A character bust with hair

Level

Advanced

Time

3 hours

Version

Shapeaway 4.0

You need

Tablet, 16 GB RAM

You’ll make

A finished, lit character bust with hair, gear and a plinth

Files

None, you start from a new sculpt

This is how the Vorgath orc bust in the gallery was made, in eight saves.

1 to 3. Blockout, primary and secondary forms

1. Block out head, neck and shoulders from a sphere at Ultra, mirrored. Save as bust_v01_blockout.
2. Set the big planes of the face with Trim and Polish: brow, cheekbones, jaw. Save v02.
3. Add secondary forms: brow furrows, nasolabial folds, scars, ear shapes, with Clay Strips, Crease and Dam Standard. Save v03.

4. Gear

1. Paint a mask where a strap should lie across the chest, then Extract a 4 mm shell: that’s the strap, as its own object.
2. Make the pauldron, tusks, necklace and plinth as separate objects.

5 and 6. Detail

1. Add detail to the head and body. Use Pores and Skin stamps with Deflate, and very light Noise.
2. For gear (rivets, stitches) use small base edges so small forms don’t melt, and the Rivet and Stitches stamps with Drag strokes.

7. Hair

1. Grow a groom from the scalp for a topknot: plant guides, Comb them up and back, Clump them.
2. Separate grooms for brows and stubble on the jaw. See Beards, brows and stubble.

8. Colour, finish and light

1. Paint the skin with a base colour, then darker cavities and warmer ridges using Mask cavities and Mask peaks.
2. Finishes: Skin for the body (with a little oil), Leather for straps, Metal for rings and buckles, Clay or Gloss for bone.
3. Realistic view, then try the Studio, Three-point and Dramatic presets; add the backdrop and ground shadow.
4. Export stills and a turntable. For a print, follow Print a figure in parts.

Next: A portrait from photos.