3D Character Design: From Drawing to Modeling
A course by Segun SamsonVisual Development Artist
A course by Segun Samson, Visual Development Artist
Give a new dimension to characters by creating your protagonist in Photoshop before giving it depth and volume with ZBrush and Maya
Portraying a character’s personality when rendering in 3D begins with imagination and a 2D sketch. Self-taught visual development artist Segun Samson is passionate about developing captivating characters that connect with their audiences. He has worked with numerous studios including Triggerfish Animation, Dreamcast Animation, and Sunrise Productions.
Discover how to create a unique character concept into readable 3D designs filled with appeal and personality. Build your 2D character in Photoshop, before learning how to block out, sculpt, and fully render your protagonist on ZBrush and Maya.
What will you learn in this online course?
19 lessons & 17 downloads
Gathering Ideas and References
4 minutes, 29 seconds
Sketching in Photoshop 1
14 minutes, 53 seconds
Sketching in Photoshop 2
16 minutes, 46 seconds
Adding Colour and Finalising the Character 1
15 minutes, 54 seconds
Adding Colour and Finalising the Character 2
15 minutes, 10 seconds
Blockout in ZBrush 1
18 minutes, 48 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet Segun Samson and discover how he became a self-taught visual development artist specializing in character design. Learn about his art heroes and see how they’ve helped him develop his own artistic style.
Get familiar with the software for your final project before gathering references to create a mood board. Start sketching your character in Photoshop, add color and add details with Segun’s guidance.
Begin sculpting your character in ZBrush, starting with your first 3D blockout. See how to refine proportions and positions and block out accessories. Segun then shows you how to add color to your character and refine its pose, before exporting your file.
Import your character in Maya and work on the shaders for each element of your character. Set up the stage for your renders with lights and learn how to use HDRIs. Finish the course by refining the presentation of your character in Photoshop and adding the final details.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a 2D and 3D character for a TV series project.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
For anyone interested in designing a character in 2D and in 3D.
This course is for both beginners as well as professionals in the animation and games industry.
Requirements and materials
Basic drawing knowledge and previous experience in sculpting in ZBrush or similar are helpful but not essential to take this course.
As for materials, you need a computer with Adobe Photoshop, Substance 3D Painter, ZBrush, and a graphic tablet or mouse.
Reviews
- 7 months ago
Great course, I learned a lot.
- 7 months ago
sin duda Exelente desde el principio
- 10 months ago
Me encanto el curso
- 1 year ago
An excellent course - great training it is
- windows_xpPLUS2 years ago
Es un curso para ir con calma, pero por todo lo demás es precioso e inspirador.
He has worked for companies like Triggerfish Animation, Lantern Books, Dreamcast Animation Studio, Gamsole, Genii Games, Flaunt Production (Monster High: Electrified), and Sunrise Productions (Jungle Beat: The Movie).
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Creating the Character
- Gathering Ideas and References
- Sketching in Photoshop 1
- Sketching in Photoshop 2
- Adding Colour and Finalising the Character 1
- Adding Colour and Finalising the Character 2
- U3
Sculpting the Character in ZBrush
- Blockout in ZBrush 1
- Blockout in ZBrush 2
- Blockout in ZBrush 3
- Blockout in ZBrush 4
- Detailing the Character 1
- Detailing the Character 2
- Texturing the Character and Refining the Pose 1
- Texturing the Character and Refining the Pose 2
- U4
Setting up the Character in Maya
- Setting up Shaders in Maya
- Rendering the Character in Maya 1
- Rendering the Character in Maya 2
- Final Presentation
- FP
Final project
- Character Design for 2D to 3D
What to expect from a Domestika course
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
This course is designed for intermediate learners with some basic experience in digital art or 3D modeling. Beginners may find it challenging without prior knowledge of Photoshop or 3D sculpting fundamentals.
You will need access to Adobe Photoshop, ZBrush, Maya, and PureRef to follow along with the course content and complete the projects.
You'll learn the complete workflow for designing characters, from 2D sketching in Photoshop to 3D sculpting in ZBrush, texturing, exporting to Maya, setting up shaders, and creating professional presentation renders.
Yes, the course guides you through gathering references, sketching original character concepts, and refining your designs before moving to 3D modeling.
The course teaches you to start with 2D sketches in Photoshop, then transfer your designs into ZBrush for sculpting, and finally export and refine the model in Maya for rendering.
Yes, the course covers both polypaint texturing in ZBrush and advanced shader setup in Maya, including using Arnold and Hypershade for realistic materials.
You'll learn to set up lighting, cameras, and render settings in Maya, then enhance your final images in Photoshop for portfolio-quality presentations.