Tutorial: Designing a Custom Kitbash Library
The Gnomon Workshop has released Designing a Custom Kitbash Library, a guide to creating a library of 3D parts for designing hard-surface models, recorded by concept artist Gavin Manners.
The workshop, which provides two hours of video training in Blender and Photoshop, explains how to create kitbash parts for custom mech designs, and how to assemble and render them to create 2D concept images.
Create a library of custom 3D parts for kitbashing hard-surface concepts in Blender
As well as being a good way to generate quick concept images, Kitbash libraries can be used to add detail to existing hard-surface models, or as background objects to dress 3D scenes.
In the workshop, Manners sets out the process of creating a library of 3D parts that can be kitbashed – combined in different permutations – to create a concept for a custom mech.
He begins by exploring how to write out a brief for the job, and how to gather references for the assets, before moving on to creating the parts in Blender, and group them into sub-assemblies.
Manners then discusses how to use the completed kitbash library to create mech designs, light and render the designs, then paint over the renders in Photoshop to create the final concept art.
Although the workshop focuses on mechs, the principles can be applied to any hard-surface design.
As well as the tutorial videos themselves, viewers can download the kit created for the tutrial, the 3D files for the mech designs and the PSD files for Manners’ final paintovers.
About the artist
Gavin Manners is a senior concept artist working in the games industry, specialising in hard-surface design.
His clients include game studios Tencent, NetEase Games, Sumo Digital, Eidos, Lucid Games, NetherRealm Studios, Rocksteady Studios, Codesmasters and Frontier, as well as Games Workshop, Lego and ArtStation.
Pricing and availability
Designing a Custom Kitbash Library is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, providing access to over 300 tutorials. Subscriptions cost $54/month or $499/year. Free trials are available.
Read more about Designing a Custom Kitbash Library on The Gnomon Workshop’s website
Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.