Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Here is part 1 of my game ready version of Batman inspired by Frank Miller's "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" comic. With Frank Miller's design being my main inspiration, I also used lots of other different sources from movies, games, and statues to add my own unique spin on the final design.

With this project I wanted to push myself, practising anatomy, realism, hair, and likeness sculpting. I also wanted to try new workflows and use new software such as R3DS Wrap to use photo scanned elements within my work. I have really developed a love for realism, focussing on all of the high frequency details an creating all the stories that live within the design and texture of the model

A rain shader was also created for this project, I wanted to push that realism further by bringing some life, animation and atmosphere to make this Batman feel like he is stopping crime in a cold and wet Gotham City.

Link to part 2 of this project:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/29yWLJ

Steps & Software:
- Sculpt in Zbrush
- Some small hard surface elements created in Maya and 3DS Max
- R3DS Wrap for skin projection and head topology
- Retopology in 3DCoat
- Unwrapping, UVs and idle breathing animation done inside 3DS Max
- Rigging and Skinning in 3DS Max
- Textures and Bakes inside Substance Painter
- Cloth simulation for the cape done inside Unreal Engine 4
- Slight Displacement added to the concrete floor, utilising a Height map, inside of Unreal to give more dimension
- Rain Shader created by following videos made by Ben Cloward (https://www.youtube.com/c/BenCloward)
- Rain and breath particle effects made using Niagara in Unreal Engine 4
- Rendering inside Unreal Engine 4
- Post Processing inside Photoshop

UVs:
- 4k Face
- 4k Suit upper
- 4k Suit Lower
- 4k Cape and Pouches
- 4k Cowl and Extras
- 4k Teeth

Some additional content that was used:

Epic Games eye, skin shader, teeth and hair shader

Quixel Bridge concrete floor asset

3D Scan Store HD Head Scan assets for skin projection, face topology, and teeth mesh