Red, African warrior | Real-Time

I’m really happy to finally share my milestone project created during my time at Artside School. This is my very first big realistic character, and it represents a huge step in my transition from 2D to 3D. It’s been a year full of learning, challenges, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. The result isn’t perfect, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made and the things I’ve learned along the way.
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For this project, I chose "Red" by Areum Jeong (https://www.artstation.com/artwork/QXV4qd) , a mystical African warrior whose gaze immediately captivated me. There was something magical and shamanic in her expression, like she was connected to hidden forces or ancient wisdom. That mysterious energy really inspired me. She felt like someone who could exist both in a dark fantasy world like Diablo, and within rich, real-world cultural traditions, and I wanted to explore that balance in 3D.

This project also allowed me to dive deep into cultural research: jewelry symbolism, traditional weapons, tribal clothing, scarification, anatomy, and hair types. Gathering references and understanding the stories behind the visuals is honestly one of my favorite parts of the creative process. It brings depth and authenticity to a character, and I loved every moment of it.
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We were guided throughout this milestone by Sean Ferreira (https://www.artstation.com/seanferreira), whose clear and detailed feedback helped us at every step, from ZBrush to Maya, Painter, and Unreal. I’ve learned how crucial iteration is, how essential reference gathering can be, and how testing directly in the final render engine (Unreal) can really save time and guide decisions.

Big thanks to Sean for his patience, support, and positive energy.
Thanks also to Arthur Fournier (https://www.artstation.com/arthurfournier) for his great feedback and advice. Previous projects like facial studies with Pierre-Alain Reymond (https://www.artstation.com/palain), and hair creation with Andre Pires (https://www.artstation.com/torix), gave me strong foundations to build on.

I also had the chance to follow the "Creature for Games" workshop by Glauco Longhi (https://www.artstation.com/glaucolonghi), which really helped me better understand shaders in Unreal, especially when working with skin and SSS settings, it added an extra layer of realism to the final result.

And finally, a big thank you to my classmates and to all the artists whose work inspired and motivated me throughout this journey.

Hope you enjoy the project as much as I enjoyed creating it!