When I started using Zbrush I had no idea what I would be doing with it after my first year. I had gone in with a handful of ideas and creature designs, and yet one of the most interesting uses I've had for it lately is clothes and accessories. But the versatility has been amazing so far.
The character I have been designing over the past couple of weeks has been mostly of a personal design. A rather newbie sorcerer character I designed for use in Dungeons and Dragons, but made such an impression on me and my friends that I thought why not actually create him in all his adventurer status.
He had a short existence. Having a few adventures, befriending some lizards before dying twice to the same spell shot twice, but that's how you create memorable stories. You do stuff you don't forget. And as a result it's been hard to get him off my mind even after I've given him an existence in 3D software.
The current model has come a long way. I've been planning to rig him for posing as well as looking into a cost-effective renderer for far more polished images, since my current version of Maya is without Mental Ray. With the practice I've recently had with the other elf, it might only take a couple of days. The most complicated area to work out has been how to rig up the robe, as the version of Maya I currently use is also lacking the use of the Ncloth feature. Which means loose items will need their own rig. Such as The large sleeves (not too difficult) and the coat ('challenge' might be an understatement). But what is lost if I do not at least try?
To get him to move, that would be very cool.
To get him to move, that would be very cool.
In other news, I have had great success in a much fancier version of the character's signet ring. It might be too detailed for a practical model but that's not to say there is no chance it could be used for anything.
I've been musing about going public with these designs. Selling pieces of them, or at the very least their templates, as 3D assets. Artstation has over the last few months offered this as a feature in the form of a virtual marketplace. This I think I can do alongside a possible career in custom 3D character models, where I could set up a website to sell these templates, or specific items, as a separate shop.
The ring is nice, I have had some favourable responses to it. I don't see much harm in offering it ors its template for anyone interested.
Alpha maps, hard surface modelling, understanding hardness, It is all building into what I love about the virtual. That feeling that with the right tricks, anything you can possibly imagine is in fact possible! Who knows, I might be able to submit the ring to a 3D printer or plastic moulder and get the accessory (and others) created in real life. Could there be avenue in costume jewellery design perhaps?
The ring does have an existence in Maya. I had to replicate the shader in Maya as it did its properties translate well when transferring between the two programs. But it still has its shine. Good gold is not an easy material to mimic.
Detail shots of the signet ring can be found on the Artstation submission: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/v1EaqA
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