Sketchbook: Tim Smith

DustyShinigami · Feb 2023

Hi. Welcome to my digital sketchbook. I hope I go about this right. I specialise in characters and I'm aiming to focus on real-time for my portfolio. I'll be using this to log my progress with a new project I'll be starting. I'm planning on making my first ever mech/robot. Due to the time-frame I have, I'm not planning on anything crazy complex, so I've decided to pick the Death Egg Robot from Sonic 2. :) I plan on making a real-time version of it, so apart from my usual breakdowns and research, I need to find similar projects of anime-styled mechs that have been made real-time.

Any feedback or suggestions throughout this would be super welcome! :)

DustyShinigami · Jul 23 2025

Next couple of exercises done. Another planar, based on one from Anatomy for Sculptors, and then a different planar, which was in two parts.

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DustyShinigami · Jul 25 2025

Next exercise done - an Asaro planar head

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DustyShinigami · Jul 31 2025

Been struggling mentally lately and as a result I've been struggling to sculpt heads. So I've not made any progress with the exercises. However, I have been working on a skull project and my Witcher character.

For the skull, I've blocked it out:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/40/bsupdq254m25.png

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And for the Witcher character I've been focusing on secondary forms around the forehead and eyelids:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/iu/qrk4f45khhnf.png

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DustyShinigami · Aug 6 2025

Will be re-approaching my Witcher character's secondary forms after some feedback I received. Will be using a scanned mesh as reference rather than images of the game character models. Also, this is the last head exercise I managed to complete after reaching a bit of a mental block:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/b8/clj7oyn3wuga.png

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And my current progress with my skull project... Currently working on the secondary forms:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/nc/0q2iz2bqju5w.png

zetheros · Aug 7 2025

Are you sculpting in orthographic? you can press P to switch to perspective mode. Pick up a copy of Anatomy for Sculptors https://anatomy4sculptors.com/

You can use Ryan's skeleton mesh for reference, it comes with Zbrush by default.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/yw/mb1pvsjqnv4z.jpg

DustyShinigami · Aug 7 2025

zetheros said:

Are you sculpting in orthographic? you can press P to switch to perspective mode. Pick up a copy of Anatomy for Sculptors https://anatomy4sculptors.com/

You can use Ryan's skeleton mesh for reference, it comes with Zbrush by default.

Yeah, I usually work in orthographic. ^^ And yep, I have a copy of Anatomy for Sculptors; have it right next to me. I've also been using a European skull scan from the 3D Scan Store and checking that over in split screen mode. Plus, I have a model of a skull on my desk.

DustyShinigami · Aug 10 2025

Progress on the secondary forms of my Witcher character. Just a bit more refinement to the traps, sternocleidomastoid, and ears.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ua/jhxmdezs495d.png

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DustyShinigami · Aug 10 2025

Current progress replicating a 3D Scan Store head scan:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/x7/8cwix4gyzj7k.png

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DustyShinigami · Aug 15 2025

Progress with the scanned head. This is probably where I'll leave this one.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/78/2b2yf5k2rf9p.png

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The next one I aim to push further and add more secondary forms.

Also, current progress with Witcher character. Changed a lot thanks to some helpful feedback and emphasised a lot of the forms. Also corrected the eyelids. Just need to do some refinements and re-add some creases/folds.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3j/abjlgo7loox1.png

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

Current progress with Witcher project. Done more tweaks and refinements and added the folds and wrinkles back to the forehead and eyelids. Just doing some final tweaking and then I'll clean up the noise and I should be good to go to move onto the clothing and armour in Marvelous Designer.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/9c/dmqj9evhr7fq.png

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stray · Aug 19 2025

Nice progress!
He's got... interesting proportions. Like his head is a bit too big? Or maybe he's just short of height?

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

stray said:

Nice progress!
He's got... interesting proportions. Like his head is a bit too big? Or maybe he's just short of height?

I'll bring a skull mesh in and check, thanks. I adjusted the scale yesterday so he's around 180cm. Checking the Witcher models from The Witcher 3, they're about the same - 180.

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

stray said:

Nice progress!
He's got... interesting proportions. Like his head is a bit too big? Or maybe he's just short of height?

Yeah, you're right. It is a bit big. I'll adjust that now. Thanks for pointing that out.

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DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

Much better.

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stray · Aug 19 2025

What I meant was head size in relation to the whole body

He's about 7 heads tall in latest full body screenshots... for 180cm feels like he's missing at least half a head, so to speak.
Then again, maybe I'm wrong.

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

stray said:

What I meant was head size in relation to the whole body
He's about 7 heads tall in latest full body screenshots... for 180cm feels like he's missing at least half a head, so to speak.
Then again, maybe I'm wrong.

Ahhh, my mistake. Hmm. I'll check the default base mesh I started with and compare.

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

stray said:

What I meant was head size in relation to the whole body
He's about 7 heads tall in latest full body screenshots... for 180cm feels like he's missing at least half a head, so to speak.
Then again, maybe I'm wrong.

Okay, so the default base mesh is around 178cm, so roughly 180. And it's about 8 and a half heads tall, or there abouts. For my character, the chin needs moving up so the neck is a bit longer and the top of the head needs moving up a bit.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/op/p3qd0i1zpbyk.png

stray · Aug 19 2025

DustyShinigami said:
Okay, so the default base mesh is around 178cm, so roughly 180. And it's about 8 and a half heads tall, or there abouts.

Not to nitpick, but you've seem to accumulate quite an error by placing measurement heads so unevenly: in most examples I've seen they are placed so that the bottom of the chin is on the same line with the top of the next head.

Celosia · Aug 19 2025

I agree his head-to-body proportions are a bit off if the intention is to have a taller character.

There are a few other things that could be revised, but the most important is a structural mistake in the head which immediately stands out, specially in profile: Ear placement.

Unfortunately the skull you're using is missing the ear hole, a vital landmark for the head. When it's not being actively considered when placing features and your ref lacks it it's very likely the ear will drift. When it drifts other features tend to also drift, with jaw and sternocleidomastoid and hairline usually being the worst victims.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/1k/qssepsokm5t7.jpg

In this case because the ear is so high the sternocleidomastoid is attaching to the side of the skull instead of to roughly the underside of the protuberance in the temporal bone. He'd also have odd sideburns and beard as it is, and a vast expanse of empty back rim of the jaw below the ear.

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

stray said:

DustyShinigami said:
Okay, so the default base mesh is around 178cm, so roughly 180. And it's about 8 and a half heads tall, or there abouts.

Not to nitpick, but you've seem to accumulate quite an error by placing measurement heads so unevenly: in most examples I've seen they are placed so that the bottom of the chin is on the same line with the top of the next head.

Ahh. My bad. Again. ^^; Yeah, it's about 7 and a half.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3c/m412z32ui8v8.png

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

Celosia said:

I agree his head-to-body proportions are a bit off if the intention is to have a taller character.

There are a few other things that could be revised, but the most important is a structural mistake in the head which immediately stands out, specially in profile: Ear placement.

Unfortunately the skull you're using is missing the ear hole, a vital landmark for the head. When it's not being actively considered when placing features and your ref lacks it it's very likely the ear will drift. When it drifts other features tend to also drift, with jaw and sternocleidomastoid and hairline usually being the worst victims.

In this case because the ear is so high the sternocleidomastoid is attaching to the side of the skull instead of to roughly the underside of the protuberance in the temporal bone. He'd also have odd sideburns and beard as it is, and a vast expanse of empty back rim of the jaw below the ear.

No, the skull has it.

I believe it's a European skull, possibly from the 3D Scan Store:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/is/jh7sdeix9v7m.png

But yes, I see what you mean. Thanks. I've moved the skull slightly since adjusting the proportions of the head a little, so the misalignment isn't as great as it was, but the jawline and ear definitely need moving a bit.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/k2/qdnpagjgh10r.png

DustyShinigami · Aug 19 2025

Okay, I've made corrections to the ear placement and had to re-tweak some areas, such as the mouth. Still not quite happy with it, so I'll need to spend a bit more time re-refining it a bit.

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DustyShinigami · Aug 20 2025

Just completed a mouth sculpting exercise via Kingslien's website. Before that, I turned a sphere into a cube, which took me around 15-20 minutes.

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Progress with the second scanned head... I haven't overlayed the meshes yet to check if everything matches up, but will do that soon. Just want to see how much of it I can get through observation.

Sketchbook: Tim Smith

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