Races of Middle Earth-character-BlueCougar

#21

Cuuuuuuuuuuuuute :love: :love:

#22

Man this board is busy…dragging along. Well, I’m bouncing around trying to read everyone’s progress.

Leigh-Thanks…gonna have to try and figure out how to get a fur texture without using a plug-in. Maybe a procedural or bumpmap for the fur. I have a pic of an otter if anyone has any ideas from it.

I’m currently rendering out a quick blink/breath cycle of the Shatksi. I’ve changed the coloring scheme again trying to settle into something. I’ll post a link as soon as its done, I can get them down pretty small too so even dial-up’s should be able to get it.

#24

For the fur, why don’t you use Saslite? It’s works pretty well :slight_smile:
Otherwise, I can show you a cool trick with gradients to get a soft, fur like look :wink:

#25

Leigh–I just read in the challenge thread that we’re not allowed to use Fur rendering plug-ins for the contest. Maybe I misread it. No matter I would love to know how to do the gradient stuff regardless. I can do 2 versions one for the contest and another for me :smiley:

I’ve changed the color scheme from before, let me know what you think about it. I sorta like the simpler with the plain surface, I think it’ll look better as a texture with some gradient and blending. Need to make the rest of the stuff for him and tweak out some more details to his body.

Well, here goes a little facial test render, still trying to get a good feel for the character.

Shatksi Facial test 611KB @ 480x640 mpeg1

I’m thinking of a weapon for him like the one the assassin used in Octopussy in the palace where he tore up the down pillows from the balcony…the bladed yo-yo.:scream: made of gold and sharpened shells…

#26

Fantastic work Blue Cougar! I remember that weapon. That would be an awesome weapon for this character. :applause:

#27

mrwilt–Thanks, I see you’re in my neck of the woods.

Here’s an update to the face. I finished out the interior of the mouth and refined his nose, “lips” and the crease in the middle. Another 3 view as well with the legs tweaked a little bit.


#28

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: …but…but…wordless…100 points!!!

#29

OMG amazing work… :eek:
You are fast man!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

#30

Hey that’s coming along really well, BlueCougar :thumbsup: Very nice work indeed :applause:

#31

Got the torso refined a bit more. Still letting the ideas and thoughts about armor and such bounce around the brain pan. Hopefully something will start to fall out!:lightbulb :smiley:

#32

There’s really no way to make another on entry for an object on the CG Challenge site, so I’ll just put it here. Its the weapon of the Shatksi. Its called a “Skier-kee toketh” and its a weapon worn on the back of the hand that is used in hand to hand as well as being thrown spinning on two razor sharp mithral wires. I did a real quick concept pic in Photoshop using clip art from the Corbis site, the rest of the info about it is on the concept pic!

If I need to make another thread for this object mods just let me know.:smiley:

#33

nice concept bluecougar!
very well done!
I think you should dress him more, with an helmet, glows, leather clothes…
oyu are very fast for modeling! it’s impressive
:applause:

#34

Really nice work!

I fits well with lord of the ring univers! I can easily imagine an army of those little Shatksi creatures fighting with orcs!
not sure they will win! :smiley:

Will you add some protections! it will be nice! Tribal paint will be nice too! it will give it a more “Human” touch!

Very funny and clean work! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

#35

I have ideas for his armor. It will look similiar to the armor of feudal Japan. The Shatksi have a secret process of using dried reeds to construct objects, (armor and such) which they cover with a laquer that when fired refines to a thin layer of mithril with the reed burned away leaving it hollow, light, and strong capable of being worn underwater without weighting the wearer down. Then they do enameling on the surface for decoration similiar to cloisonnet with beautiful colors and patterns adorning the surfaces imbueing the object with magic. You ask how can they afford these materials? Well, there is alot of stuff left on the bottom of the river over the years as well as freshwater oyster beds that produce phenomenal pearls that they trade and with which they produce crafts.

Nanoneen-Thanks, the armor and weapons are on the way. It will give me some distance from his body to go back and refine with a fresh look at him.

Totitch- The face paint is a bit primitive for these folks, they’re a little more refined than that, thanks for the suggestion. As far as Orcs go they wouldn’t be fast enough for these buggers!:smiley:

#36

you are a great modeler. I have a problem with the whole concept though, it just looks like an otter standing upright and holding a sword and shield. You haven’t really changed much. I thought it was supposed to some kind of cross between a person and an otter but right now it just looks like a plain otter. It’s just not very creative, IMHO. If you had made it look like some kind of man with otter attributes and features, I think it would be better.

#37

I thought it was supposed to some kind of cross between a person and an otter but right now it just looks like a plain otter.

I didn’t know there was a rule about it!:smiley: Thanks for the honest feedback on the concept. Here’s a comparison pic between an Otter and the Shatksi. Either way the conclusion goes, I like the direction he’s going.:shrug:

Karabo–Thanks again for looking in on my thread. Now to start on his armor!

#38

I can see what Karabo is saying, but I really like the concept, and I think that it can truly show off your skill if you can give the model very human qualities while staying true to the general shape. For example, I really like the arms, since they look like an otter’s arms, but at the same time, look like they have human muscles. I haven’t seen an otter flex though, so for all I know they could look like that. :wink:

Also, I think it would be great if you could put some sort of human facial expression on it. But either way, it will be great, because, well, it already is great.

#39

Fleedawg–Thanks for the feedback. I’m still refining his form. After I get his armor and weapons done I’ll go back and see how I can push his face around and see what I get from it.

Here’s the concept sketch for his armor, got it done while the kids were napping. This ‘Mr Mom’ gig isn’t too bad, I love spending time with the kids, but I would prefer being in a production house working on paying projects! I’ll get more work done later tonight after they’re in bed.:wip:

#40

Started modeling the Skeir-kee toketh after the kids were in bed.
Ended up doing alot of freeflowing organic forms. I was thinking the reeds could be actually applied like papermache to the intended user in a form fitting way then laquered, fired and enameled. Here’s a start. Still need to model the Water Lilly that goes on top of the “kee” (the bladed lily pads) catcher. Hope you like it. Open to feedback.

#41

Hey BLue Cougar,
It looks as if they changed there mind on the fur issue. That is if you have a fur plug-in.