3D Sculpting & Character Design

InstructorS.M Ismatul Bonin3D Character Artist

About This Course

Master 3D character sculpting and design with ZBrush through practical, industry-focused training. Learn character design, anatomy, organic sculpting, detailing, retopology, UV mapping, texturing, lighting, and animation-ready asset preparation.

Create a complete game-ready character with professional portfolio renders, while developing skills applicable to games, film, animation, and collectibles. Receive industry feedback, career guidance, and a certificate of completion. Outstanding students may also be considered for internship, freelance, or job opportunities at Ogopogo Studios.

Modules Covered:

Introduction to Sculpting Tools
Organic Character Modeling
Anatomy & Proportion Basics
Detail Sculpting Techniques
Retopology Workflow
Preparing Models for Animation
Rendering & Presentation

Instructor

S.M Ismatul Bonin

3D Character Artist

Bonin is an experienced 3D Character Artist and Digital Sculptor with over 15 years in the industry. He specializes in character modeling, digital sculpting, and texturing for games, film, animation, and collectibles. As a mentor, he guides students in creating polished, production-ready characters with both artistic quality and professional discipline.

Curriculum

8 Classes

10 weeks · Monday, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Online)

Class 1 (Online): Orientation & Pipeline OverviewUnderstand the full production workflow and set expectations for the course.

Introduction to instructor and students
Overview of AAA character pipeline
Software installation and setup
Project walkthrough - final goal preview
Portfolio standards discussion
Character type selection: Stylized / Realistic / Creature

Class 2 (Offline): Concept & Reference GatheringLearn how to develop a strong visual direction for your character.

What makes strong character design
Creating mood boards using PureRef workflow
Understanding anatomy and proportion reference
Costume and personality breakdown
Shape language and silhouette importance

Class 3 (Online): Concept Review & Sculpt PreparationPrepare a clean foundation for sculpting before moving into detail work.

Review character concept and references
Proportion correction guidance
Blocking workflow in ZBrush
Base mesh setup
DynaMesh vs. subdivision workflow

Class 4 (Offline): High Poly SculptingBuild the main high-poly character sculpt with strong forms and detail.

Anatomy sculpting basics
Clothing blockout
Secondary forms refinement
Detail sculpting: wrinkles, folds, skin detail
Surface breakup techniques

Class 5 (Online): Sculpt Review & Retopology IntroUnderstand topology flow and technical requirements for game-ready models.

High-poly critique session
What makes good topology
Edge flow for animation
Retopology in Maya / TopoGun
Polycount optimization for games

Class 6 (Offline): Retopology & UV MappingCreate a clean low-poly mesh and efficient UV layout for production.

Manual retopology workflow
Clean edge loops
Game-ready mesh standards
UV unwrapping
Texel density management
Packing UVs efficiently

Class 7 (Online): Baking & TexturingBuild believable materials and textures for a polished character look.

Map baking: Normal, AO, Curvature, ID
Fixing baking errors
Introduction to Substance Painter
Smart materials and custom painting
Roughness and surface storytelling
Export settings for Marmoset / Unreal

Class 8 (Offline): Lighting, Rendering & Portfolio SetupPresent the final character professionally for portfolio use.

HDRI lighting setup
3-point lighting for character presentation
Camera composition
Shader setup and render passes
Portfolio presentation tips
Turntable export

Students and artists making puppets together inside the studio

Why Choose Ogopogo?

We provide comprehensive animation education with industry-leading instructors and cutting-edge techniques used in major studios worldwide.

Certificate of completion for all courses
Industry-standard software and techniques
Build a professional animation portfolio
Lifetime access to course materials and updates
Active community and networking opportunities
Career support and studio connections