During this blog I would talk about what I have been experimenting and experiencing, this can be the good and bad times whilst using ZBrush and Maya during summer break. I am aware that I did my own work but I followed a tutorial from other artists and to get inspirations from them and follow their processes on the video screen and their instructions. I learned to use their techniques method such as how to use ZSphere where it can behave to show bone structures. I do know that I do not have ZBrush at home. I always attend Ravensbourne University and spent most of my spare time to practice techniques in ZBrush. I am eager and enthusiastic to learn Anatomy figure and want to achieve high skills as a character modeler.
During summertime I was just not focusing on studying using in ZBrush, I’ll do other topics in the dissertation as well. But In June and July, I went out to spend lots of leisure time doing football, talk with friends and went to a few events to keep my mind opened. I knew Anatomy figure is very difficult to understand and hopefully be able to understand in more depth at the end of my degree. I would expect to see my skills improving and having a better experience. This is the beginning of my journey to learn, to make mistakes and learn from the mistakes and to be able to start again. My desire to keep exploring new things in character modeling has vastly increased . This would be very challenging for me to learn new skills this year.
Scott Spencer Tutorial
I found this book many times in Ravensbourne Library and I already knew i wanted to use this book to study Anatomy and learn how to process using methods in Maya to ZBrush workflow. I am aware there are lots of different methods using topology in either Maya or ZBrush. This book mainly aims for techniques used in Games or Film for realistic and mix some stylised 3D figure modelling. I had been in search for similar reference drawing on 8 head figure from artist Andrew Loomis. This book is a really good reference to show how to measure figure and provide a good understanding of the proportions that should be used and help me to match my 3D model.
This an example that I have been using which has various proportions of males in this figure. This is an image found online and therefore has not been altered in any way. “FIGURE DRAWING For ALL IT’S WORTH” its an old book but its definitely worth to look at the superior drawing figure. I really like it as it’s helpful to know what different kind of body shapes and the impact height makes to a character. The normal height usually around 7 1/2 heads but I mentioned earlier that artists may prefer to use heroic 8 head figures like Marvel superheroes.
[http://storyofmylifebyme.blogspot.com/2011/06/andrew-loomis-proportions.html] (Found this image from blog but I did not copy this information from this person).
I like this book but the problem is I completely followed to learn his sculpting and explain how the bone structure works in Anatomy. However, I’m copying from them but it would be nice to create my own work and I know I spend lots of time to learn from my mistake through this tutorial. The reason I got this book, to get enough information from books rather than using a video clip because the video clip may not include subtitles. Actual context would be useful to know what kind of function can be done in ZBrush and subject knowledge about Anatomy.
Structure Zsphere Figure
Part 1: Create Zsphere Model
I read the first chapter which explains important principles before I can start sculpting. I need to consider three main things : Gesture, Form and Proportion. This character model aim was to create 8 head per 1 head each unit and with tall heroic figures. It was common that the character artist who prefer to use 8 head units because this can easily measure proportion and easy to remember how many head in each units.
But this book has a lot of technical elements such as terminology on ZBrush, principles of Anatomy, Art principles influence sculpture. It was my first time to learn realistic figure in Game (Games Cinematic) and Animation (Film) but not Visual Effects yet. I would consider in the future working in VFX where I can create a realistic figure but it needs to take a lot of experience to do this and take anatomy figure seriously.
However, I could not finish reading this book but it would be useful if I want to read more, just to understand Anatomy in Games or film character modeller. Also did not read a chapter in texturing and topology yet. It was because I want to focus on sculpting Anatomy figures.
I created this basic Zsphere in bone structures kind of skeleton and to adjust correctly in proportion. I watched this method from Scott Spencer in video clip and I copied his ways as the same time on my ZBrush screenshot at below. This was another method using ZSphere comparing in Maya but this is an efficient and powerful way which allows me to do it quickly using this method and it can generate into a new basic polygon or mesh. I have not added hand yet and it needs to adjust the scale on torso and arms because all the scales look quite similar, i need to show more variaton in the sizing.
End Part 2: Zsphere Figure
I want to learn how to create planes from Maya but wasn’t able to figure out how the artist was able to create using original measurement like 8 heads and how he created accurate height in this figures. So I imported his OBJ planes to use as a guide to measure in 8 heads unit, which is all tall and big characters. It is common using 8 head units because it is easy to remember.
I realised when I created this Zsphere and I changed it into ‘adaptive skin’ and it appears as different polygroups (different colours on polygon) to represent whenever I create a new Zsphere, it creates a new geometry. But I can change it into one whole polygroups. It is good to have polygroups because when I’m sculpting it allows me to select each part to sculpt and avoid distracting other parts.
Problem: The left and right side arms were not symmetrical because I did not press button X properly which was used to activate mirror to create geometry at the same time. I spent a lots of time to work out this model but I decide to leave it but in the future when I create to like this I had to be careful before I changed into a new mesh.
Anatomy Figure Sculpting
Part 1: Basic Mesh Figure
Firstly, I did read some instruction about how to create a basic mesh in Maya. But I did not create my own 3D Male figure and I used some of the artist files, which was then imported. I got the OBJ model into ZBrush straight away. However, I should create my own basic figure to refine the basic proportion and different method comparison in Zsphere and Polygon model. This time I want to understand basic sculpting in human form. I like this simple 3D model because it does not need any adding of complex forms or lots of geometry. It can be used as a basic figure like this and I can modify the into the correct proportions. At the end of the model, there would be lots of details appearing in the muscle, forms and gesture.
Part 2:
I sculpted a basic rib cage moreover like an egg shape and moved around to adjust the torso and add some clay brush to apply more amount resolution. I started to draw on the front and back. I started to focus on the torso and later on add more detail on chest muscle.
Part 3:
I added some more clay on the torso and pelvic (hip), then I try and adjust the proportion and it does not look right. I do rough basic sculpting but have not added details on the muscle yet. It has helped to understand how the proportions and sizes of each part of the body play a vital point in deciding the overall figure . This looks a bit weird especially around the rib cage area, therefore, needs more modification in order to reach its final outcome.
Part 4:
I continue sculpting the torso and leg to adjust forms. I used alpha to represent silhouette to allow to see whether the forms correctly sculpted. It was good to see the figure whether it needed any changes or focus in the gestures with the flow in a different angle or flow direction on the figure. This was a good practice testing these techniques (Alpha) shader (material in ZBrush). The alpha forms look a bit weird, not quite perfectly in human forms. The leg and arms have not added enough clay yet.
The alpha is a good practice to see whether they need to modify or correct human forms or tweak a proportion.
Part 5: Add Clay (Sculpting)
I haven’t completed the figure because I spent a long time doing this sculpting to make it look perfect Anatomy structured drawing according to the correct proportion. I knew I was supposed to not precisely on the 3D model or spend too much time and this would waste time to lose the opportunity to do another figure. I decided to stop this for now because I needed to move on to something different, another Anatomy figure to practice. This sculpting model looks a bit satisfactory because it was not completely finished with arms, feet, head, and fingers needed more refining in details. It seems to me there are quite lots to learn in Anatomy and need more practice in sculpting Anatomy. I feel I should get some pictures for reference to help me with sculpting. But this tutorial did not show me any resources from real life male nude picture figure related to this sculpture. So that is why the model look a bit a bit messy and as an uncompleted figure.
I know the legs, arms, and head were not completed because I am trying to learn tutorial from Scott Spencer to know how he did a basic sculpting in forms but I wish if I ignored to make it look perfect and I would done all the figure at my best. In the future, I need to more pay attention that the figure needs to be in correct proportion, shape like on torso needs to look like V shape but it looks weird. Again, the reason is I just copied and tried to learn from him but I did not use reference images to create this 3D sculpting figure. I learned from my own mistakes which doing this process to do this, so I would something different whether it is good or bad. I learn using this process and it helps me to learn other techniques.
Anatomy from Ryan Kingslien
I found an online tutorial by Ryan Kingslien where I want to learn his knowledge about digital sculpting into Anatomy structures. I want to see how he used different methods compared before in Maya (basic mesh figure) and ZSphere. It was good to see what might work for me as a good method, enabling me to do it quickly for the production workflow in my portfolio unit.
I could not remember where I found video tutorial but this has no subtitles. So I had to watch just the visuals and some new techniques which were introduced but some technical things in ZBrush which I am not aware of. It means that I would find out later on what new technical techniques can be used that I have never done before like grid on canvas to help to see the measure on the 3D model.
First I did use some tool to create basic forms and use the move tool to tweak correctly in a very basic Male form. Once I put together each 3D model to create something and later on I would click Dynamesh to inform ZBrush to combine together.
Part 2: Refine Torso and Head
I did sculpting in torso, neck and head. I knew this looks a bit awkward and should be adjust correctly. Again, I just followed the artist sculpting but I may have missed what he mentioned, it needs to be tweaked correctly in proportions. It is harder to use a video reference to complete a process as it is very hard. I think the torso needs to be a bit longer.
Part 3: Uncompleted Figure
I feel this is not good because I am not happy that I haven’t finish completing this male anatomy figure because I spend lots of time trying to tweak and adjust the proportions correctly. This could be because I need to learn more about ZBrush so that it would help my efficiency. I know the arms, head, and legs were not sculpted yet because I haven’t completed watching the video clip. It would be very difficult without subtitles but now I realised that I can watch the visuals and learn how they sculpted in ZBrush like workflow. It means I can find references from online male pictures of the torso, hand, and head and it would influence me to create my own 3D human anatomy figure.
Muscular ZBrush Sculpting (Torso/Arms)
Bad Topology
I knew the wireframes looks like a bad topology because it should not be like that but this is how I sculpted in high resolution to get enough details. As you can see that there are a few different colours on polygroups where it should not be like that. It should be better to have one whole same colour (polygroup) but if I want to select different colours polygroups which means I want to select a specific purpose for sculpt.
Another Anatomy Sculpting
I used Scott Spencer 3D male mesh OBJ and import into ZBrush. I modified male forms where I have been a reference but I could not remember where I saved the picture of Anatomy. Next time, I would save a links website to know where I used sources to influence my Anatomy figure. Later, I did not sculpt the hand because the geometry went mess or damaged so I had to use add some clay and smooth tools to polish up a bit carefully. Next time I would be careful when I do sculpting on the 3D model but overall I felt it needs to improve proportion or need to complete hand and feet as well. I have not completed to study in head, hand and feet because there were lots of things to learn and it was overwhelmed myself to expect to know to get knowledge Anatomy sculpting skills.
Evaluation overall about Summer Project
I should be proud of myself that I have been trying to spend time to learn independently without any support in this subject. I did not make a chance to learn ZBrush character modelling in previous units but I remember when I did my young age did some character modelling in Maya and ZBrush. It was a bit shame that unit did not cover to the opportunity to do early to learn beginner and I can prepare even better in summer break.
I should be proud of myself that I had been trying myself to do independent learning without support during this learning in Anatomy sculpting. I learned lots of mistake without aware of how I start to do this Anatomy. I was a bit of frustration or confusion to learn ZBrush modeling because I want to be good skills character artist in Games and Animation. Before I want to try if I can be able to do a realistic character in Game where I am interested to do game cinematic like Batman Arkham Knight (my favourite game).
I realised that my Anatomy model does not look high skills and could not be to do a realistic character in game or animation. I decided to focus on the stylised character where I am very interested to create a cartoon Animation where my first interest. The reason I though many artists or character artist requirement when I search a website what their skills need to learn such as Anatomy figure in male or female. I learn anatomy figure to do a fundamental foundation in Anatomy sculpting in ZBrush. I am aware that I do not need to draw myself a concept because that is not my responsible. I wish to improve my drawing for life drawing to allowed to improve my anatomy figure or perhaps to understand forms, gesture and muscle.
Lathan 3RD YEAR FINAL BLOG 