All about 3D Art

My name is Viktor Zolkin, I'm from Moscow, Russia. I carry out 3D design for 3D printing, and have a small 3D printing studio.

Since childhood, I dreamt of drawing cartoons, then making computer games. I'm moving gradually, mastering the creation of characters, and the Unreal Engine. I have been doing 3D since 2013. Before that I mainly did engineering projects for 3D printing, but I've always wanted to create art.

My project is called Cyberpunk Girl, based on a beautiful concept by the artist Y0YI.

I didn't have a ready-made concept in mind. I decided to study with Art Heroes spontaneously, and so I went through a huge number of concepts on Pinterest and Instagram. I chose this concept because it seemed a challenge and it combined the character's personality, the complexity of execution and the character requirements - Stylization and the presence of a Hard Surface elements.

Key milestones:

– Basic shape and proportions, face and emotions, clothing and shoes
– Hardsurface
– Hair
– Posing in position
– Elaboration of the clothing and props
– UV
– SP
– Render

The constant search for references to reach a certain milestone - Zbrushcentral, Artstation, Pinterest and Instagram - became my main instruments. In the process of blocking, I made a dummy and put it in a pose to assess the proportions of the character and not edit them in the future. I continually elaborated on details and decomposition.

The main problem that I had to deal with was the hairstyle. I wasn't much of a hairdresser and so every time I did the wrong thing, I started over.

It was a challenge to finish the project. I saw a lot of flaws in it that I wanted to improve, nuances that were not immediately considered, but the project needed to be finished. I made a strong-willed decision to recognize these problems as unimportant and finalized the project.

Some difficult moments I solved with the help of quick sketches, for example, a dress and a jacket, I made sketches to assist with the sculpting.

Many good tips were given by mentors, for example, how to quickly retopit the grid, on the basis of this retop to make clothes, I used to do it differently, but this method is really good.

I struggled with hairstyle for a long time, found a whole bunch of references, then plunged into the analysis, I tried again and again, changed the techniques, brush settings, even watched videos on YouTube, until it started to work.

This project was good, it seems simple at first glance, but the more you dive into it, the more details, nuances, the darker the forest, so at some point you want to call your mother.

Most likely I will spend some more time on this character and print it, I think it will turn out quite well. It will go into my portfolio and I will continue to work on stylised characters in search for my individual style.