NATURAL SCIENCE 3D SCULPT
Molossus rufus (black mastiff bat) fetus sculpt
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STORY
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Molossus rufus (black mastiff bat) is one of the largest bats found in Central and Southern America.
The purpose of this project was to showcase the developing fetus of the black mastiff bat by sculpting and rendering a complex organic form with realistic texturing and lighting.
Audience: General public, developmental biologists
Software: ZBrush, Cinema4D, Photoshop
Format: Poster
Client: Dr. Dorit Hockman, University of Cape Town; Nicholas Woolridge, University of Toronto
Key Skills: 3D digital sculpting, digital painting, 3D rendering
DETAILS
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PRE-PRODUCTION
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REFERENCE IMAGERY
I started this project by looking for organic subjects with interesting textures that I could practice rendering. I came across images of bat fetuses taken by Dr. Dorit Hockman, an evolutionary development researcher at the University of Capetown. Dr. Hockman shared with me images of several bat fetuses which I used to inform my sculpt.
I sketched the fetal bat from an anterior, lateral, and posterior view to use as direct references for my sculpt.
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REFERENCE ILLUSTRATIONS
PRODUCTION
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SCULPTING
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FINAL ILLUSTRATION
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I sculpted the bat fetus in ZBrush, and used Polypaint to paint the skin of the fetal bat. I then painted a transparency map to inform the subsurface scattering in C4D. The fetal bat and accompanying maps were exported into C4D for rendering, and I painted an immersive background for the fetus in Photoshop.