Power Up

Time for a change.

2009-05-21T08:49:00.002Z

I've decided to switch over to a new blog, for those of you that want to keep following me please go to http://obrien-art-blog.blogspot.com/ as I'll be posting all of my future updates there!

Bye-bye, university blog. May future employers never find you and find a reason not to employ me.

Website!

2009-05-20T15:17:00.002Z

I've pretty much got the shell of my website going. Ben's managed to create a really nice website using blogger, it seemed easier than learning dreamweaver so I gave it a go too!

My site!

2009-05-17T23:41:00.004Z

The hand in for the degree show boards is tomorrow so I've had to rush this Punk a little so that she's done in time.

Punk - 6,035 tris
Guitar - 494 tris

I had so many more things I wanted to give this model, and I may do so she looks her best for my portfolio, but we'll see.

In the end this was a learning exercise, I've learnt the basics of Zbrushing and i've been able to see if retopologizing a zbrush sculpt is a viable way of making a model. I've certainly enjoyed this way of working, and I've definately had more fun making this model than anything else I've made so far.

Time for something new!

2009-05-16T21:27:00.003Z

Just another update.

Thanks again for the input, Mike. Thanks to your comment I noticed that she was STILL too tall. I hope that was the only thing I'd missed.

2009-05-15T17:00:00.003Z

Since I last posted progress on my punk model I've baked my normals and AO maps out, and today I made a start on the texturing.

Here she is so far!

punk update

2009-05-09T12:41:00.005Z

Just an update on punky lady.

Here's her head, it's gone through Zbrush and has been retopologised around the sculpt, so not only does it look better but the normal map should work perfectly.

and here's the rest of her:

I've tweaked her proportions and edge flow since the last post. Hopefully she's looking ok to a fresh pair of eyes! ( my thanks to Mike, Carter, Joel and Ben for the crits!)

I must continue!

2009-05-07T19:21:00.007Z

I started a new project the other day, I'm hoping to have it ready for the degree show.

Here's the base mesh. I was orignally planing on making something quickly then chucking it into Zbrush and retopologising it, seems I got a little too attatched though so it's a lot more complete in max than I originally planned.

So far she's 4,543 tris inc. her guitar. i'm planning on hair(obviously) and various accesories and stuff.

Right, time to fire up Zbrush again.

EDIT: Shit, just noticed her joints need a good few more tris!

Crude sculptures of a madman

2009-05-05T00:20:00.006Z

only very recently have i actually tried Zbrush. I've finished the course and I've only just started to use it, CRAZY you say.

Anyway, here's something from my second attempt. I'm planning on retopolgising the high poly into the low poly mesh. I hope this method works because I'm really enjoying making models this way, It seems like so much more of an artist's tool than max.

So here's the base mesh (I'm aware it's the crappiest head in the world, but it shouldn't matter!!) and it's partly-done high poly sister.

Oh, and here's my first attempt at Zbrush... it's not very pretty but it's here to make my second attempt look better. =D

Also, if anyone has any awesome Zbrush tips or tutorials going spare I'd be most grateful!

2009-04-11T17:38:00.003Z

I'm pretty happy with this!

About 3.5 hours from reference.

Return to speed painting!

2009-04-02T14:07:00.001Z

A speedpaint!

Alchemy

2009-03-16T14:52:00.007Z

I discovered a program a little while ago called alchemy. I see it as an idea generating tool, you make a load of marks on the "page" and make something from what you see. Anyway, I re-discovered it today and actually gave it a go, It's really fun, I reccomend that everyone gives it a go.

Here's my experiments, they each took about 10mins.

I think I'll give it a proper workout later and see what I can do with a little more time!

Why I can't work today...

2009-02-25T18:00:00.004Z

Good news! My long lost brother has come to visit me. What's even more awesome is that he's a dolphin.
The downside is that refuses to get off my computer.

(my thanks to Ben and Joel for this =P)

group blog

2009-01-23T15:15:00.003Z

HERE, have this link to our group project.

Here's a concept to hopefully entice you in...

FMP concepts

2009-01-20T15:01:00.002Z

Some concepts from the re-vamped FMP Dave and I are working on!..

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T12:51:00.003Z

And to roll it in, here's something I found amusing from Fallout 3

He must have lost GALLONS of blood after all of the blunt force i applied to his head.

Anyway, yes. Dad won't be taking back, son.

2008-12-20T13:49:00.002Z

Just something random to pass some time.

Load up and roll out!

2008-12-12T13:53:00.002Z

Currently all of my work is speeding it's way to a pen drive, which in turn will be taken in a realtively post-haste fashion to the k drive in fletcher.

Here's a few final screens of my stuffs while I patiently wait...

Also...

2008-12-11T19:57:00.002Z

I broketed my van

2008-12-11T19:47:00.002Z

The vans are complete... Funny, it looks as though I'll be finishing the projects in the reverse order I started them in.

My environment is achingly close to completion, it just needs a few more textures and a skydome. The character is on it's way, the biggest thing will be rigging.

I hope max feels friendly tonight.

Texchores

2008-11-18T19:23:00.004Z

Another update for anyone that cares! (or is looking through blogs out of boredom)

Since the last update I've got the greenhouse and the majority of walls textured and bulked out the vegetation. Next i must make and deploy an army of plantpots!

Gurren-mon... or something witty

2008-11-17T13:11:00.001Z

haha, if only...

More progress

2008-11-17T11:48:00.002Z

Ok so, I went back and unwrapped everything... like I should have done from the start and now I'm modelling stuff again.

Here's a little update...

All the current textures are just placeholders until i get the real thing, all except for the leaves - they're the "under vegetation" to bulk up the mass of ivy that's eventually going to be there.

WIP - Environment

2008-11-09T14:25:00.004Z

Just a quick update of what I'm doing at the moment...

I became bored of my character, so to keep up the workflow I've switched projects for the time being. Here's my progress on my environment:

I realise that unwrapping as I go along is probably the best way to do this, so as of now that's my gameplan.

Idea for an environment

2008-10-27T13:29:00.004Z

I got some reference images for my environment yesterday and feel like posting a few of them up.

I've decided to do part of my back garden from home, it's pretty interesting while also being quite a confined space so I'm hoping to get a lot of small details in there.

Here's a few of them...

An Update Of Sorts

2008-10-22T22:16:00.005Z

'Twould seem that I haven't posted anything on here for a while!

SCREENSHOT! -

I've decided to do the WWI themed character, my idea is to model an officer on board a White Star Line ship (like the Titanic). Since the Titanic sunk in 1912 and WWI began in 1914 the uniforms were still the same. This means that getting reference is super easy with a copy of Titanic!