Zbrush Dinosaurs and 3D Prints

[jtn144]

I dig the running pose! If you still intend on doing a prone version that will seal the deal for me. I will purchase all 5 or 6 versions in 1/40 from Shapeways.

[Gorgonzola]

Thanks!  I'm working on a prone version, but it's going tough.  Having some trouble with the legs not deforming properly when I rotate them forward to get him into a prone position.

So to write out an explanation of it, here's what's going down (dunno if anyone works in Zbrush here, but I do like to share process stuff): when rotating the legs forward, the front part of the leg should shorten as it rotates, to simulate the muscle contracting as it moves forward.

The problem I'm running into with Zbrush, is that as I rotate it forward the shortening doesn't occur naturally, at least with the method I'm using.  Instead some of the geometry explodes out of the leg unnaturally.   Ideally, as I tweak and pose the dinosaur, I could have the geometry squash/stretch as I move it.  Unfortunately it doesn't work that way, so I'm trying to find a good solution to it that looks natural.

I have an idea for an alternate prone pose though...might hash it out quickly to see how it looks.

[jtn144]

I wish I could be of help, but Zbrush, geometrics and what-not is all Greek to me. Just to clarify my earlier comment, I would still be happy to own these figures!

[Gorgonzola]

Haha, no worries - I figure most of the time I'm more or less having a conversation with myself when I veer into that territory.  It does help though to talk it out, even if it's an internal dialogue.

[Jodee]

Andrew,

Your dedication to mastering the craft is very nice to hear. I cannot wait to see the first renders of the commission. This dinosaur so far is amazing.

Jodee

[Gorgonzola]

Jodee - thanks for the kind words!  I actually have a rough sculpt built up now, but I'd like to refine it some more since it's still in its very ugly stages before I show it off to you.

Probably after this dinosaur is done I'm going to take a break and do some studying - there's a class I've been eyeing that Krentz teaches, I've had it on my to do list for quite a while...

[Derek Sohoza]

I'd definitely get that cryolophosaurus in running pose. It looks amazing.

Jodee - thanks for the kind words!  I actually have a rough sculpt built up now, but I'd like to refine it some more since it's still in its very ugly stages before I show it off to you.

Probably after this dinosaur is done I'm going to take a break and do some studying - there's a class I've been eyeing that Krentz teaches, I've had it on my to do list for quite a while...

What class is it?

[jtn144]

Any of these Cryo's would look very well together or separately. I really am looking forward to seeing them on Shapeways!

[Gorgonzola]

Derek: It's this one http://www.zbrushworkshops.com/zbw-masters-detail/?slug=Dinosaur-Sculpting-with-David-Krentz  Judging from some of the preview videos for it it looks quite promising, and I suspect it may help me out with some of the technical issues I've run up against.  Up till this point I pretty much brute forced my way into some modeling skill, so I figure it's about high time I get some education to back it, haha.

[Jetoar]

Congrats for this amazing Cryolophosaurus.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Did I misread or were you working on an Amargasaurus that you mentioned earlier? Lost the context but I thougt you made a similar comment

[Gorgonzola]

I certainly am, but it's still in an incredibly early stage. I've had other projects come up, so I have had it on the back burner for awhile. It right now looks like the most generic diplodocoid you could find, lol.

[Gorgonzola]

Not totally in love with it overall, but this is what I managed for a prone pose.  Not sure if this one will make the cut, unless a lot of people like it.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Not totally in love with it overall, but this is what I managed for a prone pose.  Not sure if this one will make the cut, unless a lot of people like it.

Could work..I like sitting theropods.  I suppose you were basing it on Dilophosaurus prints ?  Could he rest back farther on his back end, with the legs more out forward ? I'm not sure how accurate it is, but see larger theropods in that pose.   

Here's a bit of art for inspiration :





A laying down on it's side pose would be good too..or something like this :

[Gorgonzola]

A laying down on it's side pose would be good too..or something like this :

Ahhh James Gurney ahhh!

Sorry, minor art whimsy moment there whenever I see Gurney's awesome work.

I actually thought about a laying down side pose, but I worried if it was possibly too mammalian of a behavior.  It would certainly be much easier to implement with the current model I have.  I'll give it a whirl and see how it looks.

[jtn144]

I certainly like where it's heading! My only criticism is that it seems the femur, ankle, and feet seem a little undersized, or is it just me? It's a keeper for me though! I agree with you with the lying down on the side pose, too much like a big cat for me.

[jtn144]

Or is tibia what I meant to say?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

A laying down on it's side pose would be good too..or something like this :

Ahhh James Gurney ahhh!

Sorry, minor art whimsy moment there whenever I see Gurney's awesome work.

I actually thought about a laying down side pose, but I worried if it was possibly too mammalian of a behavior.  It would certainly be much easier to implement with the current model I have.  I'll give it a whirl and see how it looks.

I know what you mean..I love Gurney's work .

I've seen theropods posed like that before and found it appealing. Dinosaurs could have had similar behaviors to some mammals. If they could have rolled about in the water, mud or dust then resting in a laying position wouldn't be too far of a stretch I don't think.

[Gorgonzola]

I certainly like where it's heading! My only criticism is that it seems the femur, ankle, and feet seem a little undersized, or is it just me? It's a keeper for me though! I agree with you with the lying down on the side pose, too much like a big cat for me.

It does seem like it, doesn't it?  I think that's a kink I haven't quite worked out that I need to practice on, because the parts of the leg themselves are just rotated, but it doesn't look quite right.  The proportions are right, and it's not like anything was stretched/shrunk to make it work, so the failure is more on my sculpting abilities than anything else.

I think I'm going to give the laying on a side pose a whirl, just to see what everyone thinks of it, then decide on one or the other, or neither.

[wings]

...I actually thought about a laying down side pose, but I worried if it was possibly too mammalian of a behavior.  It would certainly be much easier to implement with the current model I have.  I'll give it a whirl and see how it looks.

Laying on the side is certainly not a mammalian exclusive trait (see images below):







These birds are "sunbathing"; there are more images but you get the idea 

It does seem like it, doesn't it?  I think that's a kink I haven't quite worked out that I need to practice on, because the parts of the leg themselves are just rotated, but it doesn't look quite right.  The proportions are right, and it's not like anything was stretched/shrunk to make it work, so the failure is more on my sculpting abilities than anything else.

I think I'm going to give the laying on a side pose a whirl, just to see what everyone thinks of it, then decide on one or the other, or neither.

If you trust your estimate on the proportion of the legs then maybe you can tweak the size of the muscles? Perhaps part of the reason the proportion looks wrong is because the size of the muscles on these element don't seem to balance well. Maybe the thigh muscles is too big compare to the lower legs' or the lower legs don't have enough muscle mass on them.