Is there anybody that can give me some professional advice on what would be a efficient work flow in trying to create the deco part of a Gothic column? The project will be a high to low poly modular deal. I have some ideas on how to go forward, but I just need some professional options.

BTW I work with 3d max and zbrush.

For something that detailed and "organic" I would build a base mesh in whatever 3d App, then take it into either Zbrush or Mudbox and sculpt it. But it sounds like you are already working along those lines?

Yeah actually I was, but I also was thinking about the photo displacement method but I don't think that's doable.

For the right I'd probably build a pretty detailed base mesh and use large chunks of it for the one on the left.
- For the top leaves I'd do most of that in 3dsmax. Trace/draw out the outline of each leafy pattern with a spline, convert it to edit poly, and detail it a bit, make sure it sub-d's well bla bla bla.
- Then block out the base shape of the next piece down.
- For the snake curvy bits I would use Niel Blevin spline painter script to draw out a few path splines on the surface of the blocked out shape.
- Then sweep a custom spline shape or pathdeform a long straight modified cylinder with taper and twist modifiers (before pathdeform) on it so its not the same thickness and I can adjust the twist at any point. If pathdeform an instance of the tube, you can make changes on the easy to edit flat version and it updates on the deformed version.

Then take it into ZB and get busy brushing in some details.

For the left top middle chunk, I would build a pretty simple base mesh and go nuts in ZB. It should be pretty easy to sculpt most of the people detail but its probably a good idea to block them in in 3ds so you start off with pretty clean topology.

Originally Posted by Vig

For the right I'd probably build a pretty detailed base mesh and use large chunks of it for the one on the left.
- For the top leaves I'd do most of that in 3dsmax. Trace/draw out the outline of each leafy pattern with a spline, convert it to edit poly, and detail it a bit, make sure it sub-d's well bla bla bla.
- Then block out the base shape of the next piece down.
- For the snake curvy bits I would use Niel Blevin spline painter script to draw out a few path splines on the surface of the blocked out shape.
- Then sweep a custom spline shape or pathdeform a long straight modified cylinder with taper and twist modifiers (before pathdeform) on it so its not the same thickness and I can adjust the twist at any point. If pathdeform an instance of the tube, you can make changes on the easy to edit flat version and it updates on the deformed version.

Then take it into ZB and get busy brushing in some details.

For the left top middle chunk, I would build a pretty simple base mesh and go nuts in ZB. It should be pretty easy to sculpt most of the people detail but its probably a good idea to block them in in 3ds so you start off with pretty clean topology.

Vig you da man! Yeah I was thinking just that for the leaves. Maybe even use path deforms for the pole section although path deform is really buggy. Also one more thing. Do you think I should find a better high picture than that because I can barely make out that deco face on the right?

Also I dont even have Soulburn!!! I feel like a heretic. I heard a lot of good things about those scripts. Downloading them now!

make sure to use the PathDeform(WSM) its at the top of the modifier list. I've never had any problems with it. Sometimes you need to flip the axis around or click move to path but those are really minor annoyances.u

Yea there's a reason Neil works at Pixar...

As for the dodgy ref, I'd use it as inspiration and just do the best you to make it as cool as possible. You'll probably come up with something that looks cooler. I'd be tempted to turn the one on the left into some kind of personalized funny scene. Frankenstiens monster being chased by villagers or the evolution of the gamer something kind of tongue in cheek.

Originally Posted by Vig

make sure to use the PathDeform(WSM) its at the top of the modifier list. I've never had any problems with it. Sometimes you need to flip the axis around or click move to path but those are really minor annoyances.u

Yea there's a reason Neil works at Pixar...

As for the dodgy ref, I'd use it as inspiration and just do the best you to make it as cool as possible. You'll probably come up with something that looks cooler. I'd be tempted to turn the one on the left into some kind of personalized funny scene. Frankenstiens monster being chased by villagers or the evolution of the gamer something kind of tongue in cheek.

LOL Excellent. Thanks for the help man.