I didn't have the intention to create a thread for this work cuz it's a simple low poly model with a texture, not much impressive for me, but here it is. I'm not very motivated lately and some folks have encouraged me to do it.
This is what i posted in the WAYWO Thread, and here's the concept i did a while ago.
Well, i will try to explain my workflow for the model, i think is quite easy and with images you will understand all.
1. Like for a model for normal maps, i created the mesh you see there, it's subdivided x1 because Zbrush doesn't support pentagons, something quite incredible when n-gons should be something basic in every 3d app.
2. Then i sculpted all the details, and i decimated the model like it's common for a nm model.
3. I build my low poly with an optimized UV...
4. And i bake the hi-res model with a specific shader and neutral lighting onto my lowpoly. As you can see, it's not perfect, and sometimes i need to clean and fix the errors on the map.
5. Once i have cleaned all, the rest is to paint details such as some speculars, dirt, etc. Just see the difference between images. Remember the times when vertex lighting of our low poly model were baked as help map?
All this can be really handy if you bake the different channels, like the ones you render for compositing (specular, gloss, SSS, GI, direct lighting, etc.).
6. At the end all is very polished and we can have total control of every pixel, but in contrast, the amount of work is heavier than usual. Results can be good, but in my opinion, i rather prefer a good normal map model.
Here's an image with some views and the texture.
Linear Mode
