Indecision and frustration

marcosfd

Hello again guys and sorry about the 2 threads in the same day I promisse i'll not do it again.

This time I want to know if it's normal to a total beginner start learning with character sculpting in zbrush (I have little experience in max and it's with hard surface), everytime I try to do a simple thing like a skull I fail hard and get so fucking frustrated. I don't know what do anymore. (I have done one thread to get critics about the skull, got some nice responses but I tried and didn't get any better).

AtticusMars

Just be persistent.

You don't get better over night, most of us here have years of practice.

If you can stick with it without rage quitting, you will get better.

Edit: woops, should have said I think starting in zbrush and learning to sculpt is perfectly fine

maximumsproductions

It's not what the average person does. Doesn't make it wrong. Most people will recommend you to get comfortable with a 3d program first and the mechanics of sub-d modeling.

low odor

Put Zbrush up..Open up max/maya/ milkshape..whatever... start simple..learn your tools..do tutorials that teach you the principles of modeling...once you've got a grasp of that, move on to the principles of character modeling..... You're trying to build rocket engines before you can fold a paper airplane..

sargentcrunch

n/a

BagelHero

It takes a lot of time. Just keep at it, and keep getting more eyes on your work, and over time you'll be better.
The human body is complex. A skull, your example, isn't as simple as it seems. There's lots of form and detail on a body, and it'll take months (maybe even years) of work to begin understanding it.

Don't worry. A lot of artists go through this. If you really want to get better at it, the only thing that you can do is start and finish a bunch of crap, because making mistakes is the best way to learn. Probably not really what you want to hear, but the people who are character art gods often have TONNES of shit work and failed studies hidden away somewhere.

Edit: And also, focus on one thing at a time if at all possible. Learning 2D, anatomy, sculpting, sub-d, hard surface and low poly modelling techniques at the same time will throw you off. Start with foundations, and work your way up.

DireWolf

My first month in Zbrush, everything I sculpted looks like a melting abomination. So no worry, all we can do is keep practicing!

marcosfd

Thank you guys for everything! I really appreciate EVERYthing that you guys said!

Mask_Salesman

What you didn't do it perfect the first time you tried?! Better quit now.

Anatomy is not an easy thing to learn, and Zbrush isn't known for its easy learning curve either. But keep at it, that's all the highend pro's did, they kept at it.

Also figure out what the root cause of your frustration is each time. Are you technically being held back by the program unfamiliarity, blobby sculpts, not the right brush behaviour. Weird zbrush behaviour lol.

Or is your understanding of the anatomy for that piece not clear, proportions off, unkown muscle groups etc. Could this be remedied by anatomy books study, like Andrew Loomis?

Rather than looking at the whole thing see if you can dissect the problem into smaller parts, that are more manageable in chunks.

Plus spamming polycount constantly with wips of your work and requesting feedback is a good way to improve faster :thumbup: