Today I spent some time working further on my thesis before diving into some freelance work. I blocked out his robot elbow, started stapling his skin to it as well as began working on his clothing. Blocking pieces out in Zbrush and detailing in Zbrush. More to come soon!

This week has been busy! I’m also feeling a bit burned out from all the portfolio rendering and constant barrage of work! I need to finish my portfolio this weekend, still have about 10 pieces to add in. Anyways, the title of this post has thesis on it! I’m detailing my first character’s body as quickly as I can and tomorrow I’ll be modeling low poly clothes for him. Starting with his tank top and vest/jacket thing.

Hellboy is also coming along, I need to build his pedastal which will involve a few more models including the tooth faeries from the first movie! Those are gonna be fun as hell to model! Here’s a progress character sheet. Just a few things I wanna tweak on him still.

I started hellboy’s textures over this week and they are coming out much better than last time. Changed my workflow and simplified things. Letting the normals do the work this time.

This week has been SUPER hectic. I finished a rather complicated sculpt, took on a new client, worked on my comiccon entry and have some extended family visiting! Oy.. Oh and I need to work on my thesis and finish the last sculpt for another client’s table top game! When does it end?! haha.

First I wanna post an update on my hellboy comiccon entry. I reprojected his normals/occlusion yesterday because I wasn’t happy with his texture. I need to build it all up at once in an intelligent manner. I was just going at it in photoshop and it was getting out of control. Here are his new occlusion/normal maps on his low poly. They came out great!

I’m still working on concepts for my thesis, from my other class I have learned a lot about messing with photoshop quickly to build up concepts from silhouettes and beyond (a skill I was lacking in the worst way prior to this semester) Anyways, I think my new concepts are going in a really fun direction. I’m pulling inspiration from capcom/metal slug/borderlands 2 and combining their ideas with my love for the 80’s. Big hair, big guns, big muscles, hulkamania tank tops! haha. Below are my concepts for the first character, a lean mean fighting machine. The balanced character for the beat ’em up game.

I think there’s a combination somewhere in these concepts that will make for an epic character design. Also don’t forget there will be a huge gun and probably more ammo/grenades.

Don’t forget the miniature I made this week! The last one for 3D Total’s new table top game. I got invited to do an interview about the project so that should be really fun!

Since coming to school my inspiration and guidance in art has been direct and really helpful. It’s only been 2 weeks and I’m thinking about character design differently because of my concept art teacher and my other professor bluntly said that I can do better, I can push my character designs in a more interesting direction and I totally agree! I have a long post to write up because I’m revamping my entire thesis but first, hellboy!

I’m hand painting light and such for practice and have a ton more to paint, this is after about 6 hours in photoshop. Tons more detail and blending needs to happen. Stoked with the results so far but I have a lot further I want to take this piece. His high poly looks awesome, I’ll post that below as well.

Getting lots of great vibes from this piece and I really like it as well! Now onto my thesis.

Phase 1, realization. My first character’s silhouette is so boring, and bland and while texturing him I became more and more disheartened by his appearance. With my new found speed (Hellboy took 5 days) I can take a step back, and do this! (stink lines for emphasis)His design is boring, his silhouette doesn’t scream… I’m a lean, mean, fighting machine. And he doesn’t look very futuristic at all. I’m pushing him, and the other characters in a new direction. Larger hands, smaller legs, large fun details and very precise details in other areas. Lots of difference in materials and a way more fun silhouette. I’ve done a ton of these and plan to do a  bunch more.

My timeline is going to be tight for this project, I need to confirm with my professor but I’m going to be doing 2 or 3 characters (at least 1 female) 2 or 3 large weapons and this will all be due either in December of 2014 or in April of 2015 depending on how my classes fall. (To be decided tonight I believe) That leaves about 3.5 months per character. Absolutely doable once I have concrete concepts done.

Well, things are hectic over here for sure! I started school and I’m going on campus so that’s throwing me through a mental loop because I actually have to leave my apartment? lol. weird! I’m still working on my comic con entry and need to do some WIP posts of it today, been putting it off and it’s a necessity if you want to actually enter. I am but I have no hopes of being noticed, just a reason for me to create a game model which I desperately need in my portfolio.

About to do some serious searching for new freelance clients because things are slowing down and that’s never a good thing when your rent is through the roof! Also retooling my thesis into a more stylized direction so when it all adds up I think I’m gonna have some sleepless nights in the near future. Crazy times, lots of work and I hope it’s all for the best! New renders up in my gallery (I need to replace old ones)