From Ashes Part 1

After the angry crow bust, I decided to go a step further and sculpt a much more complex model with one of my favorite mythical creatures of lore: The Phoenix. Using several sources of inspiration I found on DeviantART, Google Images, and a guide in The 3D Art & Design Book, I started building my own version straight in Zbrush. I am mixing different things into it such as Zspheres for the main body, Shadowbox for feathers and other small tidbits, and my favorite Dynamesh for the wings, eyes, and in the future, the flame/smoke platform.

Its turning out to be a very fun project! Just need to add a couple more feather/flame layers then the platform of smoke and ashes.

Angry Bird

For the foreseeable future, I have decided to make models straight from Zbrush. This is something somewhat new for me. Usually I go from the base model from 3DS Max to Zbrush, but for now I am going to sculpt a couple things solely in Zbrush with a few techniques I don't normally use such as Shadowbox, Dynamesh, and a couple of mesh brushes.

This is one such model. At first I wanted to make a dragon, a classic example of a sculpt straight in Zbrush. But then I decided instead to make a bird man guy thing. Angry of course.

Made with Dynamesh in Zbrush.
Used a couple feather alphas as well.
All in all, took about 3 hours.

Eureka Seven Part 2

I've been not very good at keeping up with updates lately. I had recently finished Eureka, and I'm *ok* with the result.

I have issues with the face, but thats a challenge for another time.

Eureka Seven Part 1

After Minerva, I had been working on multiple models. However as I completed each base model, I had moved on to the next. I will probably return to the other ideas in the future, but for now, I present a character from the anime/manga Eureka Seven: Eureka.

This is the base model of course done in 3DS Max, with texturing work done in Photoshop.

I am currently working in Zbrush, however, I am not aiming for realism. I am trying to keep a simple anime/cartoony-ish style this time.

Minerva Part 2

Its been months. Actually I finished Minerva about 2 months ago now at the end of college classes. The reason why it hasn't been "published" yet is mainly because of my partner in crime not putting in the effort for the final beauty picture <_> You know who you are. SO! To hell with that! Lets get on with the show!

What can I say? Its been a while since I had worked on it. Making a note that I should make a post after MY work is completed. That way I can remember if there was another of note.

I do remember however that the staff gave me several issues. Note there is never to use single face polys as part of a larger more complete object. The little cloth on the staff was the culprit to many a problems with the staff.

If I think of any more notes (probably not honestly) I will edit them in here.

Special thanks to my partner and one of my best friends in this endeavor, Charity.

Minerva Part 1

Its been a while again, and I have been actually working diligently on my next work, which is a collaboration with my best friend :D

Minerva. A Mage. Carries a staff and dagger.

Friend drew the concept, I am modeling her. And boy, this is turning out awesome.

Things to note for myself: Zspheres are still awesome. I used Zspheres for the hair then used multiple brushes, namely claytubes, pinch, move for shape, gravity modifier, but mostly claytubes of varying size.
Also got some new alphas for skin and stitching, so I am using them on the clothing. Again for clothing I am using claytubes, pinch, flatten to enhance the pinch, gravity for cloth weight and move to help enhance the effect. Pinch must have brush modifier 100%. Good stuff.
LAYERS. OH GOSH LAYERS. LAYERS. Makes my work SO MUCH EASIER. USE THEM DAMNIT.

Currently standing at 10 million polygons (8 million more than Hichigo) and 435mb (Hichigo's 3rd pose was 35mb) so this is a prettty big thing.

Thinking.............must take more notes.........

Uhhhhhhhhhhh........

QUICK! TOSS OUT A RENDER TO DISTRACT THE READER WHILE I THINK OF MORE TO NOTE!

click for full view (obviously...)

HAH DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING NOW DID YOU?!

Anyways uhhhhhh Oh yes. This isn't really a note for me but: The belt was nonexistent on the original concept by since she will have both a dagger and a staff, it bothered me how empty her person was and how she would be physically be working in her world. So I had talked to my friend about it and my idea was to add a leather belt. Something that goes with her lore as being a mage and functional as a way to carry either the staff and dagger. And thus it is born. She liked it, I love it. So thar.

WARNING! LOSS OF WORDS! TOSS MORE PICTUREZZZ!

Uhhhh I guess thats all for now. Stay tuned for more EPIC.

Hichigo Part 6

Turntables! I had been done with this for quite some time but rendering had taken a few days over the coarse of a few weeks. In fact, I am already working hard into my next project! higher quality download: http://www.mediafire.com/?590u3or2uld31m0

Special thanks to my 2 best friends, one of whom is a fan of Bleach, and the other just plain amazing in both my work and art.

Hichigo Part 5

I have now completed all of the poses and platforms I will use.

 They are as follows:

All of these, along with the first pose in the earlier post, will be rendered in high poly/quality in Zbrush along with turntables of each :O

Hichigo Part 4

A wild Hichigo Appears!
Wild Hichigo used Platform!
It's not very effective...
Wild Hichigo uses Pose!
IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!

That is, in short, my feelings towards this pose and platform. Love the pose, but the platform isn't coming out as I had envisioned. SO! I am hoping to find and create another platform and hopefully use this pose too. I think its too awesome. And yes, once I run it through Zbrush for final touches, any artifacts will be, for the most part, fixed (i.e. the knee and pants intersection). This took me a while to render out, but I will render out another view tomorrow.

Hichigo Part 3

Rigging...Takes forever...Its so FRUSTRATING. Well it is also partially my fault for exporting and rigging a fairly high poly model. Duly noted to not do this again. Rigging mostly done. The rig for the chain on the sword needs a bit of work though. The jaw works wonderfully. The pants seem to have vertex spasms which annoy me to no end.

So I got a brilliant idea. Just to mess around with Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, I had been looking at some mods including http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=POBp_SIskIg which is actually pretty funny. So I got inspired to do something, in the future after I am done completely with this model: Use this Hichigo's Mask and use it as a helmet in Skyrim. How? Hell if I know right now. That is what research is for. Personally, I think it would just be badass. Which is my primary motivation for doing it. :D