大家好，我是Chris Tulloch McCabe，我是一个概念艺术家。我将向你们展示我设计科幻武器的过程。这种工作流程和方法可以很容易地应用于其他资产，如车辆、建筑物或装甲。我将主要从事3D工作，因为我喜欢它的灵活性，并且可以选择重轻，改变材料处理，并将模型传递给团队的其他成员。给他们至少一个良好的坚实的基础，或支持3D打印和原型的东西。 让我们开始吧！
Hi, my name is Chris Tulloch McCabe and I am a concept artist. I will be showing you my process when designing a sci-fi weapon. This workflow and approach would be easily applied to other assets like vehicles, structures, or armor. I will work in 3D mostly, as I like its flexibility and having the option to relight, change material treatment, and pass the model on to other members of the team. Giving them at the very least a good solid base to build on, or for a prop to have something to 3D print and prototype. Let gets started!
第1步：咖啡，研究和参考
所以，在开始设计武器时，这个阶段是至关重要的。 让自己喝一杯热饮，放点音乐，然后就可以开始了。想想你的思路; 在此基础上做一些粗略的记录，比如科幻步枪，冰冷的星球，冰块，玻璃，潮湿的黑色花岗岩，元素的破坏等。 然后，我会开始互联网搜索或翻阅书籍/杂志。试着在这一点上保持宽松和开放的思想。 抽象地思考，耳机成为喷油器，现代雕塑变成盾牌，车门把手变成匕首。
Step 1: Coffee, research and reference
So, when starting your weapon design, this stage is crucial. Get yourself a hot drink, put on some music and just dive in. Think about your brief; make some rough notes based on that, things like sci-fi rifle, cold planet, ice, glass, wet, black granite, elemental damage. Then I would begin internet searching or looking through books/magazines. Try and stay loose and open to ideas at this point. Think abstractly and it won't be long before headphones become fuel injectors, modern sculpture becomes shields, and car door handles become daggers.
第二步:画草图，清理蜘蛛网
既然你已经掌握了这个简短的信息和你将要使用的语言，那么就该认真开始了。现在到了下一个阶段，我发现把笔放在纸上很好。这是给你的。没有压力! 不要把你的美丽的牛皮皮革写生簿和你的一套36 Copic grays。只是一支笔和任何旧的纸:我只是想开始把我的参考翻译成符合逻辑的和讨人喜欢的形状。
Step 2: Sketch and clear the cobwebs
Now that you have a grasp on the brief and the vibe/language that you will use to answer it, it's time to start in earnest. Now with the next stage, I find putting pen to paper is good. This is just for you. No pressure! Don't pull out your beautiful vellum leather-bound sketchbook and your set of 36 Copic grays. Just a pen and any old paper: I am just trying to start the process of translating my reference into both logical and pleasing shapes.
和我一起，我开始思考我可能从什么形式和组合开始。 不要过度设计，或甚至完成它们。
With mine, I started to think about what shapes and compositions I might start with. Don't over design and/or even finish them.
第三步:三维草图和kitbash
一旦我对我想要开始的东西有了大致的了解，我就开始建模。我首先使用一些深色的材料，在模型上用少量的反射来显示内部的体积。这同样有助于保持光和创造力。抽象地查看模型并将其读取成松散的形状。在工作的时候眯着眼睛。3d - coat的基于voxels的雕塑在这个阶段是非常棒的。对我来说，我喜欢像用粘土一样工作。切片，直到我满意的形状。(更不用提非常，非常有治疗效果的)我使用了这两种方法的混合，并且用我自己的资产为之前的概念建立了自己的资产。
Step 3: 3D sketching and kitbash
Once I have a rough idea of what I want to start with, I get to modeling. I start by using a dark material on the models with a small amount of reflection to suggest internal volumes. This again helps to stay light and creative. To see the model abstractly and read into shapes loosely. Squint your eyes as you work. 3D-Coat's voxel-based sculpting is utterly awesome for this stage. For me, I like to work like I am using clay. Slicing bits off until I am happy with the shape. (Not to mention very, very therapeutic) I used a mixture of this and kitbashing my own assets built for previous concepts.
使用任何神奇的kitbash资源都很好，如果你有时间或机会来建立你自己的，保存它并重新使用它，翻转它，弯曲它，并复制它。你能从几个好的预制资产中获得多少里程，这真是令人惊讶。我用的主要是3d - coat的“Build”和“Primitive”， 来构建一个粗糙的质量，然后是“Cut off”工具。此外，为了创建重叠和更复杂的形状，我使用“Vox Hide”来隐藏像素!然后用“切断”来移除肿块。在这一点上，去几何学的>取消隐藏，将隐藏的三维像素移回来。这可能会造成一些非常疯狂、复杂的形状，如果在正常的、非造型的多边形建模中尝试，会让你的头部受伤。
Using any of the amazing kitbash resources out there are great and if you get the time or chance to build your own, save it and re-use it, flip it, bend it and duplicate it. It's amazing how much mileage you can get out of a few good premade assets. I used mainly 3D-Coat's 'Build' and 'Primitive' to build up a rough mass and then the 'Cut off' tool. Also, for creation overlapping and more complex shapes, I used 'Vox Hide' to hide voxels! Then use 'Cut off' to remove mass left. At this point go to Geometry > Unhide All to bring the hidden Voxels back. This can make some pretty crazy, complex shapes that would make your head hurt if tried in normal, non-sculpt based poly modeling.
第四步:让你的剪影适合你
这一步真的不是必须的，这取决于你的时间。但是如果你有一套3D草图，就用它们吧。不只是侧面的经典剪影；探索的角度。如果你有一个游戏中的模型导入它，并把武器放在它的手中。尝试5分钟的灯光设置。把它拉开，弹出，电池盒弹射。这些都很好。但关键是，如果时间允许，让草图为你工作。
Step 4: Make your silhouettes work for you
Now this step really isn't a must and it depends on your time. But if you have a set of 3D sketches, use them. Not just side-on classic silhouettes; explore angles. If you have an in-game model import it and put the weapon in its hand. Try a 5-minute light setup. Pull it apart, magazines out, battery pack ejection. Any or all of these are good. But the point is, if time permits, make the sketches work for you.
第五步:最终模型构建
一旦你决定了一个设计，你就可以开始构建细节了。对我来说，这是一个压力较小的阶段，因为所有主要的设计决策都已经完成，只是决定何时何地应该添加细节。值得一提的是，你很容易就会因为细节而抓狂，尤其是在3D方面。这一阶段对主要设计决策的关注较少，但你仍然需要考虑让你的眼睛休息一下，以及在哪里放置那些“oh -so- juicey”的细节。这是一个平衡。一个精致的形状和细节完全包在表面上看起来从来都不好看。
Step 5: Final model building
Once you decide on a design to take forward you can start building on the details. For me, it's a less stressful phase, as all the major design decisions have been made and is just about deciding when and where details should be added. It is worth mentioning that it's very easy to just go Baroque-crazy with the details, especially in 3D. This phase has less focus on major design decisions but you still need to think about giving your eye rest, and where to place those oh-so-juicey details. It's a balancing act. A nice shape with details totally encrusting the surface never looks good.
所以，技术上，我把我的基础体素网格，把分辨率提高到900万，这样我就能得到锐利的边缘。有时我需要在一些地方重建形状，但3D-Coat让你得到了保护。如果你把一个形状插入另一个形状，只要它们在“Vox Tree”的同一层上，它们就会被合并，这样你就可以很容易地重建形状，然后减少多余的部分。我还构建了模型本身的大部分实际的网格细节，而不是在纹理阶段使用面板线，剪辑和按钮进行法线处理，或者使用Photoshop中的绘制。
So, tech-wise, I took my base Voxel Mesh and upped the resolution to about 9 million so I could get nice sharp edges. Sometimes I needed to rebuild the shape in places but again, 3D-Coat has got you covered. If you take a shape and just jam it into the other, so long as they are on the same layer in the 'Vox Tree' they will be merged so you can do the rebuilding of shapes very easily and then trim the excess. I also build most of the actual mesh details on the model itself as opposed to doing things like panel lines, clips and buttons with Normals at the texture phase or with paint in Photoshop.
第6步：导出和渲染
一旦你对最后的模型感到满意，你可以导出它。有几种方法可以继续下去，这个过程本身就是一个教程。有很多沉闷，但有用的视频，如何从3D雕刻软件导出高多边形网格与法线和优化的网格。我基本上把这个模型弄坏了，并把它带入了Octane。随着时间的推移，我用我计划在最后一幅画中使用的不同材料渲染了整个模型，只是用Photoshop中的抠图来选择它们应该出现在哪里。如果你有时间的话，你可以输出UVs或所有的网格分解成各自的部分。在这里，我发现按照我的方式做这件事的破坏性不大。这意味着我可以在Photoshop中的最后绘画阶段改变我的想法。
Step 6: Export and render
Once you're happy with the final model you can export it. There are a few ways to go on that and the process is a tutorial in itself. There are lots of dull but helpful videos out there on how to export high poly meshes from your 3D sculpting software with normals and optimized mesh. I basically decimated the model and brought it into Octane. As I was pushed for time I rendered the whole model a number of times with the different materials I planned on using in the final painting, and just used mattes in Photoshop to choose where they should appear. If you have time, you can either export UVs or all the mesh broken up into its respective parts. Here I find it less destructive to do it the way I have. It means I can change my mind in the final paint phase in Photoshop as much as I want.
第七步：绘制阶段 - 材料
在这里，我尝试了如何将这些材料应用到武器上，这非常有趣。您导出越多的版本，您就可以生产更多的版本。 我有一套非常具体的颜色和材料类型，所以我不会抓狂，但他们如何分层是免费的游戏。我鼓励你们在这个阶段继续实验。 经过至少一天的沉重的细节建模，你可能会觉得你的概念已经在轨道上了，最后的结果已经决定了，但是仍然有时间对如何设计进行一些非常大的更改。而且，如果一位艺术总监说他们可能会在以后的某天把另一件武器上的油漆工作传过去，你仍然拥有所有的配料。
Step 7: Paint phase - Materials
Here I experimented with how the materials would be applied to the weapon and it's lots of fun. The more renders you export the more versions you can produce. I had a pretty specific set of colors and material types so I didn't go crazy, but how they are layered out is free game. I would encourage you to still experiment at this stage. After at least a day of heavy poly detail modeling you may feel that your concept is on rails, and the final outcome is already decided but there is still time to make some pretty big changes with regards to how to design is read. Also, if an art director says that they might like to take another pass at the paint job on a weapon at a later date, you still have all the ingredients.
步骤8: 绘制阶段-细节
我决定要添加一些额外的功能，比如贴纸、文字和划痕。对于科幻武器来说，这是卖出现实主义的好方法。这不是真的，事实上是愚蠢的。那么，你如何降低看似愚蠢的事情的风险呢? 那么嵌入你会与实际的日常项目相关的东西是好的。螺钉，划痕可能会暴露或摩擦在装甲角落上或布料上。还有一些实用的东西，比如警告贴纸和型号、剪辑和逻辑位置上的门闩。这也有助于给人一种规模和重量的感觉。你的大脑会下意识地观察这些细节，并将它们与日常用品进行比较，并告诉你它的大小。
Step 8: Paint Phase - Details
I decided that I wanted to add some small extras such as stickers, text, and scratches. For a sci-fi weapon this is a great way to sell realism. It's not real, it's silly in truth. So how do you reduce the risk of something seeming as silly as it is? Well embedding things that you would associate with actual day-to-day items is good. Screws, scratches on corners that would be exposed or rubbing on armor, or cloth. Utility stuff like warning stickers and model numbers, clips and latches in logical places also. This stuff also helps give a sense of scale and weight. Your brain will subconsciously look at these details and compare them to everyday items, and tell you how big or heavy it would be.
第9步：:绘制阶段- SFX
我决定，我需要在中间的水上多做点工作。 我对Octane的外观并不满意，我不认为这水会旋转，高速的穿过。是的，一些波浪照片，湿式混合机刷和运动模糊之后，我更满意它的样子。更重要的是，这种想法在第一次阅读中是可以理解的。
Step 9: Paint Phase - SFX
I decided that I needed to work a bit more on the water in the middle. I wasn't happy with the look out of Octane and more importantly didn't think the idea that this water would swirl and high speed was coming across. So yeah, some wave photos, wet mixer brush and motion blur later, and I was happier with the way it looked. And more importantly, the idea was understandable on a first read.
第十步:结论
所以，我们有了它;我创造武器的工作流程。正如我在一开始所说的，它也可以用于其他东西。这是灵活的，有助于避免陷入困境。保在每个阶段保持兴奋和创造力是关键。你甚至不需要把它一直带到一个高度详细的模型和渲染。通常，客户可能不需要您这样做。把你的三维草图和一些照片放在一起，告诉观众材料选项也是一个有效的工作流程。如果你需要回头再看。那么你就会有一套很好的基础来完善甚至使用其他的概念，比如建筑，或者机器上的佳能。我希望你能发现它的帮助和启发!
Step 10: Conclusion
So, there we have it; my workflow for creating weapons. As I said at the start, it can be used for other stuff too. It's flexible and helps avoid getting bogged down along the way. Staying excited and allowing for creativity at each stage is key. You don't even need to take it all the way to a high detailed model and render. Frequently, a client may not need you to do so. Taking your 3D sketches and painting over with some photos laid in to inform the viewer of material options is a valid workflow too. If you need to go back in later, then you have a set of great bases to refine or even use on other concepts such as buildings, or the canon on a mech. I hope you have found it helpful and inspiring!
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