[WIP] - UE4 - Female Samurai

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

Hi!
Since the announcement of Ghost of Tsushima many months ago, I wanted to create my own samurai character.
I started working on this character a few months ago dedicating time to work on this mostly on weekends. My endgoal is to have a realistic character running in realtime (UE4) appliying what I learned by working in a studio for the last year and a half.
I'm not working with a concept so most of the design choices are try and error (offcourse using a lot of references in way)
Actual state:

Thanks for reading.

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

Here is a closeup of the head. It took me a while at the beginning because I wanted to get that asian features to it. By the way everything was sculpted from the scratch no base mesh involved.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/y4/1fhz8nb6rz9i.png

After I got the head I moved into blocking the hair. I did different versions but at the end I choose this one. I liked because the different shapes and forms making it more challenging and also breaking the silhouette with the llose hair clumps.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/67/j6erks2u7jxm.png

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

This is the body sculpt, Even when most of it is going to be covered I wanted to take the chance to practice my anatomy

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3z/ba0e5m8pege6.png

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

Ok, so once I worked on the body I could move into the outfit. It was a lot of try an error. At some point I even try to put some armor on her but I ended up with the core design. The clothing was made in marvelous and quickly put into zbrush. I will attach some images from marvelous for those interested in the patterns I used.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/w0/no5t5ocvbjte.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/n1/koncdv54v3hh.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/p5/lz0h0jcax5l2.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3h/hpard1xm7snh.png

At the end I didn't aim for getting everything clean and perfect in Marvelous. I worked on each piece separated and then adjusted them in Zbrush. Also, this is just for the rough version, once I'm happy with the simulation I got from marvelous and checked is working good with my design I clean the pieces in Maya to get even topology.

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

After a lot of work and iteration, I got to this point where the outfit it's more elaborated and clean, still working on some pieces and some ropes are just place holders. I think I got a really close idea of what I want just need to polish it. For now I'm going to work on the Katanas. So expect some updates on that soon. Also, I know this was kind of rush but sadly don't have progress shots from the very beginning so I skipped most of it. If you have any questions about any part of the process feel free to ask. I'll try to answer in depth to any of them.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/8d/5xu8bknnb7re.png

Other shots

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/d1/ggaxh0qcv3y1.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/l4/tbqcjsbie4ew.png

AndresCasta · Sep 2020

Hello again, This week I've been working on detailing the katana. I have a blockout that I used for the main model. After getting the shapes and proportions the most tricky part is the detailing especially in the Tsuba since It's a big point of interest. I decided to go for a wave thematic
with two koi fish following the flow.

Take into consideration my character has two katanas. Each one it's going to have a different design because based on my research it is really unlikely that a samurai would carry two copies of the same katana because it would be really expensive. Only samurais under a lord could afford it. This samurai is more like a ronin which would make sense she would carry two different katanas.

Blockout

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/7p/0a7wvjyqsa1h.png

HighPoly [WIP]

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/gn/0ibn3m6jdmgn.png

AndresCasta · Mar 13 2021

Hey Folks! Update on the high poly model I did the microdetail of the face and body. For those interested, I used the spotlight projection feature in Zbrush

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/5i/ccew7m69emza.jpg

I tweaked the mesh so it can have a realistic blink transition by using the power of layers!!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/20/cwt9yw3zkers.png

Some hands render...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/02/caxc1hazhu97.png

AndresCasta · Mar 13 2021

This is the actual state of the Zbrush model. If you think this is taking me a lot, Not to fear my friend! I already did the retopo, UVs and test baking will be uploading those soon once I finish cleaning those sneaky artifacts >:L

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/bn/sz7yyw7vm7cs.jpg

By the way the Katanas in this render still a placeholder. I worked on them as a separate scene

kanga · Mar 14 2021

Looks super! Thanks for showing the progress.

AndresCasta · Mar 30 2021

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/z7/hafqzaw6eia0.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ya/fmi305okykx2.png

Katana HighPoly done in Maya and Zbrush, if you have any questions feel free to ask

MattDawe · Apr 5 2021

Wonderful job! I do feel like her face might be a little flat, especially around the eyes, but the rest of it is on point! Really excellent details.

[WIP] - UE4 - Female Samurai

Replies