Jimmy Beech: USA

[silvaticus]

Also, ask here and I`ll try to answer.
Sometimes the tutorials are hard to understand, they forget to mention basic things beign to focused on the more complex ones.
For the start: try to avoid triangles and make the polygons evenly distributed before importing in ZBrush.

[jimmay]

Thanks Rawlogic - I have thought about 2d for the whispy smoke thing, i'm going to use that as a backup, but want to push it in 3d for the effects that I may be able to get in reflection. Funny thing is that after discovering this zbrush phenomenon i think it'll be a lot easyer to make. If i use translucent shaders with gradient properties they will do most of the work for me... i think. As for the tutorials, i've been watching most of the day! that program is incredible.

Thank you silvaticus as well - I appriciate the advice. I always knew triangles were evil; no wonder i falied out of geometry the first time through I do have a responding question about evenly distributed mesh if you want more detailing in a certian area (the face vs the abdomen) ? maybe a number of exported meshes? one for the head, one for the legs? one for the... you get the picture? I'm i hearing you right?

Appriciate the help folks!

[silvaticus]

It all depends in how you will use the model and on how much you can use ZBrush`s(and then the program in which you will render/compose) capacities. For me an evenly distributed mesh is enough. Like a sphere, I can make a decent head out of it, as the one in my thread.
If you can make a model in other app with more detail, more polys in certain areas and keep a good edgeflow, even better.
The best way to learn is to look at existing models, there are a few for free on the net. Except those on the Pixologic site, I like these two:
-one from Undoz on this page
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showth ... post389451
-one from selwy
http://www.selwy.com/category/articles/

Download them and in ZBrush study them at the lowest subdivision level with the frame on.

For the second question, if you have a whole mesh it is very easy to separate it as you want in ZBrush. You`ll see on those models I was speaking about, they are separated in polygroups(different colors). That can be very useful.

[jimmay]

Okay, wow these tools are great! thanks silvaticus.

So rule of thumb is to bring in the total mesh into Zbrush? like construct the entire figure and bring it in for sculpting? why are there smooth modifiers applied if they are going to bring them over for sculpting? Are those needed? or is it just a way to 'better' the mesh?

I'm going to get working on the making of the base mesh now, and hopefully i'll be bringing them over into zbrush soon.

consequently why not make the entire thing in zbrush? does it get tricky that way?

[silvaticus]

I don`t know how to expalin it better than with those meshes. In whatever program, including ZBrush, try to get something similar.
I think it is easier to build them in other programs but I don`t know for sure, I have only used Silo for a while. It was easier.
Working on parts will give you better performance, polycounts will be smaller for a part than for a whole. But if you have a good PC you don`t have to worry about it.
You can make everything in ZBrush but you need to know the program to get good results.

[jimmay]

Well, did some prelim modeling last night on the infant. This is the 4th rendition; though once i got it imported into zbrush i realized that i put waaay too many verticies on the arms and legs, and not enough on the torso and the head.

I'm thinking that i can use some sort of selection tool in zbrush to work one part at a time and further divide it there. But the interface is still a bit overwhelming at this point. I'll mess with it further today.

here is a screenshot from the export in max. Though this one didn't have hands or feet yet.

[aphexx]

hi jimmay.
somehow, i didnt get your concept yet. why is ther smoke and such?
anyway, i saw that you go for zbrush.
another solution for you, could be the new mudbox 2009.
it has a 30day trial version out.
this program is programmed with the normal dotnet windows environment.
so its not that confusing like zbrush.
for myself i stayed all the time with mudbox, even when zbrush was long time better. but with the new version you got many advantages!

[jimmay]

i'll check that out and let you know how it treats me. After a bit of wrestling with Zbrush its not all that bad to get sculpting, but i'm not really using the power of the program i'm sure. A sculpting program is definately on my birthday list!

thanks aphexx

[jimmay]

The concept reads from left to right, its a pair of knitting needles that are weaving together the fabric that creates the life in a child. Just so happens that the child is still in the womb (image left); i thought it would be more fitting that way. Anyway, the smoke and such happens in the center of the image (i know its counterintuitive to put a void in the center of the image, but i argue that its the void that allows one to explore thier own thinking) The smoke is the fabric of creation dancing like smoke, glittering like magic, as it tickles the baby.

make sense?

I realize that i keep using big words and i'm not sure who all speaks english as a first language, so my apologies if its confusing.

[jimmay]

I have worked through another rendition of modeling the infant. This one is head and shoulders better than the others that I've done. I'm planning to use zbrush or mudbox to work on some of the finer expression points. But i do want the end result to be an abstraction of the subject rather than a photo realistic representation. Now onto something else for the time being.

[jimmay]

status:
spent the weekend working through shaders/materials. Lots of crashes and rendering workthroughs; will post something early this week just for a catchup.

[jimmay]

Progress shot:
I've been working through creating the nebulous/creation spell thing that I've been afraid of tackling for a long time. So far I've attempted to create objects and sculpt them then use shaders to layer them strategically making them appear cloud like, or wispy. After a few dozen failed attempts (which I'm embarrassed to even post) i started back down the particle trail.

In this image i used a series of emitters bound to a path follow. It seems to be heading in the direction that i was envisioning in the beginning. It's going to take a few dozen layers for the right depth though.

Any ideas as how i could break up the angularity of the 'facing' particles that i used for the smoke? Or how can i make the bubbles less perfect-sphere and more amorphous-blob-esque?

My plan of attack is to work on the skin shader next, after i get this part looking fairly decent.

[jimmay]

WIP: Progress shot

Been playing with a couple of different layering options for the final. Here is one. I need to do some major work on the infant for expression, need to layer up with the emitters, need to work on the skin shader. I was also planning to drape a cloth over the child (like cheeze cloth or something equally translucent)

Oh and i still need to work on lighting, this is default.

[jimmay]

Every time i get on here everyone has stepped up their game. Oh well, I've been able to figure out a plausible way to correctly get across what I'm hoping to. It takes a bit in creating maps, but after they are done the results are in the direction that I'm happy with. Sometime I'm going to need a crash course in UV unwrapping; though at this point I'm not sure if a skin shader on the infant will be best spoken.

any thoughts?... anyone?

i think that the baby need a bigger head/smaller body, it looks a bit out of proportion to me... for an infant.

[jimmay]

Unfortunately i am unable to proceed with the competition; though i will still be watching everyone's progression. Regrettably i must withdraw.

Good luck to everyone!