Expert in a year - 3D artist

spexel · Apr 2016

Hello everyone, I have been interested in being a 3D artist for quite some time but never took the dive. I got inspired by the video table tennis - expert in a year and I wanted to give it a shot. Since I am now considering a career change I think it is time for me to put in the hours and move on to my next challenge. I already have some experience as a modeler so I am not starting from scratch but I am far from being able to charge money for my services.

I wanted to create a thread where I can show my progress, talk about the challenge I faced and connect with the community. My goal is to be able to charge confidently for my services in a year from now and to have connected with other professionals.

I will post Updates at least once a week in this thread to keep me focused on my goals.

That is all for today and I am really looking forward to talk with you guys.

lefix · Apr 2016

Post some pictures, I am curious about your starting point

I believe it can be done within a year (depending on your definition of expert) if you have the discipline required for it.

spexel · Apr 2016

lefix said:

Post some pictures, I am curious about your starting point
I believe it can be done within a year (depending on your definition of expert) if you have the discipline required for it.

This is my first project, I really should have stared with something smaller.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/kc/7xgzjzalssag.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/p4/59pdbu0ezum3.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/gt/sj4pa20cigbd.png

spexel · Apr 2016

musashidan · Apr 2016

Is this symbolic of flushing your old career.......

Great goal to have. You have your work cut out. There are only about 20 different applications to learn in the modern pipeline.

But seriously, just keep at it. Keep setting goals every month. Start with small projects. Prop modeling/texturing. That way you won't get bogged down in a spirraling project that you lose inspiration on and dump in the 'graveyard' folder on your E drive.

You already gave some modeling ability so just push it monthly. Research into good project management basics and pipelines/workflow as this will become very important later on, especially if you want to turn pro in 12 months.

Are you just going to specialise in modeling gigs or do you intend to study the whole shebang: modeling/uvs/texturing/shading/lighting/rendering/rigging/animation/compositing.....no wait...I know there's more....

Best of luck mate. Good call on posting wips/starting a sketchbook.

spexel · Apr 2016

musashidan said:

Is this symbolic of flushing your old career.......

Great goal to have. You have your work cut out. There are only about 20 different applications to learn in the modern pipeline.

But seriously, just keep at it. Keep setting goals every month. Start with small projects. Prop modeling/texturing. That way you won't get bogged down in a spirraling project that you lose inspiration on and dump in the 'graveyard' folder on your E drive.

You already gave some modeling ability so just push it monthly. Research into good project management basics and pipelines/workflow as this will become very important later on, especially if you want to turn pro in 12 months.

Are you just going to specialise in modeling gigs or do you intend to study the whole shebang: modeling/uvs/texturing/shading/lighting/rendering/rigging/animation/compositing.....no wait...I know there's more....

Best of luck mate. Good call on posting wips/starting a sketchbook.

My ultimate goal would be to really understand and be efficient using this workflow:

Maya&Zbrush - modelling & Unwrapping UVs & LOD
Substance painter & Quixel suites & xNomals - Baking and texturing
UE4 - Building playable environments & Blueprints

musashidan · Apr 2016

If you go with Substance Painter then you can avoid having to learn extra software in the form of quixel and xnormal. It's personal of course but QS isn't a patch on SP and xnormal for me is obsolete pretty much as SP bakes just as good and about as hassle-free as you can get. Plus the bonus of realtime map bake testing/viewing.

spexel · May 2016

I just completed my first asset painted in Substance painter. I'm not sure if i'm missing something here but is there a way to merge the texture set into one set? Because right now I have 4 differents maps for each material.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/i1/krlsbal00mem.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ue/4cu8w57taipm.png

Here it is in the substance painter previewer. I will combine all the maps in Photoshop for now and then try to get a better render in Marmoset.

Mossbros · May 2016

If all the UV's are within the same 0-1 space and are part of the same area, then when you import into painter just make sure the meshes you want to be the same UV have the same material in maya/max. UV sets are determined by the materials assigned in the external programs I believe.

kadeschui · May 2016

@spexel just wanted to drop in and say thanks for the inspiration! I watched the "Expert in a Year" vid and read through the site...really inspirational stuff! I'm also looking for a career change to games. favorited this thread and am looking forward to seeing your progress.

Also check out the Monthly Art Challenges. #40 should be up soon - they're a great place to hone your skills and bounce ideas off others working on the same assets.

~kade

spexel · May 2016

I just finished another asset for my scene! I used substance painter 2 again. I was way faster this time and I learned to use mask to avoid having multiple texture set when I export. As you can see the asset is very simple but it feel good to complete something in a reasonable amount of time from start to finish. I rendered it in substance painter 2 as well.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/0f/ptwuwj0pxqjf.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/jy/6f6iffbqazjg.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/87/gn6usj468cai.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ot/m3vw8xbmvilb.jpg

Tell me what you guys think. Feedback on my UVs (I actually got an error while exporting them from substance painter?). Thanks!

Nuclear Angel · May 2016

This is great and highly inspirational. Something you could do to optimize your model is to mirror some of your elements. For example the front legs on your chair can easily have the same textures, as they look quite same already. You could probably do the same with the backrest and have the back have the same texture as the front. But you are on a great way! Keep it up.

spexel · May 2016

The polycount is pretty high for this asset I presume but I wanted to keep the bevel on the edges because I thought it looked way better. Would that be a big deal for a game? How about the way I built the chair?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/o3/n5lap5qo5wds.png

Nuclear Angel · May 2016

It is okay, but the chair could definitely be more optimized. For example the cushion that you sit on could be a piece of "floating geometry", meaning that they do not have to be connected. As you would save more polygons on just having the cushion not take the loops from the legs, than to actually building it like you have now.

Those bevels are not necessary, as you already have done uv splits I think you can get fairly good bakes as long as your highpoly is properly beveled. And the effect you get from the bevels could have been in your normal map. But that all depends on how much you value the 200 tri you save from removing those bevels.

spexel · May 2016

The cushion is not connected to the chair but I will try to see if I can get a good bake without those bevels. Thank you

spexel · May 2016

Nuclear Angel said:

It is okay, but the chair could definitely be more optimized. For example the cushion that you sit on could be a piece of "floating geometry", meaning that they do not have to be connected. As you would save more polygons on just having the cushion not take the loops from the legs, than to actually building it like you have now.

Those bevels are not necessary, as you already have done uv splits I think you can get fairly good bakes as long as your highpoly is properly beveled. And the effect you get from the bevels could have been in your normal map. But that all depends on how much you value the 200 tri you save from removing those bevels.

I guess you were right, here is the render at 472 tris:

2016-05-09_wooden_chair2.png

spexel · May 2016

Nuclear Angel said:

It is okay, but the chair could definitely be more optimized. For example the cushion that you sit on could be a piece of "floating geometry", meaning that they do not have to be connected. As you would save more polygons on just having the cushion not take the loops from the legs, than to actually building it like you have now.

Those bevels are not necessary, as you already have done uv splits I think you can get fairly good bakes as long as your highpoly is properly beveled. And the effect you get from the bevels could have been in your normal map. But that all depends on how much you value the 200 tri you save from removing those bevels.

I guess you were right, here it is at 472 tris:

spexel · May 2016

Here's another completed asset. I think I'm going to start putting everything together in UE4 to get a good feel of where this is going.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/is/2fsljg5jiw9p.png

spexel · May 2016

I just completed another asset for my scene. Every drawer use the same uvs, not sure if I should give them a different uvs and lower the resolution. Maybe I could put the drawer in a different uvs set? Any advice on that?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/sa/bf6beyse3lc3.bmp

kevinjohnxson · May 2016

I think it would be nice to have different UVs for the drawers, it gives the dresser more variation rather than the same texture over and over.
or you could get a less noticeable tiling wood texture.

Doxturtle · May 2016

You also have the option of having like 2 draws and just mixing them up a bit. You can always use symmetry modifier to get a drawer which is flipped as well

musashidan · May 2016

About bevelling in geometry Vs baked beveling. You don't always have to bake a normal map for every asset. Whilst it's definitely good practice at this stage it's perfectly fine to just model a lowpoly asset with beveled edges or custom vertex normals without having to model the highpoly counterpart. And then details like the wood grain can be added with a tiling NM in SP.

Great work. You're doing a commendable thing here by just pumping out simple assets through the entire pipeline, rather than bogging yourself down in an overwhelming project that you might shelf and never finish.

spexel · May 2016

musashidan said:

About bevelling in geometry Vs baked beveling. You don't always have to bake a normal map for every asset. Whilst it's definitely good practice at this stage it's perfectly fine to just model a lowpoly asset with beveled edges or custom vertex normals without having to model the highpoly counterpart. And then details like the wood grain can be added with a tiling NM in SP.

Great work. You're doing a commendable thing here by just pumping out simple assets through the entire pipeline, rather than bogging yourself down in an overwhelming project that you might shelf and never finish.

great advice. Thank you

gerbilho · May 2016

Nice. I'm curious to see your progress. I'm on the same boat, but I have to make it in 6 months... crazy...

spexel · May 2016

I followed the instructions on this page: https://wiki.unrealengine.com/Baking_Models_with_Substance_Painter_Workflow#Baking_with_Painter:

And I still can't get my model to look the same in UE4. The handle are not shiny and the wood look brighter and flat. Help?

gerbilho · May 2016

spexel said:

I followed the instructions on this page: https://wiki.unrealengine.com/Baking_Models_with_Substance_Painter_Workflow#Baking_with_Painter:

And I still can't get my model to look the same in UE4. The handle are not shiny and the wood look brighter and flat. Help?

Can you post a pic?

musashidan · May 2016

Export the packed preset. Make sure to unchecked srgb for metal/rough. Set rough to linear colour. Sometimes the rough will be in the green channel and not the red. You can check this by opening the metal/rough map in Photoshop and looking at the individual channels. Or you can make your own packed preset and put the AO map into an empty channel. Packing textures saves draw calls and is a good habit to get into.

spexel · May 2016

Oh I think I got it. My red channel was AO mixed instead of roughness. I also have my AO in the green channel and metallic in the blue channel. Thanks again!

gerbilho · May 2016

The wood texture should be rotated 90 degrees. At least in the drawers and top.

spexel · May 2016

gerbilho said:

The wood texture should be rotated 90 degrees. At least in the drawers and top.

you're right. I'm on it.

spexel · May 2016

gerbilho said:

The wood texture should be rotated 90 degrees. At least in the drawers and top.

The drawers are still all the same but it already look way better like that. I also increased the roughness.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/qt/5oyov0atsby8.bmp

spexel · May 2016

I'm modeling a remote control at the moment but I'm not sure about the best way to unwrap the buttons. Here's the remote control and the result of a planar mapping and unfold. What would be the fastest way to have straight and clean uvs for this?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/6o/maoe1lirii3s.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/mc/wceyxxueg45c.png

Thank you.

spexel · May 2016

Another simple assets for my scene. Did not use any a high poly for this one.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/j7/ckxzroypekk6.bmp

spexel · May 2016

Here is some progress I made so far for my scene. I started importing assets into UE4 to see what it look likes. So far I only have a point light in the ceiling and some blueish light coming from the window. As always, critiques are welcome!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ws/fxiytlwb1456.png

spexel · May 2016

changed my mind about the tv. Here's the new one. Some minor issue but I'm happy with it. Comments are always welcome.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ap/8o8r3k0o2adc.bmp

spexel · May 2016

Here's a render of the walls of the room. The carpet could use some more work, any advice?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/p2/m3q2ugsh01tp.bmp

spexel · May 2016

I have some shading issues inside UE4. Any idea why?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/rp/1wiz9e75lc73.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ik/c2jqh87jel3e.png

spexel · May 2016

spexel said:

I have some shading issues inside UE4. Any idea why?

Also it seems I lost alot of details from substance painter to UE4. Any idea why?

3dReaper · May 2016

Your UVs for that remote are not very optimized nor efficient.

How knowledgeable are you with unwrapping and projecting UVs?

If you have a hard edge it needs to have a UV cut at that edge. If you have a hard edge, that edge must be separated in the UV map. That hard edge needs to be separated to bake properly. When it is a soft edge it needs to be sewn in the UVs. Keep in mind if the edge is hard separate in the uvs, but if the uv is separated it does not NEED to be hard.

Read this: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1

Make sure you properly space and lay your UV hulls appropriately to optimize space.

Like so (Orlando Jones Video):

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/1p/3ztr25fkznq2.jpg

As far as shading... does this occur after you bake lighting? If so what do your lightmaps look like?

The carpet should not shine or have gloss.

As far as loss of detail, Try unchecking the srgb setting for your black and white maps in unreal both for metalness and roughness. You also need a reflection sphere in your scene.

spexel · May 2016

This is my UVs and my lightmap:

spexel · May 2016

I fixed the problem. All i had to do was increase the resolution if my lightmap.

pixelpatron · Jun 2016

Your dresser has wood grain going opposite natural flow. (the top texture UV's should be rotated 90, and any trim piece of wood should follow the shape.) Carpenters would never glue wood slats together in such a manner to run decorative trim around a piece of furniture in that way. Study from ref if your not already doing so, look at many objects not just one piece of reference. This goes for any prop/structure: Understand it's basic construction before you begin modeling/texturing.

mobkon · Jun 2016

Hey Spexel - good to see you set some goals. Some important things to keep in mind when texturing is to not just grab a material, stick it on your model and be done. From your dresser wood, I know exactly what material you used within Substance. You should practice your "artistry" and really focus on structure and building layers with different masks and materials to really bring your pieces to life. Think about where there would be some wear, or some dirt buildup etc. Bringing your prop into a sculpting program like Zbrush and adding in some detail can really help sell your piece. Props with some life to them and a story are much more interesting to look at than something that's sparkly clean. That just isn't real life. Hope this helps!

spexel · Jun 2016

Here is some progress. I have the bed sheets to do and fix some stuff and I will call it done. I learned a lot doing that but I feel like I should tackle something else. I'm still not happy with how my assets look in UE4 compared to substance painter so I will look into that. Also the dimension are a bit off even tho i tried to model with real life scale.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/8j/d91klugrsjb8.png

spexel · Jun 2016

Opened Marvelous designer for the first time today. Cool results

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/lv/e8ea0t7m4nea.bmp

, I just need to find a good way to redo the topology of my low res. Maybe Zremesher?

spexel · Jun 2016

Still working in Marvelous Designer. Tricky software but the results are worth it.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/a2/i4s1ozv940dp.bmp

spexel · Jun 2016

Ged · Jun 2016

good results with marvelous designer, its starting to come together now, I think youve got too much ao, the corners of the room look way too dark.

spexel · Jun 2016

Some updates, didn't have a lot of time to work on it but I just did some minor tweak. Still have to work on the AO but I think it's looking a bit better now.

spexel · Jun 2016

spexel · Jun 2016

I think I might call this done and move on to another project. What should I do next?

Expert in a year - 3D artist

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