111 replies to this topic

[L'Ancien Regime]

If there's one single subject of study that will immensely improve the abilities of any artist, it's the study of anatomy. And we, the beneficiaries of the computer graphics revolution are fortunate enough to have at our disposal the resources and tools that only a very few wealthy people or people fortunate enough to be patronized by the wealthy and enlightened could experience. We have a sculpture studio on our desk capable of amazing things. Man is the microcosm of the universe, and if we master the art of sculpting, drawing, and painting man to excellence then we master all...

Therefore I want to consacrate this thread to the study of anatomy, mainly human but also animal. My own struggles to master anatomy have paralleled my struggles to obtain some mastery over this new medium. Early on I assumed that NURBS was the only way to model and my struggles to create the kind of complex irregular surfaces one encounters in the biological world repeatedly frustrated me. Then I discovered SubD polygonal modeling and the advent of Zbrush and I was able to make further progress. But there again the difficulties imposed by the topology of a subD polygonal object raised all sorts of difficult barriers. Of course we have the examples of Zack Petroc over as Zbrush but I wasn't really inspired to undertake this work, the work of constructing the human form from it's individual constituent parts in all their detail and beauty until I came across 3d Coat and Leigh Bamforth's superb tutorial series on the human skull that I got the courage to try again. That's when I decided to buy 3d Coat and get into Voxel sculpting, which I feel is the way of the future.

http://vimeo.com/channels/ljbsculptingtutorials

So join me and contribute your own serious efforts at mastering this difficult and rewarding subject. I'm not going to stop this thread until I die or triumph..

In the process I hope to be sharing resources that all can use. I own a real human skelton that I purchased in 1980 and I've been gathering texture palettes that I will be posting for everyone's use here as well as models and 2d resources. I hope you too will have resources you can share with us...

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[L'Ancien Regime]

Here's an experiment from when I first bought 3d Coat when I was struggling to learn how to get thin walled surfaces...it's a study of the interior of the skull, just a crude sketch but still successful in that I got what I wanted from it.

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[Tony Nemo]

Apropos, here is an example of medical animation: http://www.youtube.c...b_M9wM&vq=large

[Garagarape]

Great job there!
If you look into Leigh Sketch book
you'll see similar attempt.
He also covered bone model with flesh,
but using the "muscle" tool I think.
Keep on the good job!
"Allez les bleus!"

[michalis]

I like to join this effort.
So many times I posted opinions a bit agains anatomy.
The basic principles of composition, of sculpting have little to do with anatomy.
Anatomy is an analytic approach but may be an inspiration to sculpt even crazy things.
In any case I like to participate. I had some hard time, searching the web for some interesting references.
On interesting poses. A simple chart on a T like pose doesn't help me. What comes from bones, what from muscles, when looking at the surface... When all these details becoming soft, what part is still sharp and visible...
Anatomy is an idea after all, it can also serve psychology, expressionism etc. Analysis is the appropriate word. I think so. But, most of all, observation.

[L'Ancien Regime]

I like to join this effort.
So many times I posted opinions a bit agains anatomy.
The basic principles of composition, of sculpting have little to do with anatomy.
Anatomy is an analytic approach but may be an inspiration to sculpt even crazy things.
In any case I like to participate. I had some hard time, searching the web for some interesting references.
On interesting poses. A simple chart on a T like pose doesn't help me. What comes from bones, what from muscles, when looking at the surface... When all these details becoming soft, what part is still sharp and visible...
Anatomy is an idea after all, it can also serve psychology, expressionism etc. Analysis is the appropriate word. I think so. But, most of all, observation.

That would be excellent michalis. You're a very knowledgeable and talented guy. I look foward to seeing your contributions to it. Maybe it'll inspire me to get off my lazy ass and start working on it.

And I agree that the mechanical approach to anatomy is not the be all and end all to sculpture, but it's an essential fundamental skill that allows the higher functions of the art to flourish on top of a firm foundation of correct knowledge.

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[L'Ancien Regime]

Got to get rolling on this now...there's a lot of work ahead..

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[michalis]

These are great !!! And great texturing.

Just to warm up this thread
http://vimeo.com/9255273

[L'Ancien Regime]

These are great !!! And great texturing.

Just to warm up this thread
http://vimeo.com/9255273

http://vesalius.northwestern.edu/

https://rs111l32.rapidshare.com/#!download|111l34|261998998|Vesalius.__De_Humani_Corporis_Fabrica__1543_.PDF|97234|R~E0A6D062F7C0F052832F1B150872CEA4|0|0

[L'Ancien Regime]

I was really stoked for my mirror project then I went dead after I finished it. Call it procrastination, laziness, artist's block it wasn't fun. I wasted the last two weeks being bored, vexed annoyed, frustrated.

Albrecht Durer made a superb etching on this subject, called Melancholia...Saturn exerts it's malign influence upon creative people...and they sink into a paralyzing depression...





Anyway, last night I'd had enough and set to work despite feeling depressed, or rather overwhelmed by all the problems that this medium presents to me, particularly in texturing. And after just a little bit of work I felt a whole lot better...

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[digman]

Been there, done that...
I once took off 3D work for about 6 months and just did all 2D painting.
I hope to join your anatomy project once I get some more rest...

[moska]

you should check Ryan Kingslien.
although its on ZB
he is the most commited to anatomy i v seen!

[L'Ancien Regime]

So I brought the skeletal foot piece by piece as exports from Maya to .obj into 3d Coat as voxels but each piece was hollow. How do I bring this stuff in as a solid not as a hollow voxel object?

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[L'Ancien Regime]

OK I see my mistake; I don't want to "Merge as Skin"...

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[digman]

The foot is an amazing part of the human anatomy... a good one to study.

[L'Ancien Regime]

So I finally got it right and loaded the foot in as a set of discreet solid individual bones. Too bad you can't import a layered mesh from Maya..I kept making stupid mistakes until I woke up from my stupor and did it right. These short gloomy days are making me sluggish and stupid right now.

Now I can start really sculpting and texturing it..

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[digman]

I decided to a general anatomy man first. This is a very rough work so far with lots of anatomy not quite right... I broke symmetry very earlier in the process and no references used so far, just to push myself some. I will use references though.

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[michalis]

I did hundreds of drawings on paper, (no digital) lol. On Michelangelo's work, on anatomy charts, on Da Vinci's drawings, ancient greek sculpture etc etc. Still confused.
Something I'm working on. Unfinished. I mean I have one almost complete but some anatomic issues here and there , he he .
Though rendered in zb-bpr only a few strokes added, basically a voxel based sculpting. Because I love the natural way I can subtract massive pieces of stuff (3DC)
It's the light important for me, not the logical enclosure.
BTW I believe that symmetry doesn't help on this kind of experiments.
Just for fun... it looks like a portrait now, lol

[L'Ancien Regime]

I played around a bit with Live Clay but got some crazy explosions of the surface...glad I backed things up...

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[michalis]

Very nice L'Ancien Regime,
waiting for muscle layers and we call all try some studies of human feet.

Another interesting video: