I've decided to carry on, though I no longer consider myself eligible for the prizes, considering I'll probably be lucky to complete polypainting and texturing, let alone be able to actually animate her effectively. So recently I started working on the fins for the body, which I originally intended to be created using custom Insert Multi Meshes, but they didn't really work out, so I chose instead to repeat the process used to create the webbed hands. I got as far as creating the supporting membranes that you can see in the left side of the image below. Before I could complete them, I discovered that a professional ZBrush artist by the name of Michael Dunnam was offering a set of IMM brushes of various monster spikes and fins, including a set of premade fins that can be literally painted onto the surface of the mesh itself. I got rid of the spiny version and inserted the new fins, isolating them as individual subtools. Each pair of fins on the limbs are their own subtool, with the exception of the fin on the back, which is actually three separate subtools that I plan to combine in the future.
You're dynameshing with too high of a poly resolution, and as a result very few muscles are identifiable, and the sculpt is 'muddy'. I really recommend learning sub-div workflow, it'll give you more control over your sculpt, and will allow you to work from larger components to smaller details with more ease.
Downloading someone else's IMM brushes can be a good way to start, but making your own is how you'll learn.
You're dynameshing with too high of a poly resolution, and as a result very few muscles are identifiable, and the sculpt is 'muddy'. I really recommend learning sub-div workflow, it'll give you more control over your sculpt, and will allow you to work from larger components to smaller details with more ease.
The muscles are unidentifiable because this is the first time I've seriously attempted to draw anatomy, looking at reference can only carry one so far until they've developed experience through trial and error. Right now my plan for the finished model is to use ZRemesher on the various parts once I'm settled on the proportions, then recombine the various parts into one mesh, where I'll work with traditional subdivision to finalize the model.
Well it's the 16th, official deadline for the contest, and I'm sad to say that I have almost nothing to show for it; when I first entered I was so sure I was ready to invest 3 months time into creating and animating an original character, but turns out that was a mistake. Don't get me wrong, it was still a great experience, and it already has helped me learn more about ZBrush and what really goes into modeling a character!
This is probably the last post in this thread, afterwards I'll start a new one as I continue to document development of the Siren. I couldn't complete her for this challenge, but I will definitely complete her in the near future. Here's a look at some minor modifications I made on the model before tossing in the towel! Most of the modifications involved lowering the shoulders and combining the three subtool meshes forming the fin on her back. I also pulled the back of her 'hair' up, though I feel that I'll have to continue tinkering with it in the future. I honestly still need to refine the whole character, whether that involves starting a new model I don't know.
First of all I'd like to say congratulations to all of the finalists who managed to make the deadline, I honestly don't know how many of us actually made it all the way through. I saw a lot of really cool and creative designs, and I hope to see at least a few of their creators be able to win the grand prizes! I'd also like to thank everyone who posted advice, suggestions, and links to various online tutorials on this thread, while I may not have been able to use them here, I'm sure they'll prove very useful in the future!
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Before I could complete them, I discovered that a professional ZBrush artist by the name of Michael Dunnam was offering a set of IMM brushes of various monster spikes and fins, including a set of premade fins that can be literally painted onto the surface of the mesh itself. I got rid of the spiny version and inserted the new fins, isolating them as individual subtools. Each pair of fins on the limbs are their own subtool, with the exception of the fin on the back, which is actually three separate subtools that I plan to combine in the future.
Downloading someone else's IMM brushes can be a good way to start, but making your own is how you'll learn.
The muscles are unidentifiable because this is the first time I've seriously attempted to draw anatomy, looking at reference can only carry one so far until they've developed experience through trial and error. Right now my plan for the finished model is to use ZRemesher on the various parts once I'm settled on the proportions, then recombine the various parts into one mesh, where I'll work with traditional subdivision to finalize the model.
https://grassetti.wordpress.com/
https://www.ben-erdt.de/page/7/
http://www.stevenlawler.co.uk/
http://www.justinfields.com/
Also this podcast is pretty awesome
This is probably the last post in this thread, afterwards I'll start a new one as I continue to document development of the Siren. I couldn't complete her for this challenge, but I will definitely complete her in the near future. Here's a look at some minor modifications I made on the model before tossing in the towel!
Most of the modifications involved lowering the shoulders and combining the three subtool meshes forming the fin on her back. I also pulled the back of her 'hair' up, though I feel that I'll have to continue tinkering with it in the future. I honestly still need to refine the whole character, whether that involves starting a new model I don't know.
First of all I'd like to say congratulations to all of the finalists who managed to make the deadline, I honestly don't know how many of us actually made it all the way through. I saw a lot of really cool and creative designs, and I hope to see at least a few of their creators be able to win the grand prizes! I'd also like to thank everyone who posted advice, suggestions, and links to various online tutorials on this thread, while I may not have been able to use them here, I'm sure they'll prove very useful in the future!
So, peace out, and never stop creating!