Filippo Chico | Student Showreel

Mountain-top Monastery: environment project

Creating an immersive environment has always been a fascinating challenge for me. For one of my early projects, I decided to embark on the journey of designing a monastery situated atop a majestic mountain, drawing inspiration from a captivating concept art piece by Mariia Tverdohleb.

Here's the link to follow Mariia Tverdohleb on ArtStation: click here

Technical Details:

- Software Used: Autodesk Maya, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine

- Project Duration: 4 weeks

I began with blocking out the basic shapes in Maya, focusing on the architectural elements and layout. Towards the end, I utilized Substance Painter to texture the environment, adding depth and realism to the scene. Transitioning to Unreal Engine, I refined the environment, adding atmospheric details and effects to enhance the overall aesthetic.

Blocking Phase:

Using Maya, which I had never used before, I meticulously modeled each structure, paying close attention to traditional architectural details. Every polygon was crafted with care, embodying my dedication and passion for the project. Throughout the process, I continuously adjusted elements based on how I envisioned the monastery, ensuring it resonated with the tranquility and grandeur I aimed to achieve.

High poly mesh workflow:

After completing the blocking phase in Maya, I imported the mountain and tower meshes into ZBrush to add high-poly details, which were then utilized in the baking process in Substance Painter.

Low Poly Mesh:                                                   High Poly Mesh:

Texturing Phase:

One of the main challenges I encountered was achieving a harmonious blend of traditional design elements with realistic textures and lighting. To overcome this, I experimented with various texturing techniques in Substance Painter and utilized reference images to guide my process. This iterative approach helped me strike the right balance and create a visually compelling environment.

Texturing workflow:

Shading and Rendering Phase:

Upon completing the texturing phase, I exported the textures to proceed with shading in Unreal Engine. To optimize the project and enhance rendering performance, I decided to consolidate the ambient occlusion, roughness, and metalness maps into a single texture map called ARM. The ARM map combines these three textures into one by separating them into different color channels (red for ambient occlusion, green for roughness, and blue for metalness). This approach not only streamlined the project but also allowed for smoother rendering in Unreal Engine.

Viewport Screenshots from Unreal Engine:

Final render results:

Despite having no prior experience with Maya or Unreal Engine, this project ignited my passion for computer graphics, particularly in the realm of texturing. It was a significant learning experience, allowing me to develop my skills in environment modeling and real-time rendering.

I am proud of the final result, as it showcases my ability to create an engaging and visually stunning scene.

Venetian Mask: texture exercise

For this brief project, which took about 8 hours of work, I expanded my skills with the software "Substance Painter" by creating a Venetian mask in a cyberpunk style.

I drew inspiration from the skin of Alter, the new operator in Apex Legends, incorporating the main colors and some facial details from the character.

To add more depth, I decided to "age" the texture by including flaked paint, air bubbles, and small details that suggest an abandoned robot mask—perhaps the true face of a robot, detached and left to rust in a landfill.

Main Reference:

To begin, I utilized a 3D model of a Venetian mask provided by our professor for this exercise.

Upon receiving the model, I transitioned to Substance Painter, where I began the process of creating and applying textures, ensuring every detail looked realistic and refined.

For this exercise, my goal was to deepen my understanding of the use of generators and the pen tool, enhancing the level of detail and striving to achieve the highest possible realism.

Texturing Workflow:

Subsequently, I conducted a test render in Substance Painter to evaluate the appearance and corrected any errors that emerged.

Substance Painter render:

In conclusion, I exported the textures and set up a rendering scene in Maya. After correctly linking the various textures, I initiated the final render using Arnold, which resulted in the following outcome:

Maya render scene:                                                          Final render result:

Millicent: Character Project

For my second major project at Big Rock, I delved into the intricate process of producing a humanoid fictional character from scratch. This encompassed sculpting, modeling, retopology, clothing, texturing, shading, and rendering. Inspired by my favorite video game, Elden Ring, I chose to work on the character of Millicent due to her captivating style. As an absolute novice in character creation, with no prior experience in this domain, it was a daunting but immensely enjoyable endeavor.

Technical Details:

- Software Used: ZBrush, Maya, Marvelous Designer, Substance Painter

- Project Duration: 3 weeks

Drawing upon the foundational knowledge of anatomy provided by our school (which covered the basics of human anatomy in modeling), I proceeded to meticulously sculpt the character.

Sculpting Phase:

My journey began in ZBrush, where I sculpted Millicent's features starting from a simple sphere. With meticulous attention, I shaped the primary forms of her head, refining each contour to capture her essence. As I progressed, I expanded my focus to encompass her torso and arms, gradually bringing her physical presence to life. Additionally, I utilized ZBrush's curve tool to sculpt Millicent's hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, ensuring a realistic and dynamic flow to complement her overall aesthetic.

Clothing Phase:

Following facial and torso sculpting, I ventured into Marvelous Designer for the first time, utilizing its dynamic simulation capabilities to craft Millicent's clothing and ensuring lifelike fit and drape for each garment.

Modeling Phase:

After completing the creation of the clothing, I shifted my focus to creating Millicent's distinctive mechanical arm, modeling it entirely in Maya. For the creation of the hand, I utilized the retopology of the organic hand and then seamlessly connected it to the forearm.

Retopology:

After that, I embarked on the phase of retopology. Here, I reconstructed Millicent's geometry, optimizing it for efficiency while preserving the integrity of her design, including both her face and clothing.

Upon completing the retopology phase, I returned to ZBrush to finalize Millicent's intricate details. Delving back into the high-poly mesh, I refined every nuance, ensuring that each contour and feature was crafted to perfection. These final touches elevated the realism and depth of Millicent's character, laying the foundation for the next phase of the project.

Zbrush Test render:

With the high-poly mesh complete, I transitioned to Substance Painter for the crucial baking process. Here, I leveraged the details of the high-poly mesh to generate accurate texture maps, laying the foundation for the final texturing and shading phases of the project.

Texturing workflow:

Substance Painter Test Render:

Shading and Rendering Phase:

After a few render tests in Substance Painter, I set up the render scene in Maya, carefully adjusting the lights and skydome to match the colors and lighting produced by the HDRI I found. I then initiated the render using Arnold, ensuring that all elements were cohesively integrated.

Final Render Results:

ARM DETAILS RENDER:

After completing the final renders, I chose to render the mechanical arm separately. This approach provided a closer view, highlighting the intricate details and textures I created.

Despite being an absolute novice in character creation, this project served as a significant turning point for me. It deeply engaged me, sparking a realization of my passion for character design and texturing. Through the process of modeling Millicent, I discovered a newfound direction for my career aspirations, realizing my desire to specialize in character creation and texture artistry. This project not only challenged me but also inspired me to pursue further expertise in this domain, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead in the world of digital art.

Embarking on my computer graphics journey has been immensely rewarding. Each project has honed my skills and introduced new challenges. Transitioning my passion for traditional art and sculpture into the digital realm has allowed me to innovate and grow. At Big Rock School, I've been learning software like ZBrush, Maya, Marvelous Designer, and Substance Painter, bringing my creative visions to life with precision.

I've developed a strong affinity for character creation and texturing, which I plan to specialize in. Every project has built a solid foundation for my future in computer graphics. I’m excited to continue pushing my craft's boundaries and exploring new possibilities.

Thank you for viewing my showreel and witnessing my work's evolution!