Ratapolis

Here are some miniatures I created based on my concept art for the board game Battle Zone. I sculpted them in ZBrush, using the same techniques employed by Avalanche Software for the creation of the Disney Infinity figures, which have always been a great inspiration for me in terms of design and game concepts. I also used KeyShot for the 3D rendering. Additionally, I designed some trading cards for the game, as shown.

Here is the Lapin Crétin I created based on the famous Ubisoft game character, which I like very much! I wanted to reproduce Ubisoft's techniques and art style to create another course for the Art and 3D class I teach. This presentation showcases the full process: I used ZBrush for sculpting, retopology, and UV mapping; texturing in Substance 3D; rigging and skinning in Blender; and finally, I created a short animated sequence in Unreal Engine 5, incorporating some post-processing effects to enhance the clip's appeal. I also handled the video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, adding the original soundtrack from the Raving Rabbids that I downloaded

Here is a short demo I created from scratch to explore the new update of Unreal Engine 5. My goal was to push the boundaries of my technical knowledge by utilizing Lumen for lighting, along with many other software tools I generally use for video games and real-time rendering. I sculpted the pigs based on a concept art piece I discovered while watching the Instagram artist Mitch Leeuwe. I really enjoy his overall cartoon style, which reminds me of the Preston Blair animation books that I’m particularly fond of. This inspiration led me to create a 3D version of this cute little pig.

I created all the miniatures for this Sonic tabletop game, released in Europe, using 3D sculpting and printing technologies, combined with my traditional art and molding skills. I also completed the retopology of the meshes for these 8 characters and handled the texturing to support the teaser.

I created this gramophone using Houdini SideFX, as I wanted to explore Houdini's techniques for low poly modeling with nodes, in contrast to the 3D polygon modeling in Blender or Maya that I typically use. This was during my time learning procedural techniques in Houdini. I then proceeded with unwrapping the UVs, also in Houdini, and used Substance 3D for baking the input maps, such as normal maps, curvature, ambient occlusion, etc., and for texturing. Finally, I utilized Marmoset Toolbag for real-time rendering and MViewer, which I should embed here, as well as Adobe Premiere Pro for the Ken Burns presentation and turntable. I chose the delightful "Petite Fleur" music by the soloist and composer Sidney Bechet.

I designed the central piece of the game, the metal-cast medallion, based on the specifications I received and my own concept art. I utilized 3D sculpting and printing technologies, along with my traditional art and molding skills. Additionally, I designed the back of the cards and the token illustrations to match the medallion.

Here is a collectible I created from scratch based on my own concept art and love for this character, using ZBrush. Dragon Ball Z is one of my favorite childhood anime series, and I had a great time sculpting this piece in 2014; it’s one of my older works. I remember struggling at that time to create the cloud in 3D because there were only 2D references available, and there weren't many merchandise items or collectibles of Son Goku molded back then.

I sculpted this version of Link from Link's Awakening in ZBrush, using a collectible as my reference. As an art and 3D teacher, I create numerous tutorials and courses, and this is one example. I always choose subjects or characters that I think will engage my students, as I believe it's important for them to enjoy the learning process in my classes. I chose Link because he has a simple overall shape while also allowing for a mix of organic sculpting and hard surface modeling, making it an excellent way to introduce ZModeler techniques. During classes, I clearly explain and demonstrate the following key steps in the 3D character creation process using a video projector: model sheet creation, sculpting, retopology, UV unwrapping, texturing, setup, and animation (for simplicity, I used Mixamo) as well as 3D rendering.

Here is another collectible I created from scratch in ZBrush. I used Unreal Engine 5 and its sequencer to produce the 3D turntable presented here.