Anatomy and Character Sculpture - Final Compilation

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23/9/2025 - 4/1/2025 (Week 1 - Week 14)

Lim Yeng San (0366316)
Anatomy and Character Sculpture / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Final Compilation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXERCISE 1
Instructions


Fig 1.1: Exercise 1 brief


Process Work
Character Design Concept
It took me a while to design the character at first. My initial idea was a fantasy elf but was discouraged to pursue it. I then went on with an idea of an insect character.


Fig 1.2 and 1.3: Initial sketches

The insect character's design is based off a praying mantis. I browsed Pinterest for anatomy and outfit ideas.

Fig 1.4: Mood board


The character is drawn to be a bipedal humanoid with alien features. I added the praying mantis class on the forearms, antennae on the forehead and gave her a wider chest and a unique face to keep her from looking too human.

Fig 1.5: Turnaround

Fig 1.6: Silhouette sketches


I gave the character an identity and a backstory.

Fig 1.7: Character description


I wanted the character to be a female tribal warrior. I based the outfit on lightweight feminine fighting clothing and gained inspiration from traditional female African outfits. I went with a crop top and layered skirt for the main outfit. I wanted the outfit to look fantastical and alien and reflect the character's story.

Fig 1.8: Outfit variations

Fig 1.9: Final character design turnaround

Digital Drawing
For the digital drawing, I wanted to show the character fighting in an arena as it happens in her story. I sketched some poses.


Fig 1.10 and 1.11: Pose sketches


I decided on the third pose. I drew the in an arena in battle with someone offscreen. She's being watched by onlookers who range from royalty, citizens to a mysterious group.

Fig 1.12 and 1.13: Sketch and line art


Fig 1.14: Final digital drawing


Fig 1.15: Exercise 1 (PDF)


PROJECT 1
Instructions

Fig 2.1: Project 1 brief

Process Work
Skull Mesh
I downloaded ZBrush for the 3D-sculpting. I referred to photos of skulls to sculpt the skull.

Fig 2.2: Skull reference
I started off with a sphere and slowly shaped the jaw, cranium, eye-sockets, nasal cavity and teeth.


Fig 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5: Early skull model


After feedback, I reshaped the proportions of the skull and redid the jaw and nasal cavity. I followed a YouTube tutorial for guidance. I made separate subtools for the teeth and jaw as it was easier to adjust.




Fig 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9: Final skull turnaround


Body Mesh
Blocking Stage
I only used simple shapes and molded a bit for part like the ears, face, chest hands and feet.

Fig 2.10, 2.11, 2.12 and 2.13: Blocking stage turnaround


Blocking Details
I added more subtools to make the eyes and muscles on the back, arms and legs. I then smoothed them together and used the dam standard brush to draw details.

Fig 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17: Blocking details turnaround


Character Detailing
I smoothed and drew more lines for tiny details in the nose, mouth and muscles.

Fig 2.18, 2.19, 2.20 and 2.21: Character detailing turnaround


Final Outcome

Fig 2.22: Final Project 1 layouts (PDF)


MP4 videos cannot be viewed in the PDF above. The turntable videos are linked below.





PROJECT 2
Instructions

Fig 3.1: Project 2 brief


Process Work
Outfit
I used the mask brush and extract tool to make the main outfit. I sculpted the amulet on the hip with subtools.

Fig 3.2: Sculpted outfit


Once I was done, I coloured everything according to the character design. The eyes took a while to colour as the original concept didn't look great on the model so I tried a few styles until I decided on the second one.

Fig 3.3: Eye colouring


I also edited the face and the body to have more of a s-curve spine.


Fig 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7: Full coloured model


Prop
I chose a spear as the prop. I sculpted everything with subtools and added a cloth by masking and extracting.



Fig 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10: Spear prop



Final Outcome

Fig 3.11: Project 2 Final Outcome (PDF)


MP4 videos cannot be viewed in the PDF above. The turntable videos are linked below.




FINAL PROJECT
Instructions

Fig 4.1: Final project brief


Process Work
Character Posing
I mainly used masking and the transpose tool to pose the model. I originally wanted to pose the character like how I drew her in the digital drawing but I realized that it would take a lot work to reposition the clothes and hair and redo the details.

Fig 4.2: Initial pose


I chose to position her running instead. All of the clothes and hair still needed to be repositioned but was not relatively complicated.

Fig 4.3: Final pose


Concept Illustration
Before I started drawing, I exported renders of the model to render the model in Photoshop. I exported the rendered layers from ZBrush and put them together in Photoshop.

Fig 4.4 and 4.5: (From left to right) Composite and depth render

Fig 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8: (From left to right) Shadows and ambient render and mask layer


Once I put everything together, it was ready to be used in the concept art.

Fig 4.9: Rendered model in Photoshop


I wanted the art to reflect the initial digital art from exercise 1 so I drew a closeup of an arena entrance and positioned the model in front of it.

Fig 4.10 and 4.11: Sketch and lineart with colour

Fig 4.12: Final concept illustration


Final Outcome

Fig 4.13: Final project (PDF)


MP4 videos cannot be viewed in the PDF above. The turntable videos are linked below.

Link to updated Project 1 and Project 2 turntable videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WhnMA6Xa78KzTjvbeDIYcFDEjia3bVyQ?usp=drive_link

Link to Final Project turntable videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nTmrFksgQUkOCz6IF09iwP_GixZuTIts?usp=drive_link

Fig 4.14: Concept illustration compilation (PDF)

Fig 4.15: Final concept illustration (PDF)


FEEDBACK

Week 2
The design looks too realistic
Week 3
The design is fine.
Week 4
The wide chest looks odd

Week 5
The design looks too realistic
Week 6
The proportions are and teeth are wrong

Week 7
Good blocking

Week 8
Spread out the arms so that it'll be easier later on

Week 10
The model looks a bit weird

Week 12
Good posing

Week 13
The pose is acceptable

Week 14
The turntable videos are too small, don't use screenshots in the final image slides                      

REFLECTION

Overall I quite liked this subject. I had fun 3D-modelling the character as it felt similar to carving but it is much easier. ZBrush is a complicated software to learn though but it is not very hard to learn compared to Blender. Photoshop also felt clunky at times when I was drawing the concept illustration but thankfully nothing terrible happened. My lecturer, Mr. Luqman's tutorials have been helpful as they were easy to understand. I do feel that I could improve further and can see myself doing this again in the future.


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