Frigate Commander

Hi Everyone, 

So excited to finally be able to submit my "Frigate Commander" piece to the rookies. I've worked real hard to get it in on time, and it's great to be part of this for the first time. 

"Frigate Commander" was done as part of my second semester at Think Tank Training Centre, and I was mentored by texture artist Breno Guinart, who I'd like to extend a massive thank you to. 

I set out with a few goals for this project. I wanted to spend the majority of my modelling process in Zbrush, as I have really be enjoying it of late. I also wanted to work on my organic texturing skills - most texturing work I have done so far has been hard-surface.

I also wanted to try and create a character with some sympathetic qualities, one that would be fun to work on for 5 weeks, which is always the most important thing when learning. The work of Luke Fischer gave me great inspiration and a strong basis for my design, as well as taking visual cues from some of my favourite sci-fi films. It's important for me not to overcomplicate, I'd rather do simple things really well, especially on a short project. 

"Frigate Commander" was my first real attempt at taking a character through the pipeline, and I wanted to adhere to as many good industry habits as possible. This included asking my mentor a ton of questions, really taking onboard feedback, as well as thinking about how my project would fit into a larger production - for example good topology and non-destructive texture work. 

Texturing was the best part of the project for me. I have a background in miniature painting and modelling, and I was able to apply lots of the same techniques to this guy - the principles are the same. Mari is a fantastic tool to work with, which is where I primarily worked - its projection tools are so good. 

At the end of the day, I found that with organic texturing, success = references + time. I looked at a ridiculous amount of animal reference for this guy, including ones you wouldn't expect, like snails and tree monkeys. You never know where you'll find the perfect pattern or surface imperfection to bring your work to its next level. 

Thanks for having a look, it's nice to be a part of my first rookies. I am happy to answer any questions about my work if needed.

Good luck everyone!