Subsurface scattering is a complicated shader effect that makes skin look alive. But creating subsurface scattering shaders for skin has always been a little bit like black magic – until now.
Start using the new MILA material in Maya 2015
Mental Ray’s new MILA material in Maya 2015 is a layered library shader that improves performance and flexibility. Wait, why do you care? What’s wrong with Blinn??? Continue reading Start using the new MILA material in Maya 2015
Zipper stamp for Mudbox
Here’s another short video, I go over the process of creating a zipper stamp for Mudbox. I also include the stamp as a download! Continue reading Zipper stamp for Mudbox
Head Sculpting Vid
Here’s a short vid showing the creation of a character head in Mudbox, starting from the default base head.
Continue reading Head Sculpting Vid
SSD hard drive upgrades give a huge performance boost
[updated July 31 2017] I’d heard about SSD drives, but I just didn’t think that a hard drive could make that much of a difference in performance, you know? It’s all RAM and processor speed, I thought!
Now I am convinced it is the cheapest and easiest way to improve your system. ANY system! Continue reading SSD hard drive upgrades give a huge performance boost
Using Vector Displacement Maps in Mudbox
Want to create super-detailed sculpts in just seconds? You need to use VDMs!
Continue reading Using Vector Displacement Maps in Mudbox
Why should anyone hire you?
In my earlier post about portfolio sites, I addressed a few of the most common mistakes I saw on artists’ sites. But mistakes on a portfolio aren’t the biggest problem. The biggest mistakes happen before the portfolio is even created. Continue reading Why should anyone hire you?
3d printing
Being able to hold something in my hands that I made in Mudbox is pretty cool. Kinda like ‘TEA / EARL GREY / HOT’ but much slower and entirely plastic. Continue reading 3d printing
Environment UVs
Creating environment UVs isn’t hard, per se. It’s usually just planar UV projections on flat surfaces. The trick is properly creating UVs that take advantage of tiling textures. Here’s a short video that lays out what you need to know! Continue reading Environment UVs
Creating a simple level blockout
You know that creating a simple level blockout (aka greyboxing) is a necessity for video game artists. But this simple skill can also make you a better artist all around.
As for how it can do that – I like to compare a blockout to Cliffs Notes.
Continue reading Creating a simple level blockout