Ok This is a bit of an image dump post but these are Zbrush sketches/crunches done in the past month. Some I carried on to paint and such but nothing ott. Most stuff done within 2 hours.


 First up was my version of Martian Manhunter from DC. This was done in about an hour, I just wanted to try out some comic bust ideas and how to work with curves to create new geometry for the collar.

Below: I was taking a lot of reference from some old native American photos from the late 1800/early 1900s and gave sculpting one a go. I took ages trying to work out how to do hair but it still didn't work well but I'm happy with the face. Took symmetry off very early for this one which I enjoy doing.



Above and below: This was a portrait attempt using Ray Stevenson (Rome/Punisher Warzone) for reference. I really wanted to do a Punisher bust so I think he has a great face for it (regardless of what people think of the films). Took symmetry off pretty early in this one as well (hence the image below's angle, I hadn't actually started on his right ear!)


Below: 45 min sculpt of some finned warrior style dude. The fins were actually using the IMM goblin set (They were originally goblin feet!)

 


 Below is probably one of my favourite ones. This was from a cylinder after checking some speedsculpts on youtube. About 45mins-1hr but happy with the result. I wanted to show the process off for this but it deleted my history when I split the eyes in to a new object using split groups (Will learn that for future reference!)


I'm currently trying to work on some ideas I can do quickly for characterised/animated style full characters, something similar to simple collectible vinyl toys just for a test (and to get me to try doing a full model!)

I've been busy with building and launching my new website. It is now up and you can check it here!

It will just have my photography work on there but I still have a keen interest in sculpting. Over the past few weeks and months I've been doing some 1-2 hr crunches taking inspiration from the Lunch Crunch group created by Danny Williams. It has really picked up there with nearly 1000 users now.

Here are some of the recent crunches done by me. These aren't great but I find restricting time down to 1-2 hrs I get more productive work done than if I spend hours on it.


 Above: a head sculpted in abut an hour. Got the basic form in a sphere and worked on a non symmetrical sculpt. Insert multimesh curves used for easy cables
Below: A torso sculpt done by adding major muscle forms as dynameshed spheres and cylinders. It bulked it up quite a bit so maybe a good technique for a comic style action figure.




Above: An alien sculpted originally from a broken mannequin. I added arms and the thighs with insert cylinder. As it was a dynamesh with project on a lot of detail could be kept.
Below: Here was the forward history of it to show the original error and carrying on from there (just in case other people find they have times they feel nothing is going right, it is always worth carrying on to see what you get!)




The above was a frogman alien concept, a simple sphere. My goal here was to make something simple to test my own alphas I had made. It worked pretty well!!

I'll continue to sculpt. I have just been looking at the new zbrushworkshops.com and signed up there (although just a free account currently). It seems great and has some great starting points which I'm going to look at and test!

My girlfriend recently bought me Artrage . Great and affordable art package based around emulating traditional brushes/pens. I'm having lots of fun with it so far. It's simpler to use than photoshop if doing straight artwork so my plan is to use it in a general workflow, doing the main design, shading, colouring in artrage then taking over to PS to add any more final touches (textures, level adjustment etc).

Here's a sketch anyway done in Artrage. (first quick sketch but I'm happy enough with it!)

Edit: Just tweaked a in PS for a little more contrast and gave it a subtle tone. (see below)

Here are some of the sketches from my sketchbook. I've just cropped some of them and put them on 1 big page. Varying styles. A lot of it is just character work / study but some doodles are related to my 3D work (such as the street/ market scenes).



Below is a quick painting I did of the Goblin (top right in the sketchdump). I've always found Orc/Goblin skin tones a bit easier to build up, I think mainly because when I first started painting models they were the first I gave a go and simple Highlighting techniques worked. Ugly characters are easier to draw/paint as well! You get a little more leeway. The next one I'm going to try is the girl with the Goggles (steampunk esque). Anyway enjoy!




PS for those that haven't had a look head on over to the new Digital Tutors site. Now all of their tutorials are online and ready to learn with a monthly subscription. I think it's an excellent idea and as soon as I get payment sorted I'll be signing up for 6 months straight away!

As mentioned yesterday I bought a new sketchbook! Here are some doodles from the first page.



I'm using a Conté white pencil/crayon just to add some highlights to things (I wanted an organic sketchbook as opposed to a plain white one to test some lighting / highlighting later on as I'm going to be designing my 3D projects in here).

Just before I go off to get food and similar here's a quick painting of the batman sketch. Photographed, uploaded and painted on with the mouse not the Wacom (really quick 5 minute job just to see what it looked like coloured in).

Here are more sketches I did in the past few days. This week I've also bought myself a sketch pad for the upcoming Drink and Draw in Cork (hopefully a regular thing) with a Daler-Rowney graphic pencil set.

Today I also bought This:

I'm going to try and do one every day to get used to the tablet and get back in to colouring and drawing light. Here are yesterday and today's;

This week I should also be buying this DVD from the Gnomon Workshop : Comic Book Coloring with Steve Firchow
I've been wanting to get it for a while now and think now is a good time now I actually have a Wacom to play with.

Any feedback is great by the way. Will hopefully post more tomorrow!