Making of Jjahawa: Part 1 — 3D character modeling tips

Choosing a concept

The first step of this project was finding a concept that could hold my attention for the long haul. As part of my mentorship, I presented Bruno Câmara with a selection of character art from a variety of concept artists that I follow and admire. He helped guide my choice towards the amazing character concept by Roman Kupriianov. 

I really wanted to work on a fantasy character. So, when I found Roman’s work, I was immediately taken by how captivating and appealing his unique vision for the fantasy genre is. I quickly learned as the project progressed that there was a subtle complexity within Roman's art and character that made it a much more challenging choice than I could've ever imagined. 

The subtle asymmetrical design and clean, powerful silhouette made me realize that I underestimated the piece at first glance, but I was ready for the challenge!

Once you’ve found a challenging concept, start to look at and break up the figure into simple shapes — these will guide the proportions, form and silhouette while you model. Also make a note of the costume, breaking down each piece of the garment and counting all the sections that make up the design. You can even make a list if it helps.

Be sure to hunt down references for everything. Start anywhere and build your PureRef board — do it for everything, even if it's just a simple glove. There is a plethora of references out there, so the hardest part is just narrowing down where to look.

Modeling the concept in 3D

When it comes to modeling, there are no real shortcuts other than just taking your time and using references. As with most creative fields, modeling is a lifelong journey of learning, interpreting, combining and simplifying the world around you.

At this part of the workflow, I simply use Photoshop, Maya and ZBrush. I see the modeling stage as a way of sculpting form through simple shapes to create bigger, more complex and intricate forms. The goal is to keep things simple and build/refine slowly. 

This idea really sunk in with me when I took a class with Mold3d Academy, taught by Gio Nakpil. He broke sculpting down into a very simple structure: primary, secondary and tertiary forms. You should always respect the proceeding form and use the forthcoming form to complement it — and not overpower the previously constructed forms.