Table of contents for July 2020 in 3D World

INK’s Plain Bodies series has served as the perfect testing ground for the white-against-white Polestar project. These renders strip iconic sports cars of their paint jobs and decals, exposing the sweeping curves and subtle design choices that dropped jaws and won races. Over the past few years, the company has tackled Porsche’s 917, 911 and 959, Jaguar’s D-Type, Ford’s GT40 and, most recently, Ferrari’s 330 P4. “We called the P4 the beautiful loser because, during that era, the GT40 dominated most races,” says Macey. “We started thinking about how to portray it, because we want the world to see this car that didn’t get the recognition it deserved. When you think about that era, the GT40, the 917, that’s what most people remember – but this one fell between the…

Practical tips and tutorials from pro artists to improve your CG skills My name is Adrien Ravelli, and in this tutorial, I'm going to show you how easy it is to create particle-based visual effects in Notch. Notch is a real-time motion graphics tool well known for creating brilliant particle systems in just a few clicks. I am going to explain how to create a goodlooking particle system in just four simple steps, and then show you ways to adapt this workflow for endlessly exciting results. Particle systems have huge potential when combined with other node families. They can drive all sorts of effects, and are fantastic at animating a scene without keyframes. You will see how I have combined particles with modifiers, procedurals and video to create a suite…

In this tutorial I will cover the main steps taken to create my real-time character ‘The Geisha’, based on an original concept by Radoslav Topalov. I will provide an overview on my professional approach in completing characters for video games with some advice on how to prevent and solve the most common issues. The goal when I started was to create a highly optimised asset that is both believable and performant. I also wanted to challenge myself to portray the likeness of Rila Fukushima with a complex and realistic garment and hairstyle. O-Ren Ishii’s origin story in Kill Bill informed some of the creative choices I made alongside the concept, as the intention wasn’t to depict a typical geisha but to give her more character and depth by making her…

FOLLOW THE VIDEO https://bit.ly/3DW-INK Making the most of all the technology within a computer can be a tricky task for any CG artist. Even though an artist may have a multi-core workstation with a lot of RAM and multiple graphics cards, if an artist’s software does not make the most of it, a lot of the raw power can go to waste. Deadline from AWS Thinkbox can maximise the potential of an artist’s kit. This software can make every available computer a potential render slave for a wide range of commonly used 3D and compositing software, and that includes third-party plugins. As long as the artist has the correct number of software render licences for the machines available, Deadline can provide sophisticated render control that is not available in the host…

Get Packed is a multiplayer game that combines teamwork and slapstick physics-based humour. You play as a member of a spaghetti-armed removals company, packing up and shipping out the homes and businesses of various unusual clients around Ditchlington. Over the course of development, Get Packed has changed considerably from its initial concept – partly through experimenting with different mechanics, and partly through the collaboration and support from Coatsink. The original concept was more akin to a removalist-themed ‘Tetris-with-friends’. But as we tested and played around with the idea, we discovered stacking wasn’t the fun part, it was the goofy physics-based teamwork. Once we’d redesigned the gameplay and created a new prototype, we approached publishers. Coatsink quickly became our first choice as partner and collaborator, not least for their expertise in…

Follow the link to download your free files http://bit.ly/3DW-INK MODELS AND TEXTURES EVERY MONTH Download these models and textures to use in your own projects MODELS + TEXTURES FREE ASSET DOWNLOADS Download a set of fantastic textures from and build your own asset library with these incredible models from in our monthly model and texture giveaway. VIDEO & HIGH-RES SCREEN GRABS SCULPT ON YOUR IPAD Learn how to get out of the studio but stay productive with Forger, the iPad sculpting app. VIDEO & HIGH-RES SCREEN GRABS DEADLINE Discover the basics of using Deadline, the render farm manager from AWS Thinkbox. ISSUE 262 NEXT MONTH Come back for our Pixar special, with exclusive training and insights ON SALE 16TH JUNE Subscribe today: www.bit.ly/3dworld-subs…

Adam Dewhirst Adam has an impressive CV, having worked on Hollywood blockbusters from Guardians Of The Galaxy to The Dark Knight. adamdewhirst.artstation.com Glen Southern Glen is a veteran 3D artist working in many areas, lately with a focus on VR. He shows you how to sculpt in Forger on page 54. www.southerngfx.co.uk Mike Griggs 3D World regular Mike Griggs returns with the latest instalments of our long-running Basics and Bootcamp series. www.creativebloke.com WEBSITE 3dworld.creativebloq.com FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/3dworldmagazine INSTAGRAM @3DWorldMag TWITTER @3DWorldMag…

ARTIST Alin Bolcas SOFTWARE ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Arnold, Nuke, Photoshop Character modeller and facial artist Alin Bolcas spent a month, on and off, sculpting this speedy fan art. “I started in ZBrush, constantly referring back to the original illustration [by Oleg Yurkov],” Bolcas explains. “When I was happy with the overall proportions and pose I used ZRemesher and UV Master on everything.” He then moved into Maya and organised the scene, laying out the UVs into three UDIMs for the whole character and exporting them out. He adds: “I imported every piece back into ZBrush and pasted the UVs onto each high-resolution piece. I continued sculpting on that file with the Slash2 brush to add another pass of secondary forms, folds and sculpted fur.” Bolcas found texturing in Substance Painter…

YEAR CREATED 2018 SOFTWARE UE4, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Designer & Painter, World Machine I wanted to create a place where I am free to explore story building and my own weird, fantasy ideas. This Shrine is a place for those who want to command the animals as their soldiers. artstation.com/peterdimitrov ARTIST Peter Dimitrov LOCATION Bulgaria I first started with digital illustration and painting for video games. Looking to expand my skillset, I went into 3D and environment creation. I recently graduated in Games Design at UCLan in Preston, UK. The Rookies is a platform to help digital artists get discovered without having to compete with professionals for attention. You’ll get to the front page of those sites one day, but for now, we’ve got your back and want to help…

Receive 13 issues a year Never miss an issue, with hassle-free delivery direct to your door VISIT WWW.MYFAVOURITEMAGAZINES.CO.UK USE CODE TDW1 AT CHECKOUT *Terms and conditions: This offer is available to all new subscribers. Applies to all print, digital and print + digital subscriptions for 3D World magazine. Voucher code TDW1 provides an additional 10% discount to myfavouritemagazines online sale pricing. The Code can only be redeemed online via www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk. You will receive 13 issues in a subscription year. You can cancel your subscription within 14 days of purchase. Payment is non-refundable after the 14 day cancellation period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Your statutory rights are not affected. Prices correct at point of print and subject to change. Full details of the Direct Debit guarantee are available upon…

As well as tackling slick and seductive autos, INK has turned its talents to the cars that time (and style) forgot: Austin’s Allegro and Princess, and Triumph’s TR7. In a playful twist, INK gave these vehicles a gas injection – think helium instead of petroleum – and turned them into floating foil balloons. “Our animation director Michael Haas did a bit of experimenting with cars crashing into one another, but rather than smashing up they inflate,” says Macey. “Again, it seemed too complicated. So we thought, what happens when you just take one thing and inflate it? Something simple, nice and satisfying, but a bit odd. I thought using the dodgy old British motors of the 1970s could be a good thing because they’re funny and quirky. So we played…

In this tutorial, we will go over the entire process of creating a beautiful fantasy render using Arnold 6 GPU, Maya, XGen, ZBrush and Photoshop. First of all, we will start with the base mesh in pose using ZBrush from a mannequin preset or ZSpheres. Then we will sculpt a face, hands, and parts of the body that will be used in the render. After that, we will export the whole mesh to Maya and start to make the guides in Ornatrix. We will use a special Draw Strand tool to achieve the heart forms of the hair. Finally, we will create the hair using XGen and render it with Arnold Renderer 6 on GPU. 01 POSE THE MANNEQUIN First of all, we need to create a base mesh in…

Okay! We are set to make a game. We know what the premise is, we have our equipment ready and a good environment to work in, so what’s next? Jump in and start modelling? No! Hold your horses there. As discussed before the key to success is planning, and to that end we need to set out a few things before we begin the actual construction phase. We need to decide what path the player will take, what obstacles they should encounter, whether there are any shortcuts and the all-important mechanics of the gameplay. However, before we start we need to set the tone. What does the player’s in-game environment feel like, are there any notable visual cues to allow them a sense of familiarity or impending doom? I’m not…

Jamie Godfrey, London Practical tips and tutorials from pro artists to improve your CG skills Antony Ward replies Unless you opt to use an automatic rigging tool, rig creation can be quite a time-consuming process, and from my experience, clients tend to prefer custom-built rigs rather than simply generic ones that don’t fully fulfil their needs. Building the skeleton is straightforward, you just need to ensure the rotation orders and rotational axis are all corrected and set up to minimise gimbal lock. You can even use the Mirror Joints tool to copy one side of the skeleton to the other, or use the Projected Centering option, which will place joints in the middle of your model for you, saving time. When it comes to creating the controls, which will drive…

News and views from around the international CG community Adam Dewhirst is head of Creatures & Characters at UNIT Studios Film&TV – one of the latest key artists hires for the growing studios. Dewhirst has over 16 years of experience in VFX spanning film, TV, commercials, games and children’s television. Dewhirst’s film career started at Framestore, before moving onto Cinesite, MPC, The Mill London and New York as well as DNEG. Some of his film credits include The Golden Compass, which went on to win both an Oscar and a Bafta, World War Z, The Dark Knight, Clash Of The Titans, Maleficent, Les Miserables, John Carter Of Mars, Prince Of Persia, Hobbs & Shaw and Guardians Of The Galaxy where his team were responsible for bringing Rocket Raccoon to life.…

ARTIST Pedro Henrique Placido Silva SOFTWARE Blender, Maya, Substance Painter, Redshift, Photoshop Brazil-based 3D generalist Pedro Henrique Placido Silva spent a total of three weeks working on this stunning environment, which was inspired by the side-scrolling puzzle video game, Trine 2. Silva began by searching for references, which helped him create detailed concept art with well-defined camera angles, composition and shapes. “I modelled the layout with rough shapes first to help place the camera in the 3D space,” he explains, “then I started detailing the scene as a whole, in such a way that all the objects retained the same level of detail, instead of picking just one and finishing it.” The scene was illuminated in the layout stage so that Silva could use the shadows to emphasise certain elements…

ARTIST Cherylynn Lima SOFTWARE ZBrush, Marvelous Designer, Maya, XGen, TexturingXYZ, Substance Painter, Iray, Photoshop Freelance 2D and 3D character artist Cherylynn Lima took inspiration from a photo entitled 368 by photographer Elena Mineeva. “The thing I most enjoyed about creating this project was capturing the emotion on the girl's face,” says Lima. “My biggest focus is creating a believable character; I like to see life and experience in their eyes. Throughout my career I've found that creating something I connect with emotionally is the most important part of character creation and art in general. To me, techniques like realism or stylisation, composition, colour theory etc are all tools whose primary function is to tell a story and capture a feeling.” For producing realistic work such as this, Lima usually begins…

3D software is often associated with the colourful world of animated movies, the action-packed VFX of Hollywood features, the lofty heights of modern architecture, or the groundbreaking visuals of video games. In fact, the technology pervades almost every aspect of modern life, and is becoming an increasingly helpful tool in the world of healthcare. From training the next generation of surgeons, to modelling orthopedic devices, and visualising the inner workings of the human body, CG is helping to advance the field dramatically. 3D World has donned its scrubs and spoken to some of the innovative individuals behind the 3D healthcare revolution. “WE CAN DESIGN PARTS THAT MORE ACCURATELY MIMIC HUMAN ANATOMY”Blake Teipel, Ph.D, CEO and co-founder of Essentium THE CUTTING EDGE As creative director of MadMicrobe Studios and an award-winning medical animator,…

INK knows cars. The London-based CGI creative studio has produced pristine campaigns for everyone from Land Rover to McLaren, while creating abstract four-wheel imagery with passion projects that strip classic cars back to the bare bones or inflate them like balloons. And when it’s not visualising vehicles, the company specialises in the technologies of tomorrow, from robotics to smartwatches. “We started out doing visualisation,” explains David Macey, INK’s co-founder and executive creative director. “But as the company grew, our passion took us into the areas we love, such as technology and automobiles. We believe in the technical and the beautiful, which means that no matter how dry something might be, we always try to find that inner beauty, something that hasn’t been seen before.” The studio’s unique understanding of technology…

FOLLOW THE VIDEO https://bit.ly/3DW-INK Digital sculpting is now well established in many industries including game design, TV and film production (pre and post), medical imaging and in all kinds of advertising. One of the granddaddy programs is ZBrush and that started life in the mid-1990s soon to be followed by Mudbox, 3DCoat and even open-source programs like Blender. Where a project requires highly detailed organic assets such as creatures, characters, monsters, aliens, environments, rounded or intricate vehicles and buildings you will see artists using digital sculpting, but not so much on mobile – until you look a little deeper and come across amazingly powerful sculpting apps that can run comfortably on an iPad. In this tutorial, we can take an initial look at what sculpting on the iPad is like and…

In our Basics series, we look at the fundamentals of a wide range of topics in CGI to break it down into the core elements. In the final part of our look at basic compositing using Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve, we will discover how the basic techniques that we have learned in creating Merge nodes can be applied to actual footage. In the previous article, we showed how to make a mask in DaVinci Resolve. Masks can also be created in 3D software via a variety of methods, and they can be saved directly within the render file as an Alpha channel. An Alpha channel is a fourth ‘channel’ of information stored alongside the three primary colour channels (Red, Green and Blue). An Alpha channel shows the defined, transparent area…

I have really enjoyed using Oculus Medium in recent years, and one of my favourite personal projects was a Venom sculpt I made about a year ago. It's much more dynamic in its pose than I would probably normally go for, and I think that's simply because I was able to move about the space whilst working on it. It's kind of a freefall pose of venom diving. I’d like to find time to finish it, maybe in ZBrush and get it printed. I purposely gave it an enormous tongue, with the idea that the printed sculpt could sit on the tongue and balance there. Something to aim for when I finally acquire my new headset! Rocket Raccoon will always be my favourite creature I have created. As a huge…

Currently working with creative postproduction studios Big Buoy and Smoke & Mirrors, Kristaan Cain is a VFX veteran. He has worked across some of the most respected studios in the business, contributing to features such as World War Z, Godzilla, Maleficent, The Jungle Book and many more. His passion for 3D sculpting has even led him to create his own sustainable sculptures, using wood or ceramics. 3D World asked Cain to talk us through a day in his life. 08:00am If it’s a shoot day, I’ll have eaten my breakfast already and begun preparing the set for the VFX requirements. The night before would have been spent preparing the shoot kit, but I’ll also give it a once over to make sure everything is charged and ready to go. I…