Week 5 - Done!!

He. Is. DONEE! I don't know what I was thinking when I said this would only take me a couple more weeks. I think I had a weird idea that "Oh, this is my second low poly model so I'll be done a lot quicker this time" despite the fact I had way more to texture on this character. In the end I'm quite proud of my accomplishments and I'm happy to have worked on this project. Boy, do I like low poly modeling. It's very fun, yet also a nightmare. A frightmare.

Here is the Sketchfab model. It's a draft currently because I'm going to post my model for last minute feedback before I make it public:

Tobias by Kristen on Sketchfab

Next week I will begin making assets for my game!

Week 4 - Texturing (Almost done!)

Final stretch! I actually think I'll finish by this weekend. I was hoping to finish by this weekly, but I am the slowest texturer in the universe. Tobias is completely textured and posed, all I have left is the props. I didn't end up animating him because I thought it might be jarring to animate only select parts of him and I wasn't up for going through the nightmare I had on my last project. Plus, I wasn't really sure how I would loop the cloth animation to begin with and overall it would take too much time to learn. I will be animating in my next project so I will focus on that then. I ended up giving him a little birdo ice sculpture in his hand because I thought it would be cute if he was really proud of it, like an art project or something.

My next project is going to be making assets for a game I am working on. I am acting as Lead Game Designer and Game Artist so fancy thus I am responsible for main game direction and all assets. Next week I will be uploading Tobias finished via Sketchfab and, if I have time after that, I'd like to make some progress on game assets and planning!

Week 3 - Texturing + Rigging / Posing

Toby is looking a little more manly this week. I've changed his face a bit, trimming his cheeks to be a bit more slim / square-ish. I liked his rounded chubby cheeks, but I have to admit he does look a more like a boy now. I also altered his outfit quite a bit: I opened up his coat and raised the chain, removed the feathers, lowered the boots, and changed the style of his mid-wraps. Overall I'm happy with the results, even if I kind of miss his old design.

I've also worked more on rigging him I hate paint weights asdfhjk. I've had to re-do the paint weights about four times because something messes up each time.  I did discover the lovely Move Skinned Joints Tool, which was super helpful to know. After a lot of tries  ahfjshfskf I was able to put him in a temporary pose, but his arms crumple up really bad so I need to redo it (the picture posted is the pose, however I will be fixing it for next week). I added more edge loops to it to prevent deforming after this just in case it was the issue, mainly in the elbows.

Aside from that (taking a break from paint weights because jskdhlg;k) I've also updated his textures more. The textures on him are about done now I'd say. At this point all I need to do now is complete the prop textures, add the physics (which is honestly just a side detail) and mini-animation for his magic. I really want him done by next week, gogogo!

Week 2 - Texturing + Rigging / Posing

This week I spent most of my time working on textures. I've added more detail to the cloak, skin, and his robes along with small touch ups on his hair, eyes, and accessories. For the most part, aside from the more noticeable things like missing alphas, everything is done on him. I've also worked more on the props, primarily the floor.

I also brainstormed some names, which is always the hardest part for me. After a lot of deliberation:

Elias
Sergei
Cole
Quinn
Johann
Finnian
Lloyd
Graham
Flynn
Ren
Tobias

I decided....Tobias! Toby for short. I wanted his name to have an elegant yet boyish ring to it. It's not set in stone yet, so suggestions are welcome.

When I didn't have 3D Coat in front of me, I spent my time working on his rig. I'm trying to pose him in a static position with some magic / animated textures floating in his hands, however I'd like also his clothes to be fluttering slightly, as if the magic was blowing air at him. Recently I tried my hand at adding wind effects. It's going about as well as you'd expect:



I'm trying to use Air Field FX. I haven't quite gotten the hang of it yet, I've only used it once in my life and it was just to make a flag wave. If anyone has advice, please let me know! When I went to paint weight his mesh, stuff also went wrong (especially fighting with his clothes) and ultimately I got an error that the skin cluster was missing so a lot of time went down the drain.

Week 1 - Low poly modeling + Texturing

This week I've been working more on my low poly model (his name is still pending, argh). I've made progress on texturing, primarily in the boots, robe, shawl, and floor / props. I've made minor touch ups on other parts of him too, like on his accessories, skin, and hair. I've also modeled some props - a couple types of books, a scroll, and a potion- that I plan to place near the character on his turn table. In addition to modeling / texturing, I've been drawing up concepts on how I would like to pose him. Initially I wanted him in more of an action-y pose, arms outstretched as if he were in mid-cast, however for a static model I felt that would be a little jarring. Alternatively I've also thought of putting him in a more relaxed pose where he is holding ice magic in one hand and a book in another. This way I can have the ice magic subtly animate while he is looking at it comfortably. With this, I could give him a more cheery, youthful facial expression, which closer matches his personality. He has a skeleton now so once I've completely finalized my mesh I will paint skin weights.

Current project

Wireframe

Close up. Now has feathers and some extra details on his accessories.
Will make alphas once the diffuse is complete

Skele'd

Pose ideas
I'll probably go with the lower middle reference

I also posted my last week's screenshot on Polycount.

By the next weekly I'd like to be mostly done with texturing and / or begin posing him.