Post by Anthony on May 10, 2015 11:20:03 GMT
Step 01 – Pre-production
Before starting to work on this piece, we need to have a clear picture in our mind of what we want to do, so that we can define how we are going to do it. The pre-production stage is one of the most important ones. At this point we need to look for all different kinds of references, whether that’s visual, textual or of any other kind, as these will help us form our main idea.
In this particular case, I used references from different sources: the epic poem ‘Beowulf’, the 2007 film of the same name, and many online images.
Step 02 – Think about Composition
With all the information at hand, it’s time to think about the best way to show our piece. For this, it is necessary to begin sketching what we have in mind, whether that means drawing it or by doing it in 3D – however, always make sure that you have a rough draft so it does not consume us so much time. This will give us the possibility to play with shapes, poses and elements of our scene.
Step 03 – Understand the Character
It’s time to be more meticulous with our work. In this case, Beowulf is the most important element of the piece. For that reason, we want him to adopt not only a heroic and dynamic pose, but also a natural and realistic one. Therefore, it needs to be a pose that a human being can perform. For this reason, I chose to act as if I were the character. Obviously the character and I have several differences, but at least this helped me picture how the pose would work from different angles.
Step 04 – Use Mannequins
A tool that isn’t very widely used by the majority in ZBrush is the Mannequin function. This tool consists of a character created from ZSpheres, which will enable us to pose our character in a simple, practical and fast way, simply by using the Rotation tool and without losing the original proportions of the figure. In this case, I copied the pose from the previous reference photographs. I was then able to correct or exaggerate certain elements that I thought were appropriate for the character.
Step 05 -Use a Base Mesh
With the pose already defined, the next step is to import to ZBrush (as a different SubTool) a base mesh that I previously created in 3ds Max. This is a base mesh that I tend to use for characters with heroic proportions (it is eight-heads tall). Then I place the base mesh on the Mannequin, and with the Transpose tool, I try to match it to the pose of the Mannequin. Once we’ve done this, we’ll have the main character mesh that can be subdivided in order to start refining the geometry and keep working.
Step 06 – Create the muscles
The first step we must take into account in order to start working with muscles is to mark certain bony protrusions, called bony landmarks, that will work as guidelines to sculpt every muscle. Once identified, use the Clay Tubes brush to sculpt each of the muscles, taking into account its shapes and volumes according to the pose of the limbs of the character. To do this properly, we need as many anatomy references as possible. It is very important to know and study what our body is like and how our muscles work.
Step 07 – Design the monster
This is the most creative and free stage of the modelling process. Use ZSpheres to start creating the body of the serpent, as it is a practical and dynamic way to obtain a cylindrical and continuous shape. After acquiring the basic shape, press the A key to convert it to Adaptive Skin, then convert it to DynaMesh to start playing with the shapes of the head and other details. In my project I wanted it to look like a sea serpent, so I masked all of its back so that I could create the fin from the SubTool panel with the Mesh Extract. I did the same for its belly.
Step 08 – Extract and create accessories
One of the many advantages of working in ZBrush is the Mesh Extraction feature. Simply by masking any part of our model and then clicking on Extract, we can generate a new tool of the masked portion within the SubTool panel, meaning we can get all kinds of basic shapes and use them as accessories. In the case of Beowulf, I used this feature to create his beard, hair, headband and shorts. As I have already explained, I also created some parts of the monster in the same way. I also used the Insert Mesh brush for the fangs, among other things.
Step 09 – Make the sword
For the creation of hard-surface objects, I usually combine 3ds Max and ZBrush. For the sword, I created the entire base in polygons working with subdivisions in 3ds Max. As a blueprint for these, I used an image of the original sword used in the Beowulf movie. I then modelled a base mesh and exported it to ZBrush, where I used DynaMesh to join certain parts of the handle, and the retopology function with ZRemesher to achieve a cleaner geometry. I also added some details like scratches in the sword.
Step 10 – Add the final details
This last stage of modelling is when we must keep an eye for detail in order to take our figure to the highest level of quality possible. As always, use use reference images and your imagination to add the small final details to really emphasise the reality of your work. For the skin wrinkles, I usually use the Dam_Standard brush together with the Inflate brush. I also use the Standard brush with the Stroke set to Spray in combination with Alpha 40. Then smooth it with the Smooth Peaks brush for porous and rough surfaces.
Step 11 – Clean and merge SubTools
Before exporting the scene to 3ds Max, it is important to have our SubTools labeled and free of any hidden or unnecessary items. It is also useful to try to group them so as to avoid having too many separate elements. So, if I have five SubTools, each of them with just a part of the sword, I can group them in a single SubTool titled Sword. To do this, we just have to go to the Merge menu and choose the option that suits us depending on the order of our SubTools.
Step 12 – Decimate the model
In the case of Beowulf, I knew my only intention was to export the scene to 3ds Max to render different views of it. So I decided that instead of retopologising each element and investing time in this process, I would use the Decimation Master function in order to get a reduced number of polygons that 3ds Max could import for a later render. For this, I went to the Zplugin menu>Decimation Master>Pre-process All. This will pre-compute each element of the scene. Next, press Decimate Current, testing which was the correct Decimation Quality value for each SubTool.
Step 13 – Export and import
Once all our SubTools are organised and decimated, use the GoZ All function (which is within the Tool panel) to export all of the SubTools simultaneously. This tool exports from ZBrush and automatically opens 3ds Max, importing all objects into a new scene.
Once my scene in 3ds Max had the full model ready, use V-Ray’s Mesh Export function to create proxies of each item, and be able to navigate fluidly in viewport. The proxies load just at render time.
Step 14 – Set up the lights
This process and the following one are as important as all the steps described before, since through them, we will show and sell all the modeling work we have done. Therefore, it is advisable to have some inspirational images at hand as regards the look we want our image to have. I usually use several Vraylights scattered around the scene along with HDR images. I test each light separately to see how each of them affects my model before creating another one. In this way, each light has a specific function and I am able to manipulate them according to the look I want to generate.
Step 15 – Create the shader
As the title says, we’ll use just one material in Beowulf. The idea was to represent a look similar to a polished stone with some sparkles and some greenish dirt diffused on it. My idea for this look was simply to highlight the main volumes and shapes of the figure, without getting lost in complex or too flashy textures that would distract our focus of attention. To do this, use a VRayMtl with a VrayDirt applied in the Diffuse channel and a Fresnel reflection with a small Noise map. Only with that and playing around with the lights I managed to get the effect I wanted for this piece.
Step 16 – Cameras and render
Finding the perfect angle where we can have a correct composition and at the same time show what we want of the piece, is not an easy task. As Beowulf was not the exception, I placed several cameras in order to make some renders (though probably just one was to be the main one). For every camera that I created, I played with all the lights in the scenes until I managed to generate the desired effects on each shot (because you not always get a light that works from all angles). Vray is the render engine par excellence that I generally choose for all my works
Step 17 – Final composition
I made the composition of the images in Photoshop, which is the soft that always use to work with stills. I composed the original render stressing certain speculars and reflections with selections and masks in different types of blending modes. For the background, I used a solid black color along with a free stock picture of smoke from the internet. Lastly, I applied some stone textures in overley with a low opacity, and made a few color corrections and adjusted the contrast levels. Having done all that, I flattened the image and, with the Burn Tool, I emphasized some sectors creating areas of more interest.
Before starting to work on this piece, we need to have a clear picture in our mind of what we want to do, so that we can define how we are going to do it. The pre-production stage is one of the most important ones. At this point we need to look for all different kinds of references, whether that’s visual, textual or of any other kind, as these will help us form our main idea.
In this particular case, I used references from different sources: the epic poem ‘Beowulf’, the 2007 film of the same name, and many online images.
Step 02 – Think about Composition
With all the information at hand, it’s time to think about the best way to show our piece. For this, it is necessary to begin sketching what we have in mind, whether that means drawing it or by doing it in 3D – however, always make sure that you have a rough draft so it does not consume us so much time. This will give us the possibility to play with shapes, poses and elements of our scene.
Step 03 – Understand the Character
It’s time to be more meticulous with our work. In this case, Beowulf is the most important element of the piece. For that reason, we want him to adopt not only a heroic and dynamic pose, but also a natural and realistic one. Therefore, it needs to be a pose that a human being can perform. For this reason, I chose to act as if I were the character. Obviously the character and I have several differences, but at least this helped me picture how the pose would work from different angles.
Step 04 – Use Mannequins
A tool that isn’t very widely used by the majority in ZBrush is the Mannequin function. This tool consists of a character created from ZSpheres, which will enable us to pose our character in a simple, practical and fast way, simply by using the Rotation tool and without losing the original proportions of the figure. In this case, I copied the pose from the previous reference photographs. I was then able to correct or exaggerate certain elements that I thought were appropriate for the character.
Step 05 -Use a Base Mesh
With the pose already defined, the next step is to import to ZBrush (as a different SubTool) a base mesh that I previously created in 3ds Max. This is a base mesh that I tend to use for characters with heroic proportions (it is eight-heads tall). Then I place the base mesh on the Mannequin, and with the Transpose tool, I try to match it to the pose of the Mannequin. Once we’ve done this, we’ll have the main character mesh that can be subdivided in order to start refining the geometry and keep working.
Step 06 – Create the muscles
The first step we must take into account in order to start working with muscles is to mark certain bony protrusions, called bony landmarks, that will work as guidelines to sculpt every muscle. Once identified, use the Clay Tubes brush to sculpt each of the muscles, taking into account its shapes and volumes according to the pose of the limbs of the character. To do this properly, we need as many anatomy references as possible. It is very important to know and study what our body is like and how our muscles work.
Step 07 – Design the monster
This is the most creative and free stage of the modelling process. Use ZSpheres to start creating the body of the serpent, as it is a practical and dynamic way to obtain a cylindrical and continuous shape. After acquiring the basic shape, press the A key to convert it to Adaptive Skin, then convert it to DynaMesh to start playing with the shapes of the head and other details. In my project I wanted it to look like a sea serpent, so I masked all of its back so that I could create the fin from the SubTool panel with the Mesh Extract. I did the same for its belly.
Step 08 – Extract and create accessories
One of the many advantages of working in ZBrush is the Mesh Extraction feature. Simply by masking any part of our model and then clicking on Extract, we can generate a new tool of the masked portion within the SubTool panel, meaning we can get all kinds of basic shapes and use them as accessories. In the case of Beowulf, I used this feature to create his beard, hair, headband and shorts. As I have already explained, I also created some parts of the monster in the same way. I also used the Insert Mesh brush for the fangs, among other things.
Step 09 – Make the sword
For the creation of hard-surface objects, I usually combine 3ds Max and ZBrush. For the sword, I created the entire base in polygons working with subdivisions in 3ds Max. As a blueprint for these, I used an image of the original sword used in the Beowulf movie. I then modelled a base mesh and exported it to ZBrush, where I used DynaMesh to join certain parts of the handle, and the retopology function with ZRemesher to achieve a cleaner geometry. I also added some details like scratches in the sword.
Step 10 – Add the final details
This last stage of modelling is when we must keep an eye for detail in order to take our figure to the highest level of quality possible. As always, use use reference images and your imagination to add the small final details to really emphasise the reality of your work. For the skin wrinkles, I usually use the Dam_Standard brush together with the Inflate brush. I also use the Standard brush with the Stroke set to Spray in combination with Alpha 40. Then smooth it with the Smooth Peaks brush for porous and rough surfaces.
Step 11 – Clean and merge SubTools
Before exporting the scene to 3ds Max, it is important to have our SubTools labeled and free of any hidden or unnecessary items. It is also useful to try to group them so as to avoid having too many separate elements. So, if I have five SubTools, each of them with just a part of the sword, I can group them in a single SubTool titled Sword. To do this, we just have to go to the Merge menu and choose the option that suits us depending on the order of our SubTools.
Step 12 – Decimate the model
In the case of Beowulf, I knew my only intention was to export the scene to 3ds Max to render different views of it. So I decided that instead of retopologising each element and investing time in this process, I would use the Decimation Master function in order to get a reduced number of polygons that 3ds Max could import for a later render. For this, I went to the Zplugin menu>Decimation Master>Pre-process All. This will pre-compute each element of the scene. Next, press Decimate Current, testing which was the correct Decimation Quality value for each SubTool.
Step 13 – Export and import
Once all our SubTools are organised and decimated, use the GoZ All function (which is within the Tool panel) to export all of the SubTools simultaneously. This tool exports from ZBrush and automatically opens 3ds Max, importing all objects into a new scene.
Once my scene in 3ds Max had the full model ready, use V-Ray’s Mesh Export function to create proxies of each item, and be able to navigate fluidly in viewport. The proxies load just at render time.
Step 14 – Set up the lights
This process and the following one are as important as all the steps described before, since through them, we will show and sell all the modeling work we have done. Therefore, it is advisable to have some inspirational images at hand as regards the look we want our image to have. I usually use several Vraylights scattered around the scene along with HDR images. I test each light separately to see how each of them affects my model before creating another one. In this way, each light has a specific function and I am able to manipulate them according to the look I want to generate.
Step 15 – Create the shader
As the title says, we’ll use just one material in Beowulf. The idea was to represent a look similar to a polished stone with some sparkles and some greenish dirt diffused on it. My idea for this look was simply to highlight the main volumes and shapes of the figure, without getting lost in complex or too flashy textures that would distract our focus of attention. To do this, use a VRayMtl with a VrayDirt applied in the Diffuse channel and a Fresnel reflection with a small Noise map. Only with that and playing around with the lights I managed to get the effect I wanted for this piece.
Step 16 – Cameras and render
Finding the perfect angle where we can have a correct composition and at the same time show what we want of the piece, is not an easy task. As Beowulf was not the exception, I placed several cameras in order to make some renders (though probably just one was to be the main one). For every camera that I created, I played with all the lights in the scenes until I managed to generate the desired effects on each shot (because you not always get a light that works from all angles). Vray is the render engine par excellence that I generally choose for all my works
Step 17 – Final composition
I made the composition of the images in Photoshop, which is the soft that always use to work with stills. I composed the original render stressing certain speculars and reflections with selections and masks in different types of blending modes. For the background, I used a solid black color along with a free stock picture of smoke from the internet. Lastly, I applied some stone textures in overley with a low opacity, and made a few color corrections and adjusted the contrast levels. Having done all that, I flattened the image and, with the Burn Tool, I emphasized some sectors creating areas of more interest.