Creature creation process

In this post, I'm going to talk a little about my experience working on some creature/monster illustrations. This was a time in 2022 when I was deeply studying illustration processes using ZBrush + KeyShot + Photoshop, and I can say it was a great learning experience. I was able to test various processes and different workflows, and I want to share a bit of that process in this post.

The first step, after receiving the brief and knowing what I need to develop, is to gather plenty of references (composition, pose, design, creatures, color). I then create some quick compositions focusing on pose and framing—these are fast sketches that I do just for myself. After that, I choose the most promising ones to develop into a version that is presented to the client. Once the thumbnail direction is clear, I move on to creating a 3D base of the creature directly in ZBrush.

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Taking advantage of symmetry in ZBrush, most of the time, at least for the creature's head, I choose to sculpt in a symmetrical pose. For important details, I usually work on the body directly in pose, only using symmetry during the proportion stage, which helps if I need to sculpt any type of accessory like a bracelet or shoulder pad. For these parts, I prefer to use symmetry and then export each asset to the posed scene.

After sculpting the scene model in ZBrush, I bridge it from ZBrush to KeyShot. In KeyShot, I apply different materials and use HDRI lighting. This generates a final render of the entire scene to be further refined in 2D.