[WIP] Firekeeper Zelda - Retrogasm Art Competition
interpolator
Hi guys,
I'm posting here my progress on my Retrogasm Art Competition entry.
Basically I'm taking Zelda from Twilight Princess and slightly redesign her with a firekeeper (Dark Souls) mood.
Here are the first concepts and WIPs:
Early blocking:
I'm doing paintovers on the sculpt shots all along so I can modify faster and try detailing quickly to see where I'm going. On the right is also a quick setup in Toolbag 3 to test the mood with the bonfire lighting.
In terms of design I try to think about what could make Zelda something that still obviously looks like her, but at the same time enhances the emotion and mood of melancholia, sadness that are part of Dark Souls lore. Things like making her with closed eyes would imply that she's not waiting for Link to come back as he's dead, rather than open eyes looking at the fire would imply she's waiting for his return.
Sculpt current state:
Any feedback appreciated,
Cheers
I'm posting here my progress on my Retrogasm Art Competition entry.
Basically I'm taking Zelda from Twilight Princess and slightly redesign her with a firekeeper (Dark Souls) mood.
Here are the first concepts and WIPs:
Early blocking:
I'm doing paintovers on the sculpt shots all along so I can modify faster and try detailing quickly to see where I'm going. On the right is also a quick setup in Toolbag 3 to test the mood with the bonfire lighting.
In terms of design I try to think about what could make Zelda something that still obviously looks like her, but at the same time enhances the emotion and mood of melancholia, sadness that are part of Dark Souls lore. Things like making her with closed eyes would imply that she's not waiting for Link to come back as he's dead, rather than open eyes looking at the fire would imply she's waiting for his return.
Sculpt current state:
Any feedback appreciated,
Cheers
Replies
Here are some progress shots from these last work sessions:
I'm going for a more realistic approach, cause after a lot of thinking and brainstorming about Zelda and Dark Souls designs, I came to the conclusion a cartoony Zelda would just be another Nintendo Zelda, and wouldn't feel as desperate and melancholic a Dark Souls character would.
I'm still searching the right design balance between the two worlds while making her clearly look as Zelda from Twilight Hyrule.
I gave her Link's Horse Call and her own sword, I think it helps bringing more Zelda TP of course but also break the symmetry a bit.
I also love the leather bands on the arm and folded cloth around her belly, it brings more DarkSouls and story telling in there; but I'm wondering if it's not a bit too much. I'll see later.
More WIPs coming soon, slowly getting there!
Feedback appreciated
out of curiosity, how much are you balancing the original design with your own ideas, personally Im struggling with "improving" on the original design but at the same time still stay faithful to it, what is your approach?
Making her look more like a traveling monk than a princess waiting on her throne for example, giving her accessories rather than weapons (by the way I deleted the sword, I'm going for a lyre (Sheik's)), making her with closed eyes to express sorrow, making her hair messy while keeping the original hairstyle, opening the dress as two parts to make it more practical and travel oriented, ...
I think you're doing good actually, in your cas it's a bit less tricky because you don't mix it with another game or world, it's just tweaking the base design to your liking. I think if you get the essence of the character and keep to it; you can change a lot of stuff and it will stay the same character.
Hope I was clear lol
The lyre is gonna be hanging on her waist, left side. Gonna push more details in substance painter, like sewings, ...
Hair is gonna be alpha cards so here it's just blocking
Refined the face towards a more realistic direction:
Before/After progress gif:
Any feedback appreciated !
I think I'm done with the sculpt, redid the tiara and added HD details here and there...
It would be really unfortunate if you cant finish this in time
thanks for the encouragement man!
I only have one free weekend until the deadline to work on her, so I have to do everything after work during week days. Doing 15hours workdays lol.
So I'm not ded yet - here is my progress on retopology. Clothes are a pain in the ass, I'll have to find a better workflow next project cause retopo of thin parts (even with exporting only one side as reference mesh) is a nightmare.
Back on it on sunday evening, and I'll try to finish the belts and shoes retopo, then it will be minor stuff and I'll be able to go through texturing and alpha cards hair
plz send help I'm lacking 10000000000 hours of sleep
Working countless hours on this cutie. This is my first actual try at realistic texturing, and I'm having a hard time. It's still very WIP but I'm kinda struggling, especially to get a nice leather.
Hair mod is still wip and I haven't added all the ornamental thingies on the cloth yet
Any feedback more than welcome!
Thanks, it's rendered in Toolbag 3
I'm only posting a few images so it's not too image-heavy, you can see more images, wireframes, sculpt, etc... on artstation
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zgmvZ
This has been a blast to work on, I learned a lot on this one!
I'm of course still open to feedback, even if I'm calling this one done.
@lotet thanks and good luck to you to dude, your Raziel is in my personal top 3!