Creating a Servo-Skull: PBR, Hand-Painted, 3D Printing, and Painting Techniques
Hello everyone! My name is Ilia (TeslaBerserk), and I'm a 3D character artist. I’ve worked on hand-painted textures and 2D art in the past, and I’m also a professional miniature painter, primarily focusing on Warhammer 40k.
I've been a dedicated fan of the Warhammer universe for over 20 years, and creating a servo-skull presented a unique challenge for me.
I’ll guide you through the process of modeling, creating PBR and hand-painted textures, and 3D printing, followed by painting the model.
Software Used:
1. Reference Collection
For this project, I used my personal reference libraries on anatomy and Warhammer 40k.
2. Modeling in ZBrush
Since the primary goals were texturing and 3D printing, there was no need to focus on topology optimization. To create the low-poly version, I used several iterations of ZRemesher or edited the base primitive shape with ZModeler. The skull base was taken from ZBrush's default geometry.
ZBrush can be intimidating for beginners due to its complex interface. To save time and avoid frustration, I recommend using "Enable Customize UI" to place frequently used tools on the main panel.
Each object in the scene has both high and low poly versions, with appropriate prefixes (_high & _low) in their names.
3. UV Mapping in RizomUV
RizomUV is, in my opinion, the best software for UV unwrapping and packing. To speed up workflow, I use hotkeys:
C - Create seam
Y - Show seams
U - Unwrap
I - Isolate
O - Optimize
P - Pack
I created separate UV maps for each type of object: skull, mechanical parts, printer, and legs.
4. PBR Texturing in Substance Painter
I imported the low-poly mesh with UV maps. To avoid overloading the hardware, I didn't use UDIM, as Substance Painter does not support Multi UV sets (though 3DCoat handles this well).
5. Rendering in Marmoset
This is straightforward:
Ensure Ray Tracing is enabled.
Choose a suitable HDRI map and adjust the lighting.
6. Hand-Painted Texturing in 3DCoat
I imported the low-poly mesh with all sets, along with AO and ID maps exported from Substance Painter. I also compiled a separate reference board for materials in the hand-painted style.
7. 3D Printing
To save resin, I hollowed out the skull using Dynamesh – Create Shell. Then, I set up supports in the ChituBox slicer and exported the files. 3D printing has become quite affordable; the whole setup cost me around $500, including:
Eleegoo Mars 3 Pro printer
Eleegoo wash and cure station
Full-face respirator
Tyvek suit
Nitrile gloves
Isopropyl alcohol
Resin Conjure 8k
A well-ventilated area is essential since 3D printing is highly toxic! Fortunately, I have such a space. Here’s how I look when working with the printer and photopolymer resin.
The final model size was around 13 cm.
8. Painting the Model
No model should remain unpainted! Here’s the painting process:
Prime the model with black.
Apply a white preshade using an airbrush.
Dilute acrylic paint to 50% and apply base colors.
Gather references.
I figured, why not give John Connor a good scare and go full T-800, painting all the metal parts in chrome using the NMM (non-metallic metal) technique?
Final Thoughts
My goal was to enhance my texturing skills across various methods, and I believe I succeeded! This article offers a brief overview of the many hours spent on my Servo-Skull project. If you want more details, feel free to ask in the comments. You can also check out the following links:
Artstation for more images and to leave a like!
Instagram TeslaBerserkCG for edited production videos!
Instagram TeslaBerserkMiniatures for miniature painting details!
Cults3D to download the model for free!
Thanks for reading, and all the best!
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