Creating a Reslistic Sci-Fi-Style Robotic Hand Using ZBrush

Introduction

My name is Maхim Babkin-Taksar, and I’ve been working in concept design for over a decade. I started with a classical education in sculpture, which gave me a strong foundation in concepts of form, composition, and artistic expression. Early on, I also became interested in industrial design and started learning 3D programs, which gradually led me into the world of concept art.

Sculpture and design have always gone hand in hand in my life – they complement each other in how I explore and build shapes. Over time, my work has increasingly focused on robotic forms and anthropomorphic sci-fi characters. Through years of practice, I developed a particular interest in the idea of form conflict, which eventually led me to the concept of deconstruction and has become a central theme in my creative process.

My background naturally led me into CG as a character modeler, but I’ve always tried to keep experimenting, both artistically and technically. I’m still exploring and refining my own visual style.

Currently, I’m working as a Concept Designer at Swame Art. One of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in recently was Off The Grid. What I love most about concept design is how it encourages constant experimentation – combining different design languages, breaking rules, and inventing new shapes. That’s where I feel most creatively fulfilled.

Inspiration & References

Lanky-hand is a small part of a larger robot concept I was working on. The challenge with this piece was to design a robotic hand that didn’t just look sci-fi, but also felt industrial and grounded in reality – something that could plausibly exist. I approached it almost like a concept for a prosthetic hand, using modern polymer-based materials as a reference point.

In general, I drew inspiration from various types of industrial components such as excavators, tractors, Boston Dynamics robots, engine parts, modern prosthetics and medical technologies, space-grade hydraulic arms, and so on. The focus was on functionality, material logic, and believable engineering, while still keeping this work artistic.

Modeling

The process was fairly straightforward. I started with basic shapes like boxes and cylinders, and gradually increased the complexity of the model step by step. One of the key requirements was maintaining a layered structure in the volumes.

During the sculpting phase, I focused on achieving clean, concise forms. Finding the right balance between solid, well-defined shapes and dense detailing is quite challenging. Personally, I enjoy models that are richly detailed, but done with a fundamental purpose. It’s very important not to lose the overall silhouette and structural logic of the design. The details should support and reinforce the form, not break it into a chaotic or shapeless structure.

In simple terms, I used the well-known Boolean operations – subtract, intersect, and union – to build and refine the design.

Retopology & Unwrapping

In this case, the process was very intuitive. I’m not someone who enjoys getting bogged down in technical mapping, so I’m always exploring more direct, artistic approaches to texturing – ones that don’t rely on traditional unwrapping.

Once the sculpting was complete, I used Decimate in ZBrush to optimize the geometry across all project elements, then brought everything into KeyShot.

For me, if the form is strong and well-composed, the material simply becomes a layer that enhances the volume. It just needs to “respect” the form.

Texturing

The materials I used were mostly standard KeyShot presets with minimal adjustments – I made slight tweaks to transparency for polymers and roughness for metals.

I believe that in concept modeling, it’s important to think not only in terms of shape, but also in terms of materials from the very beginning. A single component should ideally consist of several different materials – meaning multiple sub-elements – because that’s what gives it a sense of realism. For example, if you have two metal parts, there should be a rubber transition between them. That way, you create a rhythm like “metal-rubber-metal” or “plastic-rubber-metal.”

It’s also essential to play with the material properties – placing matte rubber next to glossy metal, for instance. These kinds of contrasts bring the model to life and make it feel tangible.

At the same time, I’m a big fan of improvisation. I always leave space for what I call “brilliant accidents” – those unexpected outcomes that often feel more authentic than the original plan. In this project, I focused on achieving a sense of structural unity, where the materials not only supported realism but also hinted at a futuristic design language.

Lighting & Post-Processing

One of the most important elements to highlight is the lighting. Through experimentation, I found the right HDRI map and complemented it with a few additional light sources. It was the lighting that ultimately gave the sci-fi hand its distinct atmosphere and visual impact.

I also used depth of field (DOF) to add a subtle macro-photography feel, which helped enhance both the realism and spatial depth of the scene.

And of course, the final step was post-processing in Photoshop. I added a separate layer for noise, then adjusted curves, applied Color Lookup, tweaked vibrance, and used Selective Color to fine-tune the presentation of the visual object and polish the final image.

Conclusion

The hand took about a week of focused work to complete. But that’s already a finished chapter – I’m currently deep into my next sci-fi project, which I’ll also be sharing in parts as it develops.

To beginner artists, my main advice would be to dive deep into understanding form and space, especially for character artists, since you’re constantly working with space and within space. Form and spatial awareness are at the core of any visual art, and anyone choosing the creative path needs to truly sink their teeth into those fundamentals.

Also, I believe that learning the principles of composition is like discovering a master key – it opens every door. These are universal tools that apply across all styles and disciplines.

And finally, I’d say: learn more from real life, and less from other artists.

Maxim Babkin-Taksar, 3D Artist