3D Artist No. 137

No matter what tool you use as your main weapon of choice for 3D work, you have doubtless heard of Blender. Version 2.8 is out now and the community seems very impressed, as are we, so this issue we talked to a couple of Blender experts who share their tips for mastering the open-source tool. Everybody has to start their career somewhere and for some that journey begins as an intern. This gets a bad rep from some people, but there are many ways you can benefit from learning while you work, as you can see in our feature. Even the best artists out there can learn new tricks and this issue we showcase some cool techniques to help you level up your CG projects, from using Houdini to build a voxeliser,…

KJARTAN TYSDAL artstation.com/kjartantysdal Kjartan Tysdal is a Norwegian CG artist working in the UK games industry. He’s a graduate from The Animation Workshop in Denmark. On page 29 he provides a breakdown on how he created his robot image in Blender 2.8. RAINER DUDA www.rd-innovations.de Rainer Duda has over a decade of professional experience and owns a VFX studio in south-west Germany. Head to page 48 to read his in-depth tutorial on building a professional voxeliser in Houdini. GUSTAVO ÅHLéN www.gustavoahlen.com Gustavo Åhlén is a multidisciplinary designer, matte painter and concept artist with more than five years of experience in the CG industry. On page 56 he teaches us how to create an accurate head sculpture. ZEYU REN zeyuren.com Zeyu Ren is an animator at Black Math studios. He is a pioneer of creating animation in virtual…

Head to bit.ly/3DA-137 to download your files Step-by-step tutorials Learn the latest techniques and tools from our industry experts Three CGAxis premium models Grab these free street furniture models for your projects Textures from 3DTotal.com Download a selection of high-quality textures Tutorial files, video files and screenshots Master your head sculpting with this training by Gustavo Åhlén SIGN UP to our newsletter to get the latest news, stories and training from your favourite 3D magazine…

Masoud Abbasi artstation.com/masoudabbasi Masoud is a 3D artist from Iran, and has worked in the industry for just under a decade. Software 3ds Max, Unfold3D, Substance Painter, Corona, Photoshop Work in progress… “I’m a fan of the Star Wars movies, after seeing the teaser of the latest film in the series. Throughout the process I was able to immerse myself in that environment”Masoud Abbasi, Space Engine, 2019 LiudmilaKirdiashkina artstation.com/artist/liu_k Liudmila specialises in the modelling and texturing of hard-surface props/characters. Software Maya, Marvelous Designer, SolidWorks, MoI 3D, KeyShot, Photoshop Work in progress… “As a sci-fi fan, I like to think about what the future will be like. The integration between humans and robots has already begun, and it will continue to advance rapidly. In this work I tried to imagine what some cyborgs might look like in the future”Liudmila Kirdiashkina, Cyborg 01,…

With the latest update, Blender is migrating towards a more industry-compatible tool, proving free software doesn’t have to mean cheap software. The rent-to-own software model has become increasingly prominent in recent years, and Blender is a rare example of a high-calibre tool that is dedicated to remaining free for everyone to use. In the past, many artists have lamented over the steep learning curve and resisted the switch to Blender. But the introduction of a completely overhauled user interface, a focus on real-time asset creation, and many other new features has artists industry-wide taking a second glance at switching over to Blender. Here we have compiled 23 tips to help you make the switch without the headache as you discover the power and flexibility of Blender 2.8. 1 CONFIGURE BLENDER 2.8 TO YOUR…

Valentina Rosselli’s most recent character work has been Dumbo the elephant, for Tim Burton’s recent movie adaptation of the story of the gifted pachyderm that combines live action, photorealistic animation and environment work. Indeed, the photorealistic aesthetic is key to so much of the work that Rosselli undertakes. Our conversation begins with Rosselli identifying the fundamental principle that she has in mind when texturing a character, and of these she emphasises how a texture artist must “always study references. When pushing for photorealism, keep in mind that organic patterns never look procedural/repetitive. Never stop researching for the right look. Follow a target and push yourself. Test your work, don’t be scared to try different things, and don’t be scared to start over from scratch.” Of the dynamic between unconstrained creativity and a…