How to start to study to create characters?

Bokche

I am trying to find a way to learn and to create characters. Either for games,film, tv, or cinematic.

i was thinking, is good way to start with stylized characters, before i dive into hyper realistic character and creatures?

Where i live, no one create or work with hyper realistic characters, they are cartoons or stylized, but every studio is trying to get such a project, that have realistic characters.

How do i start? Any advice

SuperFranky

Start learning a modeling software first, Zbrush and Maya/3ds Max. Then when you feel comfortable with modeling in both packages, start learning anatomy and sculpt, sculpt, sculpt.
There's much more to it than that, but that's how you start.

Popol

You actually should do the opposite. Creating convincing stylized characters requiers a very good understanding of anatomy. So learn how to make realistic characters first. It is a misconception that it's easier to make cartoon/stylized characters.

So start Zbrush and start sculpting a realistic nude male or female from references ( refs are the key to progress)

And here's a good intro to anatomy : https://www.anatomy4sculptors.com/anatomy.php

dimosM

what SuperFranky says, but keep in mind that you are gonna have to sit down and study anatomy hard.
i also agree with Popol, in order to break the rules (which you will essentially be doing by creating stylized/cartoon characters) you first need to know them, so start with realistic characters first.

PyrZern

You can start from proportions and forms with planes before going full anatomy. Get the general ideas about the character is also important. Blockout basic shapes to get the impression of a character. Then start doing anatomy.

Like this block-out. (though very stylized)

Kwramm

Bokche wrote: »

i was thinking, is good way to start with stylized characters, before i dive into hyper realistic character and creatures?

quoting one of my art teachers "you have to know the rules before you can break them" - i.e. learn about correct silhouettes, volumes, anatomy and once you understand how this works you can distort and exaggerate to create stylized characters.

If you study concepts, e.g. by Pixar, you will see that many are rooted in proper human anatomy, which has then been taken to the extremes.

Brian "Panda" Choi

Wait a minute, Bokche, do you want to learn how to do this:



or this:

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?178524-Wreck-it-ralph!!! ?

There's a difference between concept art, and 3D character art. Not sure what you're talking about when you say "study."

deohboeh

Popol wrote: »

And here's a good intro to anatomy : https://www.anatomy4sculptors.com/anatomy.php

Thanks for the link Propol! I found the link very helpful!

Bokche

Panda, i am saying to study the style of the character. I know there is different with styles like, cartoon, stylized or hyper realistic characters.

I was wondering what is good start to go for.


So in order to break rules, to create stylized characters, i must learn and do realistic characters? No problem then:).

I was thinking also to do couple of sculpts, with basic proportions of whole body. Without any details and such.
Something like this
https://gumroad.com/grassetti

And then to take each part of the body, and sculpt it separately.

Brian "Panda" Choi

Anatomy studies will do the trick for a big chunk of it.

Bokche

Thank you panda.

Any suggestion or a path how to actually start to learn Anatomy. I am so fucking confused. So many muscles names, so many bones names, how to study it?

SuperFranky

Bokche wrote: »

Thank you panda.

Any suggestion or a path how to actually start to learn Anatomy. I am so fucking confused. So many muscles names, so many bones names, how to study it?

Study books,watch videos on youtube, buy anatomy tutorials, try to sculpt different parts of the body. That's pretty much it, a lot of studying and a lot of sculpting.

Brian "Panda" Choi

Just focus on it a chunk at a time.

1) Torso
2) Arms
3) Legs
4) Head

Though, I recommend learning overall figure first before diving into anatomy. Get the big picture before you effectively attempt specifics.

At USC, a professor had us buy this book for the anatomy class. It's very technical and really awesome at showing all muscle groups everywhere, including bone anatomy.

Mind you, this will NOT teach you how to draw, it's just a technical reference

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Human-Anatomy-Function-Movement/dp/0823024156"]http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Human-Anatomy-Function-Movement/dp/0823024156[/ame]

Bokche

How to mean to learn overall figure?

So to take one part of the body at time, study it, sculpt it, repeat and so on?

SuperFranky

Bokche wrote: »

How to mean to learn overall figure?

So to take one part of the body at time, study it, sculpt it, repeat and so on?

It's not so easy, you gotta learn it for yourself. Attempt to sculpt something small then something else, then after a while you'll be confident enough for a full piece like a body. Just start with something and with each and every thing you do try to make it better than the one before it.