Windmill - Hand-painted in Unity 5

BetaRazer

Hi Polycount,

A scene I started on. I wanted to use Unity 5 purely to complete this one, as it's an often overlooked game engine. I've used it in some commercial capacity but not for personal work.

If I can export it out to Sketchfab; that will be a bonus

Main objective is to improve my skills in hand painting textures. Felt like a change in art style.

There's lots to do to complete it, but below I've shown the basic blockout stage and some foliage. For the time time, I've settled on a plane as a ground; but I could try something different.

Have some ideas on how to fill up the surrounding space, but I'm also after some suggestions from you all too.

Comments and critiques are welcomed.

BetaRazer

Turns out I didn't like the idea of having a plane mesh, so I've tried out something a little different.

After doodling a few ideas down, I've finally brought out a sketchbook to experiment with the idea of a Dutch Windmill on a floating rock, rather than a flat surface. I've always been somewhat fascinated by floating rock structures in the sky that are supporting some form of key building or environment. And I really like the graceful, elegant look of Windmills



I brought in a rock mesh based from a ZBrush sculpt, re-topologized using Decimation Master. Acts a ideal base for the time being until I can paint in the details. Added in a vertex painter plugin into Unity to play around with the vertex colour distribution. Most of the textures are still WIP at this stage, as I'm still deciding on what colours to best choose.
Still sticking with the hand painted art style.

nathdevlin

There's a nice idea brewing here as a small environment piece. You could go a little further and make a "home" out of this scene by adding a pathway, storage shed and or a garden of sorts. Somewhere to park whatever mode of transport the character uses to get there ? You could do quite a lot to make a very strong piece.

On the art side the blockout is looking strong but far from finished. I'd research hand painted texturing  and then aim to follow a specific style. For the whole scene to sit together you'll need consistency.

My main piece of advice would be to lock down the art style and concept early. Use the fence or a small asset as a test case to see if you get good results with different methods and go from there once you are happy.

Also the current rock forms are very "soft" even compared to your sketch. Even if an art style is stylized reference still matters. Most stylized art takes shapes / forms and details from real world reference and then simplifies it.

BetaRazer

Been a long while since I worked on this.

Before I go any further; @nathdevlin , thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

Still going to keep the style slightly cartoon-ish and the forms stylised and a little exaggerated. My intention is to add these scene filler assets to add a little more storytelling to the scene.

I'm fairly happy with how the blockout has turned out. Now onto the texturing & painting!

Added recently:

- Roof Tiles
- Garden Shed & Tools
- Tree Stump & Axe
- Water Barrel
- Potted Plant
- Tulips for some a garden of sorts (might add others like Daisies too)
- Grass shrubs
- Well
- Paving stones
- Small pebbles
- New Grass texture, didn't like the old one

Still to fix/add:

- Lens flare showing through. Not sure why this happens yet
- Rocks in the lower soil structure
- Roofing