Tortilus.

So this latest project has been in development (hell) for a long time. The initial idea and shape were conceived nearly three years ago but I lacked the inspiration and inclination to box model all the hard surfaces in ZBrush at the time. Paul Gaboury taught another Mastering ZBrush course at UArtsy and focused on hard surfaces expressly for making a mech. I marched to the beat of my own drum and didn't do a gundam like the majority of the class. I did a late 19th century steam powered exploration vehicle in the shape of a tortoise. I give you, the Tortilus:

Neat huh? There's a ton of detail under the shell which is rather obscured but you can tell there's stuff going on there which is good. Not millions and millions of polygons due to judicious use of bevels and dynamic subdivisions. New ZBrush stuff as it was a new course.

There should be crew. Think Michael Caine in Zulu but due to time constraints and wanting to do an illustrative end image rather than photoreal he's remained in 2013. Maybe one day he'll be in the balcony.

I like:

• The concept. It's mine. It's clever. It reads British.
• It's not a pretty lady or a humanoid! Variety is the spice of life.
• Getting on the course for free as an alum, seriously, they may be pricey but it was great to sit in on a course I took three years back!
• Using the ZModeler brush. I'm old enough to have box modelling as a skill; it's nice to have that supported in ZBrush.
• It should 3D print pretty well. There's very little that's a fudge, structurally.
• The blueprints in the background. You can see the flywheel. Made in ZBrush's own render passes.
• That the class including Paul Gaboury and Ryan Kingslien liked the finished product and concept.

I dislike:

• It all looks the same material, because it mostly is. Steam tractors are generally painted metal all over, but maybe the carapace could have been different in hindsight.
• You can't see the substructure because of the carapace or lots of other incidental detail at that angle (flywheel, gramophone horn, suspension springs, steering wheel, rear doors, it's all there)
• I haven't got a crewed up grimed up (this one's too perfect too but as it's an advertising poster I'm allowed it to look off the production line) version actually exploring through a jungle. Not enough hours in the day or Keyshot experience.

My next project shouldn't be too far behind. 3D print one too. Staaaaaay tuned!