06
TELL THE STORY WITH CLOTHING
The same principles used for believable
skin rendering also apply to clothes – remember that
we are telling a story through a single image, so we
want to convey as much narrative detail as possible.
A Viking warrior wears hand-made animal leather
clothes – a compromise between warmth and
tactical practicality during battle. Add details of blood
stains, dirt and wear and tear, to enhance the look of
the fabric. Small rips and holes in the cape or
trousers will serve as a reminder of past battles.05
CREATING BELIEVABLE SKIN
Rendering believable skin is tedious, but it
makes a huge difference. Custom texture maps are
generally created for the 3D model, however, you will
want to add more detail to the renders by including
elements like bruises, scars and imperfections to
make the character realistic. Place battle scars or
wounds on the character in areas not protected by
the armour, this will help create a visual narrative.
Paint in extra pores and veins in certain areas, and
don’t be afraid to experiment with bouncing lights
and translucency to simulate sub-surface scattering
or wet surfaces.09
ADD ATMOSPHERIC ELEMENTS
Everything looks more epic with fog and
mist. There are plenty of ways to create great particle
effects. For this key art, our team used the particle
engine in Arnold to create thin layers of dynamic
rolling smoke, combined with hand painted thicker
layers in the foreground. Place the smoke layers at
the top of your layer stack and set their blend modes
to Screen. You will want to keep the opacity quite
low. With a large soft brush erase the areas further
away from light sources.08
CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT
At this stage, break away from your character and focus on the environment that he lives in. Start by
choosing a colour palette that makes sense, with the tone and mood setting the scene that you are depicting.
Fill in the areas that you outlined previously with more defined brush strokes to simulate the moonlight
bouncing off the snow and casting shadows. Use photographic assets both as a reference and as textures to
obtain a proper realistic finish. Use the Dodge and Burn tools to darken poorly lit areas or to reflect more light.07
BUILD HEAVY METAL
A Viking helm is one of the most iconic
battle props. Its unique shape and curled horns are
immediately recognisable, and convey a sense of
strength. The eye will naturally be drawn to the helm,
so make this the main focal point of your piece.
Work with the Dodge and Burn tools to create the
roughness of a hammered metal sheet. Apply heavy
scratches by combining brush strokes with
photographic assets. Follow the shape of the helm,
keeping in mind your light sources and how light
bounces off curved surfaces.QUICK TIP
When working with complex lighting, constant
fine-tuning is necessary. Always use editable
adjustment layers instead of non-reversible
actions. You can apply adjustment layers to a
single layer, or to a group of layers, by placing
them directly above the target layer or group, and
using the Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+G command.CREATE PRO KEY ART