After completing my clockwork
projects, I was looking for another personal project to work on in my down time
and I realized October was on the horizon and I’d like to do something to
celebrate it. So, I consulted my known expert on the topic of horror and creep,
Miimaas. She suggested I do a skull. It really caught my imagination and I got
to work modeling the skull while I started to imagine the scene I wanted to
create. After doing the initial model of the skull I started sculpting, and by
the time I’d finished sculpting I knew what scene I wanted to do. The Sword in
the Skull, More focus on the skull but with a nod to my sword in the sphere
theme. I retopped the skull then got to setting up the scene. Once everything
was in place I made the materials and worked on the lighting tweaking things as
I went. In the end the most challenging part of this whole project turned out
to be the blood texture. I still feel like it has eluded me despite all the
research I committed to. It’s just a bit off, and If anyone has any tips on
that I’d be thrilled to correct it.
 
normal">Specifics

Polygons: 17,227 (before subdivisions)

Verts: 17,566 (before subdivisions)

Samples: 128
normal">Resolution: 1500x1920
normal">Software: Blender 2.79
normal">
normal">

Resources and References used

• Images of skulls from google
  for reference


• Images of blood splatter
  Licensed for reuse on Google


• Circus HDR from HDRI Haven