Hey everyone! ๐ฐ Weโre excited to bring you the next update on our Mutant Squirrels, and this time... weโve started adding 3D Fur to their bodies! ๐ฟ๏ธ๐งฌ Thatโs right! โ weโre now applying digital fur to our little friends, and as you can imagine, itโs a very complex and delicate process. Each strand must be placed layer by layer, plane by plane, to create a natural and believable look (hard digital work). ๐ฅ๏ธ
For this phase, weโve begun using Haircards in Blender, which is a much more optimized method for rendering, especially for the squirrels that appear farther away from the camera. ๐ฅโจ Our goal is to create two types of fur:
Those that are in the background will use haircards for a lightweight and efficient look (like the ones weโre showing in this post). ๐
The ones shown closer to the camera will have ultra-realistic fur, created through particles and physics simulations in Houdini. ๐ป
Keep in mind โ this is just the first step! Weโre aiming for a truly realistic result and thereโs still a long journey ahead before we reach that level. Thanks to you, we're able to keep moving forward with our film and bring this amazing project to life. ๐ค Sending you all big hugs and furry kisses and stay tuned for more content! ๐
Update: We've added a new version of the Mutant Squirrel's fur, featuring stripes that give it a more distinctive and defined look. Also added is a more noticeable outline on his head to highlight his facial features.