Background Reference Part 2: Blocking In Your Sculpt

In this article we will talk about blocking in our sculpt using background reference and the structures that we drew in Part 1.

Basic Head Structure

In this video we look at using Freedom of Teach’s Flesh Torso Stage 1 form breaks to rough-in our 3D model.

Click here to download the movie.

Detailed Rough-in of head

In this video we look at roughing in the face using Freedom of Teach’s second stage.

Click here to download the movie.

To learn more about creating and setting up the image planes see Using Background Reference.

Let’s Talk About This

Blocking in your sketch, your sculpt and/or painting has been a time honored practice for centuries. While this is one way to block in your model it is not the only way and certainly not the de facto way.

In fact, its kinda brand new! I came up with this workflow while trying to find another way to think about background reference.

I was looking for a way that would allow us to use the tools that are available to us, as computer artists, to feel empowered about our artwork and feel that we have made a unique contribution to the sculpting and process that wouldn’t be there if anyone else was to do the same thing.

Captain Kirk’s Pain

The computer is an amazing tool. For example, it gives you x-ray vision so you can see through your sculpt to the drawing behind it; it gives you the ability to travel backwards in time with undo and then fast forward through time with multiple redo’s.

When it gets too amazing, though, I begin to feel that I, the artist, am secondary to the computer, the tool. It makes me think of Captain Kirk in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Sybok comes to Kirk and offers to help Kirk overcome his pain and free his mind. Kirk, the quintessential American male, refuses and says:

Damn it, Bones, you’re a doctor. You know that pain and guilt can’t be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They’re the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don’t want my pain taken away! I need my pain!

I understand that. Occassionally, you might find me staring at my computer yelling, “Damn it Neverland! (Yes, I named it Neverland) I don’t want my limitations taken away! I need my limitations! I need to overcome something for myself!”

To which Neverland always responds with a calm, zen-like meditative hum and silence.

In the vast landscape of computer software there are engineers trying to figure out how to do everything from automatically pilot deep sea subs to developing robots who are able to internalize video data as 3d data and walk, interact and engage with others.

These are great and amazing things for humanity but for the artist one of the best things a computer can do is to help us without pampering us, enable us without giving us everything and, in general, staying in the background while we do the work of artists.

The Next Step

The next step will be to round the forms of this model and continue the sculpting from there!

Happy ZBrushing!

Image plane reference from www.3d.sk

Click here to download the image plane courtesy of www.3d.sk