Vray sss2 skin testing

Updated, adjustments to the specular map, and tweaked model for more surface detail

 I've been doing some research on the Vray sss2 shader in an attempt to conquer something that is pretty tough to create in CG-realistic human skin.With some great info I found on various forums, and in a couple of books I purchased over the past couple of years I came up with this example as my first attempt. Not bad, but in need of some serious tweaking. Vray 2.0 beta, pretty good render-times as well.
Skin using Vray SSS2/Blend test. Vray 2.0 beta
Once I am completely happy with the results, the cowgirl WIP will be back on track :)
Technical info:

Vray sss2 with a blend to a standard vray material for reflection control. Lit with a 3 point lighting set-up, I decided to use target spots for this example.
Click for a larger image:

Zbrush Cowgirl sculpt WIP

Update: Refined her face and anatomy, detailed hat and vest, jeans. Also added spurs :)  The pigtails are gone, trying to replicate that style with 3ds max's hair and fur proved to be futile. I was close.......may be time to consider Hair Farm......not sure I am ready to plunk down that kind of cash for a personal project.

updated cowgirl WIP

 Made a little progress, she is almost ready to UVunwrap and bring into 3DS and Vray :)

Cowgirl WIP

Finally something new from my Z-Brush practice sessions. I created a new female base mesh in 3ds Max, and started sculpting as time permits. She still needs plenty of work, hands need to be refined,  props added, and obviously hair :)
It's starting to get a little easier to get the results I desire using Z-brush, the tools are becoming more predictable as time goes on.

New Mexico Flickr Stream

  Just returned from vacation and wanted to share the first bunch of photos I have posted online. If you'd like to see the photos, please visit my Flickr stream here:todd's flickr stream

 

Hope you like them, more are on the way.

todd

Iphone Brushes doodle

I haven't done 1 of these in a while, sometimes on my subway ride home I do a "speed-paint" using my i-phone and the "brushes" app. For those of you that haven't heard of brushes, it is a simple painting program, kind of like digital finger-painting. Not 3d, but I thought it might be of interest to someone.

Thanks!

t.

another sculpt from the vacation sketches

  Another sketch to model, this time around I added some post work in PS. This guy passed me on the beach as I was sketching last week. By request from my wife he is smiling, most of my sculpts have been neutral expressions, she thinks they look a bit sad or mad. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for visiting!

Back from vacation....

The end of August brings an annual migration to the beach with family--Vacation! Admittedly I find it hard to disconnect from technology, my i-phone and camera are the only gadgets I bring on the trip. That doesn't stop my creative urges though, so for the past 2 years I have been bringing along a sketchbook(yes the paper kind) and technical pencil to draw as I spend time on the beach.Usually I draw waves and birds, occasionally someone walks by and I draw a caricature. I did a few this year that I felt were pretty decent, so I wondered how they would translate into 3D. Now that we have returned from our trip, I am giving it a go, taking these quick simple sketches and sculpting them in Zbrush.
 Here is the first sketch and 3D WIP, I simply snapped a shot of the sketch with my phone, and mailed it to myself to use as a reference in Lightbox. The resulting sculpt has the overall feel of the person as I saw them that day on the beach. The sculpt took a few hours total, I am still planning to continue working on him, adding glasses and more detail along the way.

Thanks for tuning in!

Todd

Zbrush 4-not so speedy speedsculpts

 Hello!
I felt it was time to get in some practice with the latest release of Zbrush, zbrush 4. Some of these speedsculpts(a quick 3d doodle) are gonna be a bit sucky, and some not soo much...... hopefully you will see a progression in the work as time goes by. I am eventually going to try to add some video tutorials, turntables and other helpful bits hopefully my blogging skills will improve along the way. Eh, I guess that's all I have to say for now, enjoy the blog, and if you would like to see more please visit my website at: www.todddaniele.com