im starting a new character. Im trying for something a bit darker with the same feel as the giger alien. Im trying to incorporate insect bits but at the same time keep a general human form. heres an early concept i drewup
I like the concept so far. You should add a bit more of a insect appearance to the face though. Right now it reminds me of a scooby-doo monster (in the face).
Fantastic work! Really dig the concept. Hope to see some crazy iridescent effects (maybe not *too* colorful) on the wings when you get to the materials. Your call of course
This is coming out really sweet, the only crit I can come up with is that the upper arm feels like it would work better than the lower one, meaning the elbow area. I also think the upper arm feels more insect like. Hell if anything it will save you texture space to use the same arm:P
You work fast. Good stuff! I think the shape/characteristics of the head are way too bulky for his body. He has the the head basically of a tarantula, which doesn't suit the mantis-like body. I would really recommend a head similar to a praying mantis, or an earwig.
Damn dude have you slept lately.lol, Im on the same boat. This is coming out awesome, I disagree with the head crits although I dont understand how the forearm works.
Update:
i wasn't liking the lack of expression on the buggy face so i added some more ferocity to it. I guess its a bit hard to see with the appendages around the head but its sort of a hammer head configuration with a total of 6 eyes.
Im agreeing with the lower arm elbow situation. Im not too clear myself how i was going to animate it so ill give it some more attention.
I wanna take your low poly out back and make sweet love to it's damn sexy mesh flow!
as for the sculpt I think you could push it even further, with some really nice defined details, hell even a quick pass with the pinch tool would help.
one more update before i go to sleep. here's an early normal map application. mental ray is acting childish when i try to render out a proper ao so im using an old school omni array for the same gi effect. thats a 512 on there btw.
ThatDon: thanks for the arousing words about my low poly, im sure it'll appreciate the favor(harhar) its still early in on this and a clean up pass is not out of question.
been great watching the progress on this one--interesting forms that stay readable and yes, a very clean and nice looking mesh. just don't let it slouch when it comes to the color maps and detailing, but i know you're better behaved than something like that
thanks
hmm i still dont know where im going with this. I planned on texturing it real dark like the alien but that looked like poo so im trying other things. well heres where i am now.
looks good mike
I prefer the version without lighting, probably due to the lack of specular, which works pretty well on chitin-like materials, I think you can add a lot of contrast by playing with completely dry/mat areas (the bright ones for isntance) and wet/shiny ones (the dark ones, the edges, articulations, everywhere that could need "fluids" to work properly)
having a lot of color in the spec could help too.
nice work again man
Igor Siwanowicz is your friend when it comes to entomological details. Scroll down a bit. Theres some really nice mantis shots amongst others. http://photo.net/photos/siwanowicz
Jeebus, amazing reference and lovely photos, thanks Jackablade!
Yeah, some of the nice beetle-shell speculars found in that site are exactly what I was thinking would work well for this model.
That's just... Wow. I think I liked the old insect head a little better though.
Do you build your lowpoly over your sculpts or the other way around because that is a really nice low poly cage, and that normal map rendered quite well for how freakin complex a model it is.
arsh: thanks, yah i just checked it on a different monitor. ill jack up the contrast.
rollin: thanks!
Per: No mesh changes! hehe nah ill check it out.
Mop: thanks! couldnt agree more
Vahl: thanks, nice observations yah im seeing the same thing with jackablade's linky. none of the refs show as high a spec as i had depicted.
Jackablade: !!!im in your debt sir. superb ref!
kyphur: thanks
The Umbrella Man: thanks, but the buggy head wasn't doing it for me. I generally build the highpoly first and create the low poly over it using silos snapping tools.
Basicly
Make the diffuse darker all over.
Then make a copy of the diffuse with out the GI overlay and invert it for the base of the spec map. Up the contrast and add the GI over that and add some grunge to break up the spec.
if glossyness goes down... highlights get broader... right? just sayin...
looks intersting ... the texture makes it look more like a manufactured robot bug or something... like it was painted in a bodyshop... but it looks neat...
Replies
yup i was thinking the same thing so i went back to the concept and made it more insecty.
Here's the base mesh before applying the changes from the new concept
Finally here's where i am now
Alex
Spark
OHMYGOD!dudethisisreallyawesome!
loving it!
i wasn't liking the lack of expression on the buggy face so i added some more ferocity to it. I guess its a bit hard to see with the appendages around the head but its sort of a hammer head configuration with a total of 6 eyes.
Im agreeing with the lower arm elbow situation. Im not too clear myself how i was going to animate it so ill give it some more attention.
as for the sculpt I think you could push it even further, with some really nice defined details, hell even a quick pass with the pinch tool would help.
ThatDon: thanks for the arousing words about my low poly, im sure it'll appreciate the favor(harhar) its still early in on this and a clean up pass is not out of question.
Very nice, Graves .
Reminds me of taehoonoh
hmm i still dont know where im going with this. I planned on texturing it real dark like the alien but that looked like poo so im trying other things. well heres where i am now.
MORE CONTRAST
looks cool...
I prefer the version without lighting, probably due to the lack of specular, which works pretty well on chitin-like materials, I think you can add a lot of contrast by playing with completely dry/mat areas (the bright ones for isntance) and wet/shiny ones (the dark ones, the edges, articulations, everywhere that could need "fluids" to work properly)
having a lot of color in the spec could help too.
nice work again man
http://photo.net/photos/siwanowicz
Yeah, some of the nice beetle-shell speculars found in that site are exactly what I was thinking would work well for this model.
Is being the most visually dull the price we pay for such a title?
Bloody nice photos :]
Do you build your lowpoly over your sculpts or the other way around because that is a really nice low poly cage, and that normal map rendered quite well for how freakin complex a model it is.
sup aldo, good to see you on here. thanks!
arsh: thanks, yah i just checked it on a different monitor. ill jack up the contrast.
rollin: thanks!
Per: No mesh changes! hehe nah ill check it out.
Mop: thanks! couldnt agree more
Vahl: thanks, nice observations yah im seeing the same thing with jackablade's linky. none of the refs show as high a spec as i had depicted.
Jackablade: !!!im in your debt sir. superb ref!
kyphur: thanks
The Umbrella Man: thanks, but the buggy head wasn't doing it for me. I generally build the highpoly first and create the low poly over it using silos snapping tools.
ill show off what i got done later tonight.
Basicly
Make the diffuse darker all over.
Then make a copy of the diffuse with out the GI overlay and invert it for the base of the spec map. Up the contrast and add the GI over that and add some grunge to break up the spec.
looks intersting ... the texture makes it look more like a manufactured robot bug or something... like it was painted in a bodyshop... but it looks neat...