Anyone can learn to model (to a certain extent), but texturing is a whole other story, and it's a process that will define you as a 3D 'Artist.' So, try to imagine what would look really sweet and give it a shot :]
Took the advice I got and reworked the sculpt to make the hair more defined and to make the fur in a style I'm comfortable with. I think I was trying to hard to copy others fur like work.
The concepts for Utopia are amazing :D Your sculpt looks good, but personally i would define the edges of the armor more, right now it looks a bit like a shirt with armor painted onto it :D
I like her glasses :D I'm using for folds mostly the standart brush with no alpha, In my opinion is this a solid workflow. If the fabric is thin, you can start define the folds with the pinch brush.
I just think it looks a little too dark, and a little too brown. maybe if you lighten it up, and maybe add like some more cracks or markings on it to more clearly define it as bone
Doesn't setting an object as "envelope" in the Transfer Maps window tell Maya to use it as a cage? I know if you choose "both" then it makes an envelope for you based on whichever shape has been defined.
i would still define the palm a little more. if you wanted to go really mutanty... why not give the index finger an extra joint or something? so many "mutants" that really lack "mutations".
It's important to use the gloss to define materials. This is a tutorial by Tiros, i think it's really illustrative. I'll be in school in a few minutes, if you want i can send you the spec and gloss on my gun.. (:
For a mechanical thing like this I'd definately make the highpoly in your modeling app, and then maybe export it to mudbox to add in dents and such. "just make a normal map with mudbox" means your going to make a highpoly ;) .
Cool - this is coming along really nicely. The surface details you are putting in with the normal mapped photography are definately helping to push the character that little bit more that you sometimes get on normal-mapped characters.