Miniature Artists Sink

Goals

My main goal was to create something in a non-photorealistic style because I wanted to improve my skills in stylized art. For this, I decided to move from photoreal to stylization gradually.

I mainly focused on high-poly creation and texturing. Another goal is to create a high-quality prop in a short time with a deadline.

I wanted to spend no more than five days on this model, working on my own time, spending about three or four hours in the evenings.

Softwares

For this work, I used the following software:
● Maya – blockout, low-poly, and UVs;
● Zbrush – high-poly;
● Rizom UV – UVs packing;
● Marvelous Designer – simple cloth simulation;
● Substance Painter – texturing;
● Marmoset Toolbag – baking and rendering;

Reference

Since I wanted to focus mainly on high-poly creation and texturing, I decided to repeat the concept so I wouldn’t have to spend time creating a unique idea. I found a reference for this miniature on Pinterest and decided to recreate it with minimal changes.

Blockout

Based on my reference, I started blockout in Maya and just checked with the proportions.
After hitting ratios, I add more information to the objects to load them into the ZBrush.

At the blockout stage, I try not to add many details, start with the main shapes, and gradually move on to smaller ones. My final blockout includes all big and small objects, with the topology closed to the final low-poly.

High-Poly

Before uploading to the ZBrush, I already have a detailed blockout with assigned soft/hard edges. One last step before exporting to ZBrush is creating fast UVs based on hard edges.

I created a shelf in my UV editor that can help me do quick UVs in a few clicks.

● Camera-Based Projection (to remove all existing UVs)
● Auto Seams (cut along hard edges)
● Unfold (with some simple parameter tweaks)
● Orient Shells (it is not necessary right now)
● Layout UV (to avoid overlapped edges)

These are not final UVs; I need them to create crease edges along UV seams in Zbrush.

After importing the model into Zbrush, I started my Highpoly stage by creating polygroups with UV. Then I creased these polygroups and added divisions on my mesh a few times.

After I split geometry by connected pieces, I started working with every subtool (sometimes I merge similar subtool for convenience).

Next comes the very meditative process of sculpting. I use dynamesh and polish to create simple bevels and add edge damage. I don’t usually use many brushes. The main work was done with TrimDynamic, Clay Buildup, Move, Standart, and Orb brushes. Also, I used some alpha projections for wood details.

Then I decimated my high poly and exported it to Maya.

Cloth parts I created in Marvelous Designer with some additional sculpt in ZBrush. Nothing special, a simulation of simple fabric flaps.

Low Poly and UV

I use my detailed blockout, which I also used for high poly. I cleaned up the mesh and added polygons where needed.

The same technique as in the beginning is used for the UVs, but there is more handwork. I check all of my UV islands for distortions and proper texel density. For some UV shells, I changed texel density depending on visibility. After unfolding all of my UVs and assigning good texel density, I export my low-poly to RizomUV for UV packing. In this project, I didn’t think much about overlaps (except for the chain) because I wanted to achieve a nice unique texture. Everything fits in a 4k texture.

Baking

To my mind, the best and most handy baker is in Marmoset Toolbag.
I prefer to bake all the texture maps in Marmoset because it allows you to make edits quickly, reload the high-poly and low-poly files in real-time, visualize the cage and edit the skew map.

To prepare the model for baking, I assigned different materials on high poly for the ID mask, separated low poly and high poly via _high and _low suffix to avoid overlap, then loaded the FBX into the Marmoset Toolbag via quick loader. Additionally, I baked the ID map for easy mask creation in the texturing stage.

Texturing

I create textures in Adobe Substance 3D Painter. I start by texturing the largest objects, gradually moving to smaller ones.

After painting the main parts, I begin to work with the small details, such as paint leaks, chips, dirt, and dust.
When I have a lot of materials in a scene, masks from ID-map make work a lot easier.

After texturing, I create quick renders in Marmoset Toolbag.

Conclusion

To my mind, I have achieved all of my goals for the project. I kept to my schedule and got a decent result (in my humble opinion). I plan to do my following works in a more stylized way, and I will do my best to make them better and better every time.

Thanks to the Games Artist team for giving me this opportunity to write this article. I hope to share some breakdowns of my subsequent works in the future.