial fold.
9. Lacking volume of the corners of the mouth
10. Needs better form; lacking depth and planes of the lips.

I like the project so far, likeness is there. Look forward to future updates.
I would try getting it into UE4 / Unity3d / Marmoset to see how it looks.

JustinT

@stororokw Thanks for taking the time to do a paint-over critique! This is my first time making an old character, so it's greatly appreciated. I tried addressing all your points: 

stororokw

Looks a lot better, but I still think some things are missing. I did a paint over of the 3/4 view and right side of the front view. I dont have enough information for the side based on your refs, but it does look a little strange.

I would overlay it over the old ones and toggle layer visibility in photoshop to compare.
1. Missing eyebag and zygoma separation
2. Slightly thinner jaw line
3. Missing temporal line
4. Eyelids needs work
5. Inner corner of the eyes
6. Planes of the nose still weird. Also, there needs to be a connection of the nose with nasolabial fold. Wings of the nose not defined (see 3/4 view). Nose should be slightly less wide.
7. Lower lips are too sharp, and planes are still lacking. Pinching on the corners of lips.
8. Eye/Brow region needs better form, right now its just a crease, really need to go in and sculpt the subtleties. Likewise for the nasolabial fold.
9. Planes of the lower eyelid feel off.
10. Currently there isnt much indication of the zygomatic arch going to the ear.
I don't think its a matter of smoothing the creases, but building up the forms with one of the clay brushes.

JustinT

Update on the head. Already liking the change, thanks for the help guys! Gonna break symmetry and add tertiary detail soon

JustinT

@stororokw the only side references I could find of this guy were 3/4 views, hopefully this helps clarify things

stororokw

Looking better, but I still think you are being a little bit too heavy handed with some of your brush strokes which is causing the sculpt to look  sharp and unnatural in some places.

JustinT

Hey so it's been awhile. Got caught up with work and life stuff.

Still plugging away at this though whenever I have spare time. I'm getting close to my limit in terms of sculpting ability, so any additional advice would be greatly appreciated!

Brian "Panda" Choi

I'd remodel the square torso plates. You can see the wiggling lines.

Nice progress.