Learn How To Sculpt A 3D Printable Miniature With ZBrush

Introduction

Hi, my name is Juan Novelletto, and I'm a Senior Character Artist mainly working on AAA video games as a contractor for various well-known companies. I also specialize as a Digital Sculptor for the collectibles industry.

My career in the video game industry began in 2013, after more than seven years of working as a Web Programmer. I decided to quit and dedicate myself to what I was truly passionate about: art and video games. My first role was as a 2D Artist at a company that no longer exists, Heavyboat, which focused on mobile games. From there, I moved on to NGD Studios (now Nimble Giant), where I contributed as a Concept Artist to my first AAA project, Master of Orion. It took two more years before I fully transitioned into Character Art, and this happened at NXA Studios while working on Injustice 2, where I took my first steps in this field.

Throughout my career, I've worked as a Character Artist on various video games, with highlights including Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1, Gotham Knights, Total War: Warhammer III, and Doom: The Dark Ages. Additionally, I've contributed as a Digital Sculptor for companies like Heramodels, XM Studios, Mindwork Studio, Mood Publishing, and many others.

The Usurper Project

Usurper was a commission from Mindwork, a renowned miniatures company from Italy. They needed a digital sculpt for a 75mm scale miniature, and I was also responsible for the entire production preparation process, including cutting and hollowing the pieces. They were very straightforward with their request, asking me to stay as faithful as possible to the illustration the miniature was based on, created by the talented artist Jodie Muir.

The main challenge in projects like this, where it's crucial to reflect the artwork 100%, is that once it's transferred into 3D, it needs to look beautiful from every angle. Often, illustrations "fake" certain elements like perspective to achieve a better composition, which can become a challenge when translating it into 3D.

Another key factor is the scale of the miniature. Since these figures are very small (for example, a head is around 8-9mm tall), it's essential not to over-detail, as that can make the model too noisy.

Sculpting

For Usurper, my workflow was the same as what I usually follow when working on miniatures. I typically start by posing a base body model I've previously created, aiming to match the pose as closely as possible to the illustration. The biggest difference compared to my workflow for video game characters is that, in miniatures, I pose the character instead of using an A-pose or T-pose. Additionally, the anatomy and proportions for miniatures are often adjusted for readability – hands and heads are usually larger to compensate for the smaller scale.

When working on the pose, one trick I often use is creating a custom camera in ZBrush and saving it (Document → ZAppLink Properties). This allows me to quickly return to the illustration's perspective with a single click.

At this stage, besides working on the pose, I also establish the volumes of the primary and secondary forms, leaving aside smaller details and elements. My goal is to create a quick blockout to send to the client, focusing on proportions and pose.

For elements like straps, armor pieces, and clothing, I initially create simple, clean shapes with basic topology to easily adjust proportions and pose.

One technique I use is masking the base body and utilizing the Extract tool to generate a volume.

After that, I apply ZRemesher to the new subtool, ensuring that KeepGroups is activated to retain the polygroups. It's also important to adjust SmoothGroups to avoid losing the initial form – the higher this value, the more curvature you’ll get.

Finally, I refine the piece using the Move brush and adjust the topology with ZModeler.

Once the client approves the proportions and pose, the next step is adding details and the remaining elements. This stage is fairly straightforward, but it's crucial to always keep the scale of the figure in mind, avoiding excessive detail, as it's both a waste of time and can compromise the final quality. Typically, for video game characters, I create all my cloth in Marvelous Designer, but for miniatures, I prefer to sculpt it directly in ZBrush. The result is less realistic but more expressive, which suits miniatures better. I don't have a specific technique, but I generally use the Standard brush to create folds, refining them with DamStandard. For smaller, sharper wrinkles, I like using the SK_Cloth brush, available for free on ArtStation.

The face was a big challenge since I wanted to capture the expression and proportions of the illustration as accurately as possible while also ensuring it looked compelling from all angles. This was probably the most difficult part of the sculpt, as I kept adjusting it throughout the process. I approached it in a traditional way, using mainly the Standard and ClayBuildup brushes, but for the sharper planes and angular features of the nose, I used TrimDynamic. 

In terms of structure, I aimed to create this inverted triangular shape when viewed from the front, as it made a strong visual impact in terms of composition.

Topology

One of the advantages of working with miniatures that are meant for 3D printing is that, unlike video game characters, there's no need for retopology. However, as I mentioned earlier, I like to keep the topology simple, with low subdivision levels, to make it easier to manipulate cleanly. That said, areas like the hair are more challenging, and having clean topology can sometimes limit your creativity when sculpting. In those cases, I prefer to use Dynamesh and work more organically. The brushes I typically use are ClayBuildup to create volumes and DamStandard to define the separation between them. One trick when smoothing is to switch the default Smooth brush to Smooth Directional, which helps preserve the internal lines created by ClayBuildup while cleaning up the horizontal planes.

Once the sculpt is finished and approved by the client, topology doesn't matter anymore. I usually merge the subtools and use Dynamesh at a high resolution to preserve all the details.

Rendering

Although the final goal for these types of projects is to produce a physical piece, when presenting it in my portfolio, I like to create renders that give an idea of how the miniature will look once printed, emphasizing the volumes. I try not to use any post-processing in Photoshop or manipulate the renders, as I want people to know that what they see is exactly what they'll receive, with no surprises. So, what you see rendered is the miniature with the production cuts in place – it's the same sculpt that will be printed. I use Arnold in Maya for rendering, keeping the setup simple with three lights: a front-facing keylight and two fill lights on the sides.

I applied a procedural shader that I developed with my friend Federico Ginabreda, which I've tweaked over time to enhance the final result.

Once the sculpt is approved, the next step is preparing it for production. This involves an initial phase where the client sends me a sketch indicating where the cuts need to be made, essentially outlining the separate parts they require. The next step is preparing the sculpt for cutting. While the process is straightforward, it requires experience and knowledge, as any mistakes – such as internal gaps or joints that don't fit properly – can cause delays or even force a reprint. It's important to note that this piece is meant for mass production, not just for a single print. The big difference is that, after printing, a mold is made for each piece, which is quite costly. Therefore, ensuring everything is correct is critical to avoid any issues.

Conclusion

It's difficult for me to calculate the total time for a miniature like this since my main job is as a Character Artist for video games, and I work on these projects in my free time, but I'd estimate around 40 hours in total. As I mentioned earlier, the main challenge – especially due to the client's requirements – was staying as faithful as possible to the illustration while also creating a piece that would be interesting from every angle.

The most enjoyable part of this type of work is when you receive the final physical piece and hold it in your hands, being able to admire all the details and volumes in real light – it's truly incredible. Additionally, it's amazing when you see people who purchase the piece paint it and share it on your social media. That's when you realize you're part of something bigger, and what you've done is essentially the canvas for their art.

I want to take this opportunity to tell those who are interested in getting into the world of miniatures that it's a fascinating field. If you come from video game character art, you'll find it's a great way to expand your sculpting skills and face new challenges, such as working with poses and anatomy. If you're new to digital sculpting, it's also a good way to start, as finishing a miniature tends to take less time since you don't have to deal with the technical aspects required for video game characters. I also highly recommend attending events around the world and talking not just to other sculptors but also to professional painters, as their feedback is incredibly valuable when sculpting.

To conclude, I want to thank 80 Level for giving me the opportunity to showcase my work, and Mindwork for trusting me to create this sculpture.

Juan Novelletto, Senior Character Artist