Alexandre Mougenot builds characters for a living. The France-based 3D character artist works on animated films, video games and trailers, and he is known for his lifelike lion fur work. Most of his feature film work has been at TAT Productions, and he also worked on the Netflix series Asterix: The Big Fight.
Outside client work, he makes personal pieces. Four of them show a clear range of subjects, from a scaled creature to a comic book hero. He described each one in his own words.
Four personal pieces, including a realistic lion fur houdini study
Veldrak
Veldrak builds on the work of Kian Kiani. Mougenot loves sculpting scales, so he set himself a harder target. He modelled every scale by hand, one at a time.
Lion
Mougenot had wanted to make a realistic lion for some time. He set out to push his skills as far as they would go. His main goal was believable lion fur, and he built it in Houdini. That goal drove his work on the lion from start to finish.
Dr Strange
Mougenot has been a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch since the start of Sherlock. He is also a committed Marvel fan. The piece gave him a reason to return to the character’s likeness and sharpen his sense of realism.
Aquatien
Aquatien is a realistic portrait drawn from several tribal traditions. Mougenot wanted to test himself on a human face with that level of detail.
Julie Bijjou handled the grooming, the process of styling hair on a digital character. Mougenot credits her with the finished look of the hair.
The toolkit behind the work
Mougenot lists eight programs as his general toolkit: Zbrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Houdini, Marvelous Designer, Arnold, Marmoset Toolbag and Photoshop. The list describes his overall practice, and it includes the Houdini tool behind his lion fur work. His description does not match each tool to a specific piece.
More of his work is on his ArtStation profile.
Each of the four pieces sets one hard target: scales made by hand, believable fur, a likeness he has drawn before and a portrait rooted in tribal design. The lion piece is the clearest example. Together they show an artist who chooses a difficult problem and works it through.
H/T creativebloq.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Alexandre Mougenot known for?
Alexandre Mougenot is a France-based 3D character artist who works on animated films, video games and trailers. He is known for his lifelike lion fur work.
How did Mougenot create the scales for his Veldrak piece?
Mougenot modelled every scale on the Veldrak piece by hand, one at a time. He set himself this harder target because he loves sculpting scales.
Which software did Mougenot use to build the lion fur?
Mougenot built the believable lion fur in Houdini. His main goal for the lion piece was this fur, and it drove his work on the lion from start to finish.
Why did Mougenot create his Dr Strange piece?
Mougenot has been a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch since the start of Sherlock and is also a committed Marvel fan. The piece gave him a reason to return to the character’s likeness and sharpen his sense of realism.
More in
Digital Art
All Digital Art
More like this
Andy Walsh's Haunted Drissleton Illustrations Turn Ordinary Villages Into Places That Feel Wrong
Maxon Lets Artists Sculpt and Model by Touch on the PROLED XDR MacBook Pro
Skander Mallouki Crafts Fantastical Characters Beyond Reality in ZBrush Sculptures
Mesmerizing Animation by Ruye Shows Fabric Tearing and Self-Healing in Hypnotic Detail
Dynamic Marvel Sculptures: Argentine Artist Elevates Iconic Heroes with Digital Precision
