Sketchbook: Alec Hunstad

alec2002

Hi, I'm Alec Hunstad, and I'm a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design. My ultimate goal is to become a Character Artist for games and film/cinematics. I decided it would be best to create a sketchbook here to keep me going at a steady rate. I'll be starting my second quarter of classes at SCAD soon, so that may slow me down a bit regarding personal work. I'll try my best to post often.

To start it off, here's a few renders and WIP screenshots of recent projects. C&C is always welcome and appreciated. Thanks for checking out my sketchbook!

alec2002

Here's a head study I just finished. Just a simple studio lighting render from KeyShot with some changes in Photoshop.

Cristian_P

Hey Alec, this is some really great looking work.  I think you're quite talented for a freshman and I can tell that you have a pretty well developed sense of anatomy and form.  Nothing crucial to say in terms of critique -- you'll see that the overall stiffness (which is quite minimal in your art at this point) will eventually go away the more you practice and keep at it.  Your work will just get better and better...  I remember seeing many current veteran and big name character artists on ZBrush Central back in their early days, and their work at the time was quite similar to what you have now, sometimes even way less impressive.  So yeah man, just keep studying and keep sculpting.  This looks really good!

alec2002

Cristian_P said:

Hey Alec, this is some really great looking work.  I think you're quite talented for a freshman and I can tell that you have a pretty well developed sense of anatomy and form.  Nothing crucial to say in terms of critique -- you'll see that the overall stiffness (which is quite minimal in your art at this point) will eventually go away the more you practice and keep at it.  Your work will just get better and better...  I remember seeing many current veteran and big name character artists on ZBrush Central back in their early days, and their work at the time was quite similar to what you have now, sometimes even way less impressive.  So yeah man, just keep studying and keep sculpting.  This looks really good!

Thanks, man! I really appreciate it! Now that I have a sketchbook here, I'll be better about posting more often even if it's just a sketchy sculpt. I will definitely keep at it! Thanks again, Cristian.

alec2002

Here's a fun little demon design I've been working on over the last two days. Moving back into college after Winter break has been pretty hectic, but I found time for this dude. Forms are a bit "meh" and details are little to none, but I will return to this after some other projects.

alec2002

I know it's been a while, but school is hectic and assignments keep coming. I love the work, but I just wish I had more time for personal work! Here's a WIP render from ZBrush of an imp I've finally been able to start sculpting.
I'd love to hear what you think about it so far. It's still a very early WIP, but feedback would be much appreciated!

alec2002

Here's another quick WIP render, but this time it's fresh outta KeyShot. Still a long way to go on the base, hands, arms, torso, and tertiary detail. Let me know what you think!

alec2002

Making progress on the tertiary details. Final projects are beginning in my classes, but I plan on finishing this guy up very soon.

alec2002

Found some time for several clay renders in KeyShot! Let me know what you think.

alec2002

Here are a couple WIP screenshots of a new creature I'm working on during Spring break. It's based on a concept by the wonderful Carlos Huante, a master of rendering organic forms. I'm deviating only slightly from the concept to see if I can add more to the silhouette. Might add a few more accessories before final renders too.

alec2002

Here's another WIP render. This time I threw it into KeyShot. I used my own male base mesh for the headless figure. Still plenty to sculpt and add. Got a bit of an aliasing artifact from the Photoshop mask, so I'll keep an eye out for those when editing the final renders.

alec2002

I started this anatomy study not too long ago. I reworked the proportions of an old head study and used it to help measure proportion. I've got quite a way to go still because I want to sculpt him in complete detail, but I'm going to finish him up soon and return to the big bug dude and his prey.

alec2002

I'm in my first ZBrush class, and we're creating a character based on our own concept art! I'm not great at painting, but here is the concept and the beginning stages of the sculpt. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

alec2002

Time for an update on my character. I found some time between studying for my next anatomy test and finishing my life drawing projects to work on him.

alec2002

Update on my current project. A clay render in KeyShot and a bloody test pose.

alec2002

Finished this guy. Named him Jerry Brown after realizing the license plate said that lol.

alec2002

Back to work on this guy. Gonna take him to the same level of polish as the wasteland mechanic. Lots to do, but he's been fun to work on so far. Creature based on a concept by the great Carlos Huante.

CaesarAlbertus

Nice work looking really good¡¡¡¡¡¡

alec2002

@CaesarAlbertus Thank you!

Isunoj

Nice creatures. 

Mitchellangelo

Good anatomy!!

alec2002

@Isunoj @Mitchellangelo Thanks guys!

This is Chub Bugsby, the former owner of the company Bugsby Gone Pest Control. After all those years of devastating colonies and obliterating nests, he got what he had coming.
Based loosely on a concept by the legendary Carlos Huante.

alec2002

Took an older sculpt and rendered it again since I know a bit more about rendering and compositing now.

kreativbloc

Hey. Feeling that bug. Belly looks kinda flat, and arms look good.

alec2002

@kreativbloc Thanks for the feedback, perhaps the roundness of his belly was lost when I comp'd the passes.

Here's a couple of new renders with a crazy weapon I've been working a ton on lately for the June Gnomon Workshop challenge.

alec2002

Started a new character today. Still finding the right anatomical forms. Most likely going to be a gladiator.

alec2002

Render/composite dump from the past two days. I've been having too much fun with the ZBrush to KeyShot bridge heh.

alec2002

Here's an anatomy study WIP that I'll likely use to make a Firefly from The Last of Us.

alec2002

Trying new ZModeler techniques. Here's a quick comp.

alec2002

Here's another quick comp to see how the micro details of his face are coming along. Looks like I need another pass.

alec2002

Progress render. Been sculpting more wrinkles and folds now that I'm pretty satisfied with the results from Marvelous.

alec2002

Got a bit burned out on the Firefly and needed to do something else for a while. Started working on this cloth study in Marvelous and ZBrush. Based on Outlast 2 concept art by Faraz Shanyar.

alec2002

Started yet another project heh. I'll finish this high-poly before the others because the concept is so much fun to work from! The concept is by Carlos Huante.

By the way, if I'm working on a creature from a concept, there's a 99% chance it's one of Master Huante's haha.

alec2002

Started a new sculpt today and decided to screw around before bed heh

alec2002

Submitted Jerry (my mutant character) to Pixologic for a chance to be featured on their offline Twitch page, and he made it! Pretty stoked to see him on there. ZBrush is life, my dudes. ZBrush is life.

Elithenia

Congratulations!  

alec2002

@Elithenia Thank you! 

alec2002

Progress render comp of this guy from the past two or three days or sculpting. Long way to go.

alec2002

Done with the organics. Now onto the hair and some more poses. Here's a render comp without the hair.

alec2002

More clay renders of this guy's details.

alec2002

Decided to return to my Firefly character today and make significant changes to his facial structure. I need to study facial skin and pore variation before I continue applying alphas though. This render style is heavily inspired by Adam Skutt's and Eiad Dahnim's renders for The Order 1886.

alec2002

Wow, I haven't updated this for way too long. Here are a couple of the characters I've done during my time at Gnomon. These are the ones I've done in the past 6 months. I have three months left before graduation and will be finishing the Mursi Warrior and Cybermutant in that time. Thanks for taking a look!

More images of all projects and a breakdown of the Space Gladiator can be found at my ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/alec2002

Space Gladiator, concept by Ariel Perez





Harpy, responsible for all aspects including design





Mursi Warrior. These are VRay renders with displacement applied. That said, UVs are done (probably went crazy on the UDIM count heh), and I'll be texturing soon.