Portfolio drop, Der Rüchenbrecher

So I've started an Artstation portfolio with a piece created in a short project, Der Rüchenbrecher. Sounds cool? It means Backbreaker, silly name so I thought it sounded tougher and scarier in German.

The asset is game ready and was created using a basic production pipeline of research and visual reference, followed by low to high, to low poly retopology using Maya and ZBrush, then final texturing and renders created with Substance painter and Marmoset Toolbag 3.

Visual Research and Referencing

For references, I didn't want to go too in depth as the asset that I had in mind was intended for a fantasy context. Avoiding too much real life reference helped my process of ideas generation when keeping things simple and unique. Think World of Warcraft, that type of thing, but more detailed in the final product. When searching for references I researched wrought iron fittings, shield bosses, hammered iron, wood and leather.

Construction of the asset was also considered when researching as metal was to be incorporated with wood and leather. The fittings in the references feature holes, nails and rivets, so ideas were starting to take shape in my mind. Types of wood were considered also, coming to the conclusion that as there needed to be impressions of hardwood with a dense long grain, able to take a damage and be flexible enough to not smash on impact to fit the purpose of a shield. Ideas were coming to mind so it was time to start a low poly block out in Maya.

Der Rüchenbrecher blockout model (charinvertex.wixsite.com)