ZBrushCentral

Scared Silly Entry by Jason Horncastle

Hi everybody,
This contest looks like fun (and good practice) so after much dilly-dallying, I have decided to submit my (late!) entry:

A witch offering a poisoned apple to a small child (you, the viewer). One little irony - the apple still has the “organic fruit” label on it. Cropped in close so that you just have the witch’s smiling face with the apple and her gnarled hand in the foreground. This will keep it simple in keeping with my relative lack of experience and rather antiquated computer.

Since I’m on ZB2 (so can’t do re-topology) and have to keep my poly counts low, I’ll probably do base meshes in Silo, but the rest will be in ZBrush apart from tweaking in Photoshop.

Here’s an initial sketch done in ZBrush (I still need to put the hand).
Good luck to everyone,
Jason
witchdoc1.jpg

Since posting my entry I’ve been looking in the internet for some witch references and came across this illustration by John Alvin. It’s really very similar to my proposal (apart from the “organic fruit” label) so maybe I should change. I don’t want people to think I’m copying. What do you think? All comments appreciated.
Thanks
Jason
[attach=71389]Fairest in the land.jpg[/attach]

Attachments

Fairest in the land.jpg

it does look pretty similar u should definitly get some distance from it but as a reference for the witch it seems pretty good. u nearly cant avoid copying something on a witch its been done a million times and it would be really hard to invent it again without influences in your head pushing you into an direction of any other witch picture there has been made

maybe it is just a matter of pulling the view back and showing more of the witch. Maybe try to make a pretty witch and more inticing so you want to reach for whatever she is handing out but keep apple closer to the camera so you can see the sicker cause that is what makes it differnt. really good concept and art.

p.s. just came up with another idea to make it different. maybe have a hand already holding the apple as if we already reached in and grabbed it and the witch looking all sweet (still ugly though) and as if she isn’t doing nothing wrong. have a small bite already out of it is also a possibility.

Disco Stu - Thanks for your comments. I agree that I should get some distance from John Alvin’s pic so I actually won’t use the witch as a reference.

Seavannah - Thanks for your advice too. I hadn’t thought of making a pretty witch but maybe that’s a good suggestion although I was rather looking forward to making her look all gnarled and ugly! Certainly I think it would be a good idea to have a more wide angle view to get in more of the witch. The hand of the receiver is a possibility too - you’ve given me some food for thought, thanks.

Best of luck to both of you in your entries.
Jason

Having thought about the above, I’ve made a new concept sketch showing more of the witch. I need to start actually modelling now, the month is passing!
Jason witchsketch.jpg

I’m thinking of putting a “Health & Safety” label on her hat to add to the irony. What do you think?

Funny idea! I’m not familiar with the ‘Health and Safety’ label. Might be better to go subtle. Can always try it out though.

Great concept. I really like this one.

Thanks both of you for your encouragement. I should be updating soon, although I’ve been a bit bogged down this week with other things. I should be able to get back on it this evening I hope.

Finally managed to get on with my witch head. Base mesh made in Silo and imported into ZBrush to start detailing. First render. No texture yet and more detailing needed. C&C as always welcome.
Cheers
Jason

Witch1STrender.jpg

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base-mesh.jpg

Really good start

Thanks LittleDedder. I thought I was going to get a lot done in the last few days, then I got the flu, had to catch up with some work etc. Oh well! Here’s the hand, again a first render with no texture. The base mesh was made in Silo. C&C of course welcome.
Cheers
Jason

hand.jpg

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hand-base.jpg

Nice progress! The hand wrinkles look really nice. :+1:

Great looking hand :+1: :+1:

Marsyas and Blaine91555 - thanks to both of you for the encouragement. Here is a first attempt at starting to put things together. Looking at angles, perspective etc. Hopefully I will be back with another update later tonight.
Cheers
Jason

1st-together.jpg

A further look at putting things together and work on the body. Since I’m using ZB2 with no perspective view, but the perspective of my witch is very exagerated, I’m having to do that in the modelling, hence the oversized sleeves.

2nd-together.jpg

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body-stages.jpg

Hey Dondemaker, thats starting to come together nicely :+1:

Harmonic - thanks, hopefully I might even get it finished in time!!
I’ve been working on the apple with it’s label:

apple-stages.jpg

Hey! I like your work, we have almost the same concep entry contest!

buena suerte!

:wink: