Introduction:

This 3 part video tutorial by ten24’s James Busby will show the process of preparing and using photographic reference to create realistic human characters. Part 1 will show the steps taken in Photoshop with parts 2 and 3 focusing on the methods used in Lightwave. Also available for download with this tutorial is the base mesh used.

Chapter 1: Photoshop

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Duration: 09 minutes 12 seconds

Click Here to Download the Character Head Base Mesh | Size: 64kb

About the image

There are many rendered portraits in a lot of galleries. I was always impressed by the high quality of the MentalRay FastSkin shader and how easy it was to set it up once you understood the basic concept of how skin works. But as I ‘only’ have Cinema 4D, MentalRay is not an option for me. But isn’t it possible to render realistic skin in Cinema 4D? I wanted to find out with this project.

The modeling

I usually start my 3d models with a simple cube (box modeling). I know that many prefer point-by-point modeling (or poly-by-poly) but I like using a cube and ‘cutting’ the detail in, step-by-step. Box modeling allows me to quickly block out the basic shape of the figure and thus to have a better feeling for the proportions of the model. But because I am using good references, any modeling technique would have worked.


The face finished, I began laying out the UVs (maybe the most annoying part of this job). Fortunately I found UVLayout (by Headus), a free program that flattens 3D geometry automatically. [link]

The textures

I took the model into ZBrush to add a texture to the face. Every inch of the texture comes from high-resolution photos which where projected onto the model with the ZBrush tools. Wesclei Barbosa has written a tutorial about how to do that. All my reference photos as well as the texture references are from www.3d.sk. [link]

This is how the final head texture looks:

I used this same texture to create the skin details. I turned it into a black & white image and created a mask of it in ZBrush. Now I was able to use the Inflate brush and sculpt all the little skin details. This technique is explained in this video tutorial. I also included some volume for the hair with a custom brush. Finally I created and extracted a displacement map of the head.

First of all I want you to know that this image was created for a competition, the goal of which was Lighting & Rendering Atmosphere.

As this is a making of article, I’m not gonna cover every step of the whole process. I assume you have some basic knowledge of 3D in general, and basic to intermediate level for all the 3ds max users.

First I created my concept sketch to focusing better on my idea for the challenge. I wanted to play most with the lightening and atmosphere so i concentrated more on that. The baby in the scene was used to give more expression to the whole situation.

For me it’s better to start modelling from simple shapes, using the box modelling technique. So I started modelling the head from a simple box. It’s better to study your model first and find how many divisions the box needs to get the look of the face better and faster. That’s why I recommend to always start with the simplest shape, and adding details gradually.

stage 1

stage 2

stage 3

stage 4
A very important fact to consider is the modeling flow. I’m talking about the way you build the surface; edge loops/edge rings.

Ok, after dividing the box several times, I converted it to a editable poly, and started adding details. Although I was dealing with a complex organic modeling, the tools I’ve used were very few. 3ds max has a very robust polygon toolset. 90-95% of the work was done using 2 or 3 tools.( cut, extrude, bevel, weld). Cutting here and there, I’ve modeled the face of my character. I built the mask using surface patch technique. Drawing splines first, and than adding the surface modifier.

stage 5

stage 6

stage 7

stage 8

stage 9

stage 10

Using the method above, I started modelling the body. Starting from a simple shape/ turning to poly/ and adding detail with the tools I’ve mentioned before.

Now that I’ve finished the modeling, it’s time to skin it. Doing this I can make the pose, like my concept drawing.
I built a fairly simple skeleton rig with max’s standard bones and added some simple controls for the limbs.
I added the skin modifier on top of my poly surface first, and then all the bones of the skeleton rig.

As soon as the skin phase is finished, it’s time to do some texturing work!… I added Unwrap UVW modifier and started pulling and pushing the UV’s, trying to make them as flat as possible. It’s good way to be in sub object mode, so you can see directly in the view port, all the polygons you select in the UV editor.

After I opened photo shop, I imported a screen shot of the UV’s, and started painting the diffuse map. I wanted the skin to be smooth and translucent, so I don’t need to create a bump map for the skin.

Software Used: ZBrush 3.1, 3ds Max 8, Mental Ray & Photoshop CS3

I’d like present in this article the process of creation of my latest work, “The Guards” (Fig.01).

Fig.00

Fig.01
I outlined a quick sketch using pencil on paper, and then realised that it was necessary to extend the hind legs – so I did (Fig.02).

Fig.02
As I was working on the sketch I remembered the work of another artist, and with that the concept of a jumping creature was born (Fig.03). I even did a sculptural sketch in ZBrush, but gave up on it (Fig.04). I wanted the monster to be of my own design and creation, right from the end of the tail to the tips of the tusks. Which is why, the next day, I started with the primary planning in ZBrush.

Fig.03

Fig.04
I started from ZSpheres, lining them up to create a basic form, and then modelled from there (Fig.05). I continued sculpting and establishing the basic masses. When you model anything in ZBrush, it’s much more comfortable to work with two monitors. On one, have your sketch and reference images on the musculature, and so on, and on the other have your ZBrush work open. Most attention needs to be given to the anatomy of your model. Even if I’m modelling a fantastic creature, I always start off with the anatomy of animals that are most similar to my concept creation, for better understanding whilst I sculpt, making for a more believable model.

Fig.05

At this stage, before creating a model of the horseman, I tried the model of the BMP out with a basic male model to determine the correlation between the sizes of man and beast. Once I was happy, I could continue modelling further (Fig.06).

Fig.06

Here I started to work on the protective leather straps on the body by creating new Subtools. For this purpose it was necessary to mask the areas of the surface which I wanted to extrude (Fig.07 – 08).

Fig.07Fig.08
By the way, I was asked a question: What is the growth protruding from his back? Well, it’s a light, such as some fish have in the deep sea (Fig.09).

Here I made some time to incorporate a horseman and detail his clothing. Taking advantage of the Transpose tool, I gave the man a suitable pose and approximately set where the fabric of his garment would hang on him (Fig.10).

Fig.09Fig.10
Whilst creating the fabric, I decided to stop detailing it; I had it exactly where I needed it, covering the man’s torso, flowing in the wind. I make a few trial sketches of the fabric in ZBrush and realised that something was missing … it didn’t look vivid enough. To fix this, I exported the low poly model of the man into 3ds Max and used the SimCloth plugin, simply putting the fabric on a low poly “doll”. The result was already much better, it was still not quite what I needed. I then made an attempt to make the fabric more dynamic, and I created a short animation of the doll, turning him clockwise and a slightly sideways. To reflect the flow of the wind on the fabric I created a few animated objects; I tried playing with the variants of their motion, but the final result didn’t really satisfy my needs (Fig.11). The only option was to complete the desired effect in ZBrush.

Fig.11
I applied a Shell modifier to the designed piece of fabric which gave the material its thickness. I then took it back into ZBrush where I smoothed out any excessive unevenness, and continued with the detailing. Here’s how it turned out for me in the end (Fig.12).

Fig.12
When the design was finished, the most labour intensive process came: retopologising, starting with the stone, making make sure that the textures would all fit properly and to avoid the texturing process becoming too complex (Fig.13). With the stone retopologised, I did the same for all the other objects in the scene (Fig.14).

Fig.13Fig.14
I used the programme Unfold3d to generate the UV maps, and then loaded the unfolded objects back into ZBrush (Fig.15).

Fig.15
Fig.16 shows the stage with all objects combined.

The time then came to start incorporating the textures. First and foremost, I took everything apart in local colours, making it easier to do the work (Fig.17).

Fig.16Fig.17

Software Used: Softimage XSI 6.5, ZBrush 3.1, Maya 8.5, Photoshop CS3, Unfold 3D

The making of the Elven Archer was quite an organic process. Unlike most of my modelling projects, I didn’t start this one off with a set goal in mind. In fact, the model just started off as a doodle in ZBrush. I had no idea when I started that I would take it so far!

I was developing my own ‘metamesh’ of sorts – a concept that I picked up from Alex Huguet – which is basically a mesh topology that is generic and serves as a good base for quickly starting sculpting in ZBrush. I made a couple of head meshes and was doing a couple of quick head sculpts to test how flexible they were and how well they worked (Fig.01).

Fig.01

Sculpting:

The elf started off just as a sculpt of an old man. I started off first gathering some quick references from the net on older men’s faces and just pretty much went to town on the ‘metamesh’ base. I used the Clay Tubes brush to build up the base shapes and quickly lay down the major facial anatomy. Then I did a quick smooth pass – then more clay tubes and standard brush to start defining details in the face such as major wrinkles and creases.

Once I was happy with the overall look of the face – using the Move brush to make adjustments to proportions at lower subdivisions – I started tightening up details using the Standard, Smooth and Pinch brushes. You have to be careful with the Pinch brush though, since it redistributes your polygons unevenly, so it’s best to use this last as a sort of final refine pass.

Also, a neat trick I discovered is to go back down about 2-3 levels from your highest subdivision where your polygons are more evenly distributed and hit the ‘Reproject Higher Subdiv’ button, which will more evenly distribute your polygons on the higher levels and project the details back onto the mesh. However, make sure to save a morph target or create a new layer when you do this – since sometimes it does mess up in some places.

At this point I looked at the model and a sort of story started emerging from the character; I saw him as being this veteran warrior – an archer maybe (Fig.02). He had seen his fair share of battles and had the scars and stories to match them. Although he had seen much hardship in his life, he still managed to remain positive and hopeful. I wanted to convey that through this project.

Fig.02

The next day I continued refining the sculpt, adding some asymmetry to the model – something which I think is very important to making believable CG characters – and adding some high frequency details, like pores, with some custom alphas I had.

Once I had the sculpt of the head pretty much done, I drew a quick concept sketch of what I had in mind for the character then imported it into XSI to build the base meshes for the rest of the character (Fig.03). It was here that I decided I wanted to put some life to him and animate him. I didn’t want to do anything really drastic – just enough to convey the personality and make him seem believable. Knowing that I only wanted to do a medium shot of him, I didn’t bother to model what would not be shown in the final animation, so I didn’t model hands or legs.

Fig.03

Once the rest of the meshes were modelled in XSI, I exported them back to ZBrush to start detailing and sculpting. I used ZBrush’s mesh extraction to produce some thickness to the cloth and using mainly the Standard and Smooth brushes I began to rough out the cloth folds and wrinkles. I painted some custom alphas in Photoshop for the design on the shirt and applied it via the UVs, and used Inflate to raise it a bit.

For the leather straps I did the fine engraving by using ZAppLink to project masks I painted in Photoshop onto the geometry then deforming in inward.

For the leaf shoulder armour (Fig.04):

• I started off with a plane and quickly sculpted some leaves onto it
• I then hid and deleted the excess polygons
• I retopologized the mesh and added thickness to it using Mesh Extract in the SubTools menu
• The holes were created by exporting the mesh to XSI and adding them in there; I then continued to refine and sculpt the leaves with the new topology

Fig.03

Here is the finished elf in ZBrush (Fig.05 – click to enlarge).

Fig.03

Texturing:

The UVs were quickly done in Unfold3D and refined in Maya. For me, I prefer to spend less time on making perfect UVs and focus more on painting good textures. For this project I wanted to try painting all the textures by hand – there was minimal photo texturing used. For the sake of time I’ll just walk through painting the face textures (Fig.06).

Fig.06