THE COMPLETE SHOE TUTORIAL

Welcome to my Full SHOE TUTORIAL!

In this course we will walk through sculpting, UV'ing, baking and rendering a shoe (moccasin) from start to finish. I will go through all the tips and tricks necessary to produce a pretty low-poly shoe with some relatively realistic aspects to showcase something simple with a BIG BANG. I have done quite a few shoe tutorials before but never took it past the modeling/ rendering phase. Here, get ready for the full experience!

The creation of something epic awaits!

Regards,

Thivolan Moodley.


PLEASE NOTE that the Maya version used was 2026, Zbrush 2024 and substance 2024. BE SURE TO CHECK compatibility before purchasing the course!!

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UPDATES:

Any updates to this course (if there are any) will be logged and stated here...

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FAQ:

What Pipeline are you actually going through here?

For this entire process i will be more focused on real-time showcase/ game ready asset creation. The same process can be adapted for other types like showcase pieces or vfx... But here its specifically for game/ real time purposes. And even though i render the project in maya the assets can be rendered in realtime engines like Unreal or Marmoset!

What is the difference between this and the free tutorials you have on youtube?

Ah, Yes! So, to clarify; this very same tutorial will be released on youtube for free over the course of a few weeks minus the last part (Rendering the shoe in Maya) and also the materials. So to be clear, this version (The paid version) includes everything from Youtube PLUS bonus videos on rendering in Maya (around 1.5 hrs of setting up a studio and rendering the shoes in Maya) AND all the final Files i have (Zbrush models, substance files and Maya render files). Also the video quality will be better if thats something you prefer...


Is this tutorial for BEGINNERS?

YES! This course is aimed at total beginners for most of the course; i am assuming you know just a little about Zbrush, though. Everything else is completely beginner friendly (you can have a look at the free version to get a feel for the course structure and tempo if need be).


Do you provide resources with this course?

YEP! Thats one of the biggest differences from the free course; you get access to all the files and renders here!


Can i contact you if i need advice or help on a particular part of the course?

Of course! You can contact me on ArtStation, social media etc. (see links below). You can also join the Discord channel if that better suits you.


Socials and sites:

    YouTube/ Instagram @thivolan3d
    Twitter @thivolan
    thivolan-art.com

FREE shoe series:

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A summary of each part and what to expect:

Part 1 - Modeling:

This part starts off with a quick intro to to zbrush and the ideas we explore to create the shoe. We will also go through the modeling process in detail, mainly dealing with the hardsurface aspects in Zbrush rather that raw sculpting as these shoes dont require that type of pipeline... I will use quite a bit of dynamic subdivisions here as its a less destructive way of working; note that most of the course will feature a structured, dynamic (non-destructive) approach to everything. This is the approach in any professional environment!


Part 2 - UV and unwrapping in Maya:

For this part we will go through manually Retopologising and unwrapping the mesh in Maya. Yes, we will be using Maya for this course but if you know how to use/ prefer blender, feel free. Dont worry if you haven't used Maya as i will start slow and walk you through every step... This is probably the longest part so strap in!


Part 3 - Corrections and Baking in Substance:

Yes, Corrections! A big part of any project is the back and forth of the pipeline. 3D art is no different, in fact this might annoy you the most but its really just the way it is and i think its a good idea to expose you to this mentality early on so you know what to expect as opposed to a seamless tutorial with no mistakes or corrections... Oh yeah, we will also bake the mesh here! Ill also, briefly, walk you through the different maps and why we need/ use them.


Part 4 - Texturing in Substance:

Probably the most fun part, here ill first introduce you to substance and then i will go through painting and texturing something in substance using a systematic non-destructive approach. Yeah yeah, i know that doesn't sound exciting but its a great way to go about any application of colour and shape, so just stick with it!


Part 5 - Studio Setup and Rendering in Maya:

Yet another back and forth Part. Here we will set up a simple studio to render our amazing creation in Maya. I'll go through some quick lighting, rendering and composition tips for some easy-to-replicate renders in no time. These ideas can also be replicated in engines or other 3d programs. This part is also exclusive to the premium version and cant be accessed for free!


Resources:

These will include a video on how to use/ setup some of the files as well as the final model files; Substance, Maya and Zbrush...


My Background:

Thivolan Moodley here. I am an Artist with over 8 years of experience built from Mechanical, Architectural, Organic and Anatomical sketching, modelling and rendering. I have helped firms create more dynamic renders, increased workflow with 3d modelling and now I'm bringing all that to you! I'm in constant search of the best ways to achieve great results with my free and paid tutorials and I hope your Journey is as inspiring as mine! The lessons ahead will take your portraits, drawings and thinking to the next level and i cant wait for you to see whats in store!

See you in the course!