Thoughts about polycount handpainted challenge ?
polycounter lvl 12
This is to gauge interest we might or might not have for this.
This could be monthly or weekly challenge. Or bi-monthly or whatever.
This would be along side our already existing character challenge/environment/hard-surface/firearms (what happened to firearms :P ?)
Things we need if we are to do this.
1. Enough interest and people to do it. People feed off excitement from each other :P
2. People with enough knowledge in it. Challenges Polycount host are mostly about practicing and learning. It's obvious getting feedback is important to these. With enough experienced people, the challenges become self-sustaining living things. No need to get judges or anything. Just artists helping artists.
3. Concepts. Easy. Base models to paint on. Not so hard to come by. Though only after we decide what the concept will be for each month/week.
4. Thoughts ??
Ps. Sorry. I'm a part of gaming clan whose motto is 'We just wanna take over the World'. My brain always think of ways to expand... That, and I wanna improve my non-existent hand-painting skills ;P
This could be monthly or weekly challenge. Or bi-monthly or whatever.
This would be along side our already existing character challenge/environment/hard-surface/firearms (what happened to firearms :P ?)
Things we need if we are to do this.
1. Enough interest and people to do it. People feed off excitement from each other :P
2. People with enough knowledge in it. Challenges Polycount host are mostly about practicing and learning. It's obvious getting feedback is important to these. With enough experienced people, the challenges become self-sustaining living things. No need to get judges or anything. Just artists helping artists.
3. Concepts. Easy. Base models to paint on. Not so hard to come by. Though only after we decide what the concept will be for each month/week.
4. Thoughts ??
Ps. Sorry. I'm a part of gaming clan whose motto is 'We just wanna take over the World'. My brain always think of ways to expand... That, and I wanna improve my non-existent hand-painting skills ;P
Replies
It was pretty amazing.
We saw so many artists improve drastically with regular participation.
I actually don't care so much about process. Results should be the only thing that matter.
hehe.
(That said, most of my fave hand painted models tend to be created without Zbrush).
Afterall, a 'hand painted portrait' is not a 'black and white photo with colorized layers over it.'
(I'm simplifying it for sure, but just making an example)
So say something like Grayson from The Order or Talion from Shadow of Mordor, with around 1-2k tris and a 256/512 diffuse, etc. Still, working from set concepts is also a good option.
Someone has to provide the challenge with nicely modelled and UV'ed mesh each month though :P
Zbrush however you model and get your base I guess. Just no baking texture maps out.
Personally I would love to see the weekly art jams come back. I made a ton of cool stuff during those and gained a few levels. Not that I have that much time for any of this. I would love to see people do this and improve though.
Agreed. I'd love to do some more art jams, perfect amount of time to whip something up
Buuuuuut I only use Zbrush, no textures/alpha's just plain painting of course. I just want to see the thing I'm painting lets face it flat UV maps are not fun to paint on.
Need to get back into actually making art.
That way, it allows people to do whatever they want and learn about technique. I'm all about the "meh baking AO on zbrush is cheating blabla" but that's the fast workflow, it doesn't change that some people still do awesome stuff without baking anything ! If it's an art jam, no drama because of rule or software use. Just people who love hand painting, sharing their art and helping each other !
We could choose each month 3 category so everyone can gave it a go:
-A cool prop, could be a weapon or anything else ( for people who lack time)
- A creature or a character
- A small environment ( like a airship, a house, a oak tree with a tomb, a well, etc it's environment but it's not crazy big)
This is my personal preference but and I wouldn't go for the "I gave you a concept art to do" but a Theme ! (We could also go thematic with season and holidays)
For example:
Environment: Witch Cottage House
Props: Witch's Accessories
Character: Witch
This example let people go crazy, it could be a cute little witch, a sexy woman or a evil oldbag. She could like in a candy cottage or a scary haunted house. She could use super vacuum because broom are over rated, or have a necromancer spell book !
On the other hand we could do strict stuff (imo we should alternate)
Environment: Fantasy Pirate Airship
Character: Pirate with a crazy moustache who love eccentric hat
Props: a Weapon used by air pirate involving the use of chicken eggs.
It strict but it still let people imagine stuff. In my opinion it gave way less boring result than just giving out a concept art, people got tired fast of those and the second they don't really love what was choose they don't participate, while if we let a certain liberty, people tend to enjoy it more ! And nothing forced people to not find a concept art fitting the requisite and sharing it !
Also, cartoon concept artist could enter our artjam since it share the same basic knowledge of painting, colour and light.
Sorry for my english, i'm french and dying of fever >3<
tl;dr: 3 categories: Props, character, small environment, using thematic and not concept art
Do people want to use the same model and get to paint the texture, or do people want to make their own models as well ?
Probably would be better if people could create their own models, like the other monthly challenges. Just allows them more artistic freedom
Giving a uv model to everyone would mean someone have to do it every month, if we keep it simple and with more liberty people will enjoy themselves more ! Also it's boring to watch at the same thing with small variation 20time, personally i can't follow the monthly challenge because after 2 pages i'm bored it's always the same thing, the same problem everyone have, same trick and recommendation.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1763508&postcount=1
Now, we just need to agree on how to pick the 3 themes for each month.
- Prop
- Envo
- Character
Either by voting a week before, or by having someone select it (could rotate the person as well)
Personally i have a lot of free time, ideas and i could prepare some pinterest mood board for each theme to help people. (I'm a pinterest Queen haha)
Also, should we welcome cartoon concept/illustrator artist in our artjam ?
My opinion is that we should, since it share similar skill, also some people could use their work to reproduce in 3D.
The group is ready, Just add me
Skype: LadyOdow (from canada, my avatar will be polycount logo for the next day, I really doubt there's another LadyOdow but who know)
March is coming tomorrow so everyone up tonight to talk about it i'm waiting for you
It sends reset password to my old Yahoo Mail, which I don't remember the password either.
... Now I am locked out of my Skype acct.
ROFL!
I been using Google Hangout lately for art stuff.
I guess if a majory of people prefer google hangout we can go on it too, I don't know anything about it however :<
I'd second the theme strategy rather than always providing concepts directly since I think variation could be nice.
Not particularly confident in my own designs but i'd love to try!