WIP Scifi Soldier

Vertrucio

I've been floundering in art for the last few years, having completed college studying animation, but producing few things that are above amateur level, let alone professional.

But no more! I know I want to be a 3D Artist working on AAA titles and it's about time I skilled up to do so. My future goals are to become a concept artist able to create concepts and model them. However, right now I want to become a professional 3D artist first so I can work and gain more experience.

I commissioned this design from Maciej Janaszek (http://www.thirdeyeart.home.pl/) a while back for a different project, so this isn't my own design.



The idea is for a style that's a mix of Killzone 2 and Mass Effect. Blending the gritty realistic and plausible look of Killzone 2 tech, with a kind of bright and wonderous future look and color of Mass Effect.

I'll be trying to build this from the ground up, starting by building a base human anatomy mesh to build from (and use in future projects).

gsokol

Dont just tell us..show us something

Vertrucio

Finally! I have something to show!





Just a head sadly. Please crit as harsh as needed, I'm looking to become professional in quality as soon as possible.

About 1 month trying to learning MAX, making small stuff. 2 Full days of noodling around on the head 1/2 day of which was figuring out how to model and attach ears again. Still need help with ears.

Used reference from 3d.sk (ear) and gnomon training DVDs (learning 3ds max and character modeling).

I model in orthographic views while orbiting around the model. Is there any way to have the viewport lock the focus on an object after pressing Z to zoom extents on it like when viewing things in perspective mode?

I try to noodle in too much detail, and thus take way too long the first pass. Of course, speed comes from experience, hopefully as I learn more about how and where to place detail, I will be able to lay down rough passes more quickly with loops and polygons arranged in such a way to better support future detail.

Or at least I hope. Onward to the full body, then roughing the costume and gear.

Vertrucio

Didn't sleep, got caught up in working, which is a great feeling even if it takes its toll.

Could use some help on the ear, really not sure about it.

The body will be taken into zbrush once I model the hands, so it's deliberately less detailed, but I could use tips on proportion and anything else that might be an issue.

Looking up some better ways to post models here. These are just viewport grabs. I think there was some kind of wireframe renderer, couldn't hurt to throw in a 3 point light setup too.

Neox

so you modelled this head, and than this body? how much on the head is reffed? it looks like its been done by another artist

Vertrucio

I guess it's a compliment that my work looks like a more experienced artists'. Yes, I did model the head, and such is the power of reference.

This is the first pass on the face:


I bought a training DVD from gnomon to help me learn MAX and high end modeling, I had the video and its notes open on my other monitor as I worked and I was constantly checking to make sure I was handling things right. If you look at the Character Modeling for Production dvd you'll see that my character's face has a distinct similarity to the base model in that video, but my model has a lot more mistakes.

My original plan was to do very low detail base model, take it into zbrush. But, the head turned out much higher detail because I ended up following the dvd closely, and on top of that reworked a lot of it anyway (spent way too much time on the face before doing the whole skull).

I've decided to spend much less time body, making sure I have everything blocked out before refining it, then taking it into zbrush. So, the body will look better by in the next few passes before I take it to zbrush.

Torrrtilla

I feel like you are adding way too much geometry before working out the shape of you character. I would delete most of those edge loops in areas that are flat and make sure the structure is defined, ie the pelvis, head and torso.

roosterMAP

you base mesh it way too high poly. but good choice on concept!

Vertrucio

Finally got some more time to work on this tonight. Just a quick update to address the feedback I got. Thanks!



Heading to bed and starting early on this tomorrow to finish the hands and feet. Then taking it into zbrush for my first real bout of digital sculpting the face and anatomy.

haikai

For a sculpting base mesh you should try to evenly space out the geometry and have your quads be as "square" as possible.

I personally don't think you need to define that much on the face/ear since you can start with more of a blank slate and retopologize later. Some people like to do a lot of polygon modeling first and just do sculpting for detail, which is cool, but in this case it's just odd that your head is that detailed, but the rest of the body isn't.

Vertrucio

Thanks for the crits! Couldn't sleep, so I did some more reworking. Removed some more detail, balanced the polygon topology, and reworked the shoulders and crotch area.



I'm really starting to see where I went wrong in my process. I was over complicating things by making what would essentially be a simple base mesh to be sculpted in zbrush, into something where the head was almost usable for polysmoothing or subD. Taking a look at what some other artists use as base meshes for zbrush

Right now, I want to learn zbrush and retopologizing, so I'll save the more direct high poly modeling work for the gear and other elements.

However, how does the workflow of simple basemesh into zbrush work with making sure everything's on model with the concept?

Illusive

not sure i understand what you're asking. are you asking how to setup your references to model against in zbrush? if so you'll need a plugin called image plane

http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/downloadcenter/zplugins/

Vertrucio

Ready for zbrush?

Taylor Hood

Er, it kinda looks decent on the head "As if it's been done by a more experienced artist"
but to me, the body looks out of shape and the arms quite slim and long.

Vertrucio

I'm back! Got caught up in studying foundations in 2d again, but has come in handy.

Here's the latest, not quite a scifi soldier yet, but the base mesh is coming along. This was done in sculptrix, basically laying the muscle foundation. Still a lot of problems like the shoulder joints, neck, torso muscle flow, etc.

I take almost all criticism well, but that last comment seemed like I was being accused of stealing. In one way I'm flattered since I actually created something that looks decent, in another I feel little ticked off. Thankfully not in the go crazy and trash talk everyone on the forum kind of angry, but rather angry enough to go and prove my work is my own. Seeing a crit like that should be an indicator that parts of the model aren't as far along as the rest, which is true, and serves me right for focusing too much on the head.

Habboi

I don't think they meant you stole it. Personally I didn't see what they were seeing, the head and body looked the same quality to me. Your leap from the last post is impressive. I'm not a character artist so I can't crit how accurate it is but it looks human enough to me.

Just wondering though, if you're going by the concept, why model the actual body details that we won't see? Like I said, not a character artist so is that needed or something?

Vertrucio

I'm creating this basemesh with proper anatomy because I'm still learning. In the process of sculpting everything, even if most of the anatomy is covered up, will help me learn to sculpt faster in the future. This way, when it comes time for me to quickly sculpt a model, I'll be able to use what I've learned to sculpt a less detailed base mesh from scratch, while still indicating major forms and masses of the body.

I've noticed that AAA artists working in the industry have an intrinsic knowledge of anatomy that even if they're working on a model that's clothed, they'll create an amazing looking base mesh that has all the major landmarks ahead of time, which makes the resulting clothed body look all the more awesome.

Avanthera

Pretty much the only things you have to worry about with a base mesh and zbrush are evenly distributed quads, avoidance of triangles and bad poles, and having all of your extrusions in the base mesh. like, if you have antennas sticking out of his head, you need those in the base mesh, otherwise, you will need to pull them out of the head and you will end up with errors that you wont be able to fix.

My base meshes usually dont have good topology, or have much resemblance to what I need to sculpt, but have the major masses and all extrusions needed. usually they are very boxy, for speed.

also, alot of your anatomy is ok, but some of it is out of place.
ex: legs and arms are lacking alot of needed curves, and look pretty tubular from a more frontal view, the ribcage looks a bit wide, and so does the entire torso and hip area, but that may be from the 3/4 view.
you should import a reference plane behind your model and apply a squared image of an average nude male.
(no bodybuilders) :P

good going so far, keep it up!

Vertrucio

Well, I'm back. After a 2 year hiatus from doing any art. Life sucks sometimes.

But, I've left my job with plenty of savings to go 6+ months, and after 2 years of desk jobs, a burning desire to create.

Here's the latest on this, I went back to the base mesh and redid everything. Since this character is going to be almost completely covered in his suit, I plan to go right into modeling that as sub tools. I'll make sure to do a lot of figure drawing and sculpting on other projects to make up for it.

Interestingly enough, this sculpt will diverge into 2 separate projects, one is a high poly game and CG asset, the other is a 3D sculpt meant to be molded as a miniature.





Oh and I'm having an issue with zbrush. I the head area, I've noticed the polyflow has gotten wonky in the head, and isn't so on my base mesh. Is there a way to fix this in zbrush, or should I just export to max and fix it there. It's causing symmetry issues, but I plan to retopo (to learn the process) so should I just wait, or fix it now?

Here's the issue: