Meryl Felstorm

# 1 05-06-2011 , 12:31 PM

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Hi all. A new model I've been working on. After Sagat for the April challenge, I wanted to have a go at a fully clothed and propped figure. Though I dont play World of Warcraft, I like the style and design of alot of the characters in it, and found this guy, who apparently goes by the name of Meryl Felstorm. Adapted the base from Sagat, and just been building up around him. Got some more details to add before I start sculpting him further.... got a chance to do some more cloth and some more hard surface type details/sculpting. Am also thinking of colouring him too.

The skull is a seperate prop Ive been working on.....thinking a nice skull may come in handy for future stuff, but will end up incorporating it into Meryl too, it sits up on the spikes sticking out of his shoulder pads, where the red circles are marked.

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# 2 05-06-2011 , 05:13 PM

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Nice start. Looks like it will be a blast to sculpt. I notice you have modeled him in a pose? So you won't be sculpting with symmetry? No too practical and might be a challenge, but great practice.

I think the skull is a bit disproportional, the eye sockets are huge. But that should be an easy fix with some more/better reference.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing more.

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# 3 05-06-2011 , 05:49 PM

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Yeah, no...no symmetry. Doesnt bother me. This isnt to be rigged, so its just for aesthetics. And yeah, I guess twice the regions to sculpt = twice the practice. The annoying thing is possibly areas like the head of the staff where, I have one object duplicated and revolved 3 times. Could have just made one...sculpted...then duplicated it, but now I'll have to sculpt every bit unique...but...hey ho.

Shouldnt really be too much sculpting either, though knowing me I'll get carried away a bit. But I am looking forward to sculpting what's there. Gotta/wanta make some gloves and boots for him first, and add some other little details.

eyes too big on the skull? hmmm...hadnt occured to me. Perhaps my subconcious image of a skull is a little cartoony......

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# 4 05-06-2011 , 07:58 PM

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eyes too big on the skull? hmmm...hadnt occured to me. Perhaps my subconcious image of a skull is a little cartoony......

Originally Posted by ben hobden

Well, if he is a World of Warcraft character, then the skulls on his shoulder spikes don't have to be human anyway.

I just mentioned it as I had sculpted a skull not too long ago, so a few things popped out at me.

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# 5 05-06-2011 , 08:06 PM

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Yoo Steve still around good to see you posting again

Hey ben you are becoming really good at zbrush

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# 6 05-06-2011 , 10:46 PM

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nah, yeah for meryl it shouldnt matter, but you know how people have sort of stock items, like bodies or hands/heads etc, they can use in different projects... I out how useful that could be reusing the sagat base for this, and thought the skull would be good to have too, so a more realistic version would be handy.

Murambi:thanks man, but to be honest almost all ive done on this so far has been in maya, just rendered in z to see how it was looking. Did a little shaping on the robe in z to help work out how the other armour and chains and stuff would sit on top and where to place them. But yeah, really all maya so far.

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# 7 05-06-2011 , 11:10 PM

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THIS.LOOKS.PIMP!

Looks like the Dervish from GuildWars.

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# 8 07-06-2011 , 12:54 PM

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Thanks KartoonHead.

Just a little bit of work on this. The boots have gone on. Quite liked them, shame half of em are covered up under his robe. Couple of other sort of minor details around his chest, and his wrist plates...which Im not sure I really like. Really just his hands now, which is proving to be a bit of a mission.

Had another look at the skulls and they have a sort of evil eyed look to them, with the inner bits near the top of the nose pulled down, in like an evil squint. Havnt adjusted them in that way yet, but just threw em in as is to see how it would look. They kind of make his face look quite boring and detract from the attention of him I think.

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# 9 07-06-2011 , 02:28 PM

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Thats comming along nicely Ben, at this rate there will be little to do in zbrush......LOL.....dave

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# 10 07-06-2011 , 04:26 PM

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I'll find something im sure. Question is now or later.... May move on and come back to this.

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# 11 08-06-2011 , 01:16 PM

As Zbrushiac sounds stupid!
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Yoo Steve still around good to see you posting again

Originally Posted by murambi

Yeah, still lurking. Just busy with work and my portfolio.

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# 12 08-06-2011 , 01:24 PM

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Yeah... Just feeling itchy or something I think at the moment. Don't feel like I'm really pushing myself in the right direction with this anymore. The Z stuff is all kind of window dressing.

It was in January I was thinking to myself that, while I felt I had a good grasp on non organic objects I still didnt think myself...'up to it'.... in terms of characters. The Sagat model/sculpt, was all anatomy, but off of a pretty limited/rubbish base mesh, and this now has got so covered in clothes and props that it hides the fact that the human underneath is still the same rubbishy base mesh...so i wanna try and push myself a little bit with more organicy modelling in Maya. I enjoyed making the base for that skull but would like to have a go at something a little harder. I figure if Im getting better at Z, working off of not-too-hot base meshes....can only improve things if I equal the effort I put in in Z, in Maya first....?

I dont know....just feel like pushing on....

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# 13 08-06-2011 , 01:39 PM

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Yeah, I hear where you're coming from. If you want to push yourself and test your understanding, try ZSpheres! There's nothing wrong with a good basemesh, you'll need one. And in a professional environment its going to be critical that you can do that. However, If you just want pure creative freedom, then Zbrush all the way!

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# 14 08-06-2011 , 07:54 PM

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ZSPheres...Im not too bad at, though not when it comes to hands and feet and the fiddly bits.

It was more of a Maya modeling challenge I wanted...

Ive been building this today....It's not good topology in terms of rigging (I dont think), but Im not aiming to...

Been building off of a sketched front view and using my imagination more for round the sides. Got some ideas of where I want it to go with the neck. Then the body...should I get that far... I'll make up.

Had that Timestretch and Cozza Frenzy (or whatever it's called) on in the background....bit more techno/dance than Im used too, but it takes me back to my uni days and drum n bass parties in East London...

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