Learn to Digitally Paint and Texture a Stylized Creature

Name: Learn to Digitally Paint and Texture a Stylized Creature
Rating: 4.5 (34 reviews)

Learn the exciting process of painting your 3d monsters as we cover how to texture this stylized creature!

Created by3dmotive LLC

Last updated 9/2016

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Using Photoshop, ZBrush, Maya, xNormal, and 3D-Coat, learn to create stunning textures for this stylized creature
Paint detailed characters for games with the popular stylized look
Learn how to present your 3d characters and creatures for portfolio renders

Course content

3 sections • 27 lectures • 3h 43m total length

Download Course Files Here!0:05
Introduction0:36
Begin with texture baking and transferring high-to-low-resolution data, customize the painting software, then lay down base colors for the character from top to bottom and start the face.
Setup for Texture Baking10:40
Bake high-poly texture data onto the low-poly model using Exner, creating a white cavity map and ambient occlusion to guide painting in Photoshop.
Texture Baking12:51
Master texture baking from high-poly to low-poly parts, separating wings, tail, and belt, generating ambient occlusion maps, and iterating in Extremal for clean texture maps.
Texture Baking Continued7:48
Bake occlusion and base textures for all pieces, merge layers in Photoshop, and save for Maya. Apply textures to a Maya material from the textures folder (24 to 32 bit).
3D Coat Overview10:14
Rename and split the model into three pieces—main body, belt, eyes—and export to paint; import a base texture and enable symmetry with the color picker for reference colors.
Painting the Basecoat16:48
Breaking the Model Apart More13:58
Break the model into head, wings, and body using mesh extract, assign materials, and paint textures with layers, symmetry, and base colors to finalize the stylized creature.
Starting the Head Paint9:53
Begin the head paint by establishing planes—top, side, and bottom—amplifying color and light, and blocking rough shapes while sampling colors from the 3D coat model to guide focus.

Introduction0:45
Block the head, then paint and amplify the head, then paint the torso with balanced detail, and move to the wings and upper arms and shoulders.
Blocking in the Head10:28
Block the head by directing the viewer's eye with focal points, contrast, and selective detail; use color balance and lighting to guide attention to the face and wings.
Head Painting9:41
Block in the creature's head anatomy, focusing on the brow as a focal point. Use pinky purples for shadows and color maps to define textures and shape.
Head Painting Refinement11:58
Refine head painting by blocking colors, adding highlights, adjusting neck lighting, and testing reads from a distance; emphasize serratus muscles and torso anatomy for a stylized creature.
Painting the Torso10:57
Learn to paint the torso by refining rib and abs contours, applying highlights and shadows, and using symmetry, perspective flips, and reference to enhance form before moving to the wings.
Painting the Wings8:21
Explore wing anatomy and texture for a stylized creature by building bone structure, testing paints, and refining shadows and colors to balance dragon wings with the torso.
Focusing in on Focal Points11:26
Focus on refining key anatomy and focal points by painting shoulders, forearms, and scales, using soft and hard brushes to sculpt value, color, and emphasis in a stylized creature.
Recap7:52
During this recap, focus remains on the head and arms and shoulders while adjusting wings and lower body; apply layered color, saturation, and highlights to create a vibrant, volumetric creature.

Introduction0:46
Focus on hands, wings, and facial metal textures as module 3 concludes the texturing process, prepare a portfolio-ready piece by posing in Maya and compositing in Photoshop.
Painting the Arm Wraps9:13
Explore painting arm wraps with a pinky purple palette, using top light and amplified shadows to create readable texture, deliberate color patches, and focused detail that reads from a distance.
Painting the Hands11:03
Paint the stylized creature's hands by building an understructure with layered values, structure, and color variation, using overlay and paint layers to sculpt bone, knuckles, and subtle subsurface shading.
Painting the Metal Jaw8:46
Master painting a copper-gold metal jaw by building clear planes, balancing contrast, and applying strategic highlights and saturation to create a readable form from front to back.
Painting the Belt6:08
Block in mid-tone and dark values, apply weathered metal textures and belt folds to the stylized creature, using loose blocking, ambient occlusion, and selective detailing.
Painting the Tail9:59
Learn to paint the tail of a stylized creature by building muscle form, shading, and scale patterns, using value changes, highlights, and textural stippling to convey depth.
Refining the Wings10:41
Refine the wing design by adjusting musculature, skin flaps, and color transitions, using reference and layered shading to create subsurface, veined textures with balanced blues, golds, and oranges.
Final Adjustments3:40
Apply final adjustments to balance the stylized creature, using color dodge on the head and chest with bright accents and an overlay to guide the viewer’s eye, then screenshot.
Portfolio Presentation and Final Wrapup8:47
Export textures and apply a Lambert material in Maya, pose the stylized creature with a simple rig, render multiple angles in Photoshop 3D, and assemble a clean, professional portfolio shot.
Bonus Lecture: Further Learning with 3dmotive0:18

Requirements

Photoshop, ZBrush, Maya, xNormal, and 3D-Coat - though many of the techniques could be applied to other software variants

Description

In this course, we will be learning the necessary skills to prepare and hand paint a 3D Creature for game production. Starting from the baking process, we will cover all the necessary skills that a texture artist will need to paint a character. After we get some of the technical parts out of the way the real fun can start: Painting. We will be covering techniques for painting in a very stylized color scheme, focusing on balancing values and colors to create a great looking creature. We will cover many materials from skin to metal, and showcase methods to make each material really sing. Our end result will be a final portfolio piece that shows off your painting prowess!

(Students - please look under Section 1 / Lecture 1 downloads for the source files associated with the lesson.)

More about the Instructor:

An adopted son of San Francisco and the Academy of Art University, Ryan Ribot lives a small apartment with 3 cats and a Wacom. Currently working as a texture artist and character modeler with Telltale Games, Ryan spends most of his time painting and sculpting. ZBrush, Photoshop, and Maya are like breathing to him, and he is always looking to share his knowledge. Ryan has been teaching for several years, and is experienced as both an instructor and an industry professional.

Who this course is for:

This course is designed for Intermediate to Advanced 3d Artist who already have a strong understanding of 3d, UVs, and texture creation
This course is not intended for absolute beginners to 3d

Learn to Digitally Paint and Texture a Stylized Creature

What you'll learn

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Course content

Course Introduction and Baking our Maps9 lectures • 1hr 23min

Primary Texturing Pass8 lectures • 1hr 11min

Texture Polish and Refinement10 lectures • 1hr 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: