Ryan Norman Concepts: 3D Total : Professional 3D game character creation pt.I

In January I signed up for a workshop with 3D Total for game character creation. The main reason I wanted to take this workshop was to learn the process of making a game character and to jump start my portfolio.

The character we are modeling is a fantasy King Arthur. We were given two pieces of concept art produced by Patrick Lamberts.

Note that this is the first part of a two or three part blog post. Also Alex Troufanov provided us with a base mesh for the characters body. We used that to start off and then each student re-proportioned it as they saw fit.

At first I saw the class was going to be using 3ds Max and ZBrush. I learned how to model/texture in Maya. I know Maya really well and at the time I didn't know Max very well. I used Max for two classes in college.

So I set out to take this workshop and I abstained from using Maya. The point of this workshop for me is to learn and improve my existing skillsets. And Alex definitely provided plenty of information for us to absorb as well as helping to keep us motivated when we ran into an obstacle.

I still have a ways to go to finish the character model but I am getting there. After a few issues regarding symmetry in Max with the body and then an annoying issue with GoZ I finally got my model into ZBrush.

As of right now I am loving polygroups. Easily hide pieces of your model to get details sculpted. Sculpting the anatomy is fun as I have a decent knowledge of muscles and bones. Right now I am pretty much blocking out shapes, pushing the detail for the amount of polygons, polishing it up and repeating. Once I get to the subdivision levels in the millions range that will be fun as the details you add are minute.

This weekend will entail finishing up anatomy, adjusting the cloth, armor and leather vest, and I am looking forward to learning how to make normal maps.

Concept art provided by Patrick Lambert