Zbrush 100%

So I've used Zbrush in my Maya workflow but I've never completed a project from start to finish in Zbrush. The upcoming version of Zbrush looks slick. The hard surface tools are especially interesting. If only I have $800 to drop on it. 

Zbrush has always felt alien to me; I can’t stand the rotational zoom configuration, and, no perspective window? WTF?

Dealing with Zbrush's weirdness was just something you had to deal with, tolerate, like a crying baby on a 2 hour flight. -.- Sure, there have been plugins that have made things a little more tolerable, like Z-Switcher, which makes Alt + LMB = orbit your model, or Crtl + LMB = Zadd/Zsub etc. Z-Switcher makes it more Maya like. ZSwitcher

If I had the money buy Zbrush R6, I feel as though it would be a waste, like I said, I've never completed a project solely in Zbrush. I've really only used it to sculpt high rez details, UVmap and some polypaint. I sometimes wish it was forced on me, like it was the only program that I found and I was forced to learn it. /shrugs

The truth is, there’s a million to one ways to do… things, and modeling is no different. Opinions on which software is the fastest, best, blah, blah,…. about these matters are no more than just opinions. In the end, it is not what program you can master but which workflow you feel comfortable using. Some can go from Maya to Zbrush to Photoshop and whatnot, but there are people who do everything in the same program. Now when it comes to hardsurface modeling, 3dsmax or Maya are far superior than Zbrush. At least at the moment, when Zbrush 4r7 releases its going to introduce new tools for hardsurface modeling, (like I mentioned earlier, very slick) but for now 3dsmax or Maya are superior. Now if you are talking about mech, suits of armor and characters that are hard surfaced? Then Zbrush is the way to go, because you don’t literally have to start from scratch, to makes those surface hugging surfaces. It’s a matter of deforming, scaling and all that fun stuff, and in no time you have a finished product.

Now, with all that said, I want to push myself to make something, 100%, start to finish, in Zbrush. Not sure what I’m going to make, as I’m only thinking about this as I write. I’ll have to dig from some references and find something fun. 

Sci Vis

Working on a scientific figure drawing with Maya. Ultimately its going to be a cut away view of the structures, possible a fly through animation with some of the structures rigged and animated. Using a basic prokaryote cell  as a reference/subject.

Here are some screen grabs of wires of the WIP.

On a side note, here is a little character I threw together one night. I call him Lil Repy. I'm planning on rigging him so I can pose him :)

WIP 02 of the MS-18e Kampfer

I didn't have much time to model this week/weekend. I was given some awesome websites and images from the polycount forums. Those guys are really nice and helpful. :) I was having issues with my proportions but that has been remedied!

Update:

Not much but I've got it blocked out.

Until next time...

MS-18E Kampfer

The "E" in the MS-18E Kämpfer's model number was an abbreviation for the German word "einhauen," which translates to "one strike." "One strike" summed up the Kämpfers role in combat as a fast assaul unit. It was meant to strike quickly, cause massive damage with its varied weapons loadout, and make a fast escape. The Kämpfer was a very focused design, never intended to work outside of its created role. Within this role it was an exceptional unit, rivaling the Federation RX series in firepower and speed. The unit was covered with thrusters and verniers to give it high maneuverability.- Referenced Wiki

Mobile Suit Einhauen Kämpfer Custom!!!

 When I saw this iteration of the MS-18E.Kampfer Custom(that's what I'm calling it), I had to model it.

A custom resin re-skined model, the original modeler is a guy that goes by the alias of LittleBoy. Not sure who he is IRL(I don't know Japanese) but I'm amazed by his work and I love his version. Here is a link to his, blog?

The process of modeling strictly from reference images without "blue prints" slows down the roughing out process significantly, just because you have to tab out of Maya, but its ultimately a better habit.90% of the artist efforts are observation.

Here is my progress so far, started on the head, moved to the feet. Still working out the proportions  its rather difficult to adjust after beveling so I'm having to really work on my eye. Good practice.

Cheers

Update on the Supra

I threw out the old progress, started over from scratch. I made these based off of nurbs curves from blueprints. Its fairly accurate. Theres some bumps ofc. Ive actually cleaned them up after taking this screen shot, im a lazy bones.

UPDATE:

Progress

Update on the Torino. Still early, working on the main character line that runs from the horn to the door. Next, the rocker panels, tying up the front of the horns and...getting the lines to correlate with references.

Torino 500

I'm back. Kinda let my work take a back seat this past semester, school and work kinda zapped me. Supra is still laying around, i've been wanting to make my Torino forever, it too as been a pile of references sitting on my HD. Man, i really need a new computer.

New years resolution was to not let a day go by that i don't work on my personal stuff if i can help it.

Motor Pool

Moved in, still living out of boxes. Most of the stuff we use on a day to day basis is out and what not. Still looking for a new job, blah blah.

I laid down the Merc.... I feel bad for doing so.

I was suppose to start working on the BunnyBat creature, as part of my portfolio but the girl friend wanted me to model her rubber duckies so I got a little side tracked. I then I got even more side tracked with my Supra. :P Hammering out the side. Still need to button it up a wee bit but I moved to the rear and front.

"Big wheel keep on rolling"

So, were moving into our new apartment. Did I mention I hate moving? The move has zapped my motivation. Any who.

I ran into a the nasty habit of adding unnecessary geometry on this Merc, so yesterday I cut my poly count in half by cleaning up some edge loops. In doing so, I've lost some definition and I'm kinda having to remodel the whole thing. *shrugs* Here are some before and afters of wires showing the reduction.

I created some headlamps for the Merc, they are a little more moderen. I also through on some solid steel rims wrapped in rubber. Heres a test render.

"One good thing about music...

When it hits, you feel no pain."

Cutting out the back window, the rear wheel well. Have some issues tieing up the rear, nasty bumps. I think I had too much geometry back there, still do. Its coming along, I wish I could speed through the rest of the fixing part so I can start working on the details. I haven't decided if I'm going to do the interior or not...I'll prolly save it for another project, its a whole other animal. Tuck and Roll leather seats. I need to work on my initial blocking out a little more so I wont spend so much time refining.

Same deal, I cleaned the doors up. Time to finish the rear, make the bumper and start adding wheels, lights, door features, mirrors...

Ok, now that the body was one shape, its time to start cutting it up! I cut out the door and got some pinching on the corners of the door and door jam, looking for a better way deal with the topology.

Filling in the gaps.

Ive got most of the hull patched together. Still a lot of body work to do, lots of lumps and dips to smooth out. Prolly some geometry to remove/move around.

Small update from today. I spent some more time on coming up with a good way to handle the door seams. No go.

Testing doors and a fail car paint.

*edit* Yay! More issues! Cameras are screwed.

*edit* To Solve the camera issue.(Where you have multiples of the same camera in your view ports) ...its so simple, I was embarrassed. Hold the space bar on the view port and right mouse button click, the little camera menu will pop up, click the camera you want in that view port. Patched.

The Torino has been retired...for the moment.

Without decent front views of this car, I cant seem to get a good grip on the hood. I'm laying it down until I can hammer out a good method for attacking the hood. In the mean while, I'm moving on to #2, a Ford Mercury. Heres a screen shot of the merc.

Blue Prints downed.

I have completed my fix of the Torino blueprints. When I get a chance and find a place to host them, they will be online.* edit* I've posted the prints on smcars.net << Hyper link.

Yay! Moving is done! Now we get to wait three weeks while our new apartment becomes available. Now, If I could shake this sinus headache and find a place to setup shop in this stuffed house (staying at my mother in law's while we wait, we have too much junk!) I will be able to start making some serious progress with the Torino. I hate not being able to model when I want to, then when I can model, I don't have the motivation! Its a love hate relationship, I guess. Its rather detrimental to my career, as I had plans to get a solid portfolio done this summer. I need to schedule time for working on my portfolio, daily.

Professor Putricide blues.

I had some time this afternoon to mess with those blueprints in Photoshop. I got another suggestion in the forums. Someone suggested I should trace the blueprints in Maya with splines and then remove the blueprints. That way, I can adjust the lines to a point where they are more congruent. So, with that in mind, I decided to vector out the blueprints in Photoshop and then adjust them there. This way, I will in fact have working blueprints and I can share these as correct blueprints. (Since I know the dimensions, its no problem) I'm currently raiding with my guild, were having difficulty with Professor Putricide, even with the 15% buff. /sigh

*edit* We got P.P. down on the next attempt from this post! Were now in the double digits in progression. 10/12

Two steps forward and one step back.

I have posted on cg-cars.com and smcars.net for some advise on these blueprints issues. One user on cg-cars gave me some sound advice. "These things almost never line up perfectly. So you're going to have to man up and make some decisions about what's most likely the 'most right' thing to do here. Just think it out logically " He is right and hes has re-motivated me to grab this bad boy by the horns and wrestle it into submission! I only wish i had more time to work on this. Currently moving and its a rather big life interruption. Ive also been spending more time on W.o.W. helping my guild push through the last wing of I.C.C. I think I'm going to sit out next week and knock this bad boy out. I'm going to try to get in some modeling this afternoon/night. Fingers crossed.