Revision as of 20:11, 26 August 2010

Character Sculpting

Character sculpting is the process of creating a high-resolution 3D model with a series of painting strokes, using a pressure-sensitive tablet or screen. Usually the details from these models are baked into a NormalMap for a lower-resolution in-game model.

Sculpting Tutorials

These tutorials cover hard-to-find subject matter, or they offer in-depth explanations of reasoning and technique. If you're looking for music-only timelapse head sculpt videos, they're widely available elsewhere.

• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt zbrushclothestutorial.png <
  > ZBrush Clothes Tutorial - by Benjamin "Selwy" Leitgeb<
  >In-depth tutorial about how to model folds, with references and videos.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt mashrumishuclothing.png <
  > Shirt, Pants, Facial Sculpting Timelapse Videos - by Mashru "MM" Mishu<
  >Silent timelapse videos showing the sculpting of clothing and facial features.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt zbrushfurfabtorres.png <
  > Fur Tutorial timelapse - by fabtorres<
  >Silent timelapse showing the sculpting of a small section of fur on a sphere.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt zbrushintrobook.png <
  > Introducing ZBrush - by Eric Keller<
  >($) Book with in-depth introduction to ZBrush 3.1 (ZBrushCentral thread here)<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt repeatedpatterns.png <
  >Sculpting methods for repeated patterns - a Polycount thread<
  >How to lay down a repeating pattern like scales, knitted cloth, fur, etc.<
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Hard-Surface Sculpting

Most mechanical modeling is done with Subdivision Surface Modeling but digital sculpting apps can also be used for mechanical work.

• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt cardwellmudboxhardsurfaces.png <
  > Mudbox - Hardsurface Forms - Freestyle - by Dave Cardwell<
  >In-depth video tutorial with voice-over.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt mechanicalmoondonghwa.png <
  > ZBrush - Mechanical Sculpting timelapse - by moondonghwa<
  >Music-only timelapse showing bio-mechanical sculpting techniques.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt preservinghardedges.png <
  > ZBrush - Preserving Hard Edges From Maya To ZBrush - by Nick Zuccarello<
  >In-depth video tutorial with voice-over.<
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• File:CharacterSculpting$sculpt hardedgehighpoly.png <
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Hard edge - highpoly - a Polycount thread <
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More Information

• BaseMesh
• EnvironmentSculpting
• ReTopologyModeling
• SubdivisionSurfaceModeling