Skeleton Wolf WIP thread

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

Finished! I am plopping the complete image on top of my wip thread

I have decided to start a WIP thread for my new project!

I am an environment artist , currently working on Red vs. Blue. I have never tried to create a creature before though, so I figured I should start with this fun, stylized, skeleton wolf creature.

I am a Polycount lurker, so I am happy to do some posts!

Base mesh complete! :

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

I decided to go with realistic proportions, but with a chunky Darksiders-like style thrown in. I really loved working at Vigil Games before the layoffs happened, and I really enjoyed the style so I will incorporate a little of that into this creature.

Sorry for the annoying mouse cursor in my screencaps,lol!

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

getting the body looking all nice and stuff! Creatures are fun.

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

Making the base I will use to make the fur on the neck, which I will re-use for the tail and random scraggly fur bits

GKWill · Jun 2012

Oh wow! Coming along nice! I'm going to stalk this thread XD

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

Here is my lowpoly wolf with all of my maps applied, and a base texture. I am still trying to figure out color choices before I put too much detail into my diffuse.
I am also playing around with fur grids on the body, trying to get a look that I like.

ivanzu · Jun 2012

Your wolfs spine is not connected so are you going to fill in the blank spots with more vertebrates?

BrianP · Jun 2012

looking nice! one trick i try and do when textureing is bumping up the self illumination. only a suggestion but i personally like to paint in blues / greens in the shadows rather than get the black shading that the default shader gives you. this trick would work really well on the fur to make it feel more soft. Try it out if you get a chance. if you don't like it no worries =p.

GKWill · Jun 2012

Nice work!

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

Thanks for the input, everyone! I appreciate it.
@Brian-P Sup' Brian? Hope everything is going well for you! Thanks for the tip, I think I will try it when I get home. I'm not too fond of the black shading either.
@invanzu - originally I was going to leave spaces, but I ended up taking a route that was less stylized than my original idea. I will fill in those spaces with some columns.
@RiotForQuiet - Thanks!

Baddcog · Jun 2012

I've got a bone to pick

^

erm...

the rib cage connector shouldn't go all the way to the end of the ribs...

Anyway, looking cool so far.

100Chihuahuas · Jun 2012

@Baddcog - haha, good eye! I didn't even notice.

100Chihuahuas · Jul 2012

Oops, it has been a while! I got caught at work for a while with not much spare time. Time to finish this little sucker.

This is my first character, does anyone have any pro texturing tips to give me? (note- no spec attached)

SimonT · Jul 2012

I really like the colorful richness. Only brown tones but really good contrast

Cool!

praetus · Jul 2012

One thing that seems off to me right away is how the wolf has these perfect ears. Since they are a soft cartilage they would be one of the first features to go. I'm not saying get rid of them but there is no lead in, they're just kind of.....there.

It has a bit of character if you're going for a stylized cartoony look. What is the overall goal or tone you're trying to set for the character? Right now it feels like it would be some sort of undead sidekick to a main character ( I almost think of Zero from 'Nightmare Before Christmas' in a weird way). I feel like if you really wanted to lend some character to this guy you may want to break up the symmetry. Maybe a tear or hole in one of the ears on one side and some cracked or broken ribs on the other?

TheWildHunt · Jul 2012

IMHO, the neck fur is layed out in a way that detracts from the overall "completeness" of the character. Maybe scale down the fur under the neck and just behind the skull, and maybe have it trail down the spine a little bit.

Also, I feel the skull could be scaled up a bit to make it more menacing, and the diffuse isn't reading well to me, im thinking (based on the concept) a greyish white for the fur and a sun bleached yet decomposed look to the bones (ie, a small ruddy gradient from where the flesh still exists, fadibg into the bleached bones.

Looking great so far, really like your style!

100Chihuahuas · Jul 2012

Thank you, everyone, for the critiques on my work. I appreciate them all and do take them into serious consideration! I will try implementing some texture changes, and once I am happy with that, some geometry/symmetry changes. Thank you!

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

Reviving this thread! Here is a spruced-up canine. with some geometry and texture edits. I added a bit of asymmetry with a broken rib and an ear notch, increased the size of the feet and teeth, and added a bit of shading and variation to the texture.
I have rigged this fella and am now going to make a nice pose or two, and probably create some glowing blue orbs for eyes
I'm also making a few fur color variations to be posted soon

Please feel free to critique anything!

Piotr · Dec 2012

Looks clean and stylized, I like it. Now I am not expert on wolves but shouldn't the tail be a bit longer?

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

@DustinBrown Nice crits!
1. Hey, good eye! I have been using dog skeletal reference. Maybe I should rename this piece to "skeleton dog"! I'll try bringing his head down and see if that makes him a bit more menacing.
2.Hmm, I may have to test this out as well!
3. Yeah, I did not place as much fur on the rear end as the concept has, was trying to cut some geo. I'll consider playing with this, too.
4. Agreed!
5. Yeah, I decided to go more of the bone and fur route, rather than a ton of decaying flesh. This is a PG-rated enemy : )

Thanks for the crits (@Piotr too), they're much appreciated

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

Made some quick color variations and made some geometry changes to the fur and tail. Pose changes coming soon

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

I made a quick rig and am monkeying with posing!

sipher3325 · Dec 2012

This is awesome.

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

I am trying to figure out some nice poses for an action shot! Here are the wolves thrown in UDK. Once I get a nice composition, it is onto lighting it nicely!
Then I will add some cool glowing smokey eyes

sipher3325- Thanks

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

I rarely light things, and would appreciate input on what I have below. I want it to be nice and moody and fun, but I also want it to look nice and professional. Hmm

Crits please!

toolpaddz · Dec 2012

As you got so much blue in there, did you think of adding an orange light contrast? If you'd like the eyes to remain blue, try and let the scene get some orange tones by adding an orange light coming from the left side for example.

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

@Toolpaddz Hmm, thanks tool. I actually do have an orange light in there on the left, but I guess it must not be that noticeable! I might have to try pumping it up a bit now

AlexCatMasterSupreme · Dec 2012

It could be better, I honestly can't tell why but it's bothering me, it's not bad, that's good. But it could be a lot better, it might be the fact the background is pure black that's holding it back, maybe a darker blue (really dark) or medium or dark grey would be better.
It looks like (from the AO) that you're using Cryengine in a visarea.
If so just use some fog.
Also you could use POM on those rocks to make it a little more exciting.

It's not back, I feel that the subject lacks some material definition and looks a little odd. I just can't put my finger on why.

If you are using Cryengine taking screen shots at quad HD and then resizing them would do a lot to help with that aliasing. http://www.crydev.net/viewtopic.php?f=311&t=92863

Hope that helps.

100Chihuahuas · Dec 2012

@AlexCatMasterSupreme; Thanks for your notes, I agree that it is lacking something. Thanks for the fog idea : )
I am actually using UDK, so I am a little bit stumped on how to render out a super-large image to help with the aliasing. I have done it before with some help from the Kismet and a little bit of code, I really wish UDK had an easy "render to image" button!

I changed up the ground to be less blue, and painted in some grass for some oomf. Added a few tiny smoke whisps in PS

Skeleton Wolf WIP thread

Replies