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Sculpting and Modeling a Human Body Using ZBrush and Maya

The goal of this project is making a short film, with one organic surface character. This is what the complete model looks like after rigging, animating, texturing, lighting, applying VFX and post‑producing the cgi:

Short film showing character only — Post‑produced short film showing main character only.

These are the steps I'm taking to implement this particular modeling task:

ZSpheres Sculpting basic detail Retopology Sculpting micro detail Normal and displacement maps

ZSpheres

I am starting the process with ZSpheres in ZBrush.

Sculpting basic detail

Getting sure that I am getting the proportions right, blocking out my model, adding some basic details, just enough to use the model as a basis for retopology. I am using Dynamesh for this phase of the process and applying all the knowledge learnt from analog art — namely drawing, sculpting and anatomy background — to get my references right.

Sculpting detail — Using Dynamesh for adding basic detail and prepping the mesh for retopology.

Click on the 2D Artist cardsFor more information about analog sculpting and drawing:

Live Portrait & Nude Drawing

Live portrait and nude drawing and sculpting samples from different workshops in Berlin and Barcelona, using different techniques, including wooden pen.

Sketching Exercises

Sketching exercises made with pencils, using photographic references to improve drawing skills. Showing landscape, architecture, still life and process.

Digital Painting for Concept

Using digital painting as a technique for rendering concept artwork, using hand painted layers, blending modes and compositing principles.

Retopology

After decimating my mesh, I am exporting it into Maya as an OBJ. Once in Maya, I am making my surface live and retopologizing it using Quad Draw, building up edge loops, keeping in mind future deformations, SubDivisions and smooth nodes:

Once my topology is clean and ready, I can move on to open UVW. I'm going to be using them for texture later, but first I am using them to add micropolygonal detail in ZBrush:

UDIM UVW 1 — Character's UVW distribution in 4 normal spaces (UDIM).

UDIM UVW 2 — Character's UVW distribution in 4 normal spaces (UDIM).

Sculpting micro detail

I'm reimporting my mesh with open UVW into ZBrush. I know, after retopology, that my size is right and that the UVW correspond to the mesh vertices and edges. My goal here is to use this mesh density as my default subdivision level in ZBrush, gradually adding SubDivisions and – requiring lots of patience and knowledge – sculpting detail by hand, the higher the subdivision, the finer the detail:

Normal and Displacement maps

Once My detailing process is done, I am in the position to export normal and displacement maps, reusing my UVW:

Face normal map — UDIM distribution for normal maps

Legs normal map — UDIM distribution for normal maps

Face displacement — UDIM distribution for displacement maps

Legs displacement — UDIM distribution for displacement maps

One of the many advantages of using this method is that I can re‑use these maps as a template for my color, roughness and even SSS textures later in e.g. Substance Painter. The next step in the pipeline is Texturing. Click on the Texturing Character Card to know more:

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.

You are going to find out more information about digital modeling and sculpting, clicking on the following case study links:

Sculpting Human Head

Sculpting basic detail in ZBrush, applying retopology in Maya using Quad Draw and re-importing into ZBrush for micro detail.

Modeling Mechanic Char.

Modeling a mechanic character with automatic edge loops with ZRemesher, importing as OBJ into Maya, and sculpting detail in ZBrush.

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.

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