Sculpting Digital Characters - Week 05: Texturing (HD detail)

Almost finished, detailing almost complete. Still teeth to add and his mech arm - which I still have a lot of learning within 3ds max to complete.

Colours next, and perhaps another attempt to make UV maps for this beastie.

Sculpting Digital Characters - Week 05 Refining the Form

Thought I would get this up to show - refining the form before adding textures. Still some modelling to do on face, fingers and lower legs, then to texture the skin and add some warts, scars etc.

Horns and eyes have been added which help the model feel more complete, teeth still to add.

Sculpting Digital Characters - Week 04: RETOP (detail)

Here you can see the new mesh, five spans per joint for smooth deformation later on when posing the character. You can also see that the Minotroll has no eyes, teeth horns etc. Which all will be added as sub-tools soon.

The detail level yet to apply is making me feel excited; Deep wrinkles, fine creases, scars and skin pores will be added to the model in the HD sculpt. Now that I'm past the re-creation of the mesh there should be a lot of fun doing this next passover. :)

Sculpting Digital Characters - Week 04: RETOPOLOGY HELL!

So I spent two weeks drawing squares on this guy, my first atempt at retopology, and I must say it took me to the edge!

After 10 days solid working at day retop at night - bashing away at trying to get all those lines to match up across the figure, I entered a twilight zone of my own. Every time I closed my eyes I could see topology mesh covering what I had just been staring at. I'd shut my eyes and the room walls and furniture would be there, all mapped up perfectly like architectural frame models, the Kitchen sink and taps... covered in lines, peoples faces....... pristine topology! Like being in the Matrix... but without the super powers - just the crushing reality of all thoses squares staring me down...aaaaaahhhhh!, It was exhausting work and my mind was just taunting me.

Here's what I ended up with:

first up the retop'ed model (with the original model just visible underneath).

The second figure is the adaptive skin from the recreated topology (the Level 1 skin, which will be used to make UV maps later)

...And third we have the new mesh with the details of form the original sculpt projected onto it this is at density Level 3. This is the model I will take forward and add the real detail too using ZBrush HD geometry tools.

The second image, below, shows a turnaround of the new topology on the model at a lower density of 2

RADIOHEAD - IN RAINBOWS

Ron Mueck

There is no denying the supreme craftmanship of Ron Mueck, who without doubt stands in line with greatest sculptors of all time; Michelangelo, Bernini, Rodin... Ron Mueck.



http://blip.tv/file/94203?filename=Brooklynmuseum-RonMueckFullVersionForHighSpeedConnections559.flv



The Hyper-Realist Sculptor started his career as a modelmaker for TV and Film, notably supplying animatronics and puppets for the Jim Henson/George Lucas movie Labyrinth. Moving eventually into the Fine Arts with his Satchi commisioned piece Dead Dad.



Mueck's works are sculpted then cast in resin or sometimes silicone so that each hair can be punched into the surface. Seeing his work in print or online is fascinating but seeing them for real is mind blowing and somewhat disturbing.



















































































The Gaurdian have a great article on Ron Mueck here: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1842696,00.html


Flickr Photo set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/themodern/sets/72157601021948061/

and for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Mueck