QT Melon Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 I guess I'll put up a sketchbook and try to update it as much as I can. I am starting the process of learning 3D so in some cases I'm learning how it works in terms of putting together models, and you'll start seeing me fully create my own unique ones. You can find most of my older works on sites, but I can put in a few if people have requests to see past work compared to now. Most are phone sketches due to time and dealing with injury. Yes, these are all done on my Samsung Note which is a phone with a small stylus. The programs I used are Sketchbook Pro and Corel Painter's mobile App. Yes a lot of have to do with the avatar I'm currently using on FFXIV but eh, if it inspires me to do art while dealing with other lemons in life so be it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted March 25, 2017 Author Share Posted March 25, 2017 So here is where I am at with 3D. I was curious in learning how it works, and this is probably my first week at taking it seriously. In Final Fantasy XIV, your character is made up of different objects so your "avatar" is not one full 3D model but parts. This is where it is tricky because some of the enhancements are done with their game engine (height, eye changes, nose etc) but a base model. Currently I learned where to find the individual files to try to re-create said character. This became interesting because it taught me how normal maps work, against various RGB channels that help with textures and transparency. I'm using Blender for this and plan to install 3D Studio Max since I recently got it Below you can see me piecing together the model and giving her a skin tone. I sure did mess up on that one a bit. I think I made 7 different variations of the original map since it was already at UV mapping. She looked pretty burnt, and not a lovely chocolate skinned lady. So I also had to recollect what I remembered about dark skin tones to get this to work a bit better. . You can see her burnt face as well. This part I was learning how you use Alpha channels to create transparency, since the character has vertices, and not these tiny polygons to make every strand of hair. You'd use alpha transparency to give it the illusion instead. If you can notice it you see how I corrected some of the colors in her face with the map. She's looking nicer, even though I'm using Blender's default rendering engine. I am going to switch over to Cycles render once I feel more comfortable. You can also see how RGB channels work. Currently the green map is really the color of the texxtures in game. Since the game allows you to dye gear, they allow their engine to handle what parts can be dyed. Since of course Blender is really a 3D program, I had to learn how to "fake it" to get the colors through. The blow head shot was me trying to understand what is the limitation of the program/vs me creating something incorrectly. As you can see there is transparency going on at the top of her head where her ears meet as well as back of her head and not sure if that's an issue with Blender's handling or me not creating the correct alpha channel. I suspect it is more to do with the former, but I'm unsure. This is why I may move to 3Ds Max to see the same output. What I also did that isn't shown is I actually edited parts of her face like nose and lips, not quite like the current avatar, but getting there, more larger/fuller lips and wider nose. Here is where I'm at now, I still would like to see what's causing the transparency to clip, especially since there's clothing using the same method, and I need to alter her body shape. She's got a "heftier" rack (I mean as big as they can get in game which is still small). I also would like to figure out how to edit her a bit to give her more hips and butt since you can see in the first screenshot the models are, twiggy as hell and actually lack butt. This might be where I start over with a new model I made on my own since I've gotten more comfortable understanding things. However, since I got this far I figured I may was well finish it and learn how to rig as well. The experience has taught me a lot more about 3D and I'm actually rather enjoying it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 So, After seeing this video. I'm going to post my attempts at sculpting the head each day, Finished or not. My goal is to have a bust completed. My goal next month is to have a full body. Then being able to give it topology and be able to rig it. So while this post is not posting something (yet) I will definitely take his advice to heart, because it's really good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 Ok let's start with the terribad. I'm using Sculptris for simplicity's sake, and will move onto Zbrush once I feel I have a hang of the controls a bit more. This was supposed to be posted yesterday then I forgot...oh yeah how am I going to post images...(screencap it is) I'm not going to lie I think I spent a few hours in frustration trying to figure out certain controls. Pressure sensitivity was kind of wack so instead of brush so I had to uncheck some options to finally get results. One of which was taking off pressure sensitivity for brush size. So I have creepy potato had to show off from last night. Hooooooooonk . Dat O face tho.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Ugly heads of the day. What did I learn today? That apparently the masking tool needs me to hit another modifier (ctrl) to work I'll probably start a new head so I can work on getting the base right. I should get my skull out for reference (I have a model skull I used it for another study) Better I study the planes of the head the better I'll be able to create something more believable. Getting there though. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 I didn't forget about my head for the day! Still pretty ugly but getting there....Miqo'te WIP- Sculptris by QTMelon on Sketchfab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 I'm sure no one missed me and my nightmare fuel inducing sculpts, but yet I'm back for another one. fixed the mouth a bit but still other issues. I was going to finish this one out, but I saw too many deformities and I'd have to smooth out the number of triangles which has been giving me really mixed results, so I'm probably going to start over, least I saved a base model for heads I was happy with so I can work from there. Most of the difficulty was trying to find documentation because there pretty much hasn't been one in detail on Pixelogis site. I had to google and look for some and even then, a lot was left out. So finding an old vimeo video has helped immensely and an old wiki as well.For a free program it's exceptionally versatile, too bad it took a lot more digging to find a lot of features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 Unfortunately been dealing with an eye swelling from allergies. But this is how I start with a base. I am also trying to get a laptop running specifically for 3D so I don't bog down my other devices when I start. I then can take it to my desktop when I'm doing more refined work.I've been making sure now I save certain steps of the base so I can "shortcut" the starting point. . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 Yeah.... I really did want to finish this up and missed the deadlines, but it was due to some urgent personal maters. Things winded down again I am still 3D modeling, but want to keep what I'm doing a surprise till I get to a certain part. In the meantime I will post some funny art I did during some interactions with various lawyers/paralegals on Boozy's Twitter feed. So based off some general (vague) descriptions I did a few quick sketches. There was a Paralegal that we've now dubbed "PumaLegal" Sketch: Rough Colors 1. Roughing in Hair For a lovely twitter account that wanted a "fursonality" who has 3 fur babies (cats). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 Because he tweeted #Maytheforthbewithyou I figured Mr Boozy really took a trip on the dark side with furries. I just do these on the other laptop to see if it doesn't randomly shut off. I just started putting 3D programs on it and I'm eager to get into zbrush now that I've had enough of sculptris. I do like Scuptris's UI more tho but it's really starting to become cumbersome and buggy in certain aspects where some fo my attempts with ZBrush is not as bad. As soon as this one sculpt looks less like a deranged turtle, I'll start posting progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 In response to a tweet that said there's always two. Puma Legal is back for #RevengeoftheFith These are just done as quick warmups to get ideas out not checking proportion and stuff...but fun nonetheless. I mean they're just done on the default size on Sai cuz I'm not trying to do 2D so much as I am 3D on the laptop. Currently started up in Zbrush, cuz Sculptris is frustrating me with bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 And after a day (and still ) tearing out my hair trying to figure out the interface I've ventured into Zbrush. So my crash course in learning digital sculpting since I've been at it maybe 2 weeks now. Someone's new forray into the fandom is beginning to be my muse. I've got to work on proportions and stuff then details, but I think I'm more satisfied with zbrush due to the fact it's not lagging all to hell on me when I try to navigate or sculpt. Oh look a furry head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 Trash sculpt. I fucked up the mesh so bad I just said fuck it and decided to use it for a poly paint experiment and learning about subtools and changing materials for effects. Least I know to put in shadows in the eyes unlike Bioware lolol. I threw in the ears and hair parts just quickly because it was a bald head :P. When I work on a better sculpt I'll pay more attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Welp clueless sculpter is back with another update. Yeah I am doing a full body pose now and it's not my FFXIV character lolol. I'll post the reference once I get to the point I feel okay with showing the body. (it's not posed yet cuz I'm working on making sure the anatomy is close to the reference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 So no sculpting update as of yet. Well....my dumb ass didn't realize I was out of symmetry mode while sculpting some anatomy, so I need to go back and fix it. But sculpting maybe helping my drawing (probably not) so revisited the sketch of Ms. Puma Legal. I have no idea how good this was because I'm pretty blind without my glasses and I'm trying to look for them. Yeah, I'm typing from muscle memory, so apologies for any errors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 So yeah here's some screenshots. Spent a lot of time modeling the hand but I feel it's too small will probably transpose it when I really start to pose it. I'm fairly certain there's better ways of what I'm doing as an approach but I'm just going to keep it to this for the time being. It's like getting caught up in all of Photoshop's features when I'm trying to stick with some basic stuff until I feel more comfortable. She's not pole vaulting, I had put in some tubes to get an idea of one of the items she's holding. Since she's going to make fists in both hands I just went with it for now till I turn off Symmetry. The feet are a placeholder till I sculpt boots. There's still quite a few objects missing and some of it is due to me not sculpting it yet, and others because I'm working off an illustration that doesn't have a back side, so I'm going to start conceptualizing what the back will be. It's gonna be a surprise for a friend, but he ain't checking stuff here and he's way too busy to notice me posting it anyways lol. I'll take the "I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing' defense... this shit is probably coming out all wrong. Then again no one is saying anything so it's not like anyone cares lol . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Guess who is back for another round of posts. This a different sculpt, wanted to do something quick so I wouldn't get stressed out over one sculpt. I figure I may as well start doing a multitude of projects so I don't burn out or fuss/stress over one. Shina is Daigo's bigum raccoon lady. I start off getting basic forms down, and learning how to auto polygroup. So I have the basic major shapes for hair. The process of hair, I'll talk about in a bit. From my last few attempts I learned that high resolution not a good thing. Too many triangles makes it harder to manipulate the base. So I learned to turn them down to something like 64 on Dynamesh. I wanted the planes to really pop. So I was very careful about subdividing. So here I have pretty much the finished sculpt. I spent the longest time on hair and why I bothered getting it "right" I could have just done a bunch of creases and quick clay buildups but I wanted some sharp/firm edges so it meant learning a technique I've seen Dylan Eckren use (model/animator guy that worked on Big Hero 6 and other Disney works). This is using the curvetubes IMM brushes in Zbrush. I place them down and move it into place shaping it after its done. Leaves some great crisp edges. I did make a few errors with them but it's fine, learn for next time. The idea isn't to render every strand (I mean yeah you can go into 3D programs including Zbrush and it will do that) but I wanted this to be a sculpt and have some degree of consistency to its look overall. So I decided to polypaint this one since I kinda wanted to finish that one goal I started last month. So one completed bust, I'm gonna have to learn how to approach matcaps and lighting to get better looks for the eyes. Mother's Day version: Shina's Mom: Sherry Turntable of my madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 15, 2017 Author Share Posted May 15, 2017 Trying to learn how to look more painterly with my strokes. (Less strokes in shadows, more apparently stroke in light areas....) I'll get the hang of it sometime lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 Couple of Trash Sculpt pics. I know I messed up with the general face structure a few times but figured it would still be some paint fodder. Puma Legal in 3D. One of the things pissing me off in Zbrush is I'd apply a materal, fill a color and when I explore other mats it still wants to change a different layer ..which is really ANNOYING. I want to get better at these because I wouldn't mind selling the sculpts around 25 at base and then spec it if people want me to retopo/turn to another 3D asset for additional costs. I am still working on the other piece as well as building some base mesh armatures for myself trying not to scream at Zspheres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted May 28, 2017 Author Share Posted May 28, 2017 Another phone experiment.I tried this style to see if it was easier to color....not sure where I sit at I'll be going back to 3D art again wanted to finish some things and take care of some personal matters. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Eh, I might have posted it on my commission thread which I'm sure people don't care about since it's another person looking for money.... I did this commission for a fellow FFXIV player on my phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted September 19, 2017 Author Share Posted September 19, 2017 I'm a scrub, but I worked on a long overdue commission (cuz Stormblood dropped). This is for @Moogle's character Leona I'll never have pretty lines but I was mostly working on this on phone...till things crashed and nearly gave up. That's what I get for trying a different program I guess. Got the below...then the Fire Nation attacked. Will post finished results once I know Moogle is alive again... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted September 19, 2017 Author Share Posted September 19, 2017 I didn't like the direction of where the colored pic was going, and while getting caught up in FFXIV Stormblood I took a step away as well. I had to think did I want to redo this or just remember the original idea I was going for. I wanted a kinda "babyface" look (not so much chibi) and had to redo the work. So I revamped some of what I was doing, making the ears more cute, and bringing back the babyface a bit more. Fixed some of the eyes, though to the end never quite got all the proportions correct. I realized the hair still was all over the place so did a new sketch for the viewing left to get something more dynamic. After that I felt I got somewhere and kept going. I am more of a fan of the "Korean" style of coloring where you introduce neutrals to make colors pop So you can see me adding it in the hair and ears especially. The cast shadows of her face have it as well. I tend to put some kind of "color" in greys to make them appear to look like the compliment. IE using a more greyish "brown" make it look a bit more purple (since the brown is actually orange) Also I took way too long on the phone and started using Clip Studio (which is now becoming a fast favorite program ...sorry Sai and Painter...but it's time to move on) So enjoy @Moogle's Leona. Now I want cookies. I had a light makeup version of her (put eyeshadow on her eyes...but I think that's a bit too much for her character) Here's a silly more chibi...(maybe I'll make her more babyface, but I wanted her to look more chibi-minion style) of a pic of my own character I'm working on. Gonna redo the arms her so she is playing the flute via "Peleton" skill for Bard. I'm also going to be working on more "conventional" (I mean in a less babyface kiddie/chibi style) piece as well as trying to get back into 3D work if time permits me. Yes I'm available for commissions just PM me if you're interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 So meant to post this a day ago but still working on that bard idea...I wanted her to play the flute via Peloton skill in FFXIV...I got this part of it but I want to work a bit further. Grabbed some reference of the concept art in game outfit to figure things out. The reason for the odd red paint in the background is me making sure the silhouette reads. I have a habit of getting far too involved into details and not making sure the character reads well enough. The other reason I do it is my linework is garbage, so I tend to paint in something to make it read right, then sketch over it. Also in Clip Studio, the C key has become my friend. For those that don't know C flips the Color you're currently picking and I tend to cycle it to "Paint with Transparency" so basically it becomes an eraser with the exact same properties of your current tool. It's a godsend when you have crappy line quality like I do. It also let's me sketch through and do easy cleanup after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted September 24, 2017 Author Share Posted September 24, 2017 Cleanup and Adjustments. Now to get the skin tones right.. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 So work has been keeping me busy.... Soon they will learn to keep me away from Post It's 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QT Melon Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 I am not trying to spam, I just wanted to post these from my phone direct but was making sure I didn't hit the size limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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