ZBRUSH | BLENDER
RENDER A STRIKING 3D CHARACTER
Practical tips and tutorials from pro artists to improve your CG skills
This month’s cover artist breaks down his process and techniques for creating this magical Gandalf model
AUTHOR
Guilherme Luis de Oliveira silva www.artstation.com/u928d2da0 Brazilian artist focused on character modelling, texturing and concept, currently working as a freelancer in the industry.
GANDALF THE GREY This stylised version of the Fellowship’s wizard is based on a concept by Javier
Burgos (bit.ly/3KWEjeK)
In this tutorial, I will show you the main techniques I use to build a character based on a concept. I'll focus on the blocking step and how important it is to organise your model properly.What makes a good model for me is its foundation, its ability to be beautiful without texturing and complex lighting. In this guide, I am not going to focus on modelling specific elements, but on building an object as a whole using simple techniques and simple brushes.
This is not a model meant for animation or production, so you can take some liberties to create something visually beautiful. For modelling I will be using ZBrush, but the concepts taught can be replicated in the 3D software of your choice, just a few tools will need to be adjusted. Do not feel limited by the techniques taught here, but add to them and adapt them to your workflow and what you want to create.