Project Brief:

In this project, you will design and sculpt a creature skull using the provided custom brush. The creature may be real, extinct, or entirely conceptual, but it must feel anatomically believable and grounded in biological logic.

Your final sculpture must be presented as if it were a physical artifact on display in a natural history museum. The emphasis is on structure, material believability, craftsmanship, and professional presentation.

This is not a character or creature bust. This is a skeletal study.

Design Constraints & Allowances

Alphas and surface noise should not replace sculpted form. To maintain focus while encouraging realism:

• One skull & one base only (Base may be tabletop or wall mounted display)

• No soft tissue, skin, fur, or eyes

• No foreign objects (Nails, Rods, Weapons, Floral, etc)

• No exaggerated fantasy elements unless structurally justified

• Forms must interlock and feel mechanically plausible

Asymmetry & Natural Variation

To avoid overly perfect or mirrored results, students may and are encouraged to introduce:

• Pathologies (healed fractures, deformities, abnormal growth)

• Damage (chips, cracks, missing sections)

• Weathering or erosion

• Subtle color variation or staining

• Slight structural asymmetry

Any asymmetry should feel biological or environmental, not decorative.
These choices should reinforce the idea that this skull belonged to a once-living organism.

Critique Date:

• 02/20/2025

Required Slides:

• Hero Shot - BPR Render: 20 pts

  • One polished, cinematic hero image

  • Museum Plaque Information: Species Name, Era Location.

  • Clean background

  • Neutral museum-style lighting

  • Bone material must read clearly (subtle color variation, matte finish)

  • Composition should feel archival or exhibition-quality

• Orthographics - BPR Renders: 15 pts

  • Front, Side, Top, Bottom

• Craftsmanship: 20 pts

  • Structural clarity

  • Clean transitions between forms

  • Consistent surface treatment

  • Intentional asymmetry and variation where appropriate

  • Absence of sculpting noise or artifacts

• NPR Turntable: 15 pts

  • Non-photoreal (NPR) render

  • Full 360° rotation

  • Simple lighting

  • Emphasis on form readability

• Brushes: 5 pts

  • Highlight what brushes are used

• Polypainting: 20 pts

  • Evidence of aging, staining, or environmental exposure (optional but encouraged)

  • No stylized or saturated colors

  • Polypaint must support the museum presentation

• References: 5 pts

  • Minimum of 5 reference images

  • May include real animal skulls, extinct species, pathological specimens, or anatomical studies

  • References must directly inform structure, asymmetry, and surface decisions

  • Site your Sources

Smithsonian

Sketchfab

TRADITIONAL REFERENCE

Gathering from Google is good. Going outside and capturing your own reference is ideal. A great local source is the Natural History Museum in L.A.

For any ZBrush iPad users, you have the advantage of working with photogrammetry now - the ability to scan real world objects.

See me for further details on this.

FRANK NETTER ILLUSTRATIONS

Rorschach Tests

Hermann Rorschach was a Swiss psychiatrist best known for developing the Rorschach inkblot test in the early 20th century. He was interested in how people perceive and interpret ambiguous visual information, believing those interpretations could reveal patterns in personality and thinking.

The Rorschach test involves showing subjects a series of symmetrical inkblots and asking what they see. Rather than focusing on right or wrong answers, Rorschach studied how people described the images, including form, movement, emotion, and detail. His work became influential in psychology, art, and design, especially in understanding projection, imagination, and visual interpretation.