Matcha Dessert

This was a prop project I set out to do. I mainly design and create my own 3D characters, so this time around I wanted to try making a prop that was designed by someone else. I searched a while looking for the right prop when I came across a piece by Nadia Kim (here is her work, it is gorgeous!).

Concept by Nadia Kim

I wanted to test myself and see if I could finish this relatively quickly, since my previous projects have taken me months. Modeling went pretty quick, though positioning each piece of food relative to each other was a bit tricky and I continued to tweek it throughout the time I worked on this project.

First landmark, everything modeled

Next I UVed and took the model into 3D Coat. Nadia has such a fun artstyle, I found myself working hours straight on texturing. Since texturing normally takes me forever, I was pleasantly surprised by my progress early on. I did end up nitpicking towards the end, but in the end I'm happy the way things turned out :)

Most texturing done

With outline, a normals trick within Maya!

Matcha Dessert by Kristen Malone on Sketchfab

Gwyn Complete!

Aaaand she's done, after what feels like an eternity! I've learned a lot during this project, from better handpainted texturing techniques to better topology to additional programs, and am happy with my results :)

Gwyn by Kristen Malone on Sketchfab

Some more WIP shots below:

My next project will include either Zbrush and / or prop modeling, I'm still undecided!

Gwyn WIP Update #2 - Texturing

Lots of texturing these past couple of weeks! Following the Ultimate Career Guide: 3D Artist tutorial by Marc Brunet for a bunch of the texturing techniques :) Tutorial: https://cubebrush.co/mb/products/1jur3a-cWYR

Started off applying the simple base colors over baked low poly AO in 3D-Coat.

Once I got to the tutorial bits, I learned a great new way to combine the AO of my high poly (made in xNormal) with colors in Photoshop. Saved me lots of time with initial texture details. 

Gwyn WIP Update #1 - Work since graduation

Coming back to my blog since I've completed school! I'm trying to get back into the habit of updating weekly on my WIPs. Since then I have been working on a new character, Gwyn the monk! Her design is inspired by an old D&D character of mine. 

First came concept work. I love baggy clothes and sashes * v * I gave her a warm palette because her personality is very upbeat and perky and I felt like it fit. 

Next was modeling a base mesh in Maya 2017. This is my first time with Zbrush so I didn't want to start an entire character from scratch.  

Zbrush is a monster of a program, I hope to learn more about it the more I work in it but for now I'm satisfied with what I've done! I got really stumped by it for the longest time, but after some trial and error (and fuck ups) I eventually cranked her out! 

killmeplz

Finally I brought her back to Maya to retopo! She's sittin' at 12.8k tris. A little on the higher side, mainly because of the braid, but I couldn't find a good way to retopo the braid properly other than reducing the edge loops. I changed her design to only have one braid because of this.  

Now I'm in 3D Coat working on her bakes and textures! More updates soon!

Weekly 13 - Almost done!

The end is in sight! We've made a lot of graphical improvement this week. We're mainly doing small touches at this point that really make the game more polished in my opinion. Cleaning up animation, getting props in, title screens, menus, textures, etc.

The character models and weapons are completed and textured. Models such as the tree, rocks, ground, and grass are being textured by me as well. I've also been posing them for animation for the title screen + poster for Sebastien's presentation which will be placed on the second floor wall. We're posing them in a field sitting on a stump. To their right will be a sign that cycles through all of the title options (New Game, Continue, Credits, End) with a moving camera. Awesome idea from Seb, programming extraordinare :)

Finn and Isa, modeled and textured placed in Unreal

Tree!

Stump!

Grass!

Maxin'

Relaxin'

List of completed in-game animations:

Presentation

Tobias

Concept art, modeling texturing, rigging, posing

Tobias by Kristen on Sketchfab

Rally

Concept art, modeling, texturing, game design, and mocap for this assignment.
Programming and Animation tweeking done by Sebastien Hutt.
UI done by Vinna Chan.
Mocap actor Karissa Neves.