The Rook - Final Model

Sheesh, I didn't update about this guy a lot did I? Well, most of the work since my last update went into doing corrections and hcanges to proportions and topology so there wasn't really much to say. Most of the detailing was done this last week! For a long time I really regretted going for an original concept instead of doing a realistic bust as the teacher recommended because he knows a ton about realistic human modeling so that would have made better use of his resources, and also because I feel I'm not experienced enough with sculpting to be able to convincingly sculpt something imaginary. But in the end I'm pretty pleased with the results. I learned a lot from both my mistakes and from trying to jump into something new and different.

The Rook - Model

Remember this guy? I'm done with the basemesh and ready to send it over to zBrush for sculpting. I still have to UV him, but that's not a very exciting step to blog about...

The model is much denser than I would usually make it, but our teacher insisted that we put most of the detail in the basemesh to avoid having to retopologize the model after sculpting. I also felt that I had more control over the shape despite there being more manual work. I want to try a different workflow some other time where I instead start from a really rough basemesh, do all the detailing in zBrush and then retopologize  the model when I'm done. I think this could be a lot faster and looser, but it kinda depends on me finding a good retopo workflow which I've heard zBrush lacks.

Enough about that though. Here is my guy:

The Rook - Concept

This semester I am taking Organic Modeling 2 at the AAU. While I was recommended to pick a concept by a professional concept artist I chose to make up my own concept instead.


My idea is as follows:


A small kingdom ruled over by a powerful wizard, he is known as the Wizard King. It's a peaceful kingdom, but it is surrounded by nations and countries that are always at war with each other. The kingdom has avoided conflict because they have taken a neutral stance and because the other countries fear the Wizard King's powerful magic. 

However lately tensions have been rising, and the war has moved closer to the kingdom's borders. The Wizard King has slowly grown more paranoid and is spiraling into madness. 
Using his powerful magic he merges men and beasts and weapons into powerful guardians. Being an avid chess player he shapes them after chess pieces. He merges his guard and their horses into agile and deadly Knights, his advisors are joined with predatory birds for fast flying Bishops, elephants seized from a traveling circus got spliced with his strongest masons and stoneworkers into the monstrous Rooks. Even his beloved wife was sacrificed in his madness and transformed into the tormented yet lethal Queen piece. 

Here is my color concept that will also serve as my modeling orhtos. The plan is to make a basemesh in Maya and then take him into zBrush for heavy detailing.