L5AWM Translucent Magazine Recreated With Plasticity, Substance 3D & Marmoset Toolbag

Introduction

I got into 3D modeling in late 2022. It started as a hobby during college after I took a drafting class in AutoCAD. Curious if I could bring my drawings to life in 3D, I explored Fusion 360. After a few months of learning, I created my first game-ready model.

What began as a hobby soon turned into a passion. I was fortunate to join Onyx Academy, where I gained valuable skills. I also worked as a freelancer with a friend, creating weapons for FPV shooters. Now, I work as a 3D Artist at L3D Studio.

The L5-AWM Project

The idea of making the magazine a separate portfolio project came while gathering weapon references. Typically, I create two separate PureRef files: one dedicated to modeling references (as shown below) and another focused on textures, details of interest, or similar weapon types.

I divided the model into parts and selected references for each one individually. After some consideration, I decided to feature the magazine as a standalone piece in my portfolio rather than creating an entire weapon.

Modeling

With every project, I challenge myself to learn something new. This time, I decided to explore Plasticity, a tool rapidly gaining popularity and increasing industry demand for its use. Thanks to my experience with Fusion 360, adapting to it was quick and seamless.

As usual, I started by defining the dimensions, using a bullet to adjust the proportions, setting up references, and then diving into modeling. Once the main parts were complete, I added a spring and a mechanism to indicate that the magazine was loaded with exactly 30 rounds. The high-poly model was fully polished in ZBrush without any sculpting.

Low-Poly

I approached this stage with special attention, aiming to create a high-quality model I'd be proud to share. For optimization, I wanted to determine the best export workflow once and for all. I tested Pixyz, Moi, and direct export from Plasticity to Blender.

After running comparisons, I found that Pixyz exports slightly better than Plasticity, though both are viable with some adjustments to chamfers and curves. With these refinements, I achieved a balanced mesh, detailed enough without unnecessary complexity.

Topology

For UVs, I used RizomUV to quickly pack and align the necessary elements. I worked with a 2K texture during packing, maintaining a texel density of around 70px/cm. Less visible internal parts were scaled down, and the spring was packed using a long trim. Everything fits into a single texture set. There are options for improvement, but for a portfolio, this one is quite acceptable.

Texturing

The most exciting and time-consuming stage. I always approach it with care, trying to outperform previous works. I also compare myself with other artists on ArtStation to improve the quality and try to do better than others.

I started with a normal map and added texture and details, upon which I built.

Then, I created a base material with a small variation and worked out the color and roughness. Without a good base material, I believe it is difficult to achieve a realistic result when adding details.

After carefully examining the references, I added dust, prints, oil marks, scuffs, and minor scratches.

For the final look, I darkened the base color so that when working with refraction in Marmoset Toolbag, the magazine would not look too bright. The magazine's texture allows it to look good in both transparent and opaque versions.

Rendering

This was one of the most difficult and crucial processes for the portfolio. It took the most time due to the numerous lighting variations and the many trial-and-error attempts. In the end, I made over 15 renders, not including the variations with different transparency settings.

If you don't have any ideas for renderings, I suggest looking for references on Pinterest. I found a lot of ideas there, like these.

After receiving feedback on all the renders, I selected the 8 best ones for the final piece. The renders were mostly done with a single HDRI and an additional light source. The background features a blurred HDRI. One of the most interesting aspects was setting the plastic's transparency. In Substance 3D Painter, I created a separate channel in advance and used it as an alpha to apply transparency specifically to the plastic parts.

I want to emphasize that achieving this effect required some adjustments. If you're trying something similar, I recommend setting the denoise on the render to around 0.33 to avoid artifacts with transparency. Also, be patient, the first attempt may not give you the exact result you're aiming for.

Camera settings: I used a lens between 100 and 150 mm, slightly increasing sharpness and clarity. In the curves, I darkened the shadows and brightened the highlights.

After rendering, I applied a cold filter in Photoshop using Nik Collection to give all the images the same style.

Conclusion

The project took about 3 weeks, including time for experimentation and adjustments. The main challenge was achieving realistic renders and the transparency of the plastic. A lot of experimentation with material settings in Marmoset Toolbag was required to get the desired effect.

Through this project, I improved my Plasticity skills, significantly enhanced my texturing abilities, and learned many new techniques in Toolbag and Photoshop. I'd like to thank everyone who provided advice and support during this project, and a special thanks to 80 Level for the opportunity to write this article and share a bit about my work.

Dmytro Sinkov, Hard-Surface & Props Artist

Interview conducted by Amber Rutherford