Maya Rigging Bones and IK solvers

So I wasn't too happy with the work flow for rigging this tentacle and I'm certainly not happy about posing them using Zbrush.  I just don't seem to get on with the bones and tools to get a nice result.  I resorted to learning more new things in Maya.  I did rigging years ago at Uni so remembered the concept and thankfully most of the terminology.  The following is a a set of bone bound to a predefined curve with an IK solver then skinned to the low res geometry exported from Zbrush.  I can then GoZ that back onto various different tools in Zbrush to create my different models to print.

Cant help but think now that this is possible I could have made it all as one object.  watch this space I might Dynamesh the sculpts and put it all together... scratch that I'll finish what I started first and then try something new! :)

Octopus Desk Tidy

So I've been working up that silly little doodle I did a while back in Zbrush.  I thought it would make a nice desk toy when printed in 3D and maybe even useful for holding Iphone charger or USB wires.

This is my WIP so far.

Still go to refine some of the shapes and make the main head, then any additions to snap cables into the hands etc.

3D Charm design

I've attempted to go back to basics and make a Pandora charm for my wife's 30th birthday.  It's been and gone in the time it's taken me to design test print and make this.  Sorry wifey!  :)  Love you!

But I have learnt a huge amount about z brush and rendering with poly paint textures and material setups.  Also had to swat up on sorting out UV's for the tools in another 3D package and then the work flow from that back into Zbrush.
Small steps and perhaps not obvious from this rendering but I'm still progressing.  Been awhile since the last post because I've been so hectic at work and lost alot of drive with my last print but this time I did a test print to fix scales and I'm hoping I'll get it right when it comes to the final output.

These are the updated calibration prints O got back to get the measurements correct first before printing in silver.  I've been reading that I should expect some shrinkage during the process due to the mold and the metal casting,  Probably explains my last piece being a little too small.