Step into a real-time character creation journey inspired by Netflix's 'Jibaro'! Join character artist Juhwan Jeon as he explores new creative horizons by blending AI technology with traditional 3D pipelines.

Please introduce yourself briefly and tell us what inspired you to start 3D design.

Hello. My name is Juhwan Jeon, and I am currently working as a character artist in the gaming industry.

I have loved animation and games since childhood, and was particularly fascinated by the process of realizing ultra-realistic graphics, which led me to pursue 3D design. This interest naturally guided me to major in a related field at university. Today, I specialize in creating game characters based on real-time rendering.

Could you tell us about the project you have recently worked on?

For a recent personal project, I created a female warrior character with a Persian flair. I was deeply inspired by the character 'Jibaro' from the Netflix series Love, Death & Robots, especially the striking combination of ornate jewelry, intricate accessories, and an aesthetic that coexists as both beautiful and intimidating.

Drawing from this inspiration, my goal was to craft a character that embodies both elegance and strength. To experiment with new production workflows, I also integrated AI technology into certain stages of the process.

Rather than using AI as a direct asset generation tool, I utilized it to extract patterns for texturing and to recombine images to create novel design elements. I also leveraged AI during the initial modeling of the figure base to rapidly materialize my ideas.

Personally, I view AI not as a technology to replace artists, but as a supportive tool to enhance workflow efficiency and explore new creative possibilities. I plan to continue experimenting with it in various ways moving forward.

Could you provide a brief overview of the various tools used in your pipeline?

For this project, I crafted the hard-surface elements using 3ds Max, and designed the garments utilizing Marvelous Designer and ZBrush. Texturing was completed in Substance 3D Painter, and the final rendering was executed in Unreal Engine 5.

For the garment creation, as I lacked specialized fashion design knowledge, I began with the simplest possible shapes and utilized Marvelous Designer only where necessary. I believe there is a limit to expressing natural wrinkles solely through manual work. Therefore, I first established the overall silhouette and major folds in Marvelous Designer, and then refined the detailed wrinkles using ZBrush's Dynamics feature along with additional sculpting.

Every project comes with its own highlights and challenges. What was the most enjoyable part of the process for you, and what did you find the most challenging?

A: My favorite part of the workflow is crafting realistic, hard-surface-based accessories. I also thoroughly enjoy the texturing process, where I can express different material finishes and wear-and-tear to breathe life and realism into a character. Seeing these meticulous details accumulate to complete a single character brings me a profound sense of accomplishment and joy as a character artist.

Conversely, the most challenging aspect was applying in-engine simulations to give the finished character a more natural and dynamic sense of life. Managing a multitude of features and settings simultaneously during the rendering stage felt quite complex, but through a process of trial and error, I was able to get closer to my desired outcome.

Lastly, do you have any advice for those who are just starting out in 3D art? This could be career advice, the mindset needed when creating artwork, or anything else you'd like to share.

A: Since I am not someone with extraordinary natural talent—much like most people—I believe that consistency and patience are far more critical to becoming a great character artist. As you work, you will inevitably face countless trials and errors, but I believe the experiences gained through that process are what ultimately translate into true skill.

Additionally, keeping an open mind toward new tools and technologies is essential. Recently, new technologies, including AI, are emerging at a rapid pace, and actual production workflows are constantly evolving. I, too, am continuously learning to ensure I do not fall behind, and I believe the ability to adapt to these changes will only become increasingly important in the future.

Artstation