Working Title: Designing and Modelling Original Characters: The Assassins Society
Overview
For
my project I will be designing and digitally sculpting three or more
characters, with different traits, outfits, assets, hair and amount
of detailing on them. All of the characters will be from the same
story and have a short description, of either one to two page comic
back-story.
All
of the models apart from one will be posed in a way that would
represent their created personalities and level of detailing on the
models. Depending on time, the last model will be rigged so that
the character will be able to move around with an end result of
having them to have a continuous walk cycle.
Motivation
The
reason for choosing to do a modelling project for my final year,
was due to the fact that last year when I did the character design
and modelling module, it was a module I enjoyed the most and wanted
to further my skills in that particular area. I have always wanted to
create my own characters and see them brought to life and seen in
more than 2 dimensions.
Whenever I
watch a film that has fantasy characters such as dragons, Orc's
and/or even robots, or a game with different creatable characters
have always fascinated me, and have always fuelled my inspiration
into character design. What made me want to choose modelling was the
Dreamworks art books, of Rise of the Guardians and How to train your
dragon. Both of these books show wonderful character designs and in
Rise of the guardians final models of each of the characters looked
absolutely beautiful and the level of detailing and smooth models
were inspirational.
I
would love to work in the games, film or TV industry creating
characters and modelling characters that other people have designed,
as it will give me a chance to see other peoples imaginations through
their work.
Technical
Overview
The
programs I will be using in order to complete this project
will be as followed. Maya for a base mash of the characters, and
Zbrush will allow me to detail all the characters, retopologise and
hopefully UV map successfully. Zbrush will also be used for exporting
normal maps from the sculptures and exploring the rigging tool
in Zbrush for posing purposes only. I will also be looking
into using 3DSMax for cloth simulation, as I’ve heard it's what a
lot of modellers use when they pose a character with long flowing
cloth for the best effect to simulate realistic cloth.
I
will also be using Photoshop to clean up the concept art for each
character I design, and sketching out a turnaround of each character
to help shape the character in 3D. I will also be using Photoshop
to tidy up the colours and add in details to the models for a nicer
effect than Zbrush's polypainting.
I
will be using Maya to rig one of my characters depending on how much
time I have at the end of the module. The choice of which character
will also depending on the amount of detailing and assets on the
character and what would be more suitable for the character whether
that be IK or FK handles.
Books
and other references will include Zbrush tutorials from the library,
digital tutors and other sites, as well as Maya rigging and applying
hair, along with possibly looking at cloth simulation in 3DSMax
depending on which character I will be rigging, books and digital
tutors, along with asking help from tutors from the university.
I
will have to do quite a bit of research based around Zbrush and other
programmes that will help me achieve my goal. I can already use
Zbrush, but at a pre-intermediate level, so I will be looking into
more depth about modelling clothing properly, and hair, and whether
that option would be better then modelling, or creating hair in
either 3DSMax or Maya. I will be using several books and online
tutorials to help me out as I go along, such as introducing Zbrush
(3rd
Edition) and Badking.com to help me out in area's I haven't learnt or
need help on.
For
3DSMax, using it will be a completely new experience for me which I
have never opened or seen the interface for. Using this application
will be the big risk of the project, but if I find that there is too
much to learn in the allocated time I have, I will instead be using
software I already know how to use in order to save time on learning
and spending more time in places that are needed. I will be acquiring
books from the library in order to help me reach my goal, along with
online tutorials and if needed, tutors help if the books and online
research doesn't help reach a helpful and successful conclusion.
For
texturing, I know how to texture objects in Zbrush and give them an
allocated material and use the lighting to help make a material look
more realistic, however I would like to look into using Mari, or
Photoshop, as I've heard they give much better results compared to
Zbrush which colours polygon by polygon.
For
rigging I will be asking tutors and diving into any books and
websites that will help me out while I'm going through the process of
rigging in Maya.
Research
ethics
This
won't be an issue with me, as the only time when I will be involving
anyone in the project will be when I have to ask others for feedback
and ask for area's of improvement on my work, along with asking
tutors for help in certain areas of the project revolving around
software. The modelling I will be doing will not involve any
offensive unethical material unfit for viewing, there may be slight
blood involved in the project but only through digital dipictions,
not real life.
Area's
of investigation
I
will be looking into different styles for my characters, such as
steampunk, gothic, lolita and neo punks outfits, just to give them
all a different design and to show variation in creation.
I
will also be looking at professional concept arts for films and games
and their work flows to get an idea and understanding of how
characters are created in the industry. I will be trying to find
original models and wireframes from different games, TV shows and
Film to get an idea of a professional quality for industry purposes.
Project
Deliverables
By
the end of this project I will have produced three or more models,
all of my own design, one rigged and possibly all textured and posed
in a way that defines their personalities, along with complete
turntable and design of the characters and short back stories.
Project
Plan
Date
|
Job
|
Details
|
September
30th
to October 14th
|
Research
|
Library, Google,
Digital tutors, books, asking tutors for advice/help.
|
October
14th
to October 28th
|
Moodboards,
Further research and Sketches
|
Images from all
over the internet and several different character creation ideas.
Plus any other research that still needs to be looked into. Will
be asking for feedback on character designs.
|
October
28th
to November 25th
|
Concept
Art
|
Complete
turnaround of all characters, includes separate asset drawings,
and anything else necessary for creation.
|
November
25th
to January 3rd
|
Modelling
and Texturing Characters
|
Zbrush
modelling, and either Mari or Photoshopped textures
and
experimenting with 3DSMax cloth simulation
and possible
hair and receive feedback on models before posing.(will also
include further research).
|
January
3rd
to February 17th
|
Texture
and Rigging
|
Continuing
texture depending on time, which includes any normal maps needed,
and rigging in Maya.
|
February
17th
to March 3rd
|
finalising,
feedback and extra time
|
Extra time, any
last touch ups on the characters and feedback on final designs.
|
References
- ERIC KELER. (2012) Introducing Zbrush: 3rd Edition. Indianapolis, Ind. : John Wiley
- JASON PATNODE. (2008) Character modelling with Maya and Zbrush: Professional polygonal modelling techniques. Burlington, MA : Focal Press
- TRACEY MILLER-ZARNEKE. (2010) The art of How to train your Dragon, Titan Books Ltd
- SCOTT SPENCER. (2012) Zbrush creature design: creating dynamic concept imagery for film and games. Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley.
- SCOTT SPENCER. (2011) Zbrush: Character Creation; Advanced Digital Sculpturing, 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons; 2nd Edition edition
- 3D Artists.(2013) Creating Stylised Characters. 3D Artist: Create SCFI Creature. Issue 43, p.64
- 3D Artists.(2013) Sculpt with Zbrush. 3D Artists: Sculpt with Zbrush. Issue 39, p.56
- BADKING.COM.AU (n.d) Understanding ZBrush and the Topology Brush[WWW] Available from: http://www.badking.com.au/site/tutorial/understanding-zbrushand-topology-brush/
