The Beast - Parelschild (finished!)

Enalya

Final submission close up (see page 2 for the final submission with all renders and textures):


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Heya!

I found out about the contest a bit late, but I hope I'll have enough time to finish this nicely. Here is my concept:



I made a colour exploration:


Or something in between... Please help me with the decision 0:)

~Enalya

Revocare

Im fond of 4 and 5, though I'd like to see what 5 looks like with the pearl shining through the skin like the others!

Spoon

Quite interesting concept. Is it on purpose the topview is a zerg vagina, since it has to do with mating and stuff?
This will be great, with the glow and everything!

lotet

great concept! but I think your design is a bit on the simple side.
I think you can push the silhouette to something more reconcilable and cooler. right now its kinda looking like a lumpy-snail thingie with some spikes on it

MKAH

Cool concept!  i like nunmber 2 with a bit more color variation

Enalya

Thanks all!

Spoon said:

Quite interesting concept. Is it on purpose the topview is a zerg vagina, since it has to do with mating and stuff?

Well yea, I noticed it looked like a vagina at the end but I thought it was a happy accident indeed x)

@LOTET, I agree and tried to make the silhouette more interesting, he's a bit more dragon like now as well:

Intervain

it's kinda cute actually

Enalya

Intervain said:

it's kinda cute actually

Haha oh, would he still do as beast though or should I adjust that in your opinion?

Intervain

does it fine for me 

tierzilla

i like the 4

Johnny_Wuu

cute concept~ look like a hedgehog, speed up!

Oscarini

Sonic's prehistorical grandpa looks awesome! Cool design.

lotet

Much Better still feel the arms n legs could be pushed a bit further but you can always edit when you start sculpting.

Enalya

Thanks all for your comments, I'll go ahead and sculpt from now on ^^

Enalya

Here's the blockout:


Moving on to pushing and pulling the mesh now to make the shape and anatomy work (legs look weird). After that some nice skin texturing!

Spoon

Looking good!
Will you have scale\plates in one area, then the spikes in others? I think it would look great if the transition from the center line, scales to no scales, was a little slower. So the outer spikes were still surrounded by scales. Protruding from the scales, if you will.
Is that what you have in mind but just not there yet, or did I misinterpret the concept?

Enalya

@Spoon Thanks! Hm I think I know what you mean, but not entirely sure. Would you mind doing a quick Paintover to illustrate what you mean?

tushar

Really nice concept.

Spoon

Yes, reading it again, it was horribly formulated.
I edited my post: 
"So the outer spikes were still surrounded by (spikes) scales"
So the spikes would come out from between the scales. 

I only have time for this horribly dirty one right now.

Enalya

Ahhh that way! Thanks I understand ^_^ That was the plan here and there but it needs more indeed.

Enalya

A small update to see how the pearl is seated in his back:

I should really fix his fingers/toes next

Enalya

Thank you! I have more time from now on /happy

.csm

I can foresee tribesmen making sport out of hunting down poor Parelschilds for that pearl.

Enalya

Aw maaan, humanity

lotet

.csm said:

I can foresee tribesmen making sport out of hunting down poor Parelschilds for that pearl.

you could probably make a lot of stuff out of them too, using the spikes for spears,/arrows, making clubs out of the tails =P

poor little beast.

Enalya

Plez guys QQ

An update, I think I'm almost done sculpting the high poly:

.csm

The spikes looks mathematically straight. Give them some imperfection! Maybe some blunt one with broken tip too. You know, tribesmen.

Enalya

Great tips! Thanks!

Enalya

I updated the spines after .CSM his feedback. I've done most of the retopo with ZRemesher now, but somehow version 4R7 is bad with Curves and I just can't get the face right (it doesn't make an edge loop around the eyes and nostrils). So I'm thinking to just do it by hand in 3dCoat... But here is the WIP:

Feedback is welcome! And if someone knows a way how to get the face topo right in ZBrush 4R7?

Pixelgorilla

You should be able to get better results using guides for re-meshing in ZB, but if you want it too have proper edge flow you'll have to do it by hand.

Enalya

Yea I checked all those and video tutorials, but internet told me 4R7 fcked up the Curves (edge flow possibility) for especially organic models. So yea, guess I will do the head by hand.
Thanks for your comment!

Spoon

Thats a shame, I wasnt aware of that. I often do it by hand as well, because I like punishing myself having control over every vertex, since im doing relatively low pol game stuff normally.
Put on some good music, or a juicy book from audible, and you will be done in no time!

Johnny_Wuu

Very cute but a little simple.  And I'm afraid of your time your progress . 
Speed up to done it on time!~

Enalya

@Spoon - Haha yea that is the most proper way in the end. Thanks!

@JOHNNY_WUU - It's okay, just busy with main work but I'm confident I can finish this. Thanks! Any tips how to make it less simple or is that too late, because the full design is already here? Would you say the design is too simple?

Enalya

So I've updated the topology, did bakes and started hand painting the Diffuse. Also found out how to make the pearl glow later on (Emissive map of course). Here's what I have so far:



What's left: some Diffuse tweaks (please feel free to give (colour) feedback), Specular Map, pearl + Emissive map, posing, making a pedestal and make some nice renders ^^

Spoon

So, did you go for music or audiobook?  
Looking good! Depending on your end pose, you might need to have a ring around the shoulder, just like you have with the eye. It gives better deformation for  that area.
Where are you going, texturewise? Since it is this lizard thing, perhaps another color\material on the stomach\underside would suit it well? Even if it is subtle, it might break up the uniformity it could end up suffering from.

Enalya

@PokerOne - Thank you sir!

@Spoon - Haha well, I listened to the Character Art Podcast of Hazardous and GGoulden (which is great fun) ^^ Thank you, good points! I don't think I will go crazy with posing the arms. But I will see what I can do for the belly colour/material, I like that idea.

tobeeffle

Hi Enalya,

I like your beast, maybe his foot/leg should be a little bit bigger. I agree with .CSM your spikes should be more used/broken (less straight).
Your beginning of texturing is really cool, can't wait to see more  

Enalya

@tobeeffle - Thanks for your comment and feedback, really appreciate it! I already bent all spikes a little and broke some (off); I don't want to push that too much because they have to look hedgehog-like. I'll take a look later if maybe my opinion has changed.

lotet

Looking good, the textures added a lot of needed detail, I think you should push it more though!
 maybe ad some spots/patterns and some splash of bright color here and there, look at birds, lizards or even newer renderings of dinosaurs as inspiration and I think you can find some really cool patterns to play around with.

Enalya

@lotet - Happy to hear that progress has been made! You really opened my eyes, I have to push it much more with brighter colours and break the uniformity. I missed something and you made me see what it was : ) On it!

Enalya

Okay, I've updated the Diffuse and added a Normal, Specular and Emissive Map. So I made the pearl glow. I've maybe gone a bit too crazy with the purple scales (please let me know what you think):


So the only things left are posing and giving him a nice pedestal, I think it will just be beach sand with some rocks. And of course updates if you'd have feedback

lotet

Glad I could help thats what this community is here for you know. I dont think you went overboard at all, as a matter of fact I think you can push it even more! I made a quick really shitty paintover, I hope u dont mind.


also made some notes on the image, first of a really comon things in reptiles are their bright lower bodies, try to get some big shapes in there so it can read from a distance (ofcourse you dont have to do this, but I think it would really help with the design)

another thing is they way youve placed the scales and a lot of your detail actually, you dont want an even spread of the same sized detail just hanging out together. you want bigger pieces in the midle and then fade out to smaller pieces with more distance between them, it ends up looking way more interesting and organic.  you also want to repeat shapes, for example I made the scales on the back peice blue too, just to unify it with the rest of the body.

good luck!

Enalya

@lotet - wow man, you have such a good eye! The paint over is clear and it looks super good in my mind. I hope I can achieve it, thanks so much!
I think I'm still too scared with fierce colours, staying in a safe area - but it will make things so much more interesting if I can get over that ^^

Enalya

Okay, I have really tried for hours to achieve the idea with the colours, but things just didn't work out. It was too late in the process. I know now how to do things better next time. I have learned a lot from this project!

Today I posed him, made a pedestal and did the final beauty shots in real time rendering software (Marmoset Toolbag):









I really enjoyed this contest, great theme. Good luck to all participants ^^

Enalya

The 4k texture maps I used (Diffuse, Normal, Specular, Emissive):


Added the process video to my YT channel for who's interested:
https://youtu.be/1QdkFESdNH4  

The final presentation at ArtStation:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/exXdw

nikola3d

I like it, looks cool  

Enalya

@nikola3d Thank you sir! ^^

Enalya

@PokerOne Woo thanks, that means a lot! You too!

Oscarini

He looks lovely and dangerous at the same time - I love it. Design is intresting and finished for it's style. Good luck.

Enalya

@Oscarini Yeay thanks, those were my intentions, super happy with your comment!