PRODUCTION
The production process start after finishing the whole visual concept image (Storyboard, concept designs, sculptures, character Profiles, environments, color style, lighting, image compositions, resources and references…). And rebuild all those concepts that based on the storyboard sequence to come up with new better output quality that matches all the technical production standard aspects and technology.
Modeling
There are three different classes for modeling:
- Low poly modeling: it shows the formal stage (the Silhouette).
- Medium poly modeling: it shows the formal stage, the muscle stage and the fat stage.
- High poly modeling: it shows all stages.
Low Poly Modeling
For modeling Matrouk I used Softimage XSI and ZBrush. I started with XSI by creating body-man Template for saving time, and then create Biped_Rig to rig and pose the character as I want, after finishing the pose, I freeze the model and delete the rig, then I start manipulating by adding more edges and polygons, scaling and resizing the proportions based on the Silhouette stage which we created before.
When I was satisfied with the result, I start to fix the edge looping to come up with reasonable model base, and then I select all right side polygon and delete it, and fixed the outside edges by reset its pivot point and duplicate symmetry.
UV Mapping
XSI Texture Editor (UV Map Editor) is great but I prefer to use the Pelting Map in 3DsMax its fast and powerful, I exported my model as .obj, imported it to 3DsMax, converted it to Editable Poly and applied the Unwrap UVW to Pelt map the UVs.
After wrapping the UVs, I applied the checker material to examine and fix the UV parts proportion.
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Tips for UV Mapping
• Start to distribute the UV parts from the biggest.
• Try to use every pixel on the UV space.
• Keep your UV parts readable, like: this is the head, this is right leg, this is the left hand…
• Complete your UV parts.
• Big number of UV parts is not good, also one UV part for Matrouk model is not good, because this will distort the UVs.
• Fix any Overlaping edges.
• Align your UV parts horizontally or vertically, this will make it easier for painting in Photoshop.
• You may discover some modeling problems like Triangles, N-gons (more than four edges), and this is a chance to fix it.
• After finishing the UV work Freeze (Convert to editable poly in 3DsMax) your model, this will save or bake your UVs
Checking the Model
I can’t consider my model finished until it passes through the checking list, it’s a guarantee that the model is ready for the next processes, displacement painting, enveloping, Animation and Rendering.There are the main points in my check list:
1) Checking the Edge loops
2) Checking the Normal’s
3) Checking and fixing any extra vertices or N-gons
4) Checking any over laping edges in UVs
5) Checking that all UV parts are inside the UV area
6) Checking model scale (this is important for Mental Ray rendering issues like, GI, FG)
7) Checking and resetting the pivot point to the right place COG (Center of the Gravity)
8) Freezing all model modifiers
9) Freezing all Transformation
10) Saving the model in a new version, with suitable name.
High poly modeling
As we mentioned before the high poly modeling process will cover all Modeling level that will reflect the Matrouk characterization, and here we will cover this stages.
2 - Muscles Stage
Before we start sculpting with ZBrush, let’s talk about the relation between characterizing and sculpturing. Sculpturing is deformation or manipulation for raw (dead) shape to be converted to a knowledgeable shape or symbol or character, if we take a deep look at the description then we will find it similar to the characterization identification. And we can consider the sculpting as strong tool for characterization process in the Modeling level. It’s important to deal with sculpting as tool to describe more about process or technique, if we understand and implement this concept we will notice excellent enhancement at our sculpting quality output. Before we sculpt Matrouk we will need:
Character description: character profile and concept design
Raw material: our low poly model (represent the Silhouette)
Ideal construction standards: Anatomy (Structure System) for organics
We have created our character profile and the low poly model. Now we will talk about the Human Muscles Anatomy.
Matrouk Anatomy:
Tips to understand better the Human Muscles Anatomy:
• Good Knowledge of the Human skeleton is basic required for:
- Creating balanced proportions for the body.
- Clear understanding for joints dynamics and types.
- Knowledge of muscles stretches mechanism.
• Understanding the Muscles rolls and implementation.
• Every muscle is shaped to employ the best dynamic results.
• Dealing with the body as a group, will make understanding and remembrance easer such as: Triceps group (three muscles), Shoulders group (three muscles), quadriceps (thighs) group (four muscles).
• Try to study the biggest groups, starting from the group that you like.
• At the beginning, don’t involve in muscles naming, these names are sophisticated and hard to remember. They could slow your ambition dawn.
• Try to sketch, trace and color the anatomy illustration many times.
• Every human being has the same muscles. Differences are between their scales and proportions.
• Refer in your search to bodybuilding magazines where you will be inspired quickly.
Remember: being professional at the Human Anatomy will help you very much to invent and produce more reasonable character designs for aliens, creatures, freaks, Monsters….
