Dark sourcerer-Cossack-medieval warrior
Ivan Sirko, the legendary Kosh Ataman of the Zaporizhian Sich (c. 1605–1680), embodies the indomitable Ukrainian fighting spirit with his unsurpassed record of not losing a single battle in over 55 battles against Tatars, Turks, and other enemies.
Gender Male – a fierce Podolian nobleman who became the Zaporozhian ataman.
Race/Species Human (Ukrainian Cossack); mystically – “kharakternyk” (shamanic warrior-sorcerer).
Personality Brave, cunning, unwavering; a strategic genius feared by enemies (the Turks called him “Urus-shaitan); loyal to the Cossack will, pragmatic in alliances.
Powers Supernatural prediction of battles; transformation into a wolf or hawk during battles; summoning storms/magic against enemies; his severed right hand (according to legend) brought victories after death (e.g. against the French in 1812).
Archetype Heroic Shaman Warrior / Cunning Leader – an undefeated ataman (elected 8 times), co-author of a mocking letter to the Ottoman Sultan.
Alignment Chaotic-Good – Fought for Cossack independence, changing alliances against Poles, russians, Tatars/Turks; for Ukrainian freedom over empires.
Unique Elements Never lost a battle (55+ victories); right hand cut off by will as a good luck charm (worn by Cossacks); raised by descendants of ancient kings after meeting a “wolf boy”.
gender – male
race – white
personality – cunnung
powers – shadow magic
architype – trickster
aligment – chaotic neutral
unique elemnts – shapeshifter
flaws – ruthless
story – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Sirko
Visual style of the caharcter
world
Visual inspiration from fine art
https://u-f-d-a.org/artwork-214-the-cossack-in-the-steppe
https://en.pavlusenkoart.com.ua/ivan-sirko
My art style – painterly realism, moody lighting, and grizzled warrior vibe
games most related to this style – The Witcher 3, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Cossack leaders (Age of Empires mod)
visual
colours
refering drawinng skills for better understanding anatomy in static and dynamic states. preparation for 3d modeling and animation pose design
refs turnaround
scene sketches
refering drawinng skills for better understanding anatomy in static and dynamic states. preparation for 3d modeling and animation pose design
Worked with art blocks and idea generation during the “Thinking Through Drawing” class led by Ilga Leimanis.
3d refs
Base model in MAYA
ZBRSH adding details
While adding details in ZBrush, I learned how to use polygroups, which helped me organize the work on details, adjust the pose, and more.
Maya Quad Draw Course
symmetry, references
I tried to follow the references, but the new topology still looked off and needed fixing. Sam suggested starting over and using better references.
Second attempt at retopology, with less density. I also tried using the built-in shapes as a topology guide and to correct the palm orientation.
It was difficult to model the ears in ZBrush because of the fine shapes, and it kept affecting nearby surfaces. I left it as is and thought I’d model the proper shape in Maya during the retopology stage.
smoothed retopology, readymade eyes
While retopologizing, I found some weak areas, such as thin nose walls and overly thin lips, so I had to return to ZBrush and adjust the model.
I used pre-made eyes in case I had enough time. But I definitely want to learn how to make this low-poly eye model myself in the future. I also tried several times to model the ears, but I had to move on because of time restrictions, so I used a ready-made model of ears for this character. The important thing was to make sure the level of detail matched the pre-made assets in my model.
Also, before exporting the model to Maya, I used Decimation Master to reduce the polygon count to a precise level, allowing Maya to handle the model at a normal workload.
Started working on the details. The first step was to model a belt. used tool mash.
base shape was modelled in maya, as well as stitching. details were added in zbrush.
for fine details I also used detailed zbrush model for baking in SP
In parallel, while modeling additional assets, I started UV unwrapping the ready parts.
Along with modeling additional assets, I started working on the textures. I used Substance Painter and applied skin smart materials, then added more detail with painted layers such as pores, marks, scars, sweat, short hair, and nails to enhance the details built in ZBrush.
boots base model built in maya and details added in zbrush
For texturing, I used built-in textures, as the design and textures are fairly simple. However, I adjusted the colors to ensure they match the overall composition.
To save time on this relatively simple model, I used a smoothed base mesh for the retopology and refined it to match the ZBrush detail model before baking everything in Substance Painter.
same pipeline for arm vambrace – base model in maya, detailing in zbrush, back to maya – retopology and smooth.
The topology was a bit off, but I had to move on quickly, so I left it as is. I added layers of scratches and dirt to support the narrative and portray the character’s fight life.
To avoid overloading the piece with detail, I kept the paint materials simple and added only subtle fading and stains to match the composition. To make them more interesting, I also added a projected image.
I really like the art style of the lion, and the lion attacking two-headed birds suits the current situation in my country. The style also matches the unique work of the Ukrainian artist Primachenko. Although it would have been impossible for the historical figure Sirko to wear something inspired by her art, since he lived much earlier, I think they share a similar energy: a unique nature and a sense of magic in their art and life.
For the shirt, I used a built-in material that resembles rough linen, which suits the historical reality of Cossack clothing. From a technical perspective, I also found an excellent tutorial on creating embroidery in Substance Painter, which helped me make the shirt feel more authentic and reflective of traditional Ukrainian clothing. It was also a great opportunity to learn something new in Substance Painter. I additionally added marks and stains for extra realism.
As his shirt and pants have a simple, loose design, I used cloth simulation in Maya.
For the swords, I used built-in materials and added scratches and wear. For the scabbards, I used rubber as a base, since it helped create a material that looks like leather on wood. The scratches and wear also look believable on it.
Hair, eyebrows, and mustaches were modeled using a grooming tool. It was challenging to work with, but the result looks good.
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