Need Help seeing the big shapes of the character

[Deleted User]

Hello, I need help.

First, I would like to say that my ECT treatment has been going well and I feel much better. I'll be more active in the community as the treatment goes on.

Besides that though, I've been trying to go back through my tutorials on my own. So far I was able to buy: Anatomy for Sculptors book,  Grassetti's anatomy lessons on gumroad, and Zbrush for Hardsurface details on Cubebrush.

I'm still struggling to recreate characters. For example, I wanted to practice hard surface by modeling this character in zbrush:

I don't know what to do. I always get stuck in the blocking phase, or I can't see the big details/shapes well.

I'm sorry if I'm asking obvious questions, I don't have any art friends or family members experienced in the field, I do my best.

Burpee

Maybe try to learn some basic drawing, that can help you train your eye to see shape ? I'm not saying to go too deep into drawing, but a few classes could help 
But if you don't want to I'd say, use a human basemesh as a scale reference and just build on top on that 

sharsein

Try squinting or scaling the image down. What gets lost, and what do you still see?

Alex_J

Just do something. Get started. There is no time to not be working! Pay so much attention to the work that you get lost in it. Then, whatever the result, post it here and get feedback. Plenty of helpful people are going to figure out what you missed and maybe add suggestions to where you might pick up some knowledge to fix the issues. You just keep going like this, keeping your mind entirely on the work and not any insecurities you have about it, and you will improve. 

Alternatively, an easier road may be to bolster your confidence by taking some drawing fundamentals courses, where you will learn the same types of observation skills and art theory but in a step-by-step, formal way, and probably pick up some stuff you might miss by learning entirely on your own.

Either way, you can't stop whenever you feel unhappy with your results, or fail to start because you aren't sure the best road to take. Just get moving, and everything will fall into place.

[Deleted User]

BIGTIMEMASTER said:

Just do something. Get started. There is no time to not be working! Pay so much attention to the work that you get lost in it. Then, whatever the result, post it here and get feedback. Plenty of helpful people are going to figure out what you missed and maybe add suggestions to where you might pick up some knowledge to fix the issues. You just keep going like this, keeping your mind entirely on the work and not any insecurities you have about it, and you will improve. 

Alternatively, an easier road may be to bolster your confidence by taking some drawing fundamentals courses, where you will learn the same types of observation skills and art theory but in a step-by-step, formal way, and probably pick up some stuff you might miss by learning entirely on your own.

Either way, you can't stop whenever you feel unhappy with your results, or fail to start because you aren't sure the best road to take. Just get moving, and everything will fall into place.

Okay, I'll try enrolling in a drawing course. I was recommended istebrak on youtube and I might give her a shot because her critiques are very "real" and gives one-on-one with students.

But I'm not very sure because I heard mixed opinions on both sides on istebrak, I feel like she's a good teacher though.

My struggle with drawing is that I don't understand it well and I feel like 3D modeling is easier (plus I enjoy going through the process a lot!).

I wish I could afford and be able to go to an art college . I think I'm one of those people who needs a rigid structure to practice and follow.

musashidan

You might want to step back from this one and pick something that you feel more comfortable with if you're so unsure of yourself to tackle it.

The primary forms on this are quite simply a human(if you discount the coat) The easiest way to attempt it in Zbrush is to start with a human basemesh, duplicate it and start roughly sculpting/blocking out the armour plating. As the majority of the armour is hidden under the coat you will either have to design it yourself or completely disregard it as it will be hidden under the coat(really depends on the final intention of the model. There is an excellent old Eat3D tutorial that is still very much relevant and probably the best resource around for this workflow. It may be just what you need to walk you through this character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQSPEMWhNbg