Leatherhead TMNT Zbrush WIP

astronautchimp

I recently started working on a modern take on the classic TMNT character Leatherhead in Zbrush.  Being a generalist artist at work, I can feel some of my skills going "soft".  I thought it would be a good idea to work on a detailed 3D character.  Currently I am figuring out proportions and how muscle and skin will attach.  Any comments or crits are welcome.

I will be streaming the process on my twitch channel if you care to stop by:  

Leatherhead from TMNT cartoon:


Current Overall:


Arm Study:


Hand Study:


Leg/Foot Study:


Head/Body Blocked in:


Head Study:

astronautchimp

Got around to starting some larger details on the arms this weekend.

Maxilator

It has some of the lumpiness that usually happens when you subdivide too fast, but I don't really think that it affects the sculpt too much due to the nature of his skin but I would keep stuff like that in mind for future projects if i were you. 

astronautchimp

Thanks for the heads up.  First time modelling something really detailed using dynamesh.  It's definitely a learning process/exercise in patience.

astronautchimp

Here's today's progress from the twitch stream:

astronautchimp

Spent a bit of time detailing the scales on his torso/tail this weekend.

astronautchimp

astronautchimp

Spent the evening working on legs attempting to get an interesting pattern from all angles.  Here is my progress:



After taking a coffee break and looking at the silhouette for a min I decided to take a screen grab into photoshop and doodle some scales to break of the softer curves of his back and a bit of his triceps:



and here is the original side view:



Any feedback or crits you guys have would be much appreciated.

astronautchimp

 I think the pose will be him roaring with a tattered purple cape hanging out of his mouth and a foot on shredder's helmet.

astronautchimp

Worked a bit more on the details of the upper leg tonight and tried to capture the same look as the arms.  Slow and steady.

Steve Schulze

He's coming along well. Chunky scales are looking great.

The eyes and brows are looking ok right now, but I reckon if you were to push them to be a little less realistic and more anthropomorphised you'd be able to convey a lot more personality. Wouldn't need to be much. Just enough mass so you can do something that resembles raised or lowered eyebrows.

astronautchimp

Steve Schulze said:

He's coming along well. Chunky scales are looking great.

The eyes and brows are looking ok right now, but I reckon if you were to push them to be a little less realistic and more anthropomorphised you'd be able to convey a lot more personality. Wouldn't need to be much. Just enough mass so you can do something that resembles raised or lowered eyebrows.

Thanks for the kind words Steve Schulze.  I have been putting off coming back to the head for awhile now.  Thanks for the suggestion.  I agree with you on that point and will push the proportions around a bit next time I noodle in zbrush.  I think the teeth could be exaggerated a bit more to go along with your observation. 

astronautchimp

Progress from over the weekend.  Took your advice Steve Schulze and enlarged the eyes a bit.

astronautchimp

Started blocking in some larger scales down his back to break up silohuette and toughen him up a bit.

gamerenrique

Awesome! 

astronautchimp

Another round of progress from today.  Beefed up his shoulders with some similar scales going down his back and worked on this softer underbelly scales.  Finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel on the high poly sculpt.  What do you guys think so far?