loeizskullz
Here are my final renders for this challenge :
I'm really glad to have finished it !! It was a big challenge for me because of the theme that was unusual for me and because I had to test my usual workflow from low to high on blender for the first time.
I'm proud to show you this result !
loeizskullz
Then for the textures, I had the occasion to take notes on material used on himalyan artifacts and tools when I went to the Guimet museum in Paris.
This way I was really sure to be accurate in what metals, techniques and other materials I needed to use for my prop.
I created a coated bronze and a painted copper that were intended to cover the majority of the asset as a vast quantity of votiv and ornated items from this region were covered in them.
I also wanted to recreate stones like jade, turquoise and coral to add details, as I originally draw them in my 2D concept :
The inscriptions on the blade are a combination of mantras and religious translations about Shiva and having the power to face your wrongdoers.
loeizskullz
I took a big leap into the baking and texturing phase without posting as often as I did before (lot of work going on).
I was really happy with the baking results in painter, nearly better than what I expected :
It allowed me to get a much lower polycount, I was pretty sure that I was going to have to increase subdivisions especially on the grip with all the wires lined up but a simple distorted cylinder did the trick !
loeizskullz
Time for the high poly sculpt for the saber ! Now time for topology optimization 🙃🙃🙃
loeizskullz Here is the high poly-modeling phase of my saber. I haven't had the time to progress further these last days but I will take this mesh into ZBrush to add more details to match the concept.
I think there is still more to be added in modeling details but I'm enjoying the silhouette and feeling so far !
I recently began the blocking phase, and am currently exploring the low poly before having to sculpt some details.
I find myself stuck between the need to sculpt and the possibility of just doing poly modeling in blender. I think I will test a workflow where I don't sculpt all my mesh from a low poly to the ZBrush high poly and rather combine high parts from both blender and ZBrush...
loeizskullz
Today was the sketch/concept part.
I first wanted to go with a ring saber but after doing research and a call to a friend specialized in himalyan cultures, I decided to stick to a "normal" saber without rings because ring sabers emerged from chinese and southern asian culture so even though it could have been an exchange of influences, a "normal" saber was more likely to be made in tibet for example.
eventually I will stick to the indented saber !
Hello everyone, I'm very happy to participate in this challenge, as it means to explore a culture that I was very curious about but not aware of at all.
I started gathering references yesterday and at first I was hesitating between doing some everyday life prop or a weapon as I'm fond of creating weapons in general. Though I figured out there's not plenty of tribes that used to fight and that we didn't find so many evidence of battles and killing tools. Though the few sabers, swords and daggers that I found seemed to often have a religious and ceremonial meaning, like phurba daggers, I finally have decided that I was going to make a ceremonial saber, that could have been used for fighting but especially for rituals, as a votive sword.
These are my main references for the prop I'm going to make, I needed many notes and examples of handcrafted objects, and I'm planning to mix many methods and small details.
Name : Loeiz LEGRAND
Country : France
I have read the terms and conditions and am eligible for prizes.
