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A pirate WIP


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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

Pirate_000.jpg

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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.

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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

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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

Pirat_Test_0.jpg

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  • Admin
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.

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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

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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

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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

Pirat_Test_0.png

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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

Pirat_Test_1a0.jpg

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  • Hash Fellow

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.

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  • Hash Fellow

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.

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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

Pistol_WIP.jpg

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  • Hash Fellow

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.

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