View Full Version : Races of Middle Earth - Character - Monkeyfarm
Monkeyfarm 01-26-2003, 06:33 PM Hi all…
This is my first challenge, as well as my first “project” using ZBrush as the primary tool, so we’ll see how it goes.
Here’s my idea for a race:
Erumë Ránë (Quenya for Desert Wanderer)
Yes, I am a complete geek… I actually looked the Quenya words up… I’m sure it’s not correct Quenya grammar, but if you know that for sure, then God help you… :)
The Erumë Ránë inhabit the region of Khand, southeast of Mordor in the third age. Their numbers are greatly diminished since the second age due to raids on what few population centers they had by the Haradrim and the Variags.
They appeared quietly during first age in the area of Hildorien along with the other Younger Children. While Men spread west, north and south, over the course of the second age the Erumë Ránë migrated away from the primary population centers, and the conflicts they brought about, and settled in the arid regions that were developing to the south and east.
Primary Characteristics:
Anthropological characteristics:
1) Withdrawn, solitary, distrustful of most all other races.
2) Mostly nomadic, although there are rumors of a capital city far to the east.
3) A primary avocation for the Erumë Ránë is the use of elemental magic. Coming from the arid regions as they do, the highest level of attainment is the conquest of the water element. Most wandering bands, or Hossë, will have an Ehtelë (Q: issue of water, spring, fountain) Mage, to help locate sources of water. Of the elements, Earth and Wind are the most commonly used.
4) They have an innate ability to communicate with smaller animals. The practitioners of magic will almost always be accompanied by a familiar.
Physical Characteristics:
1) The most striking physical characteristic is the evolutionary appearance of twin bi-lateral water holding “humps” on the back. These humps function exactly like a camel and allow the Erumë Ránë to travel great distances between sources of water.
2) Large ears. The ears function to both attenuate sounds traveling over the barren sands of Khand, as well as to act as natural heat regulation devices, sinking heat to the atmosphere while cooling the blood.
3) Prominent eyebrows and eyelashes to keep sand out of the eyes. Also note protective hair near ear and nasal openings.
4) Small, black eyes to minimize damage from the sun. They also have a minor ability to see at night by sensing heat variations, thus allowing them to travel at night when the heat is not as intense.
5) Semi-prehensile tail used to control insects/flies. The tail is of primary importance with respect to physical beauty. A naturally bent or crooked tail is seen as a bad omen at birth, and often the infant and mother will be killed or banished. Warrior classes will equip the tail with blunt or slashing weapons as part of their armor.
Representational Character:
I have chosen to represent a wise, old, Water (Ehtelë) Mage for my entry.
WIP:
(Wow... 30K doesn't give much room for any kind of decent picture... How do you guys get such big images?)
Basic body shape is pretty much settled on. I have no firm direction on the head beyond what’s outlined in the description above.
I’ll probably depict him on a ridge or dune with a small semi-nomadic town in the background, and wind etched rock as foreground or mid ground element.
Still working on what the familiar is going to look like.
More WIP to come…
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Monkeyfarm
01-26-2003, 06:35 PM
Here's a rough block in:
Monkeyfarm
01-26-2003, 06:37 PM
Here's a little idea of what he may be wearing...
Virtuoso
01-26-2003, 08:52 PM
Nice storyline and research Monkeyfarm. You need your own webspace to link to ,to avoid the dreaded 30-40kb limits.
Anyways good luck,you have a nice start with your concepts,now get to modeling.:beer:
Monkeyfarm
01-30-2003, 04:12 AM
Here's a few images of some sculpting tests to figure out a few directions.
Hands, feet, head, and forearms were not really worked on.
Thoughts?
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/unified-test-sculpt_1.jpg
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/unified-test-sculpt_1_w_wireframe.jpg
Monkeyfarm
01-30-2003, 04:33 AM
Here's a take on the pose I'm thinking of finalizing on. The pose for the actual composition is in the middle. The others are just alternative views.
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/final-pose-1.jpg
The image is a proxy model.
Actually, it's what ZBrush calls a ZSphere model. I have the options to skin it either via a high resolution mesh like the models in the post above, or skin it with a low resolution mesh.
The high resolution mesh can be "sculpted" in a very intuitive manner with Z Brush's tools, and the low resolution can be modeled in a more tradition sub-d type modeling workflow.
Amazing program...
Any way, thoughts on the pose? I like the silhouette, and I think I'll be able to show off the primary character attributes like the humps, the ears and the tail. Yes... No...
While I'm at it, here's a rough of an idea for the final composition. Actual one will most likely have a few more rock formations in it.
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/composition-1-desert.jpg
Am I allowed to ask advice like this? :)
Araval
01-30-2003, 08:00 AM
Great concept and story!!
I like your "highpoly" in Zbrush, its very detailed...
You should texture it:thumbsup:
Greetz
Monkeyfarm
02-09-2003, 07:02 AM
Well, not that my thread seems to be getting much notice, but here's a bit more in the way of WIP.
A progression of the head model...
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/final-head-evolution.jpg
And a full body test render... Temp material just to check out some of the contours.
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/body-test-1.jpg
Love to hear a few tips about what works, what don't...
Thanks!
Nikodemus
02-09-2003, 07:07 AM
wow that is really neat!
Fetus23
02-09-2003, 07:09 AM
hi monkeyfarm!! This is the first time i've seen your character....very very nice...I'm loving those ears...wonderfully organic and detailed....the pose is nice too..I'm wondering what you have planned for his hand to hold..
:beer:
fetus
unLevel
02-10-2003, 12:18 AM
psstt....hi, fellow zbrush user!!!!!!!!
So nice to see you and pixolator BOTH showing these cg'ers what zbrush is capable of with your amazing models...
As said at zbrushcentral, work on that tail!!!
Otherwise, and even with the tail, AMAZING MODEL!!!!!!!
Too bad we don't have a zbrush forum here....:shrug:
Oh, well, here ya go: :thumbsup:
Monkeyfarm
02-13-2003, 05:12 AM
Check out my entry image for the latest WIP. I've got some work done on the texture maps.
Monkeyfarm
02-13-2003, 05:30 AM
Here's a link to a larger image:
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/head-test-1_large.jpg
Satyricon
02-13-2003, 06:15 AM
Very nice work Monkeyfarm! Your model looks completely wicked!!! YEAH! I like it a lot!:beer: Looking forward for more!:scream:
Faeroon
02-25-2003, 12:03 AM
Wow :eek:
All this with ZBrush?
Amazing work Monkeyfarm! :thumbsup:
Geez... *remembers how he tried the demo once and failed to create anything more as a huge block of what-the-heck* :D
Hey Monkeyfarm, outlandish breed of creature you've dreamed up. Kind of like an elephant man, what with the big flap-ears.:cool:
Looking at that head shot - the tatoo / paint-daub above his brow would probably look more realistic if it was less bright.:thumbsup:
Monkeyfarm
02-25-2003, 09:47 PM
Originally posted by Faeroon
Wow :eek:
All this with ZBrush?
Amazing work Monkeyfarm! :thumbsup:
Geez... *remembers how he tried the demo once and failed to create anything more as a huge block of what-the-heck* :D
You really gotta try it again and spend some time with it.
If you are used to a 3D application, and try to use it like a 3D application, it's going to drive you nuts. you need to learn it as a new paradigm in illustration tools. Once you "get it" you will be able to use it like a 3D application if you wish much easier.
Spend a saturday or sunday afternoon with it, work through the tutorials, watch the zscript movies of sample modeling and texturing sessions and then see what you think.
Even though the version # is 1.55, it could really be called V3 when you view it against what the early versions had to offer.
Monkeyfarm
02-25-2003, 09:52 PM
Originally posted by Grub
Hey Monkeyfarm, outlandish breed of creature you've dreamed up. Kind of like an elephant man, what with the big flap-ears.:cool:
Looking at that head shot - the tatoo / paint-daub above his brow would probably look more realistic if it was less bright.:thumbsup:
The interesting this is that I did not start out with an elephant in mind. I actually started out with the consideration of its environment, etc. and came to the need to disipate heat so the ears were a logicial choice. Interestingly enough as time went on, othe relephant like things popped out as well such as the skin texture.
You are right on about the tatoo. I knew that as soon as I applied it, but it was late and I just wanted to get a new image out.
I've got the tatoo fixed, as well as a body texture map done and am now working on all his "accessories"...
Doesn't look like I'll have a chance to get it as "done" as I hoped by the deadline, but I'll at least have the main character done.
leigh
02-26-2003, 12:16 AM
That textured head is really cool :thumbsup:
Very nice job, the eyes are especially creepy :D
The only crit I have is that the little emblem is too bright, it looks really unnatural. I also think that it is unbelievable that a creature in Middle Earth could have found a pigment so bright to use in face paint :shrug: If you tone it down quite a lot, I think it will look much better.
What might also look kinda cool is if you could paint some snotty residue around his nostrils :) Although that might be a little gross... Just a suggestion.
I've recently gotten ZBrush myself, and although I haven't had a lot of time to play around with it yet, I am very interested in its texturing capabilities. Have you used it much for texturing models made in other apps? I am pretty keen to try it out with some of my LW models.
kokoro
02-26-2003, 05:56 AM
hey monkeyfarm - your work is coming a long great. i like the headtexturing very much. only i would suggest, if i may, to make the eyes a little lighter and more shiny. keep going !
Monkeyfarm
02-26-2003, 07:28 PM
Here's a quick GI render of the main model and his staff.
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/gi-spin.jpg
Monkeyfarm
02-26-2003, 07:29 PM
Originally posted by kokoro
hey monkeyfarm - your work is coming a long great. i like the headtexturing very much. only i would suggest, if i may, to make the eyes a little lighter and more shiny. keep going !
Thanks for the suggestion. However, per the original concept this creature is supposed to have small, dark eyes as a defence against the bright desert sun.
Monkeyfarm
02-26-2003, 07:33 PM
Originally posted by Leigh
That textured head is really cool :thumbsup:
Very nice job, the eyes are especially creepy :D
The only crit I have is that the little emblem is too bright, it looks really unnatural. I also think that it is unbelievable that a creature in Middle Earth could have found a pigment so bright to use in face paint :shrug: If you tone it down quite a lot, I think it will look much better.
What might also look kinda cool is if you could paint some snotty residue around his nostrils :) Although that might be a little gross... Just a suggestion.
I've recently gotten ZBrush myself, and although I haven't had a lot of time to play around with it yet, I am very interested in its texturing capabilities. Have you used it much for texturing models made in other apps? I am pretty keen to try it out with some of my LW models.
Thanks for the comments Leigh. Coming from the texture master herself it's nice to hear! ;)
I've got WIP coming that has a toned down tatoo. Although if they could make a ring that makes people disappear, I'm pretty sure they could find some really bright pigment! :)
Mmmmmmm... Crusty snot...
I've done some low poly stuff in Wings and created a rough texture in ZB.
I've only had ZB for like a month or two though so I have not really banged on it a whole lot. Check out their discussion board at www.pixolotor.com
Monkeyfarm
02-26-2003, 07:54 PM
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/heads-1.jpg
Toned down the tatoo to where I like it. Thoughts?
Monkeyfarm
02-26-2003, 08:24 PM
And one more WIP showing the full body texture map.
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/multiview-tex-1.jpg
kokoro
02-27-2003, 05:55 AM
whooops - i missed that with the sun in your first description. ;)
cakeypigdog
02-27-2003, 05:28 PM
i love the surface quality youve got in the GI shots of this model. he has a fantastic level of complexity. a very promising entry!!:bounce:
Monkeyfarm
02-28-2003, 05:11 AM
Well, before I do anything to ruin it, I'm stopping.
Considering I've only had ZBrush a couple months, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. :bounce:
Here's the full "poster" format...
http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/poster-1_small.jpg
And HERE's (http://home.attbi.com/~monkeyfarm/CGTalk/MiddleEarth/poster-1_large.jpg) a link to a large image of the poster. (1280x1668 : 233KB)
It's been a lot of fun!
Monkeyfarm
02-28-2003, 06:11 AM
A few stats on the project:
--------------
The project folder ended up being 1.3 GB (!!!) including multiple versions, backups, etc.
The final body and head models and their embedded textures were:
Body: 47 MB
Head: 5 MB
Rendered size: 3500 x 4000 @ 41MB
5 Lights
26 Materials
Some modeling in Wings for the more geometric stuff like jewelry.
No 2D post work or color correction. The only 2.5D work done was the sand around his feet.
Sky and Mesa background is a retouched photo.
Yeah, a job well done, Monkeyfarm:thumbsup:
(Also, that tatoo is better now).
Monkeyfarm
02-28-2003, 07:20 AM
In the opening character brief I mentioned the fact that he was supposed to have a bunch of hair (eyebrows, lashes, etc.)... I tried it and it and it didn't work for me... Didn't go well... So I ditched the idea if anyone wonders... Not that you will.:)
Satyricon
02-28-2003, 07:44 AM
Hello monkeyfarm:wavey: Your character is really amazing! He gives the impression that he is ALIVE and not just a 3D mannequin posing for a render. Nevermind about the hair, in my opinion he looks great without it!!! Good job mate. I look forward for your future posts!!!:thumbsup:
Really excellent work, you deserve a great deal of praise for this.
Good luck!
:thumbsup: :applause: :applause: :buttrock:
kokoro
02-28-2003, 11:41 AM
it really turned out great ! very good job !
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