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Romans Busels

Create your Epic Environment Diorama in a very popular Handpainted style. Follow our Design or create your own.

Starting with creating a Mood Board, Blockout, and Overpaints, followed by 3D Modeling, UV Maps, Mastery of Texturing, and Final Rendering. Full Pipeline.

INFO: The Course is separated into 6 Chapters/Weeks, and contains 10Hrs of Video content with a commentary and additional Guides

SOFTWARE: Blender or any 3D Software, 3DCoat, Photoshop, Sketchfab or Marmoset

Read more

Create your Epic Environment Diorama in a very popular Handpainted style. Follow our Design or create your own.

Starting with creating a Mood Board, Blockout, and Overpaints, followed by 3D Modeling, UV Maps, Mastery of Texturing, and Final Rendering. Full Pipeline.

INFO: The Course is separated into 6 Chapters/Weeks, and contains 10Hrs of Video content with a commentary and additional Guides

SOFTWARE: Blender or any 3D Software, 3DCoat, Photoshop, Sketchfab or Marmoset

He has over 15 years of professional experience in videogame development, not only as an Artist but also as the person who hires Artists and approves the final artworks that go into development. Past projects include companies such as Disney, Riot Games, Epic Games, FunPlus, and many more.

His main art principles are to break the rules, trust your imagination, and make your dreams come true.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Work with references and moodboards!
  • Learn how to think when designing stylized 3d models
  • 3d modeling and uv maps for stylized art
  • Learn how to make handpainted textures
  • Full workflow from design, blockout, overpaints, 3d modeling, uv maps, texturing and final render

Syllabus

How to create and work with references, create Moodboards, Composition, and Blockout
Week 1: Course Intro

You can go with the design that we created, or make your own.

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Intro to Moodboards and what it is.

How to work with Moodboards

Learn about how to make a nicely looking Composition and what is a Hero Prop

Intro Week 2! 3D Modeling, Overpaints, Design and Final polishing

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers a full pipeline, from mood board creation to final rendering, which is essential for creating professional-quality hand-painted dioramas
Uses Blender, 3DCoat, and Photoshop, which are industry-standard tools for 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering
Explores the creation of stylized 3D models, which is a popular aesthetic in game development and animation
Taught by an instructor with 15 years of experience at companies like Disney, Riot Games, and Epic Games, offering valuable insights into industry practices
Requires software such as Blender, 3DCoat, and Photoshop, which may require separate purchases or subscriptions

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive stylized diorama workflow

According to learners, this course provides a comprehensive workflow for creating a handpainted diorama from start to finish. Students praise the instructor's extensive industry experience and the detailed focus on handpainted texturing techniques, particularly within 3DCoat, which many found to be a highlight of the course. The course successfully guides students through the full pipeline from design to final render. While the overall sentiment is largely positive, some reviewers note that having a basic understanding of 3D software beforehand is beneficial, as the pace can be quick for complete novices. This course is especially valuable for those interested in stylized game art.
Insightful industry perspective.
"The instructor's background in game development is very apparent and adds a lot of value."
"He shares lots of useful industry tips and tricks that are hard to find elsewhere."
"You can tell he knows exactly what he's talking about from years of professional experience."
"Really enjoyed learning from someone with his level of expertise and pedigree."
Covers design to final render.
"This course really delivers on the promise of a full workflow, guiding you through every step."
"I appreciated seeing the entire process from concept to final render within a single course."
"It covers design, modeling, texturing, and rendering - the complete pipeline I needed."
"I feel much more confident tackling a project from start to finish after this comprehensive guide."
Excellent techniques taught.
"The handpainting techniques taught are the highlight for me. Very detailed and practical."
"I learned so much about creating stylized textures in 3DCoat, which was exactly what I wanted."
"The texture painting section alone was worth the price of the course."
"Great methods are shown for applying lineart and achieving nice color blending."
Not for absolute beginners.
"You really need some basic 3D software familiarity before starting this course effectively."
"As a beginner, I found the pace a bit fast in certain sections."
"It definitely helps if you already know your way around Blender or another 3D program beforehand."
"Might be overwhelming if you've never used 3DCoat or similar software."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Handpainted Diorama Course [FULL WORKFLOW] with these activities:
Review Blender Fundamentals
Brush up on Blender basics to ensure a smooth start to the course, especially if you're new to the software.
Browse courses on Blender
Show steps
  • Watch introductory Blender tutorials.
  • Practice basic modeling techniques.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Blender interface.
Explore Hand-Painting Tutorials
Follow online tutorials to learn specific hand-painting techniques and workflows used by other artists.
Show steps
  • Search for hand-painting tutorials on YouTube or ArtStation.
  • Follow along with a tutorial, focusing on a specific technique.
  • Adapt the technique to your own diorama project.
Read 'Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 8'
Study digital painting techniques to improve your texturing skills for the diorama project.
Show steps
  • Acquire a copy of 'Digital Painting Techniques: Volume 8'.
  • Read the chapters on color theory and blending.
  • Practice the techniques described in the book.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Texture Palette
Develop a personal texture palette to streamline your texturing workflow and maintain a consistent style.
Show steps
  • Gather reference images of textures you like.
  • Create a Photoshop or 3DCoat file with your chosen colors and textures.
  • Organize your palette for easy access.
Read 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter'
Study color and light principles to enhance the realism and visual impact of your diorama's textures.
Show steps
  • Acquire a copy of 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter'.
  • Read the chapters on color temperature and light direction.
  • Experiment with different lighting setups in your diorama.
Design a New Diorama Concept
Apply the course's principles by designing your own diorama concept, pushing your creativity and solidifying your understanding.
Show steps
  • Brainstorm diorama ideas based on different themes.
  • Create a mood board for your chosen concept.
  • Sketch out the diorama's composition and key elements.
  • Create a blockout in Blender.
Portfolio-Ready Diorama Render
Refine your diorama and create a high-quality render suitable for showcasing in your portfolio.
Show steps
  • Optimize your diorama's textures and models.
  • Set up lighting and camera angles in Marmoset or Sketchfab.
  • Render your diorama at a high resolution.
  • Post-process the render in Photoshop for final touches.

Career center

Learners who complete Handpainted Diorama Course [FULL WORKFLOW] will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Environment Artist
An Environment Artist crafts visually stunning and immersive environments for video games and other media. The handpainted diorama course is relevant as it covers the full environment art workflow. You will learn to work with moodboards and references, design and block out environments, and master 3D modeling, UV mapping, and texturing. This course helps you generate final renders, and provides experience with Blender, 3DCoat, and Photoshop. This skillset makes you able to effectively create stylized environments. Skills in composition are especially important for an environment artist.
Texture Artist
A Texture Artist specializes in creating the surfaces and materials that bring 3D models to life. The handpainted diorama course is relevant because it provides extensive training in texture creation. You'll delve into handpainted textures, learning how to blend colors, add highlights and ambient occlusion, create decals, and incorporate various color palettes. The course offers practical experience with software like 3DCoat and Photoshop. You'll also learn to create glowing textures and foliage. All of this will help you become proficient in creating visually appealing textures. You'll be able to master final polishing.
3D Modeler
A 3D Modeler creates three-dimensional representations of objects and environments. The handpainted diorama course can benefit aspiring 3D modelers. It covers 3D modeling techniques, including how to design, overpaint, and polish 3D models, focusing on stylized art. The course includes modeling cliffs, ground, trees, and small props. You'll also learn UV mapping and how to set up texture base colors and line art. Bonus content includes Stylized 3D Modeling Tips. As a 3D modeler, this course can help build a foundation.
Prop Artist
A Prop Artist specializes in creating the individual objects and items that populate a game world or scene. The handpainted diorama course may be useful as it covers the creation of small props. You will learn to model, texture, and render props in a stylized art style. The course teaches UV mapping, color blending, and adding details like highlights and decals and even emissive textures. This can help any Prop Artist.
Level Designer
A Level Designer creates and implements the levels and environments in a video game. The handpainted diorama course provides direct experience in environment creation. This course may help you understand how to design and build visually appealing and functional levels. The course covers composition, blockout techniques, 3D modeling, and texturing. By learning these skills, you can create immersive and engaging environments that enhance the gameplay experience.
Concept Artist
A Concept Artist visualizes ideas and concepts for various projects. The handpainted diorama course may be useful because it emphasizes design and visual development. The course teaches how to work with references and mood boards, thinking critically about design, and creating compositions and blockouts. You'll also learn to overpaint and create final polished 3D models. These skills are essential for concept artists who need to translate ideas into tangible visuals before assets are created. Knowledge of hero props is a plus.
Visual Development Artist
A Visual Development Artist creates the overall look and feel of a project. The handpainted diorama course can help you build a foundation in environment design, 3D modeling, and texturing. The course focuses on creating stylized art, working with mood boards, and developing compositions. This can contribute to your ability to create and refine the visual style of a project. You'll be able to bring a unique artistic vision to life.
Indie Game Developer
An Indie Game Developer works independently or in a small team to create and publish video games. The handpainted diorama course may be useful because it provides you with the skills to create visually appealing environments without relying on a large team. You will learn every step in the process, starting with mood boards, moving to blockouts, and ending with final renders. This course helps you manage the entire art creation pipeline. The final product may be used in games or other media. You can work more independently.
Technical Artist
A Technical Artist bridges the gap between artists and programmers, optimizing art assets for performance and implementing art tools and pipelines. This course can help technical artists understand the full art pipeline for creating hand painted dioramas. You will learn about the processes involved in 3D modeling, UV mapping, texturing, and rendering, which will help you create efficient tools and solve technical problems that artists may face. This knowledge can help streamline the art creation process.
Lighting Artist
A Lighting Artist is responsible for creating and implementing lighting effects in games and films. This course can help you understand how lighting interacts with textures and environments. By learning about rendering, emissive textures, and reflections, you can gain insights into how to create realistic and visually appealing lighting effects. This knowledge can enhance your ability to create immersive and atmospheric scenes.
Art Director
An Art Director oversees the visual style and images for a variety of projects. This course may be useful as it offers insights into the artistic process and the creation of visually appealing environments. The course covers mood board creation, composition, 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering. It may help you understand the artistic workflow from concept to final product. You may become better equipped to guide and direct artists. You also gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of art creation.
Game Designer
A Game Designer creates the mechanics, rules, and overall vision of a video game. This course may prove helpful for game designers who want to understand the art creation process and how it impacts the game's overall aesthetic. By learning about environment design, 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering, you gain a better appreciation for the visual elements of a game. This knowledge can inform your design decisions and help you collaborate effectively with artists.
Digital Sculptor
A Digital Sculptor creates detailed 3D models using specialized software. The handpainted diorama course may be useful as it covers 3D modeling techniques. The course emphasizes stylized art. It may help you understand how to create interesting shapes and forms, which can be useful when sculpting detailed models. You'll also learn about UV mapping and texturing, which are essential skills for preparing your models for use in various applications.
Illustrator
An Illustrator creates images for various media. The handpainted diorama course may be useful because it can help you develop your skills in digital art and 3D modeling. The course focuses on handpainted textures, which is a common technique in illustration. You will learn how to blend colors, add details, and create visually appealing compositions, all of which can enhance your illustrative work and give you a new creative outlet.
Animator
An Animator creates moving images by sequencing individual frames. The handpainted diorama course might be useful as it familiarizes you with 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering. The skills in the course may help you understand how to create and prepare assets for animation. Having a strong grasp of the visual elements and the processes involved in creating 3D models can enhance your ability to create compelling animations that integrate seamlessly with the environment.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Handpainted Diorama Course [FULL WORKFLOW].
Provides a comprehensive understanding of color theory and lighting principles, essential for creating realistic and visually appealing hand-painted textures. It covers topics such as color mixing, light direction, and atmospheric perspective, which can significantly enhance the quality of your diorama. While the course touches on these concepts, Gurney's book offers a more in-depth exploration. This book is commonly used by artists to improve their understanding of color and light.
Offers a wealth of knowledge on digital painting techniques, directly applicable to creating hand-painted textures for the diorama. It provides insights into color blending, highlights, and ambient occlusion, all crucial elements covered in the course. While not a prerequisite, it serves as excellent supplementary reading to deepen your understanding of digital painting workflows. This book is commonly used by digital artists to improve their skills.

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