Modelling bird feather and wings: Zbrush short visual tutorial

Analyzing anatomy and principal construction of natural bird wing:



Useful links:

http://heritance.me/anatomy-of-a-bird-wing
http://fucktonofanatomyreferencesreborn.tumblr.com/post/80857301080/an-appreciative-fuck-ton-of-bird-wing-references
http://www.theanimalfiles.com/anatomy/bird_wing_bones.html

Analyzing bird and wing theme in history of art:



Nica Samothracian, II century BC

Putto of two Holy Water fonts at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City

Argentine Monument of an Angel holding a wreath above her head at Valkhof/Hoogstraat



Albrecht Dürer Wing of a European Roller

Albrecht Dürer Nemesis (The Great Fortune)

My method is an individual feather creation for each types of group (primaries, secondaries, primary and secondary covers etc.).

Creating the base meshes for variety types of feathers (searching of overall forms):







First pass for detailing meshes for variety types of feathers (detailing overall forms):





Further subtle detailing of surfaces:









Precise detailing of surfaces:





Next step is an optimize polycount (with Decimation Master) - if you need.

Sculpting of body surface (underlying surface) of wings:

Organizing groups of feathers according to areas of growth:







Posing and gestures:

Sirin the Bird of Sadness in Paradise

Sirin is a mythological creature of Russian ancient legends with the head and chest of a beautiful woman and the body of a bird. According to myth, Sirin is one of Paradise birds whitch sings a song of sadness. Sirin is assosiated with another bird - Alkonost who sings a song of joy and happiness. Sometimes russian egends say the Sirin birds lived in Indian lands near Eden or around the Euphrates River.

Some phases of work:

Turntable Movie with Explode and Color Transition: