Modelling: Hard-surface Asset

 

lDesign: 

The Silver Sachet is a sought-after accessory among aristocratic women comes from the Tang Dynasty. Originating from the Western Regions via the Silk Road, it not only symbolizes cultural connections between ancient China and the West but also showcases the unparalleled skills of Western craftsmen in engraving and burning techniques.

Choose the Silver Sachet for hard-surface asset modelling in Maya and ZBrush. Opting for this intricate accessory as a modelling subject shows the advanced techniques employed in digital media technology. While the texture surrounding the sachet may undergo changes, the fundamental structure remains true to the original, mirroring museum references for authenticity.

lProcess:

   nBasic modelling:

        The sachet comprises three key components: the bowl, two rings, and a distinctive skeleton design. This structure guides the advanced modeling process in Maya.

1. Bowl: Open Maya scene. Create a sphere and named it ‘bowl’. Choose the half face of the model and delete them. After that, choose another half sphere and use extrude to make the polygon thick. At the same time, add edge loop lines to ensure edges are not affected after smoothing.

2. Rings: Create the second sphere and choose its longest arc. Use Bevel Component to divide the arc into two arcs. Then, delete the faces except faces between the two arcs. Use extrude to add the ring’s thick as the inner ring. Then, change inner ring’s scale and rotation based on the image’s structure. After that, copy a new ring and follow former step to make.  At the same time, add edge loop lines to ensure edges are not affected after smoothing.

3. Lock: Create a cylinder and named it “L1”. After deleting circle sides, choose the rest of faces to extrude. Then, choose some rectangle faces to extrude. After that, Create another cylinder and choose one face for extruding. Then, add edges by “insert edge loop” tool especially the rectangle side. Then, choose some faces at the rectangle side of the cylinder and use “circularize” to change the faces into a circle. Change parameters and situation at the same time.  Finally, create a arc to make sure whether it through the hole of model “L1”. Then, select the circularizing face then the arc to extrude.

4. Rotate Machine:  Use former step to create, extrude and copy models. 

5. Chains: Use former step to create, extrude and copy models. 

6. Saboteurs: Use former step to create, extrude and copy models.

 

nSkeleton Curving:

    It is better to create components of the sachet before making the skeleton curving part. The sachet has a skeleton curving at its surface. In this case, use Maya for UV Mapping , Photoshop(PS) for texture then complete in ZBrush.

uModelling in Maya:

1. Create a sphere model and change its scale to contain the bowl and rings in Maya scene. Click “UV -> Planar” to measure mapping area.

2. Open UV Editor then turn the model into Edge. Choose the largest arc in the model and press “Shift” with right key of mouse to choose “Cut” to cut the UV Map. After that, turn the model into UV Shell in UV Editor, choose both UV shells then press “Shift” with right key of mouse to choose “Unfold” to expand( or click “Unfold” button on right side ). After changing maps’ location and scale, click “image -> UV Snapshot Option” to export the map in image format.  

 

uMake texture in PS: open scene with setting a white square layer as background in PS. Import UV mapping image into the scene. Then, import the skeleton curve grayscale image to the scene. Since the grayscale image’s background is not transparent, use quick select tool to select corner and click right key mouse to select “Select Inverse” to choose the texture. After that, click the right key again and choose “Layer via copy” to create a new layer. Copy the new layer and change their location and scale based on the UV map image. Finally, set the UV map image and the gray scale as unseen for export final texture. 

uTest texture & export model in Maya:

Before continue the process in ZBrush, it is better to test the texture quality in Maya to fix UV mapping so that there are less technical problems after testing.

1. Reopen the Maya scene and smooth the sphere model. 

2. Before testing, make sure the “Unfold 3D” plug-in is installed. If not, press “Window -> Setting/Preference -> Plug-in Manager” to find and install. 

3. Add “standard surface” to the sphere and then insert the texture by files path. 

4. Open UV Editor to fix details of UV Map. Click “Unfold” to change texture’s covering if necessary.

5. After that, export the model in OBJ format. 

uModelling in ZBrush: 

1. After open the scene in ZBrush, import the sphere model by “Light Box”. 

2. In “Drawing condition”, draw the model.  

3. In Alpha, import the texture and click “Flip vertically(V)”. Then, click “Brush Alpha” at left side then press “Ep” to make texture.

4.  Click “Texture Map” to create a new texture in ZBrush. Then, choose the import texture with alpha so that the surface has initial texture. At the same time, click “Ctrl ” and “D” to make the model smoother. It is better to click “Geometry -> SDiv” to check parameter. If ignore it, it is hard to load when the parameter is high and it is no clear when the parameter is too low. In this project, set the parameter as 6 that can make the model more clear and more convenient in the next steps. 

5.  Click “Masking -> Mask by Color -> Mask by intensity”. Then, close “Texture On” in “Texture”. After that, click “Ctrl” and mouse’s left key to reversely select. 

6. Click “Subtool -> Extract”. Select “Double” and “TBorde” in Extract window then click “Accept”.

7. Click “Ctrl” and mouse’s left key to reversely select. Choose “Deformation -> Inflate” to change parameter then choose “Deformation -> Polish Crispy Edges” to make edges more clear. If let the result more effective, change material and take a look. (Inflate: -11, Polish Crispy Edge: 9) 

8. Export the project and import it to Maya.

nPolygroups

Due to the model’s polys are too many with details, it may have worse on look if use re-topology in Maya. It is better to use polygroups in ZBrush so that it will more convenient when the model make new UV in Maya after the previous step. 

1. Duplicate the model in Subtool then clean the mask in Masking. 

2. Go to “Geometry -> Smt+Suv+Divide -> Lower Res/SDiv to 1” to reduce the polys.  

3. Go to “Polygroups” and press “Auto Groups with UV” first and then press “Group by Normals” with default parameter.

4. Because the model has been automatically divided into three layers: outer layer + inner layer + skeleton layer, ctrl+shift+left mouse button to click on these layers and output them in turn. Then, export the model.

5. Import the model into Maya. After dividing layer and making the new UV Map for the model, combine the model as a whole model.

6. Duplicate the model and change its rotation. After that, import the rest of elements from other scene. At the same time, make these model in a good view for render. 

nTexture and material:

According to the model’s sample image,  most the elements’ color of the object are pure sliver except bowll. Therefore, make texture and material first and then combine model’s elements together after adding them. 

1. Open Substance Painter and new a project with imported model. 

2. Set SSS material’s setting then use “Silver Pure” Brush to paint the model. 

3. Use the previous way to get bowl's material and textures.

4. Due to the sample, the rest of the element’s materials and textures can use previous silver material and texture without any mapping.

nRendering:

The sample is an archaeological, historical and cultural relic, so the background of Anorld Render is a museum. Also, the light in the render area is warm which is similar as the sample image look.

1. Download the imaginable HDRI from website.

2. In Maya scene, create an “aiSkyDomeLight” and import the HDRI in its attribute.

3. Create “AiStandardSurface” and import model’s textures to build material. Then, add it the material into model.

4. Open Render window from Anorld and change “aiSkyDomeLight” samples based on render effect. Meanwhile, create models like table or shelf to make the view more like meseum’s display.

5. Export the Render image.

nShowing:

uTurntable setting

1. Turn the scene as “Animation”. Choose the model and XGen description while creating turntable camera by “Visualize -> Create turntable”. Meanwhile, set turntable camera’s key frame range.

2. Turntable camera is shown by a group object. Select the object and press “D” and “X” key to change its location.

3. Go to “Windows -> Animation Editor -> Graph Editor” to turn the object’s animation line from curve to line. So, the scene is turntable.

uWire frame

1. Open “Render Setup”. Set a layer and named it “Wire frame”.

2. Set a collection for the layer and added character model.

3. Set an override material and added it “aiWireframe” material. Then, change material’s “Edge Type” as polygons.

4. Change the sampling setting like Camera(AA), Diffuse or Specular to change render setting

uUVs

1. Open “Render Setup”. Set a layer and named it “UVs”. 

2. Set a collection for the layer and added character model.

3. Set an override material and added it “surfaceShader” material. Then, change material’s “Out Color” by importing UV image.

4. Change the sampling setting like Camera(AA), Diffuse or Specular to change render setting.

uExport and composition

1. Turn the Maya scene as “Render”, and open “Render Sequence” and “Render Setting” to set export file path, image sequence name, frame range and image quality.

2. Import image sequence into AE and composite them. After that, send them into “Render Queue”  then set file path and file name for rend

lReference:

n【zbrush skeleton ball making (uv mapping tips)】 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1JV411C7Vp/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=0fc565aefa4688ed90b0531b1ce1be65

 

n【[zbrush tip] 2 minutes to learn how to make skeleton patterns. Super good!!!】 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1tN4y1G7Rf/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=0fc565aefa4688ed90b0531b1ce1be65

 

n【ZBrush high precision model surface reduction operations, baking, normal mapping】 https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1XW4y1a7ES/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=0fc565aefa4688ed90b0531b1ce1be65

 

n【Maya Teaching: Arnold Rendering Light Bulb Glowing]】https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1p7411r7Vi/?share_source=copy_web&vd_source=0fc565aefa4688ed90b0531b1ce1be65

n【How to realise SSS and transparency effect in SP】https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv7988826/?from=search&spm_id_from=333.337.0.0