Heiner Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 I am planning to try out a workflow from A:M (modelling) to Blender (UVing), then Export to zBrush and A:M again. Do sculpting and export displacement maps fom there, then go back to A:M, apply maps and a rig and do some animation. Then, export MDD and render wherever it looks best. Maybe I do some cartoons about a pirate lost on a small Island ... Best regards, Heiner Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted March 18, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted March 18, 2016 Tell me what you mean by "UVing" Quote
Heiner Posted March 18, 2016 Author Posted March 18, 2016 Prepearing the uv coordinates for the textures aka decaling. Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted March 18, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted March 18, 2016 I think someone here has a workflow for A:M to Zbrush to A:M already without needing to decal in blender. Quote
nemyax Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 Apparently there's a free ZBrush plug-in that does UVs. Don't know how that stacks up against Blender's UV tools. Quote
John Bigboote Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 I will be interested in what you learn- please keep us posted on this workflow. BTW- How much is ZBrush nowaday? Quote
detbear Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 Single user license for Z-Brush is currently $795. And I would say worth every penny if you have the extra budget. Artists have indicated to me that 3D Coat has even better UV methods than Zbrush. But I don't know how well it can translate back onto a spline/ patch model in A:M. That is where the troubles can come. UVing is extremely inconvenient in A:M as compared to newer methods being utilized in other software. Getting a ZBrush Model back into A:M includes the textures created in ZBrush as well. According to William Sutton, Zbrush textures/ UV's can be brought back into A:M and placed on a model. But I haven't ever done it. Quote
Heiner Posted March 19, 2016 Author Posted March 19, 2016 What I know already: Blender has very nice UV tools and a great MDL exporter. Some work involved, you get a great model with UVs into A:M. Blender UVing is seam based and gives you good control over the layout. zBrush has some great UV tools too, but without the level of control you have in Blender. The thing is, you can export a model from blender (after prepearing it for it) to A:M again (including the UV layout) and via OBJ to work on it to zBrush. The sculpted deformations you bake in zBrush you can use the previously done UV Layout. So the UV layout on the A:M model and the zBrush model is the same and you can use the baked sculpting displacement maps from zBrush in Blender. I was hoping to get wrinkles of cloth and such done and rendered in A:M. Now there is the issue that you have a lot of setups for baking, exporting and using the maps in zBrush and in A:M. There I was hoping to get some assistance ... Regards Heiner Quote
Heiner Posted March 23, 2016 Author Posted March 23, 2016 Hi there, a little update. After my return from the philippines i had some days more off and spent them with modelling. I think I will document the work process from A:M through Blender and zBrush as videos and post them via YT. For the time beeing, here the raw modelling so far. The sword I added into the model, because it can be easily seperated if necessary and for later animation it looks more easy when the model is included. Regards, Heiner Quote
Fuchur Posted March 23, 2016 Posted March 23, 2016 I'll follow this . Very interesting workflow. See you*Fuchur* Quote
Admin Rodney Posted March 24, 2016 Admin Posted March 24, 2016 a pirate lost on a small Island ... Looking forward to it! The sword I added into the model, because it can be easily seperated if necessary and for later animation it looks more easy when the model is included. This is the part I'm interested in the most. I've often thought of doing such things but outside of the occasional test haven't done anything significant with that approach. The closest I came to success with those tests was with two characters (one imported into the other for the purposes of fighting each other. The jury is still out on how well that turned out. Quote
Heiner Posted March 24, 2016 Author Posted March 24, 2016 Hi there, as anounced, I did the first recording and put the video up to YT (see link below). In this part I deal a bit wit modelling exporting and importing. After the A:M model goes to Blender, there has a lot of reworking to be done, so the smooth exporting, further processing and reimport to A:M can be maintained. Enjoy and have a great easter! Heiner xhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC60d3fjakQ&feature=youtu.be One step further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KysTfIZ-eo8 Quote
nemyax Posted March 25, 2016 Posted March 25, 2016 Looking at the import result in Blender—ouch! Quote
Heiner Posted March 25, 2016 Author Posted March 25, 2016 Yeah, I should have done the modeling directly in Blender but I I thought that would get me to far away from my initial idea ... Anyway, check out the second video, there I cover the re-export / Import and put your exporter to good use. Cheers, Heiner Quote
Heiner Posted March 28, 2016 Author Posted March 28, 2016 Hi again, just wanted to share the next stage of my pirate. Its amost done, and then I will give him a treatment with Malos exellent tools and make some UVs in Blender ... Regards, Heiner Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted March 29, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted March 29, 2016 He's looking fierce! A bit greenish. Is he a zombie pirate? Quote
Heiner Posted March 29, 2016 Author Posted March 29, 2016 Hi, right now its all about the shape, texures and colors are all up for further modifications. Right now, i will finish modelling and then apply the UVs. Regards, Heiner Quote
Heiner Posted April 1, 2016 Author Posted April 1, 2016 The next stage, I decided to go for a pegleg. He has teeth and togue now and I did the hand anew. Still I can not decide if I go for three fingers or four ... I am getting close to the end of modelling. There is the Hands issue, I will add two classical pirate style guns and than thats it. Then I am at the point when the UVing will start. Still have not made up my mind if i go for one stamp or if I will have more. Regards Heiner Quote
nemyax Posted April 1, 2016 Posted April 1, 2016 Still I can not decide if I go for three fingers or four ... I'd vote for four. At least originally four. Quote
Heiner Posted April 1, 2016 Author Posted April 1, 2016 Four fingers, one thumb? So five in total ... Or Four finger including thumb? Quote
nemyax Posted April 1, 2016 Posted April 1, 2016 Four fingers, one thumb, any of those in the form of a stub if necessary =) Quote
Heiner Posted April 1, 2016 Author Posted April 1, 2016 Hi there, so, a little different angle, and four fingers and one thumb. Semi realistic cartoon style like in franco-begian comics ;-) The pegleg received a little more attention and now there is the pistols left to do. Regards Heiner Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted April 1, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted April 1, 2016 My suggestion on the thumb would be to model it angled down from the plane of the palm rather than level with it. An on-the-plane thumb is hard to make opposable for typical thumb purposes and It will be easier to weight the mesh for all the positions the thumb will need to move through. Quote
Heiner Posted April 1, 2016 Author Posted April 1, 2016 Hi Robcat, good point. More like this? Regards, Heiner Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted April 1, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted April 1, 2016 I would do it even more. However, another critical element is the angle of the pad of the thumb. Take a look at your hand and notice that the pad of the thumb will face more down than sideways in that position. Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted April 1, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted April 1, 2016 It seems insignificant until we start trying to pose hands to do normal hand stuff and we can't figure out why they never look right. Quote
Heiner Posted April 2, 2016 Author Posted April 2, 2016 Which part do you mean by "Pad". English is not my mother language and I never heard that. For the angle, how many degrees downwards do you think it shoud point? best regards Heiner Quote
Heiner Posted April 2, 2016 Author Posted April 2, 2016 Hi, like I said, I pistol will come, and here is a first example of the work on it. Modelling is sort of a bit*** to me because while I am at it, the character can undergo so many mutations. Right now I am thinking about having a coat and maybe instead of the shoe have a boot like a musketeer or such. Man, it all starts nice and little and evolves over time ... Regards Heiner Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted April 2, 2016 Hash Fellow Posted April 2, 2016 Which part do you mean by "Pad". English is not my mother language and I never heard that. For the angle, how many degrees downwards do you think it shoud point? The pad would be where the fingerprint is. Put your hand flat on your desk and you'll see that the pad is facing more down than it is facing sideways. Quote
Heiner Posted April 2, 2016 Author Posted April 2, 2016 So, I changed the tumb pad and he has a gun in his belt now. Regards, Heiner Quote
Heiner Posted April 3, 2016 Author Posted April 3, 2016 Hi, the modelling is done and now comes the export and uving. I continue to document that on my YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPYrrS8e-b5jiG-ue-bMfKA Quote
Fuchur Posted April 3, 2016 Posted April 3, 2016 Very interesting process . Keep the tuts coming . See you and thank you *Fuchur* Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.