ZBRUSH | MAYA | SUBSTANCE PAINTER | UNREAL ENGINE | PHOTOSHOP
CREATE DYNAMIC PORTRAITS IN UNREAL ENGINE 5
Bringing the character of Nima to life using UE5
Practical tips and tutorials from pro artists to improve your CG skills
J Hill Jason Hill is a long-time CG artist. He’s worked on games like Titanfall 2 and Apex, Legends, and teaches online. www.artofjhill.com
AUTHOR
My goal when I set out on the project was twofold. My main objective was to create Nima, an original character designed by Ross Tran, in 3D. The second was to use Unreal Engine and some of its features to bring her to life. I have long been a fan of Ross and the worlds he builds with his art. I’ve always been partial to the character of Nima because I really like her aesthetic and colour scheme. This project was an opportunity for me to try my hand at creating something with a bit more style and simplicity than usual and pay tribute to the work he has been doing. I also knew it would be a great opportunity to try some things in Unreal Engine that I hadn’t before.
For me, the next step in character modelling is to bring that character to life, and these days with the tools we have, including Unreal Engine, the power to do just that is more accessible than ever. So for me, it’s something I am particularly excited and passionate to try and learn more about, because the possibilities are endless.
DOWNLOAD YOUR RESOURCES For all the assets you need go to https://bit.ly/3D-world-matrix
01 BLOCK OUT THE MODEL
After collecting all the necessary reference and forming an initial plan for the project, the first thing I always build is the blockout. The goal is to create a representation of every model you think you’ll need to complete the project. This establishes the scope of what modelling needs to be done and serves as a 3D to-do list. Getting everything started also enables you to work on everything together as a whole and not just individual parts, which is hugely important in making an appealing piece of work. No need to worry about clean forms or topology here, it’s all about the shapes, proportions and overall composition of the model. Have fun and worry about cleanup later.