Sketchbook and Update

So, I've been a bad blogger-ignoring my blog and not sharing. What is going on? Well I've been cooking a few things up. First, I've finished up a good series of next-gen character modeling videos. That was the easy part, now I have to apply all this knowledge and present it in a new portfolio, so that's keeping me busy. Also, I started drafting a concept document for a game that will coincide with the short film I mentioned many blog entries ago. But since so much of this work is in the draft stage, I thought I would share some sketches from the big book o' drawings.
Also, I decided to update my two original characters with the next-gen techniques I learned so here is a glance at how they changed. The models have better animation deformation and some better fitting armor.

Some other good news, the OC IGDA chapter is restarting and it's looking very good. Anybody who has been following this group knows that it was quiet for awhile, but things are shaping up to make this group a real stand out chapter.

Website!

Oops! I see that it is already May and I forgot to update my blog last month, which goes against my personal promise to update this page at least once a month, Doh! Well, that can't be helped now, but I do have good news, I made a website. Finally!

Before I studied animation at Cal State Fullerton I studied web design at Fullerton College, so I was able to put together my own website. I guess all that class time didn't go to waste. So here is a peak at the home page, if you like this blog and want to see more go to http://www.hybridcreator.com/

Civil War Zombie

Hey all, here's another piece from my modeling internship at Dream Machine. This time it's the civil war zombie, I don't know if he really had a name other than that.

As you might see, this is a low poly model-the budget was 1500 and I made it under with 1492 polys. It was quite fun to see what I could do with such a limited amount of polygons, if you haven't tried it I would suggest it. It really makes you think about where you are going to use your polygons in order to get the best silhouette and deformation.

Mummy Dearest!

Some time ago while I was interning with Dream Machine Studios, I was tasked with modeling the head (just the head) of a character named Mummy Dearest. A couple weeks ago, Scott asked me if I could model her body as well. I had a low poly version to work from so the base work had already been done but it needed more refinement if it was going to be used in a cinematic. So her she is...from the depths of her tomb...Mummy Dearest!

Besides refining the body, I added the arms, and loose wrappings around both the body and head. Modeled with Maya '08. Good Times.

the Power of Normal Maps!

Since my last post I have been working like a fiend on refining my character, the gun wolf, in zbrush. I haven't had this much fun with sculpting & modeling since I first learned maya, many moons ago. I thought it would take a long time to learn zbrush but it was actually not too hard with the right instruction, although to really master zbrush it will take some time.

So here are some samples of my work:

I need to fix that lumpy butt...

Compare that to the base model, or what I was previously satisfied with:

Now you see the power of the dark side! (if by dark side you mean the software called zbrush...)

I was so giddy when I had zbrush export normal maps that i almost pee'd my pants

Stay tuned...coming up next...color maps!

Take care.