The Extra Mile
The proven step-by-step system to turn yourĀ ZBrush sculpture into a polished illustrationĀ for concept and character artists.
Take your design skills to the next level, improve your sculpting approach, advanced your texturing workflows, refine your lighting and rendering processes, and master compositing to create the artwork that you want to create.
Hello, Iām Pablo Munoz andĀ Iām going to be your instructor in The Extra Mile course.Ā Iāve been working and teaching within the realm of 3D graphics for a long time and in the process, I have developed and refined a series of workflows that, consistently, give me great results.
Iāve createdĀ The Extra MileĀ course to share with you everything I know about character design, concept, sculpting, texturing, lighting, rendering and compositing.Ā Ā
The purpose of this course is simple:Ā to help you go the extra mile with your work.Ā By the end of this program, you'll have a unique and polished composition of your own design, clear understanding of the tools and theĀ skills to craft many more stunning portfolio pieces!
The methodology in each moduleĀ was designed to simplify the workflows, help you get things done fast, and achieve great resultsĀ while developing your skills.
So what does going āThe Extra Mileā mean?
Well, going the extra mile is relative but it could be about that little extra step that you were missing or the additional 15 minutes of work you didnt even know you needed to complete your artwork. For instance...
- You've got a crystal-clear vision for your creation, but when you hit a certain point in the process, things start to get a bit hazy...Ā What's the next step after sculpting in a 'T-Pose'?
- You're a seasoned ZBrush sculptor looking to take your skills up a notch by venturing into Substance 3D Painter for texturing. How do you navigate this exciting new territory?
- You know that presenting your work shouldnāt take hours but youāre not sure what to do to keep it simple yet effectiveā¦
- You're quite proficient in the texturing workflow, but when it comes to rendering, lighting or just the compositing aspect of a new piece, you hit a stumbling block.
- While you're well-versed in various workflows, you can't help but feel that your final results lack the wow factor you're aiming for.
- Sculpting, texturing, and rendering individual passes is a breeze, but when it's time to assemble them into a captivating composition, things start to get overwhelming.
The TEM Program in a nutshell
The Extra Mile course embodies years of refining a systematic approach to learning that has helped hundreds of students achieve incredible results while mastering a variaty of tools and workflows.Ā I'll guideĀ you through a series of straightforward steps, leading you from a ZBrush sculpture to a stunning final render or illustration.
The Extra Mile program has 3 key components:
Core Lessons
These pre-recorded lessons are the backbone of your learning experience. They are meticulously crafted, easy to follow, and designed to accommodate your busy schedule. With the flexibility to learn at your own pace, you can absorb the material when it suits you best, ensuring that your education aligns seamlessly with your busy life ;)
TEM Community!
Learning is not a solitary endeavor. The power of a thriving community cannot be overstated. It's a place where you can share your progress, exchange ideas, and interact with like-minded individuals who are equally passionate about 3D. This communal support system enhances your learning path andĀ keeps you motivated as you develop the art you want to make!
Feedback / Q&As
Constructive critique, guidance and feedback are your trusted allies inĀ this learning journey. With real-time access to answers, our live sessions are transformative. They provide the perfect platform for you to refine your skills, clear doubts, and stay on the right path.Ā We also use this space to talk about exciting trends and awesome newĀ tools!
Bonus module: TEM Workshop!
This sounds great! But... what exactly is in the course?
The Extra Mile - From ZBrush sculpture to polished illustration is packedĀ withĀ 94 comprehensive lessons distributed acrossĀ 9 modules. The videos are structured by workflows so that everything follows a logical sequence and the steps in the process are easily digestible. Here is an overview of each module:
Module 1
INTRODUCTION
The introduction to The Extra Mile is a fun and practical set of lessons that are aimed to get you started quickly and reasure you that YOU CAN DO IT!
I'll show you an effective way to take and organise your notes so you can quikly retrieve information in the future. We'll also going to create our first concept in 4 quick lessons...Ā covering sculpting, detailing retopology, UVs, texturing, lighting and rendering. These videos willĀ give youĀ a tasteĀ of the workflows beforeĀ we diveĀ deep into the course!
ModuleĀ 2
FUNDAMENTALS
This module is allĀ about setting a strong foundation and understand important concepts that will be put in practice through the following modules of the course.
We are going to smash through some myths that can damage our confidence as artists, Iāll give you practical tips to create powerful and expressive characters,Ā we'll leverage the principles and elements of design, talk about composition and breakdown portrait lighting to a simple but effective set of steps.
ModuleĀ 3
SHARPENING THE AXE
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.ā - Abraham Lincoln
Sharpening the axe... that's what this third module is all about. We're going to delve deeper into the exciting exploration and iteration phase of creating an original design. I'm also going to share practical (and fun) steps to create a mockup of your idea that will help you speed up the blocking and sculpting process, even if you're not entirely confident in 2D sketching abilities yet!
ModuleĀ 4
THE 'SLC' PROTOTYPE
In this module, we follow the guiding principles ofĀ Simple, Lovable, and CompleteĀ to produce our concept sculpt!
This module is packed with techniques and worfklow to help you translate your idea or 2D sketch into a fully-fleshed 3D concept sculpt. We're goingĀ use advanced sculpting techniques while keeping the steps Simple. We'll design with a story to make a character with personality that is Lovable and connects with the audience and we'll ensure it is a Complete design so that it works as a whole.Ā
ModuleĀ 5
THE BREAKING POINT
This moduleĀ covers all those aspects of the pipeline that might appear a bit technical, somewhat abstract, or even overwhelming for some.
I'm going to share with you effective and effieicent techniques that will simplify processes like retopology, UV mappingĀ and sculpting high-frequency details in ZBrush. We'll take a look at different tools you can use to achieve the same result so that you can simply choose what is more confortable for your way of working andĀ fits withint yourĀ workflow
ModuleĀ 6
THE GOOD STUFF!
This is another module that is jam-packed with information covering various texturing workflows to produce convincing and rich materials for your concept.
I'm going to cover everything from Polypainting in ZBrush to complex Smart Materials in Substance 3D Painter, so you canĀ createĀ exactly what you wantĀ make regardless of your prefered style. I'm also going to cover the baking process of producing high quality mesh maps and how fix common mistakes in the process.Ā
ModuleĀ 7
THE NECESSARY EVIL
When it comes to presenting our character in all its glory, the pose that we choose plays a crucial role. It can either reinforce the personality traits in the design or make the composition feel uncomfortable.
In this module, I'll guide you through a step-by-step process for posing your characters in ZBrush using the Transpose Master. But that's not all; we'll also explore an advanced workflow that connects Character Creator 4 with ZBrush, taking character posing to the next level!
ModuleĀ 8
THE MAKE OR BREAK
Regardless of how much detail you've added, how realistic your textures look, or how dynamic your final pose is, one thing can make or break your creation: lighting.
Don't worry! In this module, we're diving headfirst into the exciting world of lighting and rendering. We'll follow straightforward steps that consistently deliver fantastic results, no matter which rendering tool you prefer. We'll explore BPR, 3D Stager, Marmoset TB4, Blender Cycles (including Eevee), Keyshot, and of course, Maverick Render.
ModuleĀ 9
THE BELLS & WHISTLES
Here is where all the hard work that we put in during the previous modules, is going to finally pay off!Ā
In this module, I'll introduce you to compositing using BPR passesĀ before moving into the more advanced techniquesĀ where I'll share a series of steps that I personally follow to enhance my compositions. We'll use renders from various rendering software we've discussed to illustrate that even an already great render can be elevated through compositing.
Anything else?
Sure! how about some cool bonuses? Oh, and did you know you can get an official certification for this course?
TEM Workshop
When you join The Extra Mile course, you'll gain access to 8 live lessons in the form of a Workshop. These accompanying lessons are specifically tailored to the cohort of students you're part of, making each workshop a unique experience.
As an 'Extramiler' you'll have the option to purchase access to the workshops of future cohorts. This way, you can enjoy a refresher or dive into new concepts alongside a fresh group of students!
Additional Resources!
As part of my commitment to help you with the development of your skills in different areas, I have compiled some extra training and resources into this bonus to complement the workflows I teach in the course.
With this bonus, youāll get access to a mini-course covering the production and sculpting of clothes in ZBrush and a resource pack with custom brushes to work with FiberMesh
Certificate
Thanks to the incredible work that past students have produced following the TEM program, the 3DConceptArtist.com academyĀ is now officially certified by The Rookies with a formal accreditation that is awarded to schools (online or in person) that provide the highest quality education.Ā You can read all about the certification in The Rookies website HERE.
As a result, upon completing The Extra Mile course, youĀ canĀ apply forĀ a certificate
Software licenses, discounts and extended trials ;)
Check out some of the amazing work from the 'Extramilers'
The Extra mile course isĀ currently closed.Ā
Don't miss it again, drop your name and email in the form below and be the first to know when The Extra Mile is open again!
I'll send you an email as soon as The Extra Mile course opens again.
Still on the fence?
Here are some frequently asked question:
