INTRODUCTION
Good day, my identify is Michael Hickman and I’m a 14-year-old dwelling within the US. I’m from Las Vegas, Nevada. I began utilizing Blender once I was 11 years previous, after discovering a free instrument that allowed me to customise the software program to my liking. Earlier than then, I used Autodesk merchandise on the age of eight for CAD modeling, which I believed seemed horrible on the time.
By means of utilizing Blender, I discovered similarities with polygonal modeling in different applications and was capable of shortly get a primary understanding of the software program. I continued to be taught and enhance my abilities by creating one thing new in Blender each week. I change between realism and stylization in my work, and whereas I get pleasure from each, I discover that stylized artwork has a playfulness that’s not current in every other medium. I now use Blender and Krita for all my work and sometimes use Houdini for simulation.
INSPIRATION
My work is impressed by youngsters’s guide illustrations. I am keen on the lovable and simplistic designs of the animals with their corresponding environments. The facial options in a variety of my works are a mix of various cute and kawaii arts that I discover on Pinterest, combined collectively to get my outcome.
PROCESS
My course of principally begins with mapping out a baseline for my work. I then add extra complexity and develop a character for the characters. To do that, I ask myself questions similar to: “The place are the ravens positioned?” “What season are they in?” “What’s the climate?” This helps me to ascertain a baseline for my work.
MODELING
Modeling is pretty easy, utilizing a dice with a subdivision-surface to make its form spherical. This makes the item extra malleable and simpler to control.
The shrubs and grass are made from a NURBS curve with subdivided cubes as leaves. I modeled the hat and raven utilizing primary shaping in sculpt mode with the elastic deform instrument. I purpose for a glance that’s not too sharp or too easy, however excellent to make the piece look passable.
TEXTURING
For texturing, I make the most of a photograph of fingerprints, which I exploit at a low bump worth to create distortion on the mesh. Then, I’ve a noise node combined with a Voronoi node on the roughness to provide a wood distinction and develop physicality within the texture. This creates a pleasant sheen that looks like you possibly can contact the mannequin itself. The grasses and shrubs use a colour ramp node with an object information node to create randomness within the number of vegetation accessible, producing extra distinction combined with complementary quantity shaders to generate ambiance.
COLOR SCRIPT AND DETAILS
I created a colour palette by means of utilizing saturation and distinction inside Blender’s viewport, and I ran by means of renditions of the scene to see which of them stand out and seize the viewer’s eye. That is probably the most very important a part of my work, the place I exploit the MVP (Minimal Viable Product) technique to push out one of the best work within the shortest time period. The small print are profound at this stage, the place I zoom in on particular areas to seize any doable flat areas.
Fundamental colour script draft with an thought of colours going by means of renditions.
LIGHTING
For lighting, I exploit a quantity combined with a Nishita sky and eventually, combine it with a key mild to create a profound point of interest for your complete piece. This grabs the viewer’s consideration and enhances the textures of the setting.
Lighting and setting take a look at 1:
I made a decision to take away bushes for a extra festive really feel. I eliminated the bushes and altered the Nishita sky settings.
REAVEN RAVE
Thanks for studying, and be happy to ask me something. Have a fantastic day!
Concerning the Artist
Michael Hickman, a 14-year-old 3D artist from Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s presently freelancing and doing private work.