Craft a game-ready character asset using ZBrush and Substance 3D Painter

01. Creating a PureRef file

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

Before you start modelling, take a minute to create a PureRef file to collect images that inspire your project. Although your main goal is to conform to the concept, having a few good references such as clothing, a head, female anatomy, props and so on will help you set a course and save time. Every good 3D artist has their own collection of such references.

02. Building the blockout

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

You can start by creating a sculpture from scratch, or use a ready-made base mesh that can be modified to fit the proportions of the concept. While working on this in ZBrush, I mainly use the Move brush, ClayBuildup to build shapes, Dam Standard to create depressions and folds, and Flatten for flat sections. Smoothing will help give the shapes an even look. It’s also important to use simple shapes, for example a belt is a cylinder and a head is a sphere.

03. Using DynaMesh and ZRemesher

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

When the look is completed, start creating topology using DynaMesh where it’s needed, such as the fingers on the hands, and the connection of the arms, legs and body. This will allow you to connect the parts into a single model. You then need to edit and smooth out any problem areas. After that, you can apply ZRemesher. I recommend setting ZRemesher to a small value, as it’s much easier to work with a grid with few polygons.

Embrace an iterative approach to modelling and texturing, refining your work in stages and seeking feedback from peers or online communities to help improve your craft.

04. Making and refining your forms

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

After rebuilding the grids and transferring all the details, start working on clearly defining the shape of the character. Develop the small details, making the lines of the shapes smoother. The main goal is that the model looks harmonious without any drop in quality or poorly defined elements. Using the Morph brush is great for this, as it helps to fix potential problems like bad folds in clothes. Also use the Dynamic function, which is handy for setting up simple shapes. Finally, you can’t do without the Dam Standard brush to get clear details.

05. The retopologising process

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

For a game-ready model like this, the retopology must be done manually. Blender add-ons such as RetopoFlow or SpeedRetopo are especially helpful here. The main rule to follow is that your polygons should be square rather than rectangular. Pay attention to the curves, arms, legs and face, and keep an eye on the topology. Avoid triangulation, though you can add forced triangulation where the polygon breaks into two triangles. Monitor shading in complex areas; if the shading looks poor, consider adding support loops, adjusting normals, or creating solid edges.

06. Creating the UVs

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

The approach to creating a UV scan is straightforward. Follow the basic rules: place your seams imperceptibly, double the size of the face compared to the rest of the elements, use overlaps for symmetrical elements, and fill the UV space as efficiently as possible. It’s good to expand the islands into a rectangle so that the seams are less noticeable on the texture. Ensure the texture’s alignment by referencing a chequered pattern to maintain consistency and accuracy in its application.

07. Baking the mesh

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

After creating UV maps, you can proceed to the baking process. Upload your model and textures to Marmoset Toolbag, making sure the scale of the high and low quality match. Customise the baking process according to your needs. It’s better to take a larger texture size as it can be reduced in Photoshop without loss of any quality. Export colour maps of normals, occlusion, curvature, thickness, and vertices, while ensuring each of the results meets your expectations and doesn’t contain artifacts, so your model will look detailed going forward.

08. The texturing process

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

When the project is set up in Substance 3D Painter, you can start texturing. Divide the model into folders using the Vertex Color option, setting up each folder with separate parts. Adjust the material so that it matches the colour scheme of the concept, and then add textures and depth, using curvature generators and ambient occlusion, and avoiding black areas. Further jobs include adding textures of fabric, leather, latex, applying a gradient to each part of the model, and working with Roughness and Metallic. Repeat this process for all other materials.

09. Posing the character

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

There are two ways to pose a character: either using a rigging system or by employing a quicker process in ZBrush. Opt for the latter and establish a pose using masks and the Gizmo tool, then refine the pose with the Move brush if it’s needed. Be thorough in sorting any corresponding areas in the concept so your detailing is comprehensive from all perspectives. Pay particular attention to the fingers, shoulders and the pelvic alignment, as well as the eye direction and head tilt adjustments. References will help you to get this spot on.

10. Rendering your image

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

My preferred method for rendering uses Blender, although I decided to use Marmoset Toolbag for this particular character. Start by uploading your model to Marmoset and adjust the scale if necessary. Arrange each material in order while taking into account the differences from Substance 3D Painter, since a different HDR format is used. It’s also useful to emphasise the silhouette, which can be done with an outline. To do this, make a duplicate of the grid and turn out the normals, then adjust the black matte material in Marmoset. (Read our guide to the best rendering software for more advice.)

11. Setting-up the lighting

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

You can experiment with different lighting setups and techniques to get the desired atmosphere. For example, soft, indirect lighting can create a magical ambience and harsh, directional lighting produces a dramatic effect.

Let’s use a standard setup with three light sources. First add the main source, then one auxiliary light on the side, plus a contour backlight behind the model. Experiment with the direction and power of each light source, and you should be able to see how each works individually. In some places the lighting may not be enough, so you can also add small light sources, but don’t abuse this. At the end, install HDR lighting if it looks better.

12. Making amendments in post-processing

(Image: © Ivan Mironenko)

As soon as the lighting is suitable, render the images from different angles and build a video. During the post-processing, you can add in effects such as a vignette, and perform blurring and sharpening. You could play around with the camera settings too. If necessary, the background can be changed in Photoshop, and atmospheric particles like dust and sparks can provide a little life. However, try to limit the use of such elements so that you don’t draw the audience’s attention from the character.

Apply composition principles such as the rule of thirds, leading lines and depth of field to enhance the visual impact and storytelling of your render.