THE POLAR BEAR
BREAKDOWN
ARCTIC BOND | FINAL PROJECT AT VFS
For my final animatic film Arctic Bond in Vancouver Film School, I created the polar bear model as a powerful representation of resilience and survival in a post-apocalyptic world. It contrasts with the human technology around it, reinforcing the tension between man and nature in the story.
MODELLING + TEXTURING
Maya | Zbrush | Substance Painter
Sculpting has always been my favorite part of the process, and I thoroughly enjoyed creating this polar bear. It also gave me a great opportunity to dive into researching the anatomy of quadrupedal animals.
I began the modeling process in ZBrush, ensuring the anatomy was accurate before moving to Maya for retopology. Once the retopology was complete, I also used Maya to finalize the UV unwrapping.
For the texturing phase, I used Substance Painter to create a general base. Since the skin beneath the polar bear’s fur is quite dark, I carefully divided it into distinct areas to enhance realism. I paid special attention to the finer details on the face, with a particular focus on the nose.
GROOMING
maya | XGEN
Grooming was a challenging but rewarding experience, as it helped me gain a deeper understanding of the grooming pipeline. This piece was my first time working with Xgen in Maya, and I learned so much throughout the process.
Breaking the groom into sections allowed me to focus on capturing the unique feel of different clumping patterns, such as the contrasts between the head and body. This approach really helped me refine the details and overall look.
I switch in between interactive and older version of Maya Xgen.
