[DS2] Angelic Hammer, Tamarin

Tamarin

My entry for the contest! I don't know how far I'll get, but hope to learn some new sculpting techniques and practice baking some maps. DS2 looks like an awesome game.

Tamarin

Reworking this.

Tamarin

I'm really struggling with this piece. It always feels like one step forward - two steps back Any thoughts, suggestions, comments are welcome.

Habboi

The issue I think is the box. Since you've gone straight into sculpting with no concept I can't give you much feedback. If you're stumped you really need to stop and draw out the idea or quickly model it in Max / Maya or whatever you use.

Post the overall shape + a black silhouette (rendered in a modelling program for example) and ask us if we like it.

Tamarin

Thanks Habboi. I'll try to define a clearer starting point. Here is a new concept.

Habboi

Alright that's better.

Personally it looks like a handle without the head. The top part could use a large shape of some kind to make it look more "hammer" like. I like the bottom section as well.

Tamarin

I think I'll stick with the small hammer head. It's how you use it that count's anyways, right?

Tamarin

So, I started over again. 3rd times the charm, right? or is it, 3 strikes your out? I went back to the large hammer head. Its sort of a hybrid of my first two attempts. I am really struggling with sculpting. I want to get smooth curves combined with sharp edges and I can not figure it out. I'm using Sculptris so if anyone has a good technique or can point me to a good tutorial I would appreciate it very much.
For the current high poly model I just subdivided and added a displacement modifier (Blender) and its kinda crap. I see all the awesome sculpts on here with super sharp lines and beautiful detail.
The low poly mesh is 1475 triangles.

Tamarin

Really enjoying Sculptris.

Di$array

Sadly I cannot help you with scultptris as I've never used it but maybe one day I'll get round to it

As for your work so far its coming along. You've nailed the shape and shilouette with your low poly so that half the battle there. As for the sculpt it seem to be lopsided. I'm not sure if its perspective of sculptris or you've moved it while scultping. Other than that keep going. You're making good progress.

Tamarin

Thanks Di$array. I agree that the shape is lopsided. I tried to make the sides more even, but then I think my brain is lopsided so I have no real frame of reference.


Here is a close up of the face. I was going `Willy Wonka`for inspiration.

Dimfist

I think this is a fine attempt. Since it has that hand sculpted feel, I'd go with it more and make the angles over exaggerated. Then reflect that in the materials. Cheers!

Habboi

You're actually making good progress. The handle looks very much "Angelic" to me. However the hammer head is a different story. I think it's mostly the face but it looks a little odd, not very Darksiders like.

Though I'm the worst person to ask for feedback on doing faces so I can't really help you but I hope you keep working on it and find that cracking design.

Tamarin

Thanks Jimmy - I'm keeping an eye on your crow piece.

Thanks Habboi - You motivated me to throw out my old ideas and start again so thanks for the feedback. The face made me laugh when I made it so I thought I would keep it. Maybe I'll do another version with an angelic hero type face.

1501 triangles. Not sure how I got the "1" when the entire mesh is mirrored.

Tamarin

Changed the face a little and now I`ll work on the diffuse.
Here is the current head of the hammer.

Di$array

The face is a massive improvement on what you had so grats. I'm not so sure of the colour choice for the edges of the hammer. I think having them gold will be more in keeping with the rest of the piece.

As for the gems get some highlights on to them. Make them sing.

Habboi

Yeah the face is a lot better. Try to make the overall quality more striking. Right now it looks a little blurry. I assume this is a paintover?

Tamarin

Thanks Di$array and Habboi - I really appreciate you guys taking the time to give me feedback. I changed the hammer head to white, worked on making the gems "pop" a bit more.
The last image is not a paint-over - I struggled in Sculptris to get sharp edges like I see coming out of Zbrush. The soft edges I just have to live with for now and continue to work at getting better.
It was a fun project and I tried some new things. I think I started developing at least 4 separate ideas before settling down. In the future I will try to develop a clear objective from the beginning so I don't end up losing a lot of time on dead ends.
Here is the final image for the submission thread.

Tamarin

I tried a new color scheme this morning. I just have to let it go

aivanov

That scheme looks great Tamarin!

Habboi

I'd go as far as to say it's even better than your submission. Except for the hammer head. I think that should be a different colour.