Handpainted Warhammer Axe
polycounter lvl 6
Got reallll sick of this so I'm gonna call it finished. Prepared PBR maps for this too, but didn't particularly like how it turned out, haha.
Crits please!
Crits please!
Replies
Edit: apparently the picture didn't show up when I viewed the thread.
My crit would be to look at some references of how metal is handpainted, as the silver of the axe doesn't strike me as metal.
Basically, I think it would benefit your texture, if you emphasized the forms, and details a bit. What I mean by that for example is between the gold details on the head of the axe, you could darken the metal parts, creating more contrast between the gold, and the metal behind it. This way, it will be more visible, and more badass!
So, contrast could be used to ephasize ornaments on your model.
It also helps the read to have the metal the same tone and value. It was a bit confusing to me at first glance, because the metal on the edge of the axe, and on the handle was very different.
So make sure that same materials have similar value and tone, to help the viewer understand what is made out of what on the model!
The third thing would be the use of highlights on metals. You had a great base for the metal, what would greatly benefit it, is try and apply really bright values all over you model in small doses, where it makes sense. Like the edge of the blade can quickly jump to a brighter highlight value here and there, that way it would read as sharp, metallic. This can be applyed also on corner of the model, like on the edges, and shapr corners of the gold ortnaments you have on the handle.
Keep up the great work, you made a really nice base, looking forward to where you could push it next! (and sorry for the crappy paintover
@Elithenia - I completely agree with you. I had a really hard time rendering the materials out to look like the usual handpainted style. :c
I thought it was going well when I started with the gold, but I got completely stumped trying to make it look like metal on the rest of it.
@Adrien_Marcastel - ahh I really hoped that wasn't the case. I didn't want to rebake the AO, haha. D'ya think if I made each piece larger (with a smaller total number) it'd be less repetitive?
@Cordero - I really, really, appreciate the crit and the paintover! The way you painted it over was what I wanted to do with it, but I had a really hard time trying to render it the way you did. D'ya mind sharing some tips/tricks in pushing the values (or really any bit of your workflow haha)? I tried adding layers on linear dodge for the highlights, but what you've done with it (especially the handle) pops way more than mine. :0
I tried looking at quite a few handpainted models but I couldn't seem to imitate the way they're done.
I made a tutorial, where I talk about what I think about and how I push the forms on weapons like this! check it out, you might find some useful thing in there!