3d Creative 06 2015

119
Issue 119 | July 2015
DESIGNING A
MOBILE APP
Jeremy Kool shares an insight

into his interactive mobile
venture The Paper Fox
+plus
Stellar sci-fi concepts

Epic ZBrush creations
PBR maps for game assets
Atmospheric interiors in 3ds Max
Learn to sculpt muscle groups
and much more!
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119
KEEP UP TO DATE
WITH 3DTOTAL!
Editors letter
Welcome to 3dcreative issue 119!

Another month, another issue packed with great content!
This time were catching up with great character and
concept artists like Marco Plouffe, Elijah McNeal and Ran
Manolov, whose work and words are sure to get your mind
buzzing with inspiration. If youre interested in mobile
apps, we take a look at a great project by Jeremy Kool.
MARISA LEWIS
Junior Editor
Our tutorials cover 3ds Max, ZBrush, Marmoset Toolbag

2, Maxwell Render, MARI and more, with a ton of great
downloadable resources on the side. From vehicles to
anatomy to interior scenes, stylized or realistic, we hope
theres something for everyone!
Read on and enjoy, and please join us again next time!
Keep on creating
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Contributors
MARCO PLOUFFE
Marc-Olivier Marco Plouffe is a Montreal-based character
artist and co-founder of Keos Masons. He has worked
previously for THQ, BioWare, Eidos and other companies
in the entertainment industry.
ELIJAH MCNEAL
Elijah McNeal is a freelance concept artist for games and
film. Since his beginnings on Star Citizen, hes contributed
to ten IPs, several of which are up for release in the next
two years.
JEREMY KOOL
Jeremy Kool is a CG artist, doodler and certified weirdbeard, with graphic design and illustration roots. Hes
currently based in Berlin and is working on his own iOS
app, The Paper Fox.
RAN MANOLOV
Ran Manolov is a 3D character artist from Sofia, Bulgaria,
currently freelancing and living in London. He was the
main digital sculptor of one of the heroes in the new
Batman v Superman movie.
ANDREW FINCH
Andrew Finch is a senior environment and lighting
artist at Codemasters Birmingham. He has eight years
industry experience and is now working on his tenth
professional game.
RORY BJRKMAN
With a background in traditional art and sculpture, Rory
Bjrkman is currently studying Media at the National
College of Art and Design in Dublin, focusing more on the
digital arts.
ARASH BESHKOOH
Arash Beshkooh is a freelance 3D character artist and
digital sculptor, aspiring to get a full-time job in the game
industry in the future. He puts his anatomical knowledge
to use sculpting a bodybuilder.
THE STOMPIN GROUND

The Stompin Ground is a collaboration between
traditional illustrator Ilana Exelby and Dan Rodgers, a 3D
artist at Arc-Media. They are both from the UK and are
currently based in Manchester.
JAMES W. CAIN
James W. Cain is a 3D artist and sculptor with a focus
on 3D printing, primarily using ZBrush and MODO. Hes
a freelance graphic designer by trade, and is based in
Maidstone in the south east UK.
DANILO LOMBARDO
Danilo Lombardo is a 24-year-old self-taught CG
artist from Italy. Hes a lighting and texture artist and
environment modeler. He discusses how he created his
moody kitchen.
Junior Editor
Marisa Lewis
marisa@3dtotal.com
Sub-editor
Adam Smith
Graphic Designers
Matthew Lewis
Aryan Pishneshin
Advertising Manager
George Lucas
george@3dtotal.com
Studio Manager
Simon Morse
simon@3dtotal.com
Managing Director
Tom Greenway
Advertising
Media pack and rates are
available upon request.
Contact George Lucas:
george@3dtotal.com
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Disclaimer
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3dtotal.com Ltd. Artwork that
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114
Contents Issue 119

006_ Art Gallery
10 of the most inspiring 3D images from the world of

CG, hand-picked just for you!
024_ Epic ZBrush creations
Pro character artist Marco Plouffe shares his latest

diabolical designs
032_ Stellar sci-fi concepts
Discover Elijah McNeals striking character and vehicle

sci-fi designs
040_ Realistic sculpts in ZBrush
Ran Manolov shares his ZBrush sketches and clay

sculpts with us in this months Sketchbook
050_ Designing a mobile app
Jeremy Kool shares an insight into his interactive

mobile venture The Paper Fox
056_ Preparing 3D sculpts for print
Make a ZBrush model suitable for 3D printing with

James W. Cain
066_ Maxwell Render and MARI for vehicles
Learn how to texture and render a sci-fi vehicle with

Rory Bjrkman
082_ Cars in Marmoset Toolbag 2
Create a futuristic vehicle using valuable PBR

techniques for displaying images
094_ Learn to sculpt muscle groups
Take your anatomy knowledge to the next level with

Arash Beshkooh
104_ PBR maps for game assets
Learn how to make realistic metallic surfaces in

Marmoset Toolbag 2
114_ Create appealing 3D illustrations
Discover how The Stompin Ground made their

charming image The Construction Room
120_ Atmospheric interiors in 3ds Max
Danilo Lombardo reveals how he created his moody

interior scene, Voodoo Kitchen
128_ Digital Art Master: Cricket Exo-Suit
Learn how Matthew Burke crafted his fantastic detailed

image, Cricket Exo-Suit
4 | 3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
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040

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006
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3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery
Each issue the 3dcreative team selects 10 of the best digital images from around the world. Enjoy!
Fratricidal strife idiom

Zhiji Zhang
Year created: 2015
Software used: 3ds Max, ZBrush, MARI, V-Ray
Web: zcool.com.cn/u/2296447
Submit your images! Simply email: marisa@3dtotal.com
Queen Sindra
Antoine Collignon (Omegear)
Year created: 2015
Software used: ZBrush, Photoshop
Web: omegear.be
Scandilivian Design
Nitheesh K
Year created: 2015
Software used: 3ds Max, V-Ray, Photoshop
Web: brahma3d.blogspot.com
On the Waterfront
Cihan zkan
Year created: 2015
Software used: 3ds Max, V-Ray, Photoshop
Web: cozkan.com
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
For rent charming

studio apartment,
moonside view!
Gravity not included
Jami Moravetz
Year created: 2015
Software used:
3ds Max, Substance Painter,
Knald, Unreal 4
Web: jamimoravetz.com
13
Water Elemental
Rachel Cox
Year created: 2015
Software used:
ZBrush, 3ds Max, Photoshop,
3D-Coat, Marmoset Toolbag 2
Web: rcox.artstation.com
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
15
March of Robots 2015

Yasush Azush
Year created: 2015
Software used:
Maya, MARI, NUKE
Web: yasushazush.com
Concept artist: Alexandr Pushai
Web: behance.net/pushaiart
Portrait of Jonas Basanavicius

Kestutis Rinkevicius
Year created: 2015
Software used:
ZBrush, 3ds Max
Web: artstation.com/artist/kestas
17
The Dreamcatchers
David Anastcio Ferreira
Year created: 2015
Software used: 3ds Max, V-Ray, ZBrush, NUKE, Photoshop
Web: cgmonkeyking.com
19
Creature Bust
Chung Kan
Year created: 2015
Software used: 3ds Max, V-Ray, ZBrush, Mudbox
Web: chungkan.wix.com/portfolio
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
21
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Epic ZBrush creations
The Artist
Marco Plouffe
Artist and co-founder of

Keos Masons
marcoplouffe.com
keosmasons.com
Interviewed by:
Marisa Lewis
Marc-Olivier Marco
Plouffe is a Montrealbased character artist
and co-founder of Keos
Masons. He has worked
previously for THQ,
BioWare, Eidos and
other companies in the
entertainment industry.
Epic ZBrush
creations
Marc-Olivier Marco Plouffe has a background in AAA games but

still finds the time to pursue intriguing personal projects. We catch
up with Marco for some inspiration and good advice
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Marco Plouffe began character modeling

around six years ago, and its been his job and
passion ever since. Hes worked as a character
artist for THQ, BioWare and Eidos, with credits
including Borderlands 2, Mass Effect 3, Wildstar
and the upcoming Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
He recently teamed up with Cdric Saut
to found their own business, Keos Masons,
creating high-quality concepts and designs for
games, films and toys.
3dcreative: Hello, Marco! Please could you tell
us a little about yourself: who you are, where you
are, and what you do?
Marco Plouffe: My real names Marc-Olivier
but people cant help calling me other names,
so I just tell people Im called Marco! Im in my
late twenties and I live in Montreal, but I come
from a smaller town. I tried other careers in my
life, like being a technician or a musician, but it
never really felt like I was doing the right thing.
I discovered 3D art later in my life and, after
school, became a character artist mostly for the
videogame industry, but also for films and toys.
It was a rough ride but Ive always worked hard
because it felt like what I needed to do. Nowadays
I keep working hard, trying to master my craft and
achieve new goals.
3dc: How did you get into the world of 3D art?
MP: I always loved drawing when I was a kid but
I never brought it to an academic level. I went
through the motions at school and became an IT
technician for the Canadian government for a few
years, until I realized I was not very happy with my
job. I got the job because it was easy and secure,
A creature sketch for relaxation
Crab People This is an older sculpt, but Marcos always liked it because he didnt start out with any set ideas first
25
A splash screen for Marcos Sinners project

he had a lot of fun coming up with their names
Gluttony, from Marcos Sinners collection
but I knew that to be happy I needed to have an

artistic job in the entertainment industry; its what
I really wanted to do since I was a kid. I found a
school in Montreal called Campus Ubisoft and,
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
after working on my portfolio night and day, I sent

it and was accepted. I had to sell my house and
move away from my hometown, but in retrospect
I dont regret a thing.
3dc: Who or what are your biggest inspirations?

MP: Its hard for me to say what my biggest
inspirations are because I feel like they change
Wrath, from Marcos Sinners collection
Artist history
Marco Plouffes
career up to
this point...
2009: Join Campus
Ubisoft (3D art school)
2010: Beta-tester for
Pixologics ZBrush
2010: Character artist
at THQ
at BioWare
2012: Digital sculptor for
McFarlane Toys
at Eidos
2015: Artist and cofounder of Keos Masons
Greed, from Marcos Sinners collection
every few years. When I was a kid, I was totally

into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mega Man,
Dragon Ball, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Asterix and
Tintin. Later, I became interested in artists like

H.R. Giger, Guillermo del Toro and others. Lately,
Ive been inspired by other artists in my own
industry, some that Ive since met or befriended.

In general, I try to get ideas from things outside
my industry, so I dont recycle old work.
27
Pride, from Marcos Sinners collection
Lust, from Marcos Sinners collection
3dc: What software and tools do you normally

use for your artwork?
MP: My favorite tool by far is ZBrush, but in my
career Ive used many other tools: 3ds Max, Quixel
SUITE, Mudbox (for projection texturing), V-Ray
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
(for rendering cinematic models), KeyShot (for

rendering concepts), Marmoset Toolbag 2 (for
previewing in-game assets), Marvelous Designer,
xNormal/handplane, Unfold3D. My philosophy is
that theres a lot of good stuff in every software
and they should at least be fairly tested.
3dc: Could you describe your general 3D

workflow for us?
MP: When Im asked to model a character,
whether theres a concept or not, I start by
blocking the silhouette and shapes and roughly
detailing a sculpt in ZBrush. If Im concepting

the character (not following a given concept),
I give it an extra polish pass in ZBrush, and
sometimes bring the blocking into KeyShot to sell
the concept. Once this is approved, I spend time
polishing in ZBrush until it reaches the quality
and style needed. I color-code the different
materials in Polypaint. Next are retopology and
UVs in 3ds Max, baking the normal map, AO, and
vertex color (Polypaint color-code, aka ID map)
in xNormal/handplane. I texture in Quixel SUITE,
and finally pre-visualize in Marmoset Toolbag
2 or render with V-Ray, depending on if its for a
videogame or for cinematics.
A creepy creature design sculpted in ZBrush
3dc: Tell us more about your Sinners series and

how those images came about.
MP: I wanted to do a big project consisting
of a line-up of characters that live in a same
world. I like to start from themes when doing
this kind of project, just to give me an abstract
bracket to work in. Ive always had a distant
curiosity for perversion and grotesque, so the
idea of representing the seven deadly sins was
interesting for me. Id also been doodling around
to find a visual representation with a certain
storytelling quality that I knew Id like to model
in 3D. I sketched until I was sufficiently inspired
but, in the process of sculpting the characters, I
clarified my ideas too. This is why I always keep
an open mind in the later stages of my workflow.
I find that inventing a character bio (even its only
in your head) helps with concepting a character
and believing they could exist.
3dc: Do you have a philosophy or ethos that
motivates you a key piece of advice youd pass
on to other artists?
your ambitions. Dont stay somewhere because

its easy or else you might lose motivation, which
is a bad thing for you and your client.
MP: Personally, the best advice I can say is to stay

true to yourself and not do something because
you think youll receive public recognition.
As human beings, we naturally look for other
peoples approval, but your art should go beyond
that and really represent how you feel inside,
what youre really like, even if it wont connect
with the masses.
3dc: Which project (personal or professional) are

you the proudest to have worked on, and why?
Professionally, find the gray area between your

artistic ambitions and your obligations to your
employer/client. There are two important aspects
of an artist in the industry: skill and personality.
Clients hire you for your talent but keep you for
your personality. You have to respect your clients
deadlines and requests, and always try to give
them what they hired you for. Once youve fulfilled
your obligations, ask yourself where you want to
be next. This is when you work on your portfolio
to attract the right projects or clients and feed
MP: My favorite project Ive worked on is under

a non-disclosure agreement, and probably will
be forever! This is a sad phenomenon of the
videogame industry when a project is canceled,
because it might never see the light of day. Its
unfortunate because it was the most extravagant
and original project I worked on in my career.
That being said, it does not discredit Mass Effect 3
and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which were greatly
inspiring projects I worked on, and the other
artists were so insanely talented!
relax, I spend my free time with my girlfriend or

my friends, playing videogames, watching movies
and documentaries, or going out for drinks. When
I relax, I really try to not think about art and just
let things sit in my head. Ive been a musician in
my past, so from time to time I like to plug in my
guitar or practice on the banjo. Other than that,
I go jogging and try to have a healthy diet and
good hygiene!
3dc: Thank you very much for speaking to
3dcreative today!
The Artist
3dc: Finally, and most importantly: what do you

do with your spare time?
MP: Im kind of a workaholic, and I also spend a
lot of time on personal projects, but when I really
Marco Plouffe
marcoplouffe.com
keosmasons.com
29
2014 NewTek, Inc. LightWave is a trademark of NewTek. All rights reserved. All other marks are the property of their respective holders.
Image - Lorenzo Zitta
Download the free trial at www.lightwave3d.com
Italian digital artist Lorenzo Zitta knows how to create thought provoking still
images with LightWave 11.6. Whether the still is computer-generated with
LightWave, an artful arrangement of digital photos, or a combination of the two,
the composition of the scene with its attention to detail and unusual merging of
objects demands a closer look.
Thanks to LightWave, I can quickly test many different approaches for my projects.
I love bringing models into Layout and switching on Radiosity, then start working
on shading and lighting, bringing in more elements, and testing and improvising
to get the look I want. - Lorenzo Zitta.
By artists for artists.
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9-13 August 2015

Los Angeles Convention Center
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Stellar sci-fi concepts
The Artist
Elijah McNeal
Freelance concept artist

artstation.com/artist/el1j4h
Interviewed by:
Marisa Lewis
Elijah McNeal is a freelance
concept artist for games and
film. Since his start on Star
Citizen, hes contributed to
ten IPs, several of which are
up for release in the next
two years.
Stellar
sci-fi concepts
Elijah McNeal combines his 2D and 3D skills to create stand-out

concept art. We speak to him about his artwork, design process
and recent projects
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
A character for Elijahs personal IP, Rainmaker. Its a

magistrate that judges and sentences the accused on sight
Elijah McNeal is a concept artist living in

Austin, Texas. Hes had the pleasure of
working on several next gen videogame titles,
including the recently announced Gears of War
4. Hes been enjoying his career so far and is
looking forward to what lies ahead! We catch
up with him about his latest work.
This dude is the Heavy Weapons guy for

Rainmaker Squadron. He comes with a
raunchy vocabulary and a charming wit
3dcreative: What inspired you to become an

artist? What inspires you today?
Elijah McNeal: No idea. I would draw a lot when
I was a child. I remember my dad and I played
Starsiege and I loved the art book, which was my
first contact with concept art as far as knowing
what it is and its purpose. Even today Im still
inspired by awesome art from the people I now
call my colleagues.
3dc: What are your preferred tools or software
packages, and why? Any plug-ins or extras you
would recommend?
Pen, pencil and paper. I absolutely love drawing
anywhere, anytime. Photoshop, ZBrush and
3ds Max are my digital go-to programs. I like
33
Elijah drew one of his friends inside of a mecha suit. She wanted a drawing, so he threw her in a robot!
ghostTown, Octane, and various scripts you

can get for 3ds Max over at ScriptSpot (www.
scriptspot.com).
Artist history
Elijah McNeals career up to this point...
3dc: Could you describe your general 3D

workflow for us?
2013: Contacted by the creative director at Cloud Imperium Games
I have several base meshes of bodies, faces,

bags, robotic parts, cars, and so on. I smash them
together, fashion unique parts in 3ds Max or
ZBrush, and then do native renders that I paint
over. Its relatively efficient when it comes to
lighting, materials and turnarounds.
2014: Began work as an outsource artist; worked on Gears of War 4 and other great titles
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
2013: Started working on Star Citizen and Squadron 42
2015: Went full-time freelance after finishing work as an outsource artist

Present: Full-time freelance. Worked on three titles since leaving the studio environment
A biomech drone for

Elijahs personal IP,
Rainmaker. These are
issued by the French
Government to
protect commercial
assets and the highly
affluent class
This character is for

Elijahs personal
IP, the leader of the
Rainmaker Squadron
35
A fun idea practicing painting, since Elijah mostly spends his time on line art and modeling designs
3dc: What do you think makes a strong concept

design? What do you enjoy the most about
creating concepts?
Depends, really. I think some kind of style helps
it along. Having the full package is what I like.
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Striking colors, over-the-top shapes, a sense of

motion and life, and believability.
A design doesnt have to work in the real world.
In some cases it doesnt have to work at all. Its
about making people excited and believe its real
that is important to me. I dont focus so much on

technique and tools. Really, Im looking to tighten
my style while experimenting with others.
3dc: If you could offer a key piece of advice to
aspiring concept artists, what would it be?
Elijah created this sculpt for a class he took with ZBrush Workshops some time ago
Travel and draw. Go outside, meet people, get to

know other artists. You can learn a lot more by
experiencing life rather than studying it. Youll
bring more life to your work and let go of theory
much more easily.
3dc: Which project (personal or professional) are
you the proudest to have worked on, and what
made it so special?
As far as anything I can talk about professionally,

Im super honored to have worked on the Gears
of War series, and with some good friends whose
work I admire greatly.
Personally, Im developing my own IP, which falls
somewhere between Hellboy and Ghost in the
Shell dark and over the top. Its been fun making
characters for this.
3dc: Finally, and most importantly: what do you

like to do in your spare time?
Reading, watching films, and even games from
time to time. I love to travel when I have the
opportunity, and to just talk with other artists.
3dc: Thank you very much for speaking to
3dcreative today!
37
Another asset for Elijahs personal IP. This is the primary assault craft used by the Rainmaker Squadron
An over-the-top hovercraft the Rainmaker Squad uses for land operations
This is a drone the Rainmakers use for unmanned surveillance and assault
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Elijah describes this one as a Run-of-the-mill giant mechy tank!
The Artist
Elijah McNeal
artstation.com/artist/el1j4h
A piece of personal practice
39
Sketchbook of Damir G Martin
The Artist
The sketchbook of
Ran Manolov
Ran Manolov is a 3D artist with an eye for detail and
unusual characters. He shares his ZBrush sketches and
clay sculpts with
us in this months Sketchbook
ag.com
3DCreativem
Ran Manolov
ranmanolov.wix.com/portfolio
Software used: ZBrush
Ran Manolov is a 3D character
artist currently freelancing and
living in London. He was the
main digital sculptor of one of
the heroes in the new Batman v
Superman movie.
Discover Ran Manolovs

brilliant ZBrush sculpts
I sketch in 3D because in 3D there are no
restrictions. I can fulfill my initial ideas and
add as much detail as I would like. Sketching
is great because youre immediately able
to see how the light plays with the volume.
The sculpt goes hand in hand with drawing,
with anatomy you cant skip that. I spent
a decade drawing and studying traditional
art, and that was the most valuable thing I
could do. Once you have done that, theres no
difference if the clay is on a table or consists of
millions of polygons.
Inspiration and ideas
My inspirations may come from outside or inside.
Some ideas are completely new to me; some
ideas can originate from a traditional concept,
but then can be created in a new way by using
current technologies. I often have a vision of the
final image in my mind; I just have to take my time
to bring it to the rest of the world. Love inspires
as well, and thats why I would like to thank my
partner, Fay, for being who she is. And of course
the old and new masters.
The tribal kid from my project Ameenah and the Kid
41
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | The Sketchbook of Ran Manolov
Materials
I find myself first in ZBrush, sketching and
exploring. The interface is complicated, but once
you make your own menus and shortcuts, the
only thing you think about is the sculpt. I often
use Maya, to block out the props and all the
hard surfaces that I need for my projects; its new
modeling tools are really powerful. I use 3D-Coat
for retopology and UVing. I love the simplicity
of that program everything is like a game. For
texturing purposes, I use MARI, as the control it
gives you is unbelievable.
A close-up of Rocinantes head
Sketching workflow
As an artist with a traditional background, I like
to use ZBrush to sketch my initial ideas as it feels
like real clay. Then its a matter of using just 2 or
3 brushes: Standard, Clay and Dam Standard.
Using reference is important as well; my father
taught me anatomy and my mother taught me
to observe. I always aim for my works to be
convincing but stylish at the same time.
As an illustrator and 3D character artist,
I couldnt resist making a sculpt of Don Quixote
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
A different angle of Don Quixote
My sculpt of Don Quixotes horse, Rocinante
43
A character for a scene that I had in my mind, Ameenah and the Kid,
of a meeting between a mythological creature and a tribal kid
My tribal centaur character, Ameenah
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
A high-res sculpt of my centaur characters head
A portrait of my beloved grandpa
Doberman study. The most

amazing dog breed
TOP TIP
Use detail wisely
They say, The devil is in the
details! and dont get me
wrong, I love details myself. But
a detail in the wrong place, or
when unconvincingly made, is
worse than having no detail at
all. Many people are tempted
to cover everything with highfrequency details and they then
believe that their work is good.
My advice is to take the time
to observe, study the form and
then look to proceed.
45
Close up of the Bremen Town dogs head
A project of mine based on the fairytale The Bremen Town Musicians
The Artist
Ran Manolov
ranmanolov.wix.com/portfolio
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
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featured in 3dcreative magazine?
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and their artwork to adorn the pages of our
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please get in touch!
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portfolio and some information about you.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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HT
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Designing a mobile app
T
AR
S
ST
L
T
O
The Artist
Designing a
mobile app
The Paper Fox is a mobile app in a charming picture-book style,

built from scratch by 3D artist Jeremy Kool. We learn more about
Jeremys project and what hes learned along the way
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Jeremy Kool
society6.com/jeremykool
Software or media used:
Maya, V-Ray, Unity, Photoshop
Jeremy Kool is a CG artist,
doodler and certified weirdbeard. Hes currently based in
Berlin and is working on his
own iOS app, The Paper Fox.

venture The Paper Fox...
Puppet Self Portrait I wanted

to make myself as a Muppetslike character, eh voil!
3dcreative: Hello Jeremy, thank you for speaking

to us! Firstly, could you tell us a bit about
yourself? Who are you, where are you based, and
what do you do?
Jeremy Kool: Im an Australian CG artist with
graphic design and illustration roots and I live in
Berlin. Im currently working full-time as a senior
games artist at a super swell company called
Wooga GmbH. I also freelance on the side and
work on my own art when I have the time.
3dc: What first inspired you to get into digital art,
and what inspires you today?
JK: Most photos of me as a child are of me with
a pencil looking up from a page of drawings.
Ive also always been a gamer, so I think its very
natural for me to mix two of my passions. Im
inspired by everything around me, but I try to
avoid taking in too much digital media as I find
that it creates a bit of a feedback loop.
Wooden Rhino Beetle A personal piece, part of a set of three wooden insect prints I am creating
51
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Designing a mobile app
The Den The Paper Foxs den, made with Maya and Unity
The Owl The Owl from the interactive book The Paper Fox. Maya, V-Ray, Photoshop
The Stag The Stag from the

interactive book The Paper
Fox. Maya, V-Ray, Photoshop
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Paper Fox titular character from the interactive book, The Paper Fox
3dc: Tell us about your project The Paper Fox.

What is it and how did the project come about?
stuck, it wasnt long before I was able to find the

answer I needed.
JK: The Paper Fox is an app for iOS I created. I was

lucky enough to get the project crowdfunded,
which allowed me to work with some very
talented friends.
3dc: What challenges did The Paper Fox present?

What did you learn along the way?
The story was written by my sister who is a

published author it was a great experience to
work together on a passionate project.
3dc: What tools and software did you use for the
project, and why?
JK: I used Maya to model the characters and
environments and Unity to build the app. I have
used Maya for a few years now and Im quite
fast at getting things built and textured. Unity is
a great engine for indies because it has a great
online community and store. So whenever I was
JK: Other than the art, everything was new and

challenging: running an off-site team, dealing
with a publisher, applying for government
funding, crowd-sourcing to name a few.
Other than those, I had to learn to put the app
together in Unity myself as we didnt have a
programmer for the initial few months. Learning
some basic script was way out of my comfort
zone, but actually quite fun once I got into the
swing of things.
3dc: Lastly, what are your plans and goals for the
future? What can we look forward to seeing from
you soon?
JK: Ive got so many ideas and not enough time.

Right now Im focusing on printed artwork,
namely a series of wooden beetles. After that Im
illustrating a book cover for my sister and then Im
thinking about some interactive digital work and
some 3D printed works.
3dc: Thank you very much for taking the time to
speak to 3dcreative!
The Artist
Jeremy Kool
society6.com/jeremykool
53
119
Issue 119 | July 2015
DESIGNING A
MOBILE APP

venture The Paper Fox
+plus
Stellar sci-fi concepts

Epic ZBrush creations
PBR maps for game assets
Atmospheric interiors in 3ds Max
Learn to sculpt muscle groups
and much more!
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3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Preparing 3D sculpts for print
The Artist
James W. Cain
jameswcain.co.uk
Software Used:
ZBrush, Form 1+ 3D printer
James W. Cain is a 3D artist
and sculptor with a focus on
3D printing. Hes a freelance
graphic designer by trade,
based in the south east UK.
Preparing 3D
sculpts for print
by James W. Cain
Before taking your 3D sculpt to the printing stage, there may be some
fixes and precautions to consider. You dont want treacherous bubbles
and structural issues to ruin a good sculpt! James W. Cain walks us
through prepping a ZBrush model for SLA printing
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
See how James W. Cain gets

his sculpt ready to print...
When it comes to preparing a sculpt for
printing on the Form 1+, there are a few details
that need to be considered to ensure it will
be successful. In the last chapter I showed my
creative process and how I go about sculpting;
this chapter will focus on the workflow that
leads up to getting the model into the printer.
Im going to talk about the theory behind
getting the sculpt print ready and will also be
covering how to break the sculpt into separate
parts, how to make each part fit together, and
finally exporting the sculpt from ZBrush.
Assessing the final sculpt from the last
chapter, here are the main things that need to
be considered before I start work.
Breaking the mesh into pieces
If there are parts of the sculpt that have large
overhanging geometry (such as arms), it may be
worth breaking them off into separate meshes.
This can reduce the complexity of the mesh for
printing, removing an area of difficulty that could
cause print failures. Using separate pieces also
allows the production of larger prints that would
otherwise be restricted by the printers maximum
print size (which on the Form 1+ is quite small).
Another advantage to this approach is the ability
to add more resolution to the print. For example:
a single-part print with 1 million polygons could
be difficult for the printer to handle, whereas two
500,000 polygon parts printed separately should
cause fewer problems.
The downside to all this is that making the join
between the two pieces can be quite tricky. For
this reason, its good practice to place the join
where it can be hidden or easily smoothed over
in the post-printing process. I try to have this in
mind during the initial sculpting process; that way
I can plan where the joins will be and hide them
with other features. In the context of this bust, I
want to separate the head from the body, and the
high-necked blouse is perfect for hiding the join.
Watertight meshes
One thing thatll really affect the success of the
print is whether the mesh thats sent to the
printer is completely watertight. Luckily ZBrushs
DynaMesh feature makes it fairly straightforward
to merge everything together, even on a
complex sculpt with a lot of SubTools. DynaMesh
effectively eliminates any chances of bubbles
of geometry deep inside the mesh; if these arent
removed, theyll cause the prints to trap resin
inside and require additional supports, or to fail
at worst.
Unfortunately its still possible to create these

bubbles on the outer parts of the mesh, even
when using DynaMesh. This is common when
merging SubTools that have gaps between them.
Using DynaMesh here would create a bubble
between the SubTools which, when printed, could
trap resin inside with nowhere for it to escape,
causing a blowout (where pressure pushes out of
the print during printing).
The best way to avoid this is to ensure that theres
an overlap between the SubTools before using
DynaMesh. Its also possible to fix these bubbles
by appending a sphere and moving it over the
bubble, merging it with the main mesh and then
re-DynaMeshing it.
Creating a hollow mesh
Hollowing out each mesh to be printed is really
important for the print to be successful on the
Form 1+. The printer can really struggle when
printing large surfaces due to the stresses

involved, so hollowing out a model not only saves
on resin but also raises chances of success. See
pictured a cross-section of the final separated
head, showing a hollow but air-tight mesh ready
for printing.
Resolution
How detailed can a print get? Although the
Form 1+ is an amazing printer, its probable that
whatever youre trying to print will have more
detail than it can actually print.
Its worth considering this while using DynaMesh
at different resolutions, as it can be quite
demanding on resources and even crash ZBrush
when merging a lot of geometry together! If this
happens, try lowering the resolution or turning
Project off in the settings. Dont be precious the
mesh will lose detail, but its unlikely that detail
would be seen in the final print anyway.
57
Assessing the SubTools using the XPose function
01
Assessing the sculpt: Before I start,

I use Transform > XPose to get a good
overview of the amount of SubTools and their
general shape. From this I can already see that I
need to work on the neck of the head SubTool as
it tapers outwards, and also the shirt and jacket
SubTools may need to be filled as they are hollow.
02
Adding a support base: My first priority

is ensuring that the print will be able
to stand up on its own. I used Tool > Append to
append a simple cube. Using the Transpose tool, I
move and scale the cube into place at the back of
the sculpt. I then use the Clip Curve brush to slice
off the overlapping area at the front.
03
Checking that SubTools overlap: While

the sculpt is still in separate SubTools, its
a good idea to check for potential gaps between
them and correct accordingly. I do this by using
the Move brush to nudge them into each other,
or by building up more geometry using the Clay
brush with Backface Masking selected. Using
the Inflate deformer (Tool > Deformation) in
conjunction with masking is also a good way to
bulk out areas that arent visible but may need
more overlap. I do this for the collar as it looks like
it might cause me issues later on.
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Creating a base so the print will stand up
Fixing holes and ensuring overlap to avoid the bubbles mentioned earlier
Dividing the print up into two separate pieces
04
Deciding to divide the print: Because

the head including the hair is quite
large, I decide to split the model into two pieces:
the head and the body. The top of the blouse

overlaps the neck, so it should hide the join
nicely. First, however, I need to build up the neck
of the body so Ill be able to use a DynaMesh

subtract to create the join, and trim down the
neck of the head as it looks too long and tapered.
59
05
Building up the neck: Hiding the head,

hair and eye SubTools and looking down
into the neck of the blouse reveals a large hole
with a diagonal bottom where the jacket SubTool
starts. I need this area to be flat and further up the
neck. I achieve this by selecting the blouses collar
SubTool, selecting the inner-facing area using
Tool > Polygroups > Groups By Normals and the
Select tool, and then using the Scale transpose
tool to scale it inwards. This then creates a nice
flat surface that will be air tight when I merge and
DynaMesh all the SubTools later.
06
Adjusting the head: Looking at the

neck, it tapers outward near the bottom.
Thinking about how the head and body will slot
together, I need the neck to be straight. I use the
Trim Curve brush here to slice out the unneeded
geometry, which also has the added benefit of
creating a Polygroup right where Ill need it later.
07
Merging and DynaMeshing SubTools:

I decide at this point that Ill keep the
head and body separate through the whole
process to keep things simple (instead of merging
them together and splitting them apart again). I
first merge each SubTool of the head one by one,
re-DynaMeshing each time to get the maximum
resolution possible without crashing ZBrush
(see above). You can also merge tools quicker
using SubTool Master > Merge if the resulting
mesh is quite complicated; however, ZBrush
can sometimes have problems handling it for
DynaMesh (depending on hardware). I did the
same for each SubTool of the body, resulting in
two DynaMeshed SubTools.
Trimming the neck ready for the join
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Creating a flat area in the neck of the blouse for the join
The result of merging all the SubTools into two parts
Creating the join between the models head and body
08
Building the join: To build the join

between the head and body, I first make
sure that theres a slight overlap where the neck
meets the flat surface. I mask off the bottom
Polygroup (created when trimming the neck),
then invert it (Ctrl+click outside the mesh). I drag
out the geometry using Move Transpose, then use
Scale Transpose to scale it inwards into a tapered
area. Re-DynaMeshing this and smoothing out
the resulting geometry created the male end of
the join.
Checking for problem geometry inside the mesh
To create the female join, I duplicate the head

SubTool, inflate it (Tool > Deformer), then click
the SubTool subtract icon, found in the Tool >
SubTool palette just under the SubTool name.
Inflating will give me a little room in the join,
without which the fit might be too tight in the
print. Ensuring the duplicated head is below
the body in the SubTool list, I then select the
body SubTool and use Tool > SubTool > Merge
> Merge Down to merge the two together. Re-
DynaMeshing then subtracts the inflated head

geometry from the body, creating the hole for
the join.
09
Checking for bubbles: I then turn

on double-sided view (Tool > Display
Properties) and use Select Rectangle to select a
cross-section of each part to check for bubbles of
geometry. Places of interest are the areas around
the jacket collar and where the jacket bottom
meets the blouse. You can even switch SubTools
61
and the hidden parts of the mesh will stay hidden,

which is very useful for the next step!
10
Fixing bubbles: After identifying a

few areas that may cause problems, I
eliminate them by merging and DynaMeshing
additional geometry into the mesh. I append a
new sphere SubTool and activate DynaMesh using
the default settings, then shape and mold it over
the bubble like a ball of clay. I then merge the
sphere into the main mesh, unhide the hidden
parts and re-DynaMesh. Re-inspecting the mesh
reveals the bubble is now gone. This is quite a
delicate process; its tricky not to spoil the outer
details with this method, so patience is required.
I use the Insert Cylinder

brush on ZSub to add more
drain holes. I tend to put these
in hidden parts of the model
11
Hollowing out each SubTool: To

hollow out each mesh, I use the Insert
Cylinder brush to draw out a cylinder on the area
where I want the initial hole to be. The mesh is
automatically masked afterwards, so I clear the
mask, isolate the newly inserted geometry and
use Tool > Polygroups > Group as DynaMesh Sub.
I then use the Create Shell DynaMesh function
Hollowing out the SubTools using DynaMesh Shell
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Fixing geometry bubbles that may cause problems later
Creating resin escape holes
(Tool > Geometry > DynaMesh), ensuring Project is

turned off and using a thickness of 18.
12
Creating extra escape holes: I use the

Insert Cylinder brush on ZSub to add
more drain holes. I tend to put these in hidden
parts of the model; places like the nostrils, inside
the ears and the bottom of the base are ideal
locations. You dont need to go overboard with
these one or two should do the trick.
13
Decimating the SubTools ready for exporting
Decimation: Once both parts of the

image are finished, I use the Decimation
Master plug-in to reduce each SubTools
polycount, lowering the file size and making them
easier to print. The total amount of polygons
for print on the Form 1+ can be quite high: it
can handle anything up to 1 million polygons.
Its a good idea to keep this as a low as possible
though, as its then quicker and easier to send
across to the printer.
TOP TIP
DynaMess
There are a two things to bear in mind when using
DynaMesh Shell. The first is that its VERY resource-hungry,
so from the point that its initiated it will take a while to
complete the process. The second is to remember to turn
off the Project feature in the DynaMesh settings, otherwise
DynaMesh will try to project details onto the outside AND
the inside of the mesh, resulting in a mess of geometry if the
walls are too thin.
The results of DynaMesh Shell with Project switched on
63
14
Final check and export: Now both

SubTools are ready to export out of
ZBrush, but I make one final check using the
Close Holes function (Tool > Geometry > Modify
Topology) to make sure there are no holes in the
The 3D Print Exporter ZBrush plug-in menu
TOP TIP
Creating keys for joins
Creating keyed parts can be useful for joins that dont have the added luxury of gravity as
support. To do this, I DynaMesh everything together, then split each part I want to key into
different Polygroups (you can also use the Slice Curve brush to great effect here). I then
split the part off the mesh using the Tool > SubTool > Split Functions, use Close Holes and
re-DynaMesh to get watertight parts. I then select the new Polygroup created by closing
the hole, move it and scale it inwards, re-DynaMesh and smooth the result. I use the Insert
Cube brush to make the key and re-DynaMesh. Then I duplicate the part, inflate it, move it
below the main part I want to subtract from, select DynaMesh Subtract and merge the two
together. Re-DynaMeshing then creates a keyed join between the two SubTools.
How to create keyed parts
mesh after decimation. ZBrush has a 3D Print

Exporter plug-in, which generates STL files that
Formlabs PreForm software can use. The default
settings are mostly fine here; I make sure to click
on Update Size Ratios so the plug-in updates
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
the size of the model, and also select Export in

Separate Files so I can export both SubTools
together. Then I just click on the STL button and
both my SubTools are exported from ZBrush,
ready for the next chapter!
The Artist
James W. Cain
jameswcain.co.uk
NEXT TIME:
In issue 120, see James

W. Cains model come
to life in resin!
65
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Maxwell Render and MARI for vehicles
6 x texture files
1 x HDRi
1 x Maya swatch
Maxwell Render and

MARI for vehicles
by Rory Bjrkman
Rory Bjrkman guides us through his workflow for texturing and

rendering a futuristic desert-racing car with Maxwell Render and MARI
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Artist
Rory Bjrkman
artstation.com/artist/bjorkman
Software Used:
Maya, MARI, Maxwell Render
and Photoshop
With a background in traditional
art and sculpture, Rory
Bjrkman is currently studying
Media at the National College of
Art and Design in Dublin, with a
focus on digital arts.
Download a free HDRi

thanks to Dosch Design.
Expires 7th August 2015!
67
Enhance your vehicle skills

with Rory Bjrkmans help
In this tutorial I will be following on from
the modeling tutorial in last months issue
by texturing and compositing our futuristic
desert racer. In particular we will be looking
at how to create a variety of materials from
pearlescent paint, carbon fiber and metallics
using Maxwell Renders Material Editor. We
will also go through the process of creating
a foreground with rocks and trees, a distant
background using the Maxwell Ocean tool,
creating depth with the Maxwell Fog Emitter,
and finally we will bring all of these elements
together using HDR lighting.
01
Base landscape: In Maxwell Render, the

first step we need to take is to create a
large expanse of background desert for our scene
to take place. By selecting the Maxwell shelf we
can access the new Maxwell Ocean tool. Simply
click on this to generate an ocean plane. In order
for the fog to work effectively, I resize the ocean
to be very large in the scene at a 45-degree angle
to our vehicle. In order to make the ocean look
more like a sloping desert, we need to adjust the
settings, and for the fog to dissipate naturally a
low setting of 0.3 set to Constant should give the
effect we need.
02
Foreground: As the foreground is

closest to the camera we need to have
much better detail. So first we need to create a
polygon plane and add edge loops in line with the
wheel direction, then extrude downward a small
amount to create a natural-looking wheel groove
in the ground. In order for the sand to match up
with this, we must make and export a UV map for
Photoshop. In Photoshop, place a tileable sand
texture (see downloadable resources) and paint
out the sand pattern as if its been driven across.
Well apply this texture later in the tutorial.
03
Making rocks using photogrammetry:

Now I will demonstrate the process of
making simple and effective rocks using 123D
Catch.123D Catch is a free online resource from
Autodesk where you can upload images of any
object and automatically transform it into a
usable 3D object!
The first step you need to take is to bring your dog
for a walk and find some lovely stones. Its best to
use stones that look like miniature rocks, so pick
ones with rough details and crevices. Go to 123D
Catch and follow the simple instructions.
After you upload the photos and export your
model from 123D Catch, import it back into Maya
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Maxwell Fog and Maxwell Ocean settings
and delete all of the unnecessary geometry. By pressing 6, you can preview
the texture. Thats it instant rocks!
04
Place the stone on a patterned piece of paper and take a

series of at least 20 images in rotation around the stone
Image-based lighting (IBL): In the project files for this tutorial you
will be able to download this outstanding extra-large HDR image,
Placing the foreground and creating wheel marks
Adding lighting using a HDR image
69
Dutch Skies HDR
Maxwell Sky
Background with trees added, including IBL
supplied to us exclusively by doschdesign.com.

Dosch Design supply artists with an array of
products including beautiful high-quality HDR
images, so I am very grateful to Sebastian Dosch
for letting us use this image.
To access this image we need to enable Image
Based Environment in the Maxwell Render
settings window. I find an Offset U value of 25
and an Offset V value of 5 work nicely to get the
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
most from this HDRi. Of course, this is a matter of

personal taste.
05
Lighting alternatives: In this step

we will take a look at some lighting
alternatives. If you do not have access to the
Dosch HDR image you can find some nice free
alternatives online. One such place is HDRLabs
(hdrlabs.com) which offers a wide range of free
quality HDR images.
Another great alternative is to use the built-in

Sky Dome in Maxwell Render. The advantage of
using the Maxwell Sky is that you have a huge
amount of control over the lighting itself, such
as time of day, atmospherics and location. This
can be accessed in the Render settings under the
Maxwell tab.
06
Adding foliage: In this step we will use

a free sample from Xfrog to populate our
Xfrog solo tree
scene with foliage. Its time to add some trees into our scene. For this theres
no better place than Xfrog. As this is a desert environment, Ive chosen the
Queen Palm set which you can download for free from the Xfrog website
(xfrog.com/product/TR19.html). You can choose to download the models
in multiple formats, but Maxwell is not one of those formats, so I will supply
the Maxwell Materials for this tree in the downloadable project files. Next,
place the trees into the scene to fill any spaces in the composition and apply
the materials as labeled.
07
Exporting for MARI: For painting our model in MARI, we first need
to make and lay out the UV tiles. MARI supports multiple UV tile
layouts, so I will separate the model into its material components, i.e. metal,
wheels, paint surfaces, and so on. This will make it easier to select objects,
paint objects of the same material, and apply an overall dust texture later.
In the Maya mesh settings, I use the smooth setting with a value of 2, with
Preserve > Selection Borders checked. In the UV layout panel, under the UV
Texture Editor Grid Options, set the length and width to 10, and the number
of subdivisions to 2. This should enable you to preview the full set of UV tiles
for MARI.
Preparing UVs, smoothing our mesh and exporting for texturing in MARI
71
Applying a
carbon fiber
texture to our
vehicle
Making the mask that will reveal the sand
Applying a material to the seats, seat belt and floor
08
Making sand masks in MARI: To create

the effect of sand in crevices, first go to
Objects > Ambient Occlusion. Then in the Channel
menu, create a new layer and select Geometry >
Ambient Occlusion. The ambient occlusion will be
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
created as a procedural layer, so to rasterize this,

right-click and select Merge.
By selecting various parts of the geometry, we
can use grayscale images to paint natural sand
streaks on the AO layer. Try to imagine that whats

black will be sand. When youre happy, right-click
the AO layer and navigate to Export. Its good
practice to rename your exported files according
to where they are on the vehicle.
Applying a material to the seats, seat belt and floor
Taking a look at the basic components of a Maxwell material
09
Applying the carbon fiber texture:

First we will select our geometry and
open the UV tab; this way, we can paint flat.
Import the file carbon fiber.png (provided in the
downloadable resources) into the image plane
and drag it onto the work area. At the top, select
Repeat so that the texture will repeat at the edges
as we paint. Alternatively, by selecting Stamp, you
can fill the entire screen with once click. (Note
that this will affect all geometry on the screen at
the same time, so make sure only the panels we
want carbon fiber on are visible.)
10
Interior texturing: I apply the material

for the seats in the same way I applied
the carbon fiber. I have supplied the seat texture
for you in the project files. When applying the seat
texture, ensure that the seams and fiber direction
run complementary to the seat itself, as it will
look much better in the final renders. We can also
import images to apply as patches to the seat
belts or wherever you wish. Note that its good
practice to apply each material in a separate layer
within your channel layer and label it accordingly.
11
Maxwell material overview: In the

Maxwell Editor we can create multiple
layers of various opacities, and within each
layer we can also create BSDF layers, which can
contain bump maps, diffuse textures, gloss maps,
73
emitters and displacements. The best workflow

is to create the base BSDF first by plugging your
image into the Reflectance node. You can lower
the Roughness of this to achieve a matte or gloss
finish; whatever color or image is plugged into
Reflectance 90 will become more dominant the
lower the Roughness is brought. In the upper
layers above this, we can plug in a solid sand
color and this can be controlled by an opacity
mask made earlier in MARI (or any grayscale
image). This way we can layer sand on top of our
materials below.
Setting up the metallic paint
A great way to understand

the materials and get started
on any new material is to use
the materials wizard
12
Maxwell material overview: metallic

paint: For making a nice metallic paint,
we need to start with a deep ruby base with a
Roughness of 50. Above this, make a new layer
and set it to Additive (this is signified by an A on
the layer). On this layer, well make the Roughness
25, put a red color in Reflectance and orange in
Reflectance 90. Reflectance 90 should always
have a lighter color than Reflectance for better
falloff light.
Then make another Additive layer above this for
the glaze coating, check Force Fresnel and lower
the Roughness to 0. You can add a new layer
above this again, like in the carbon texture, if you
want to make the sand mask.
13
Maxwell material types: A great

way to understand the materials and
get started on any new material is to use the
materials wizard. When you create a new material
The vehicles material presets
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Make sure your BSDF layer values add up to 100!
Using HDR images as materials
by selecting the Global Parameters tab, you can

access a range of basic material types under the
Type Menu. Alternatively you can access either the
Browser at the top and search the thousands of
ready-made user materials, or the Local Materials
which are made by Maxwell. Always remember
when stacking BSDF layers to make sure they
collectively add up to 100 to get true results.
14
Creating an Emitter
Maxwell material basic: We can make

any image into an Emitter material in the
Maxwell Editor. First you must convert that image
in Photoshop to a 32-bit format under the Mode
tab in the menu, and then save it as an Open
EXR. When you create a new Maxwell material by
right-clicking on the layers palette, we can Create
Emitter, and under Type, select HDR Image and
plug your image into the material. From here
you can also adjust the intensity. I will supply the
materials used in this project for you to analyze.
75
Adding a fill light and a kick light to our scene
Before you render your

scene, you must enable the
Multilight feature in the render
settings. You can enable it to
adjust either light intensity or
both intensity and color
15
Adding fill and kick lights: In this step

we will add a fill light and a kick light
also known as a kicker light, a secondary light
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
source that adds extra dimension to the darker

side of the subject. One of the great features in
Maxwell Render is the Multilight function, which
allows us to adjust the lighting intensity and
color, post-render.
The first thing we need to do is to add two
polygon planes with the normals facing our
vehicle. We will then need to apply a Maxwell
emitter material to each plain. If you use the FIRE
window, you can adjust the intensity and color of

these before committing to a final render. These
lights will give us extra control over the outcome
of our scene.
16
The Maxwell Multilight feature:

Before you render your scene, you
must enable the Multilight feature in the render
settings. You can enable it to adjust either light
intensity or both intensity and color. Once your
Maxwell Renders useful Multilight feature
render is complete you can slide the dials in

the Multilight window and update the scene by
hitting Refresh. If you like the image, make sure
to save it before adjusting the lights again. This
way you can have multiple versions with different

lighting from one render. In our final scene I will
just use this setting sparingly to bump up some
shadows and highlight the paint sparkle so
that it looks natural. After taking the final image

into Photoshop to tweak the levels, add some
atmospheric dust and paint extra sand details
under the tires, the car is complete.
77
The Artist
Rory Bjrkman
artstation.com/artist/bjorkman
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
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3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Cars in Marmoset Toolbag 2
Scene file
Models
Textures
Cars in Marmoset
Toolbag 2
by Andrew Finch
Discover Andrew Finchs methods for UVing and

3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
texturing a sleek racing car and rendering it in real time
The Artist
Andrew Finch
andrewfinch.carbonmade.com
Software Used:
3ds Max
Andrew Finch is a senior
environment and lighting artist
at Codemasters Birmingham.
He has eight years industry
experience and is now working
on his tenth professional game.
83
Andrew shares his texturing

and rendering expertise
In this tutorial I will guide you through the
process of texturing the vehicle asset we
modeled in the previous issue, and exporting
it to Marmoset Toolbag 2 to set up a scene for
our final renders. If youre not familiar with
Marmoset Toolbag 2, its a real-time physically
based rendering (PBR) solution that is a
standalone program. Its mainly used in the
games industry to display assets for portfolios,
but I wanted to show that it can be used with a
high-poly model and provide some fantasticlooking images in real-time. It allows us to use
physically correct surfaces that, combined
with HDR lighting, give us a photorealistic
professional end result.
01
UVing the bonnet: In 3ds Max, apply

an Unwrap UVW modifier to the asset
before the TurboSmooth modifier so were only
dealing with the simplified mesh. I use planar
mapping for the top and bottom geometry, and
apply the Relax tool to smooth out any folds in
the UVs that would cause kinks in the texture. I
organize the UV islands to maximize the space
used for the most important parts of the asset; in
this case, the bonnet top would need more space
than the underside, so we can have more texture
resolution on the visible geometry.
02
Tire mapping: Tires can be quite tricky

to UV map because of the curvature of
the wheel. I map the tread of the tire using simple
cylindrical mapping and scale it to match the
rest of the car. The wall of the tire is more tricky;
if you want to apply detail textures to the wall of
the tires (such as writing or logos) then we ideally
need the wall to be completely flattened out,
but the usual projection mapping techniques
wont work for us. Instead, we can use the Wrap
tools, specifically the Spline Wrap tool. To create
the correct shape, use the Edit Poly modifier
and select an edge of the wall and loop select to
form a circle of selected edges. Then click Create
Shape to add a spline that perfectly matches the
edge selection.
Now back to the UV modifier. Select the Spline
Wrap tool and pick the new spline, use planar
mapping, then select and scale the cross-section
in the viewport until they just about encompass
the wheel. Once you commit the tool, you can
then scale and rotate the UV island to fit correctly
in the UV space.
03
UVing the shell of the vehicle:

Because the shell of the car will be using
a paint material, its best practice to join all these
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Unwrapping each element to keep the whole process simple
Spline unwrapping to unfold the circular tire
meshes together so they share the same material.

This also makes it easier for us to texture on one
map later on. Attach all the shell elements that
will have the painted material and apply a new
Unwrap UVW modifier. Youll probably now have

overlapping UVs, so move them all out of the UV
space and bring each island back in. Remember
to keep the scaling of the outer geometry roughly
Grouping the shell of the vehicle to one UV space
The finished car with multiple material IDs prepared for Marmoset Toolbag 2
the same, so that the texture resolution is

consistent. Once the UVs are packed into the UV
space, continue with the process with the rest of
the asset.
04
Separating the assets ID: In this image

you can see I have split the mesh into
its individual material IDs, represented here by
the different-colored meshes. All the red meshes
are going to be the car paint material, purple will

be chrome, gray will be the tires, and so on. The
reason Ive done this is to make the process easier
once Im in Marmoset Toolbag 2. Now when I
85
export this mesh, its split up and I can apply

multiple materials to the asset in Marmoset.
05
Rendering the UVs: With the car paint

shell ID selected in the Unwrap UVW
window, select Tools > Render UVW template. In
the dialog box I change the size to 8192 x 8192
(this is a very large texture in the games industry
and should be good enough resolution for our
needs). You can adjust this size depending on the
element youve selected; I know this element will
have text and detail in the texture, so I need it to
be higher resolution. Hit Render UV Template
and youre presented with an image of the UV
space with all our UVs as we unwrapped them.
Save this image and well bring it into Photoshop
as a guide for texturing.
Using the UV wireframe as

a guide, Im able to draw in
white racing-stripe decals
that match the curves of
the bodywork
Rendering out the UVs for guidance during the texturing process
06
Setting up the PSD: Bring the rendered

UV template into Photoshop, duplicate
the layer and name it UV. Create a new layer and
place it between the UV and the background
layers this will be the car paint base layer. Use
the Paint Bucket tool to flood-fill this layer with
the color you would like the vehicle to be (in this
case, a deep red). Select the UV layer and change
its layer mode to Screen, which removes all the
black from the image, leaving only the white and
green wireframe outlines of the UVs. If these lines
are still too distracting, change the opacity to get
a level you are comfortable with.
07
Completed diffuse texture: Using the

UV wireframe as a guide, Im able to
draw in white racing-stripe decals that match the
curves of the bodywork. Im also able to precisely
place the number text and logos for the rear of
the vehicle. I draw in a simple design for the door
to match the concept reference. I add a layer of
dust to the bonnet of the vehicle just so it doesnt
look too clean. I dont want to go too complicated
with the diffuse texture as I want the materials to
do a lot of the work for us.
Setting up the PSD for texturing the vehicles diffuse texture
08
Trims diffuse texture: As the trims are

mainly a chrome material, the shader
will be doing the work, so again its best not to
add too much detail here. I want the exhaust
pipes to have a rainbow-colored effect that you
sometimes see on sports cars I thought it would
be a nice touch on our vehicle. I add a little dirt
and grime on the white suspension caps but keep
the detail very subtle. I also add a red trim, just to
keep with the color scheme of the vehicle.
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Completing the diffuse texture for the body of the vehicle
Simple diffuse texture for the chrome trims of the vehicle
Completed tire texture with logos around the wall
09
Tire diffuse texture: The tires diffuse

texture is mainly a dark-gray, but I paint
in subtle shade changes to break it up a little.
New tires are usually quite clean, so no need to
go overboard with the detail as it may become

distracting. I add a white line which again reflects
the vehicles color scheme. I add logos to the wall
of the tire, which are the same color as the base
tire but with an added drop shadow to give a

fake ambient occlusion effect and simulate some
depth in the texture. I also add some small black
lines to show weld points on the tire.
87
A height map helps us to create a normal map in CrazyBump
Using CrazyBump to convert the height map into a normal map
FBX export of the vehicle imported into Marmoset Toolbag 2 ready for scene setup
10
Normal map texture: The tires normal

map is created by first converting our
diffuse texture into a height map in Photoshop.
Remove all the shading detail so we have a flat
gray background color, because we dont want
the variations in color to affect our normal map;
it will be quite a smooth surface, and the shading
detail would create weird normal map details
thatd look really bad in our renders. I keep the
lines and logos in the height map but convert
them to white, to indicate that theyll be raised
above the main tire surface.
11
Finishing off the normal map: Open

the height map in CrazyBump and the
software automatically starts to convert the
height data into a normal map for us. The default
settings arent what were looking for, so I turn
them all down to zero to begin with. As a further
aid, export the wheel from 3ds Max as an OBJ
and CrazyBump can import this model so we can
see exactly how the normal map will look on our
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
asset. I also apply the diffuse texture. Changing

the intensity to 50, Fine Detail to 99 and Medium
Detail to 22 gives me the result I want for the tires
surface. I leave Larger Details at 0 because they
create edges that are too rounded; theyre more
used for organic surfaces like rock, but we need a
harder edge for the tire details.
12
Importing into Marmoset Toolbag 2:

Back in 3ds Max, make sure you have all
of your elements and material IDs as separate
meshes and have the TurboSmooth modifier
enabled. Select all of the meshes and convert to
Editable Poly, which makes sure that our mesh
has no modifiers applied that wont be read by
Marmoset Toolbag 2. Its also best to reset the
XForms of the assets so that theyre all in the
correct positions when we import them into
Marmoset. Choose File > Export and select FBX
as the format, and export the mesh using the
default settings. With Marmoset Toolbag 2 open
in a new scene, choose File > Import Assets and
select the vehicle FBX file. Sometimes you may

have an occasion when the asset youve imported
is not to scale. If this is the case, select the asset,
navigate to the Transform settings, and increase
or decrease the scale value (usually by whole
numbers) until you have the correct scale.
TOP TIP
Applying sky textures
If you dont like the preset skies or
theyre just not working with your
scene, you can use your own sky
textures. If you have your own library
of HDR skies, you can select Image
instead of Preset and navigate to
your own sky image. This is a better
way of getting a scene that gels
together more naturally. There are
plenty of HDR skies available on the
internet for free or to purchase.
13
Custom materials applied to the assets separate ID meshes
Creating the materials: The materials

window located on the right-hand side is
where we can generate our own custom materials
or use the preset ones. Click the New button
to generate a blank material that we can now
plug our textures into. Rename this material to
coincide with the element it will be assigned to (in
this case, Shell). Plug the albedo/diffuse texture
and the normal map. You have the option to use
custom gloss and specular maps, but the sliders
are just what we need for the car paint. I give
the car paint full gloss and a reduced specular,
otherwise the diffuse color will be sucked out of
the material leaving a more chrome look. You
also have the option to plug in ambient occlusion
maps which will require baking from 3ds Max.
Marmoset has its own screen space AO solution,
but if this is not giving the correct results, a baked
solution may be better. To apply a material, just
drag it onto the desired element (in this case, the
body of the car).
14
Paint Deforming the terrain: The

terrain was created in 3ds Max using a
plane with a high level of subdivisions. In Editable
Poly mode, I use Paint Deformation to push and
pull parts of the plane to form sand dunes. I
dont go too detailed here, as it would be in the
background and out of focus our attentions
should be on the vehicle anyway. I use simple
planar UV unwrapping, with a little Relax applied
to smooth out the UVs, and apply a tileable sandy
texture and normal map in Marmoset to finish
it all off. I also add two spotlights for the head
lights, and two red point lights for the rear brake
lights. These help to pick out some of the details
on the terrain, but also shine nicely on the rear of
the vehicle.
Simple terrain using Paint Deformation to create the sand dunes
Post effects and rendering the scene for your portfolio images
15
Rendering your images: One youre

happy that all of the assets now have
the correct material setup applied, its time to
render the final images. If you select the camera
in the scene explorer, youll see a lot of options
are available to improve the rendered image; the
post-process settings are very powerful and can
dramatically change how the image looks. Ill go
into more detail in the Top Tip about the settings
I use for this image. You also have camera-specific
settings such as Depth of Field, which is great
for focusing the viewers eye on the detail of the
vehicle rather than the less-detailed environment;
it also gives a sense of realism to the image. The
viewport quality by default is half the resolution
it can be for performance reasons, but when
we render an image we need to increase the
resolution to get the best possible render. Change
the viewport resolution to 2:1 so its now double
in the Render tab. Finally select Capture and save
the image out.
89
TOP TIP
Post-processing in Marmoset
Toolbag 2 and Photoshop
Heres the post-processing methods I use in
Marmoset for this image. I tweak the Exposure,
Contrast and Saturation slightly. I also like to
Sharpen my images slightly. There are lots of
effects in here to play with, but my advice is to be
subtle with them as they can also ruin the image
if pushed too far. Marmosets post-process tools
are good but I dont rely on them entirely for my
final image, I finish off my images in Photoshop
because the tools available there are much more
powerful. Once Ive rendered out my image, I
usually bring it into Photoshop for some further
edits such as more color balancing and effects
like lens flares and screen dust in this image.
These can either be painted in yourself or there
are brushes available to make the process quicker
Adding post-process effects gives your images that
final layer of polish and a more professional look
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Artist
Andrew Finch
91
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114
Issue 114 | June 2015
plus
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3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Learn to sculpt muscle groups
The Artist
Arash Beshkooh
arash-bsh.cgsociety.org
Software Used:
ZBrush
Arash Beshkooh is a freelance
3D character artist and digital
sculptor, aspiring to get a fulltime job in the game industry
in the future.
Learn to sculpt
muscle groups
by Arash Beshkooh
Some knowledge is timeless and essential to any artists toolbox, no
matter what medium or software you use. Human anatomy is one of
those subjects! In this tutorial, digital sculptor Arash Beshkooh covers the
prominent muscle groups every character artist should remember
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Beef up your anatomy

knowledge with this
bodybuilder sculpt...
In this article, you will become familiar
with almost all of the visible and important
muscles in the body, and see how they change
according to the pose and body type (in
this case, a male bodybuilder). Ive divided
working on the muscles into several steps that
do not necessarily belong to an individual
muscle group.
Learning about muscles is crucial for sculpting
a figure, and the more knowledge you have
about the form and location of the muscles
and bones and the connection between them
the more accurate your results will be. Just
keep in mind that its always better to make
learning and studying a priority. You need to
know about the importance of the muscles
and bones because these are the first things
youll tackle after you have created the basic
proportions of your model; youll sculpt the
most important muscles and bones, and they
will guide you toward the less important ones
and other details.
Bad topology, like you see in these areas, will be a big problem later in the sculpting process
The basic muscle-sculpting process
In the following steps you will become familiar

with the muscles in each part of the body
and come to recognize their approximate
shape and location in this pose. Ive divided
the muscles into several parts based on their
functionality and relation between them to
make it easier to understand, but you can
separate them in your own way for study.
Remember that all the muscles are attached
to the bones, and bones have the same
structure and proportions in both average and
bodybuilder figures, so its important to know
the basic skeletal forms and places where
tendons are attached to the bones.
01
Retopologizing the model: Before

getting your hands dirty with sculpting
the muscles, you should make sure that the
topology of your model is good. The best
topology for sculpting is something with quad
faces within a fluent mesh. As we have rotated
some parts too much, some polygons have
become extremely stretched, which will be
annoying to work with later on and reduce our
control of the mesh. To avoid that, I retopologize
the model when Ive established the pose and all
the basic forms.
02
Muscle sculpting method: This is a

great place to show you how I sculpt
the muscles. I usually start by using a brush to
stroke along the length of the muscles to specify
Some of the shapes in the deltoid muscle on the upper arm
their basic shape and position, and then refine

the volumes by stroking along their width, and
finally I smooth them out to clean up the mesh.
You should repeat this process until you get your
desired result.
This is not a rule, however; you should
experiment with different methods to determine
what brush and method is the best for you, with

regard to the software you use or the models that
you sculpt.
03
Defining the deltoid: Lets start our

sculpting with the arm muscles. The arm
starts with a muscle called the deltoid, which is
stretched from the collar bone in the front of the
95
torso and the spine of the scapula in the back,

and ends at the humerus (upper arm bone).
If you look at the bodybuilder physique, youll
notice that this muscle doesnt really have the
form that you see in an average figure its shape
has changed to something a little rounder and
more pronounced.
Deltoid muscles are divided into three parts: the
anterior, medial, and posterior sections. The
anterior part is attached to the clavicle and is
more defined, especially in comparison to the
two others. As the arms are rotated, this muscle
moves to face the back.
04
Defining the chest muscles: As they

are located side by side with deltoids,
its important to sculpt the chest and deltoids
together. The chest muscle, or pectoralis
major, has three divisions. The upper part is
attached to the clavicle; the middle and largest
part is attached to the sternum (breastbone);
a small part in the lowest area is located over
the abdomen. They all have a single common
insertion point at the humerus. As the arms of our
model are raised and rotated, these muscles are
deformed as well.
Working on the distinctive pectoralis major
05
Defining the biceps: The next muscle

we will look at is the biceps. This muscle
is made of two parts, but they appear as one. The
origin of the biceps is actually at the coracoid
process of the scapula.
In this pose, this muscle is very contracted and
the shape has deformed to something more
spherical. Leave some space at its end because
the muscle is shorter as its contracted and the
rest of the space along the bone is now occupied
by the taut tendon. There is also another
muscle beneath the biceps called brachialis. In
an average body type, the brachialis is usually
invisible because of its size, position and the
amount of fat, but its crucial to sculpt them
into the bodybuilder form as well as the other
muscles. You can also see other muscles near the
biceps in the image.
Some of the muscles visible on the upper arm
06
Defining the triceps: Now lets define

the largest muscle in the upper arm,
located right behind the biceps. The inner triceps
are shorter and are called the lateral and medial
heads. The tendon plate of the triceps three
heads makes up a large part of the arms shape.
Its important to define the angle and proportion
of the tendon and muscle correctly to give it a
realistic look.
07
Defining the forearm muscles: The

forearm includes several muscles
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Defining the shapes of the muscles in the upper arm
Contours created by the muscles in the forearms
overlapping one another, and its a bit confusing

to memorize all of them at first. But the goal is to
get a realistic result and enough accuracy to look
believable. If we divide them into three divisions,
it becomes easier to study and sculpt them.
The first section includes two muscles: the
brachioradialis and extensor carpi radialis longus.
Note that these muscles belong to two different
muscle groups, but since their location and forms
are very similar, Im introducing them as one.
When we sculpt the muscles, we should consider
the position and length of the tendons. Its
very important to get the muscles shape right,
especially when contracted. This muscle group
usually appears as one muscle on most people,
but it shows up in two on more developed body
types with a very low amount of fat.
Outlining the forearm extensors
You should define it as the image shows, though

remember that since this arm is flexed, the
muscle here is bent accordingly.
08
Sculpting the forearm flexors: Next,

trace a line from the protrusion of the
humerus (the lateral epycondyle) to the place

right above the head of ulna. The space between
this line and the muscle that we defined earlier is
the place where the forearm extensors are.
The largest muscle in this area is extensor
digitorum. If you define the largest muscle, you

can simply figure out where the other muscles are
in the immediate vicinity and define them as well;
this is usually the way I work, by sculpting from
the largest muscles to the smallest.
97
09
Sculpting the forearm extensors:

Now the space thats left between the
previous muscle groups of the forearm belongs
to the flexors. Its better to start with the muscle
thats located approximately in the middle of the
forearm, called the palmaris longus. You should
add two muscles beside it as shown in the image.
The final flexor muscle, the flexor carpi ulnaris,
stands right beside the extensor carpi ulnaris
and the head of ulna, which we have sculpted
previously as a bony landmark.
The largest muscle in the

body is the latissimus dorsi,
though its very thin for its
size. Sculpt this muscle from
under the arms to the highest
point of the hip bone
10
Sculpting the latissimus dorsi:

The largest muscle in the body is the
latissimus dorsi, though its very thin for its size.
Sculpt this muscle from under the arms to the
highest point of the hip bone. The sides of this
muscle have deformed in this pose because of
the underlying muscle called the teres major.
There is a diamond-like landmark in the lower
part known as the lumbar aponeurosis, which is
more defined in bodybuilders but almost invisible
in less muscular figures.
Working on filling out the forms of the flexors
11
Defining the neck muscles: The

trapezius is another big and important
muscle that is stretched from the lower back of
the skull to the lumbar aponeurosis. The sides
of it are attached to the spine of the scapula,
which is why it seems divided in bodybuilders.
These two parts are not as defined in a regular
figure, but are completely visible in a bodybuilder,
especially in this pose. So its important to take
notice of that and make the upper part more
bulky in this pose. In the image you can also see
the other visible muscles of the neck from the
front view.
Filling out the sheet-like muscles on the sides of the torso
12
Sculpting the muscles around the

scapula: Since we have sculpted all of
the muscles Ive mentioned around the back of
the torso, there will be a triangular shape left over
the scapula. Some of these muscles are beneath
the others and are not visible to us. To know the
shape and position of them, you should study the
bone beneath them first and see how they work
in unison.
There are three muscles in this area that are
visible, but the biggest one you need to pay
attention to is the teres major (as depicted in
the image). This muscle also becomes more
pronounced as the arms are raised.
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The trapezius is more defined in a muscled physique
Contours in the silhouette of the torso
There is also a muscle aside from those three

muscles that stretches from the vertebra to the
scapula. It is almost invisible, but if the arms are
raised a little part of it become visible, particularly
in bodybuilders.
The external oblique muscles

are in a direct relationship
with the previous muscles;
they are stretched from the
abs and interdigitated with
the serratus anterior muscles
13
Outlining the muscles surrounding the rib cage
Serratus anterior: These muscles are

stretched again from the scapula, but
this time to the rib cage. Usually four of them
can be seen because the upper ones are covered
with other muscles. The ends of them should
form a curved line as the line of the rib cage is not
straight. You should avoid exaggerating the form
and size of these muscles.
99
14
External oblique: The external oblique

muscles are in a direct relationship with
the previous muscles; they are stretched from the
abs and interdigitated with the serratus anterior
muscles. They are always flatter compared to
the serratus muscles, and the lower part of the
external oblique has a completely different shape
which is much bigger, longer and more bulbous.
This bulky part plays an important role in making
the overall shape and silhouette of the body.
15
Abs definition: The shape and lineup of

the rectus abdominis muscle, or abs, can
be different from one person to another. Some
people have crooked abs and some have straight
ones; others have abs that slant slightly in the
center, others have straight lines. So basically, you
are free to sculpt this muscle specifically using
your reference.
Defining the external oblique muscles
There are some basic rules you should consider,

though. For example, there should be three
sections of muscle on both sides just above the
navel, and a larger section below. Note that the
position of the navel can be slightly different in
different people.
16
Sculpting the quadriceps: There are

four main muscle groups in the upper
leg, and from the front view you see one of the
most important: the quadriceps. This muscle
group includes three visible muscles (and a fourth
hidden one, hence the quad): the rectus femoris
in the middle, the vastus lateralis at outer side
and vastus medialis in the inner side. As you can
see here, the model has some fat which fades out
some of the muscle forms, but Im going to go a
bit further with the muscle definition so you can
see the muscles clearly.
Placement and distribution of the abs
17
Sculpting the gluteal muscles: This

muscle group is focused around the
pelvis. The muscles in this part are attached
together at the side and stretch down to below
the knee with the iliotibial band. You can see that
a pocket forms on the sides of the hips due to the
position of these muscles, but the extent of this
will depend on the pose of the legs.
18
The adductors: This muscle group is

located on the inner part of the upper
leg, and its job is adduction (moving inwards
towards the center line of the body) and rotation
of the legs. These muscles are barely seen even in
bodybuilders, but two muscles attach to the hip
bone in this area and can be seen in most body
types and poses. So this part is crucial to sculpt.
You can see the tendon in question in the image.
Theres a long muscle beside this muscle group
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Sculpting the quadriceps muscle group
The greater muscles on the hips and upper leg
The visible muscles on the inner thigh
101
which creates a splinting landmark line on the

leg. This long, thin muscle stretches from the
bony landmarks of the anterior superior iliac
spine to below the knee.
19
Defining the tight flexors: The next

and last muscle group we will look at
in the upper leg is the thigh flexors located on
the back of the thigh. Start defining them first
by splitting that area into two parts; the biceps
femoris and semitendinosus.
Remember to keep the overall forms correct and
sculpt these muscles in a way that you have the
main shape of the legs while having the right
forms of the muscles.
20
Lower leg muscles: This part of the

body is harder to sculpt because all the
muscles need to be placed in a very limited space
while still maintaining the correct overall shape of
the lower leg.
Sculpting the contours on the back of the thigh
Like in the previous step, define two muscles in

the back of the lower leg, and then add the extra
muscles beside them. From the front, you can see
that the tibia (or shinbone) is not covered with
muscles. If you define this section correctly, it will
be easier to position the other muscles around it.
21
Refining the arm muscles: Now we are

going to adapt these defined muscles to
suit our models pose. Youll notice that some of
the volumes have been changed in the arms.
Use the reference to match the silhouette from
the main view as closely as possible, then refine
the model from some other angles as well. Just
remember to maintain the shape of each muscle
during this process.
22
Refining the torso and back: The same

process applies when modeling the
torso; look at the angles of the parts of the torso
and apply the same proportions and angles to
your own model. There are two lines that help
with getting the pose right: the middle line of the
abs and torso, and a horizontal line across the
chest muscles, right above the abs.
Refining the complex shapes of the muscles in the lower leg
23
Refining the legs: Right now some of

the interconnecting muscles in the leg
might be crooked, so you can refine by fixing their
size and location. As Ive said before, if you set the
main muscles properly, it becomes easier to take
care of other muscles around them. Also, since
you are not working with symmetry switched on,
try to match one legs muscles to the other one.
The muscular arm in a contracted pose
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The reference image were trying to match
Study your reference closely to get the

angles and volumes right in your model
Checking the muscles in the leg
The Artist
Arash Beshkooh
arash-bsh.cgsociety.org
NEXT TIME:
In issue 120, Arash adds

textures, wrinkles and
veins to his model
The model so far!
24
Adding skin and imperfections: When

it comes to realistic organic modeling,
you should be a bit messy, because organic
models always have variations and imperfections
in their muscles, skin, bones and fat. Dont

smooth everything out, leave some sharp edges
between the muscles (unless youre working in a
more cartoon-like style). Try to use your memory
and imagination to make some variations in

volumes and details of the skin and muscles too.
Well talk more about this important part of the
organic sculpting processes in the next article.
103
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | PBR maps for game assets
Texture PSD files

Scene file
Videos
PBR maps
for game assets
by Andrew Finch
Environment artist Andrew Finch guides us through creating a single videogame asset
with 3ds Max and Marmoset Toolbag 2, including physically-based rendering (PBR)
techniques that are up to speed with the latest gaming technology. In this part, we
learn how to convey different metal surfaces and realistic weathering effects
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Artist
Andrew Finch
Software Used:
Marmoset Toolbag 2,
Photoshop
Andrew Finch is a senior
environment and lighting artist
at Codemasters Birmingham.
He has eight years industry
experience and is now working
on his tenth professional game.
105
Improve your PBR materials

with Andrew Finch
In the previous article we completed the
normal map textures and applied them to
our mesh in Marmoset Toolbag 2. In this
chapter we will learn about the PBR maps.
PBR maps are a system for generating
physically based materials that react correctly
with the lighting in the scene. Methods for
this process vary slightly depending on the
engine youre working with, but the skills
you learn in this tutorial will be a good base
to get you familiar with the system. If youre
already used to working with game assets and
creating specular maps, this process should
be very familiar to you. The Marmoset website
(marmoset.co) has a very good article that
breaks down the science behind PBR, and is
well worth reading to familiarize you with the
tech involved.
Start with a base to test the results in the engine
01
Base metal reflectivity: Using the

same starting point as when we created
the normal maps, duplicate the diffuse folder
in Photoshop and rename the folder gloss.
(Eventually we will create another duplicate for
the specular map, turn off all the detail layers and
convert to grayscale.) As a guide for now, make
the base metals full white, which should give us
full reflectivity. Do the same for the frame metal,
except this time give it a mid-gray 128 tone. When
we import the texture into Marmoset Toolbag 2
with these two tones, well see what influence the
different tones have on the surface of our asset.
Save this texture out as a gloss map.
The first gloss map imported into Marmoset Toolbag 2 as a guide for reflectivity intensity
02
Applying the gloss map: With our

scene open in Marmoset Toolbag 2,
select the main generator material, scroll down
to the Microsurface tab and import the new
gloss map. With the map applied, start to rotate
the viewport around the main generator mesh
and you will now see the yellow base metal is
100% reflective it looks like a polished, smooth
car surface at the moment. The blue frame is
a lot duller in comparison but still has some
reflectivity, giving the impression of a rougher
surface; this is because its closer to black (or
0), whereas the yellow metal has a full white
value (or 1). We can use this 0 to 1 scale to gauge
the roughness of our different surface types.
Obviously the yellow metal is way too smooth for
this asset and will have to be dulled down, but
this should now give you an idea of the numbers
or gray tonal values we need to get the correct
look to suit the asset.
03
Adding in the rust: Now weve saved

out a gloss map and applied it in
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Bringing in the rust detail to show variation of reflectivity on the same surface
Marmoset, we can make changes in Photoshop

and almost instantly see the changes in the
engine. Unhide the rust layer, convert to it
grayscale and apply a Levels adjustment to
darken down the tones as rust has a very rough
surface it needs to be quite dark. I leave the
base surface as white for now so I can see the

changes in reflectivity when rotating the asset
in Marmoset. As we start to add back the detail
layers the white will get less and less visible
anyway, so Im not too worried about leaving it at
full reflectivity for now.
04
Adding smaller details: The glass

on the dials is also fully reflective but I
darken the casing to give it an aged metal look.
The metal surrounding the buttons and frame I
keep at full white, as this is an interesting shape
that will catch the light nicely; the buttons
themselves I make quite dark again, making the
surfaces vary next to each other to add interest.
I decide I want the grill plate to be a bit duller
than the rest of the yellow metal; sometimes you
get panels that have been faded or bleached by
the sun, so this is a good opportunity to add that
detail now.
Adding smaller details
05
Layers of detail: In this image you can

see Ive continued to add the layers of
detail. Ive made the rivets, hinges and latches
full white so they continue to stand out from the
rest of the surface and stay as clean as we had
them in the diffuse texture. Any surface that has
galvanized metal wouldnt rust and would be
quite reflective apart from having weather or dirt
build-up. I will add a new layer of dirt and grime
later on.
06
Layers of detail
Adding the decals: Unhide the decals

layer and give it a darker value than
the metal, since this is a plastic material which
would have weathered and faded over time, so
would hardly be that reflective. This will help
break up the surface reflectivity and add some
extra interest in the surface. This whole process
is about the subtle details. Think about how light
shines on objects surfaces, in particular surfaces
that are outside and exposed to weather its
Decals will have a different reflectivity value that helps break up the surface
107
rare that theyll stay perfectly smooth and shiny.

These subtle details will make the asset look
more photorealistic.
07
Finished gloss map: Now that the gloss

map is finished, our process for creating
a PBR system for this asset is half complete.
Continue to rotate around the asset and make
sure the surface is behaving correctly, making
any final adjustments in Photoshop. Now we
have defined how rough or smooth our different
surfaces and details are, the next step is to create
the specular map which defines how reflective
our surfaces are.
08
Setting reflectivity levels: Duplicate

the gloss map folder in our PSD and
rename it spec. Most of the work was already
done in the gloss map, so all we have to do is
re-adjust the values. We now have to think about
how much light we want our surfaces to reflect.
We start off with the base metal as always. I
darkened this way down to about 20 in the gray
scale, so its almost black. Even though the
surface is made of metal, it has paint and lacquer
on it that will change its reflectivity properties
from the base metal. We should also account
for age and weathering when adjusting the
reflectivity, resulting in quite a dark color. Again
the Marmoset website (marmoset.co) has a
good reference guide for the types of numbers
you should be aiming towards to get a physically
accurate surface. Continue to adjust the levels
of reflectivity for all of the details. Most of my
specular texture is quite dark apart from the bolts
which I want to be fully metallic and reflective.
Gloss map completed and applied to the asset in Marmoset
Note how the specular map is much darker than the previous map
Grime and dirt are nice subtle details to build up for a photorealistic quality
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Remember to follow the vertical surfaces with the streaks
Streaks and grime applied to the rest of the generator metal surface
09
Dirt and grime detail: Once we

are happy with the base materials
reflectivity, we can start to add more layers of
detail such as dirt and grime. Its a good idea to
do this last so it doesnt interfere with getting the
base materials set up correctly. Our asset has a
lot of vertical or sloping surfaces, and as this is
a machine that would typically live most of its
life outdoors, it will have been exposed to the
elements. An interesting detail to add would be
streaks running down the surface of the metal,
so find a grunge texture from cgtextures.com, or

something similar to the one in the image, and
add it to a new layer in our PSD.
10
Rain streaks and watermarks: With

the streaks layer still selected, change
its layer type to Multiply and scale it to match a
section of the generators metal body. You can
add a Levels adjustment to darken or lighten
the streaks if needed. Remember to follow the
vertical surfaces because water always runs
down the surface, never across, we need to follow

these rules so the asset is still believable. You can
always change the layer type back to Normal and
check on the asset that its running the correct
way. When youre happy with the position and
scale of the streaks, add an opacity mask and
paint out the harsh edges so they dont start or
end abruptly. This will look more natural.
11
Streaks all over: Duplicate the streaks

layer and position it on each base metal
109
The streaks are now affecting the way the reflectivity of the generators metal surfaces
Weathering the flat surfaces to fill out the blank areas of reflective detail
surface island of the texture. You can see on the

right of this image I have faded the streaks as
they reach the flat top surface of the generator,
this is because streaks would not occur on the
horizontal surfaces. This layer needs to be in
the gloss folder because we are affecting the
smoothness and roughness of the surface by
applying dirt and grime to it, so resave the gloss
map now.
12
Streaks in action: With the gloss and

specular maps now saved out and
applied to the material you can see the assets
surfaces now look realistic. The reflectivity of the
different surfaces look correct now and the areas
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
of rust, dirt and grime subtract the reflectivity

naturally. Rotate the viewport and catch the light
at different angles to see how the PBR maps are
working together to give us the correct material
properties of the metal generator.
13
Flat surface grime: Weve added

streaks and grime to our vertical
surfaces, but flat surfaces will also have some
grime build-up.
It will look different to the streaks, because water
would usually pool and dry out in the same area
rather than trickling across the surface. Well use
a more patchy type of grime map, as shown in the
image. Like before, adjust the levels to get a good

contrast and change the layer type to Multiply to
remove the white areas. Use the same techniques
as the streaks and add the patchy grime texture
to the flat areas of the generator. Save this layer to
the gloss map again.
14
Normal map adjustment: When

rotating around the asset in Marmoset,
I notice that the light is now behaving more
accurately. The normal map is still too strong in
certain areas, so going back to the normal map
folder, I start to paint out some of the smaller
details like in the image. For example, the metal
latch has the galvanized detail included in the
Final tweaks and polishing to finish off the asset
The Artist
Andrew Finch
Finished asset with all maps now complete
normal map, which is wrong as a galvanized

surface is usually quite smooth; erasing this detail
will give us a much nicer metal surface.
Keep rotating around the asset and catching the
light, making sure the surfaces are all behaving
correctly and fixing any errors spotted. We kept
our PSDs easy to edit so we can quickly go back
and change anything we need to.
15
Finished asset: Here is the finished

asset with both the generator and light
rig fully textured and the materials now set
up. The light is now reacting naturally with the
different types of surfaces, and the details all bed
in nicely with each other. In the next chapter we
will take this finished asset and include it in a
scene so we can make interesting renders to add
to your portfolio.
NEXT TIME:
In issue 120, Andrew

makes a scene for his
textured asset
111
An inspiring collection of drawings and articles exploring the

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3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Create appealing 3D illustrations
The Artists
The Stompin Ground
thestompinground.co.uk
Software Used:
3ds Max, Photoshop
The Stompin Ground is

a collaboration between
traditional illustrator Ilana
Exelby and Dan Rodgers, a
3D artist at Arc-Media. They
are both from the UK and are
currently based in Manchester.
Create appealing
3D illustrations
4 Rooms is a brilliant series of illustrations in an isometric style. Creative duo The Stompin
Ground share the process behind the project, from a 2D concept to a final image
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Learn how The Stompin

Ground created this 3D scene
in 3ds Max
Initial sketch of the room and the grid pattern
01
Concept and sketches: When starting

the 4 Rooms project, we knew we
wanted to create something isometric and
colorful that played with the idea of multiple
dimensions in an infinite universe. We decided
on creating a series of rooms that explored the
bizarre to the mundane across one moment in
time. By taking that idea forward, we started to
sketch out lots of different rooms; sketching is
the best way for us to go in terms of initial idea
generation, where we formed ideas based on the
marks on the paper.
Once we had a good 2D base we quickly moved
into 3ds Max and Photoshop, and continued to
use these tools to further develop our concept.
Each room in the series has its own specific
inspirations. However, in the case of The
Construction Room, the inspirations were the
boiler room from Spirited Away (specifically the
drawers on the walls) and the Nintendo game
Pikmin, where the characters are collecting parts
of the spaceship so that theyre able to go home.
The basic scene model
02
Modeling: Everything in the scene

was made with really simple polygon
modeling techniques, using TurboSmooth and
Quad Chamfer to soften any harsh edges, which
helps to catch the light. However, the only rule in
which we stuck to was that we would work closely
to a real-world scale. In order to make it easier
when it came to lighting the image.
03
Revisions: In the beginning stages of a

project we find it beneficial to render low
quality drafts and draw over them in Photoshop
as this can help in the evolution of an idea, and

give you a concise direction as you move from
concept to completion. Once we were happy with
our final design, we went back into 3ds Max and
Furniture details
Drawing over draft renders
115
amended the model. You can see from the images

how our design for the room developed during
the revisions process.
04
Setting up the camera: When it

came to setting up the camera for the
scene, we used a standard 3ds Max camera
with VRayExposureControl for getting an
orthographic render. In the latest version of V-Ray
you are able to render from an orthographic
camera. However we found that the following
method was both quicker and easier. Firstly, we
started by creating a 3ds Max standard camera,
ticked the Orthographic Projection check-box
and moved it into position. Next we added a
VRayPhysicalCamera in the same position and
refined the exposure settings; this camera was
added as a node to the V-Ray exposure settings
by opening Environment and Effects (hotkey 8),
selecting VRayExposureControl from the dropdown menu and finally clicking on the Camera
node box and then selecting the V-Ray camera.
05
Lighting: Although the lighting of the

room was one of the most important
aspects when creating the mood and style of the
image, we kept a very simple setup. We used a
V-Ray dome light with a sky blue color to fill the
room with natural ambient light, and a V-Ray sun
with lowered intensity for the direct light in the
center of the room. For the light bulbs, we made a
filament from a renderable spline and the added
this to a V-Ray mesh light.
Basic lighting parameters
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Orthographic camera with V-Ray
The metal material used on the rocket
Environmental Fog gizmo and settings
06
Textures: Once again, we tried to keep

the texturing process relatively simple.
We wanted the materials in the scene to look
realistic but with a naive and exaggerated style.
The most complicated material in the scene was
the metal that was used specifically on the rocket;
we used a VRayBlendMtl and added a basic

satin metal with a reflective glossiness of 0.8 in
the Base material slot. We then duplicated the
same metal to Coat 1 but changed the reflective
glossiness to 0.99. This was then blended
together using a custom falloff curve to give a
mirror finish at an acute viewing angle.
07
V-Ray Environment Fog: To obtain the

subtle volumetric light effect we used
VRayEnvironmentFog. There arent any universal
settings that are able to work with every scene;
it was just a matter of experimenting with the
parameters until we had a result with which we
were happy with. As we only wanted the fog to
117
V-Ray render settings
Raw render (left) compared with final image (right)
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
appear in front of the window, we made a basic

wedge shape which was made unrenderable and
added it as a gizmo to the VRayEnvironmentFog
nodes rollout. We rendered the fog out as a
separate pass which meant that we had more
control over the final image. This was done by
adding a black material to everything in the
scene except the window glass and saving out the
VRayAtmosphere render element.
08
Rendering out: We used relatively

standard render settings, opting for
irradiance map and light cache to achieve a

quicker render time. We also made sure that we
had many channels and render elements so that
it would offer extra control when taking the image
into post-production.
09
Post-production: Taking our base

render into Photoshop, we stacked
some of the render elements using blending
modes such as Multiply, Soft Light, Overlay and
Screen. We applied some Curves and basic color
correction until we reached an image that we
were happy with. Final details were made such as

enhancing the light bulbs, and then the welding
sparks were added, which really started to bring
the image together.
Finally, we painted in some highlights and glows,
screened over the atmosphere pass and added
some shading to the cross-section of the walls
and floor.
Please check out thestompinground.co.uk to
see the rest of the images in this series!
The Artists
The Stompin Ground
thestompinground.co.uk
119
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Atmospheric interiors in 3ds Max
Atmospheric
interiors in 3ds Max
Danilo Lombardo breathes new life into everyday subject
matter with this dark and detailed scene. Read on for an
insight into his 3D workflow
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Artist
Danilo Lombardo
danilolombardo.artstation.com
Software Used:
3ds Max, ZBrush, UVLayout,
V-Ray, Photoshop, Fusion
Danilo Lombardo is a 24-yearold self-taught CG artist from
Italy. Hes a lighting and texture
artist and environment modeler.
121
Improve your composition and

lighting with these tips from
Danilo Lombardo
01
Idea, concept and layout: You can always

find inspiration in everything that surrounds
you. For this particular image the inspiration came after
reading an article on VICE News which had some good
photographs of messed-up rooms and kitchens.
When the basic idea came to my mind, I started to
collect a lot of reference images. This is the most
important step because the best place to find
variety and details is the real world. References are
an extremely important part of the job, and a good
software to manage them is PureRef, which you can
download here: www.pureref.com/download.php.
After Ive started doing a very basic layout and lighting,
I like to paint over my renders in Photoshop, using gray
values just to understand where I can put objects and
how the overall feeling of the image is going. This is a
good habit that I use until the end of the job.
02
Composition: Having a good composition

is crucial to obtaining a strong result in
every form of visual art. One of the most simple rules
of composition is the rule of thirds, often used in
photography and cinematography.
Basically we divide our image into nine equal parts
using two equally spaced horizontal lines and two
equally spaced vertical lines. The most important
features of the image should be arranged on these
lines and their points of intersection. This way we can
decide the visual flow of the composition and lead the
viewers eye where we want.
Even a human face is divided in three equal parts (chin
to nose-tip, nose-tip to eyebrows, eyebrows to hairline).
You can always break this convention to achieve your
desired effect, but thats something that should be
done with full awareness of the rules.
03
Modeling and set dressing: For the modeling,

Ive used a combination of simple Editable Poly
techniques in 3ds Max and sculpting in ZBrush. The
assets imported back from ZBrush were decimated or
remeshed. We dont have to worry about topology since
this is an environment with only static assets in it.
I wont go into depth about specific modeling
techniques and workflows, but Ill share some thoughts
on the general process. For a scene like this, its really
important to model all the final assets in separate files,
so we can evaluate them better and only later include
them in the final scene.
Once all the major assets are in place, we can add
richness and chaos to the room. Instead of manually
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
Iteration between rough layout and a version closer to final modeling
I have tried to place the most

important horizontal lines of my
composition along the lines of
the rule of thirds grid
placing the dishes and the objects I use the

powerful MassFX tool inside 3ds Max. The drawer
is an example of how you can fill a concave
object in a natural fashion using simple MassFX
simulations you can find some useful tutorials
online about this technique through Google.
Advanced Painter is another great plug-in for
placing objects in your scene.
04
Texturing and UVs: Everyone hates

doing the tedious process of UVW
unwrapping, which is why I tend to use simple
UVW box mapping or ZBrush features such as UV
Master, Spotlight and Polypaint everywhere I can.
When I need cleaner UVs, I use UVLayout to do my
unwrapping since I feel that I have more control
Some models have a clean topology and some are the result of decimation inside ZBrush
and visual feedback on how my UV shells are

going to flatten. 3ds Max has some great tools
for map extraction, and I often use the Render
surface map panel to bake my occlusion and
cavity maps. These maps are great for adding
details to our textures, and to create some
efficient edge masks. I often use tools like the Mix

and Color Correction nodes inside 3ds Max. For
me, the best textures online are the ones from
www.3dtotal.com and www.cgtextures.com,
which I tend to use in combination with handpainted details.
You can do very basic image editing in 3ds Max using the Color Correction
node in the Material Editor, which can save you going into Photoshop
123
05
Shading: Before doing any shading, I

export my objects and merge them in
a look development scene (a file with a studio
light setup, so I can focus on every single object
that needs materials and textures).
Translucency settings for the leaf material, and painting black/white masks in 3ds Max;
the white area is where the VrayBlendMtl blood material will show up in the render
Its very important to have specular and reflection

maps in order to break the perfect look of the CG.
Experiment with maps such as VRayDirt to create
effects like dust on cavities.
VRayBlendMtl is a powerful tool for layering
complex materials on top of each other, using
black-and-white masks to control the transition
between the shaders.
I usually paint my dirt masks inside 3ds Max using
Viewport Canvas, but I also use a lot of textures
from the 3dtotal dirt collection. Some objects,
like the piece of meat, have slightly more complex
shaders to simulate translucency. The curtain
uses a VRay2SidedMtl this material is a very
efficient way to fake translucency where we have
two-sided objects.
06
Lighting: Lighting and composition

are the vital parts of an image. I do my
lighting very early and keep working on it until
the end. I try to balance the exposure inside
the camera using VRay RT to have immediate
feedback on what Im doing. White balance is
important, so for this Ive created a white sphere
inside the room and picked the color of it from
the white balance option in VRayPhysicalCam.
The main lighting is made by a single HDR image
applied to a VRay Dome Light placed outside. Ive
changed the gamma of it inside the VRayHDRI
node to have the strongest light and shadow
contrast. VRay Plane Lights were used inside the
room to enhance the details.
I dont care about having a strictly physical
lighting; instead I use lights to paint the scene
and convey the mood I want. I also use some
invisible planes to model the light and bend it to
my needs.
07
Scene management: Having a lot of

objects in the scene can be a problem,
which is why its important to divide the scene
into layers. This way we can always keep track of
our lights, basic room layout , details and so on. I
usually use a file for scene assembly, which is the
final file, and several files where I do my look-dev
and texturing. This is really useful when we want a
clean workflow.
You should really learn about V-Rays DMC
sampler and how to use it to speed up your
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My primary and secondary light sources are in yellow, and

the planes to obtain my desired lighting effects are in red
A scene like this can quickly become confusing , so I like to divide each object per material using the diffuse color in the final file
The first Fusion node contains only the diffuse color pass; the last node contains the final compositing. In between is all the work done to achieve the final look
renderings. Test renders can be done very quickly

if we know what were doing, and the final render
time will be nothing compared to the time saved
during the tests.
V-Ray 3.0 has a great sampler called the
Progressive Image Sampler, which can show a
decent result in a matter of minutes while were
testing. The same goes for VRay RT.
08
Post-production: To achieve the best

result in post-production, you should
really use multipass compositing technique.
I keep my project in linear space until the final

render (gamma 1.0). In the V-Ray options I use
color mapping with gamma 2.2, but instead
of burning it in the image I use it just to do the
calculation and reduce noise.
The final render was saved in OpenEXR 32-bit
color depth to have the maximum color range
available. The OpenEXR format can include in
one file all the passes we need for compositing
purposes. I used V-Ray raw and filter passes
to reconstruct the beauty render, plus a
VRayEnvironmentFog pass done afterward.
In Fusion, I set my LUT to Gamut view with 2.2

gamma. Before saving, I disabled my LUT and
placed a Gamut tool with gamma 2.2 at the end
of the flow. (Note that in the first image the LUT is
active, while the second, final one is the result of
the Gamut tool.)
This way, I was able to keep a linear workflow
until the end of the project, and saved my image
with the standard sRGB profile applied to it. You
will find out for yourself the various benefits of
using a pure linear workflow when it comes to
post-production.
125
The Artist
Danilo Lombardo
danilolombardo.artstation.com
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
TOP TIP
A sense of scale
From an environment artists point of
view, one of the key factors is scale.
Its really important to convey scale
and keep proportion in mind while
working on a scene. I usually have a
human model in the scene to check
that every aspect of it is somehow in
scale with a human figure. Working
in a realistic scale is a must regarding
realistic lighting behavior. You should
not underestimate lighting and color,
especially while doing cinematic
environment work. Lights create
mood and can really tell a story.
127
3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Digital Art Master: Matthew Burke
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Discount code: damv820
DIGITAL ART MASTER:
Cricket Exo-Suit
by Matthew Burke
Discover the processes behind a stunning 3D masterpiece with a sneak-peek

look inside the pages of Digital Art Masters: Volume 8. Learn how Matthew Burke
crafted his fantastic sci-fi scene in 3ds Max, mental ray and Photoshop
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
The Artist
Matthew Burke
Software Used:
3ds Max, mental ray, Photoshop
Over the years I have managed to avoid

wearing ties. In fact, I do not even own one, to
my knowledge. This is due primarily to the fact
that I have been employed as a concept artist
for the last twelve years and my employers
care little for my appearance or personal
hygiene. I confess I have a profound love for
my job.
However, in my profession I am often told
what subjects to explore and what constraints
my artistic playground will allow. Therefore,
from time to time, I enjoy indulging in some
personal work unhindered by rules, limited
vision or looming deadlines. My name is
Matthew Burke, and I build mechs.
This one in particular is called the Cricket
Exo-Suit. It is the second in a series that
Im currently developing, and essentially
is just an excuse to design various military
mech-suits with some ridiculously exposed
and vulnerable pilots. I realize it makes no
reasonable sense, but you dont argue with
awesome, you rush in with your eyes closed
and high-five the unknown!
The Cricket Exo-Suit was designed to be a fast
quadruped runner. What it lacks in armored
defense, it makes up for in speed, versatility
and a massive sniper cannon that can hit its
target with pinpoint accuracy from several
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
miles away. A combination of limited leaping

ability and the flexibility to climb and adhere
to difficult terrain make the Cricket Exo-Suit a
valuable asset on any battlefield.
Getting started
Proper art etiquette dictates that I should be
stressing the importance of dozens of thumbnails
for exploring a design before diving into it. This
is the accepted rule of thumb for any concept
artist; however, in the spirit of full disclosure, I
hate them.
I fully understand the merit of this step and
the usefulness of having page after page of
inspirational variety but, nevertheless, I rarely
use anything more than a single low poly rough
that potentially will be ignored or discarded. I
enjoy the versatility of developing improvised
concepts and having the freedom to change
course indiscriminately. This technique is not for
everyone or appropriate for every task, but it is
what I honestly prefer.
In Fig.01 you can see that only the basic driver
pose and the rough geometry thumbnail are laid
out. I try to focus on the overall functionality first
and just block out the forms to massage out later.
Balancing and complimentary detailing
Once Ive achieved an interesting base, I try to
separate the design into two categories: form
and function. Form is the areas that define
the positive and negative shapes or its overall
readability. These areas tend to be great resting

spots for the viewers eyes and I try not to detail
them too heavily.
to some of the parts you can see that I have

successfully modeled something that resembles
childrens balloon animals.
Next is the function aspect. This is the nougat

filling that makes a concept delicious. High
concentrations of defining functionality and
clusters of detail help sell the believability of the
model and provide a balance to the form.
As I progress with revising the model and

continue adding details, I apply some base
mental ray materials to the model where they are
needed (Fig.03 05). I usually use a variety under
the Arch and Design material presets.
I have broken the function aspect into the blue

area and the form into the lighter tan areas
(Fig.02). After applying a TurboSmooth modifier
I focus not only on a contrast of light and

dark colors, but also the level of specular and
reflectivity of the materials to help separate
areas further. The additional time and attention

invested at this stage saves hours down the line
when I get to painting in Photoshop.
Rendering in stages
Now that I have the final model posed and lit,
and I have added materials and applied a fixed
camera position, its time to start rendering in
stages. In addition to the original render, I use the
following passes: bare gray matte, shiny reflective,
dark gray matte and finally, a diffuse color map
(Fig.06). I prefer to use the mental ray Daylight
system for these.
I open up the original, fully colored version

and separate the mech from the background,
the ground and the shadow (saving each on a
separate layer for later use). Then I import each
of the material renders in on higher layers, saving
the diffuse color render for last.
important to add imperfections and a history of

wear and tear to make it appear plausible to the
viewer. Throwing on some rust and dirt around
the edges, with some scratches, prior battle
damage or chipped paint, tells a subtle story
beyond a single image.
Using the Selection tool, I separate each color

within the diffuse color render into its own
individual layer. This not only offers more control
over the image, but it also makes it simpler for
easy selection sets when we start our painting.
Decals, additional striping and subtle text also

contribute to grounding your image. This may
seem like trivial detail, but when done correctly it
can make an image sing.
Its important to remember that each has

the identical lighting, camera position and is
rendered at the exact same size as the original.
I save out each as 32-bit TGA files for easy alpha
channel selection.
In Fig.07 you can see how I have arranged my

layers and the modifiers applied to each. This
process allows me to establish an ideal base
render in which I have full control over my level of
color saturation, the reflectivity of my materials
and the overall level of contrast of the piece.
Layering renders in Photoshop

Now for the Photoshop stage of development.
Overlaying textures, decals and finalization

To really sell the believability of a mech, its
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Just remember that these elements are only

intended to help define an image and not
overpower it. Lastly, to finalize the image,
I concentrate on the readability of the
composition. Applying a colored overlay at a low
opacity helps unify the colors of the piece, and
using Darken and Lighten layers helps subdue
and enhance areas of focus. The only thing left
now is to just sit back and admire your work if
done correctly, you wont be alone!
Bare Gray Matte

Shiny Reflective
Dark Gray Matte
Diffuse Color
Layering to establish a base

Flattened Copy
Color Burn 38%
Soften 26%
Darken 100%
Multiply 53%
Overlay 100%
Darken 47%
Darken 74%
Screen 100%
Overlay 100%
Overlay 21%
Multiply 100%
Overlay 61%
Normal 20%
Soft Light 24%
Darken 29%
Pin Light 37%
Multiply 35%
Overlay 82%
Normal 100%
Normal 0%
Multiply 100%
Overlay 47%
Lighten 51%
Linear Burn 74%
Normal 100%
Cricket Exo-Suit Matthew Burke
3DCREATIVEMAG.COM
An integral part of my own

drive for self improvement
has always been admiring
and scrutinizing the work
of others. Getting to
see brilliant works of
art broken down and
explained step-by-step is
always a pleasure, and a
captivating glimpse into
the minds and processes of
the artists behind them.
Charlie Bowater
Concept Artist
HARDCOVER EDITION ONLY AVAILABLE FROM WWW.3DTOTAL.COM/SHOP

The classic Digital Art Masters series returns with another volume chocked
full of brilliant digital art, image breakdown tutorials and unique,
never-before-seen images.
Digital Art Masters: Volume 8 is not your typical digital art gallery book. While it does
showcase stunning work from 50 of the best international artists, it also includes detailed
tutorials explaining how each image was created. Each artist offers insight into their
workflow and the methods they employ when it comes to creating a professional piece,
from the early concept stage through to the final product. In addition, this volume boasts a
selection of unique, never-before-seen images for your viewing pleasure. If youre looking
to be inspired and learn something at the same time then Digital Art Masters: Volume 8
ticks all of the boxes.
Hardback - 21.6cm x 27.9cm | 288 Full Colour Premium Paper Pages | ISBN: 978-0-956817198
Visit www.3dtotal.com/shop to see our full range of products
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119

Issue 119 | July 2015

Jeremy Kool shares an insight

Stellar sci-fi concepts

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

Welcome to 3dcreative issue 119!

Our tutorials cover 3ds Max, ZBrush, Marmoset Toolbag

THE STOMPIN GROUND

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

Get the most out of it!

Top tips for viewing

Whenever you see this symbol, be sure to click it to

For lots more tutorials and exclusive articles, visit:

Special thanks to 3DHype,

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

Contents Issue 119

10 of the most inspiring 3D images from the world of

024_ Epic ZBrush creations

Pro character artist Marco Plouffe shares his latest

032_ Stellar sci-fi concepts

Discover Elijah McNeals striking character and vehicle

040_ Realistic sculpts in ZBrush

Ran Manolov shares his ZBrush sketches and clay

050_ Designing a mobile app

Jeremy Kool shares an insight into his interactive

056_ Preparing 3D sculpts for print

Make a ZBrush model suitable for 3D printing with

066_ Maxwell Render and MARI for vehicles

Learn how to texture and render a sci-fi vehicle with

082_ Cars in Marmoset Toolbag 2

Create a futuristic vehicle using valuable PBR

094_ Learn to sculpt muscle groups

Take your anatomy knowledge to the next level with

104_ PBR maps for game assets

Learn how to make realistic metallic surfaces in

114_ Create appealing 3D illustrations

Discover how The Stompin Ground made their

120_ Atmospheric interiors in 3ds Max

Danilo Lombardo reveals how he created his moody

128_ Digital Art Master: Cricket Exo-Suit

Learn how Matthew Burke crafted his fantastic detailed

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 113

Go to page 054 for details

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery

Fratricidal strife idiom

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

Submit your images! Simply email: marisa@3dtotal.com

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery

For rent charming

March of Robots 2015

Portrait of Jonas Basanavicius

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Art Gallery

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Epic ZBrush creations

Artist and co-founder of

Marc-Olivier Marco Plouffe has a background in AAA games but

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 119

Marco Plouffe began character modeling

A creature sketch for relaxation

3DCREATIVE MAGAZINE | Epic ZBrush creations