Calvin Cropley 

MetaCal is a personal real-time digital double and character R&D project built around my own likeness. Starting from a custom MetaHuman identity, the goal was to push beyond the base framework and create a recognisable, production-ready representation of myself through a combination of photogrammetry, scan processing, sculpting, texturing, look development and real-time workflows.

Likeness development focused heavily on facial anatomy, proportion and the smaller asymmetries that define identity. Skin was reconstructed through photographic reference and reprojection, followed by custom pore and micro-surface detailing in ZBrush. Additional passes developed regional roughness, subsurface response, pigmentation, blemishes, facial hair and complexion variation. 

Eyes, wetness, eyebrows and eyelashes were also individually tuned, while the hair-card setup was extensively reshaped around my hairline, fade and overall silhouette. 

Personal features were treated as part of the character rather than secondary details. This included modified ear geometry for tunnels, a nose piercing, projected body tattoos, and corrections for UV seams and deformation.
 

Clothing and accessories followed the same approach. My Vans shoes and Salton II cap were reconstructed from personal scan data into clean real-time assets, incorporating new topology, UVs, baking, texture transfer, procedural detailing and material work before being integrated with the character.

The completed asset was assembled and stress-tested through posing and animation, while Unreal Engine and Marmoset Toolbag were used throughout for real-time validation, look development and presentation.
 

Ultimately, MetaCalvin became an exploration of what makes a digital double feel specific to an individual — combining likeness, anatomy, surface detail, personal objects and technical real-time character workflows into a single cohesive identity.

Introduction: 
Far From Home Part II extends my previous project Part I. The scene takes a step further from the original, which lies directly behind the building of Part I, depicting a more polluted and chaotic part of the neighbourhood, showcasing the raw realities of the environment I remember from the 90s. The smog-filled canal area, with murky, litter-filled water, recreates the feeling of this place, evoking the harsh but nostalgic experience of my second home. I used a mix of self-made assets, Quixel Megascans, modelling, and KitBash3D to help achieve the narrative. 

Far From Home.
Reference: Philippines.
Inspiration: Recreation of a childhood home, housing the memory of my neighborhood, my first exploration into video games, and family memories.

The scene is a construct of self-made assets, real-life trash, posters, scan data, materials created from personal collection, as well as Quixels Megascans asset and variation materials from the library.

Variation includes randomness, Foliage brush, dirt, and procedural elements using Substance Designer and Scan Data.

Lighting and Environment constructed using Unreal Engine 5.

Far From Home Part II:
Far From Home Part II extends my previous project Part I. The scene takes a step further from the original, which lies directly behind the building of Part I, depicting a more polluted and chaotic part of the neighbourhood, showcasing the raw realities of the environment I remember from the 90s. The smog-filled canal area, with murky, litter-filled water, recreates the feeling of this place, evoking the harsh but nostalgic experience of my second home. I used a mix of self-made assets, Quixel Megascans, modelling, and KitBash3D to help achieve the narrative.

Materials From Wilsons Promontory
I was out and about a few months ago. Finally got around to working on the following materials.
Here we have a variety of surfaces I manage to mash up together whilst scouting on my adventure to Wilson's Promontory, although most of the hike was grassland and mountains, I managed to spot some interesting shapes that I wanted to capture that were in the area. Hard Mixed Rock, Orange Lichen, Sand Dunes, and the Asphalt in the Parking Lot.
Enjoy.

The Concept Stage:
So, I started with some quick sketches and photo batching in order to get a feel and vibe for what I was going for. I also explored Google Maps Street View to gather references from familiar places. It helped shape the direction of the project as well as merging images to create the place I actually wanted, which is a mix of two different area batched together.