Buster Updates

Got some feedback on my model and incorporated some edits on the anatomy as well as a sharpening up of many features to make it more geometric.

Buster: Model

Here's a preview of the Buster Model. The first image is from Mudbox with 5 levels of subdivisions and the second two images are exported normal maps on the base model in Maya. Still tweaking him in Mudbox. This was an (unsuccessful) test from Mudbox to see how a normal map would render out for a base level mesh, but there is not nearly enough geometry to support it, causing the ugly shadows. Also a little lost on the textures. I'm caught between wanting to do photorealistic textures and stylized painterly look and just need to decide.

I am, however, pretty happy with the way that helmet is picking up light!

Upgrade

Got some feedback on my character lineups. The consensus was that the first character I should model should be the Spaceman because he is the protagonist but that the current design is too simple and boring. In revisiting his design I wanted to do two things:

1. Enhance the distortion in the figure for a more unique silhouette.
2. Add lots of detailing to his costume.

I went back to my research and did a bunch of sketching and came up with this. (Special thanks to this amazing Flash Gordon book I picked up at the library with hundreds of photos from the film serials) I think it still recalls the military uniform that I was going for but feels a little more high-tech and has lots of little things to look at. He ended up with a creepy sneer in the painting which I will avoid in the actual model.

Wolf Mount

I'm planning on doing a (pink) ostrich for the bird people as well to explain where all those pink feathers are coming from. Poor wolf could also make a nice hat for a king.

I painted this entirely in Photoshop with a process that forces me to be more geometric and considerate of building strong shapes. Would like to push the sculpts to be a little more "simple" like this.

Wolfmen versus Birdmen

Here are my character lineups, the regal Wolfmen vs. the tribal Birdmen (plus an Earth-man). Trying to decide which three characters I want to model. Definitely want to do the brute Wolfman, but not sold on the other two. Whichever I choose I need to come up with a little narrative so that I can set them all in a scene together, which makes choosing a lot more difficult.