Alien Design - Character Modelling

I started off the alien as a simple basic 3D model blocking in all the major parts such as the leg, torso, and then moved on to getting in the posture to the right position. I then started to add more loops to make the model more even with all the polys, and to also smooth out the character. I started to implement the arm and hand features. I am so far enjoying creating this alien as I am finding it interesting creating a new anatomic structure. I have played around with the posture and have posted it below, not quite sure what to do about it as in if the weight looks central, and I'm questioning the syle on the knee.

For the next part of developing my Alien I need to create a model similar to what it is going to look like so I can put it into Z-Brush. The most important thing for exporting to Z-Brush is that the model is completely even and contains only quads. This is was seeming to be a bit of a problem because the previous model has triangles. I saved the original file and created a new one adjusting the original model by deleting the claws that had lots of detail that was uneven with the rest of the quads. I recreated them in a simple manner that isn't very detailed but its even. I can now bring this into Z-Brush and start sculpting.

I brought the model into Z-Brush and started to play around with form by altering the poly's into a more interesting shape. I changed the shape of the head, as well as bulking out some the chest and the posture.

I started to add detail to the model: I began to add in bone and muscle deformation around the model, and exaggerated its form. I have just been working on form of the muscle and skeletal features at the moment and will start to add detail at a later stage. This is my first time using Z-Brush, it was pretty difficult to get used to but I think I have the hang of navigating around it. I have learnt a few things such as masking and moving selected areas, I found this to be quiet a useful method. 

Update: 27.01.14

The past week I studies into more of the anatomy for the alien such as the muscle tone for the legs. I took me a while but I managed to create somewhat of a similar muscle structure to that of a humanoid figure. I had started to work into the arms but unfortunately it started to look unbalanced and out of place; it looked dislocated. I then had to go back and study some arm anatomy.

These are a few of the designs I produced to help towards the arms, chest and shoulder area of the creature. By looking at how the human arm works I was able to produce a similar design for the alien, that help me to look at its functionality, and where its muscles and bones are. I found this very useful as it helped for me to take a closer look into form and structure of how muscles work and therefore to how they could be translated onto an alien body.

These images are what I was able to produce today I started to add muscle deformation to the arms, chest and neck area. Whilst doing this I realised that the arms look a little too big for the creature so I ended up resizing them and rotating them to a position that looks more natural.

 

 

 

Update 28.01.14

 

I have brought the sculpt into maya as a template to help me design the mask of the creature. I have done this so I can produce a nice hard surface object that would suit the style of how I want it to look on the design, also because its a lot easier and faster to produce a quick model of the mask rather than trying it from scratch in Z-Brush.

 

 

 

I started the mask with simple shapes, such as the hard surface parts of the mask so to give me indications as to were certain parts are. I then started to map out areas around the mask using a plane and extruding the edges to help create a base flow of the model. I produced this in parts through the top and round the side, and linking them in the middle.

 

 

 

After all the main parts were added in I started to link all the polys together and keeping in mind that I have to keep the flow even. I managed to get to a point in which most of the mask is done I just need to fill in areas, and add in extra details such as the breathing parts.