Modeling a Mechanic Character Using ZBrush and Maya
The goal of this project is making a short film, featuring mechanic characters in a lights‑out factory. This is a sample from the composited short film:
Mechanic characters in a sample scene from the composited short film.
These are the steps I'm taking to execute this particular modeling task:
Character development is a part of the pre‑production. You can see some schematics here: a ¾ view, orthographic views and a concept artwork:
Robot 3/4 view, including rotation axes.Orthographic views.Concept artwork.
For more information about Character Development, click on the Character Pre-Production case study card:
Character Sheet for Video Game
Character sheet example from a video game project, including silhouettes, poses, expressions, clothes and gear, variations, turnaround and 3D block out.
Thanks to my storyboards and elevations, I now know for certain:
This character is going to animate like an arm
The character is going to have a hand-like end with an independent rig
There are going to be a lot of visual effects, and
The most important part at this stage is that my character is not deforming.
Topology
I don't have to care much about topology or edge loops in this character, because it's rigid. I'm modeling it like a sculpture.
Model topology before smooth nodes inside Maya viewport.
Methodology
A simulation is driving the cables' deformation. My rigid model rotations and translations are informing the simulation through collisions and fixed deformation points. They are framing the methodology for this modeling workflow:
Sculpting in ZBrush
ZRemesh for edge loops
Exporting as OBJ into Maya (cleans up the mesh)
Opening UVW
Reimporting into ZBrush, and
Adding detail on each individual piece.
Displacement maps
When the detailing is done, I am in the position to export those reliefs in the form of displacement maps. Here you can see some of them compared to their corresponding UVW:
Three parts of the base model: mesh, displacement map and UVW.Three parts of the elbow model: mesh, displacement map and UVW.
I am modeling wit Maya all the mechanic pieces that do not need any displacement, because they only need a smooth node with one subdivision to convey curvature. Otherwise, I'm adding detail through brushes in ZBrush. Using Displacement maps spares a lot of polygonal detail and manual retopology. Here you can see a stress test on the simulation, showing the detailed surfaces animating in render time:
Robot character testing rigging and simulation.
I have to model my character before I can rig it. For more modeling workflow descriptions, click on the following cards:
Sculpting Human Body
Modeling a human body using ZSpheres, retopologizing mesh and opening UVW in Maya. Sculpting micro-detail in ZBrush. Exporting normal and displacement maps.
Sculpting Human Head
Sculpting basic detail in ZBrush, applying retopology in Maya using Quad Draw and re-importing into ZBrush for micro detail.
Modeling XReality Prop
Modeling prop glasses assets for an augmented reality app. 3D scanning, adding retopology with Quad Draw in Maya, and setting up with Python tool.
Modeling Prop
Modeling a prop hand grenade asset through references, templates, schematics, modular polygons & UVW in Maya. Sculpting detail in ZBrush.
Reconstructing Photo-grammetry
Reconstructing, repairing, and cleaning up photogrammetry scan, using ZBrush Dynamesh and ZRemesher to open UVW and clean up textures.
Modeling Exterior Env.
Modeling exterior environment for render time by drawing CAD floor plans and elevations, extruding quads in Maya.
Modeling Arch. Interior
Modeling architectonic interior, drawing CAD floor plan and elevations, modeling rooms and furniture using quad extrusions and NURBS in Maya.
Modeling Level Geometry
Modeling real time level geometry using CAD floor plans and elevations, blocking out meshes and adding details in 3D Studio Max with booleans and stacks.
Click on these cards to know more about rigging:
Rigging Human Body
Rigging a human body using animator friendly rigging in Maya. Torso, spine, FK/IK, neck, head, pose, fixed elbow, hand, reverse foot, independent pivots.
Rigging Human Head
Rigging a human head with FK/IK minimal joints, creating a user interface, and combining blendShapes to match an expressions sheet.
Skinning Human Body
Skinning a whole human body using Maya Muscle, attaching muscles to joints in Maya, using them as influence objects, and mixing blendShapes.
Skinning Facial Expressions
Using skinning for facial expressions, through quad retopology, minimum Maya joints, importing and combining expressions sculpted in ZBrush.
For further steps in the pipeline, lighting, texturing, and rendering, click on the following cards:
Texturing Character
Texturing a character for render time by opening UVW in Maya, hand painting and extracting PBR textures in Substance Designer/Painter, rendering EXR.
Rendering Interior Env.
Rendering an interior environment through animatics and concept, HDRI lighting, texturing, simulating VFX with Maya Nucleus, rendering EXR, Nuke comp.
Texturing Buildings
Texturing buildings for real time environment, modeling and UVW in 3DS Max, hand painting textures, applying to materials.
Compositing Short Film
Compositing short film using Nuke by rendering EXR and grouping background, character, volumetric lights, simulations and optical effects.
Rendering Prop
Rendering and Compositing a Prop Asset Skateboard Bag, Using Maya, ZBrush, Mental Ray, EXR, and Nuke.
Click here to know more about VFX:
Grooming Human Head
Grooming a human head using XGen in Maya, linking geometry to descriptions, simulating, caching, applying shaders, rendering and compositing.
Maya Muscle for Skinning
Simulating Maya Muscle on a rigged human character, using them as deformers on skinning and letting it drive Maya Nucleus nHair and nCloth.
Simulating Clothes
Simulating clothes using nCloth in Maya. Mesh with motion capture drives dress & necklace. Cached shirt simulation drives a vest.
VFX for Environment
Simulating nParticles and force fields in Maya for an exterior environment including wind on vegetation, air particles, volumetric lights and water.
Simulating Fluid Injection
Simulating a fluid injection for a shoe sole using nParticles in Maya. Understanding the briefing, developing simulation tactics, caching and rendering.
VFX Workflow
Letting animated characters drive VFX using Maya Nucleus, including flexible cables, molten metal, smoke, sparks, and optical effects.
