Creating Hand-Painted Wayfinder-Inspired Scythe with Substance 3D

Introduction & Background

Hello! My name is Aysu Hoscan, I am a 27-year-old, self-taught 3D Game Artist passionate about creating stylized assets. I switched from a completely different profession to game art. My first experience was contributing to the development of an indie tower defense game, where I created assets as a 2D artist. During this time, I discovered Blender and developed a strong interest in 3D modeling. For about a year, I dedicated myself to intensively learning Blender and Substance 3D Painter at home, exploring various workflows and techniques while developing my artistic perspective. I watched tutorials, read articles, shared my progress with online communities, and received valuable feedback. Shortly after, I received my first job offer. I have been in the industry for about 9 months and am currently creating semi-realistic weapons and environmental props for an MMORPG project.

After work, I focus on developing my portfolio in stylized art and aim to master this style. I actively use Blender with various add-ons, have been learning ZBrush for the last six months, and continue to improve my technical skills in game engines like Unreal Engine and Unity.

Starting the Stylized Scythe Project

I wanted to start something new, and since my previous project had been mostly focused on hard surface work, this time I decided to create an organic weapon. I studied several versions of the weapon designed by the talented concept artist Ron Broyde – each one had a unique visual appeal.

When I first came across this Wayfinder-style scythe, I was genuinely impressed. The colors, structure, and material variety in Guillaume Provost’s work drew me in. I felt that working on this model would push me to improve both my sculpting and painting skills – it became a personal challenge. To better understand the materials, I gathered a wide range of references, mostly from ArtStation, and sorted out the ones I needed. I researched real-life surface examples like obsidian and cooled lava, which the weapon reminded me of. Additionally, I carefully studied other works inspired by the Wayfinder style to maintain stylistic consistency.

Modeling Process

In my modeling workflow, I usually start with a blockout in Blender and move into ZBrush for sculpting. However, since this project was highly organic and multi-part, I created the blockout directly in ZBrush and completed the entire model there.

I began with a sphere and started building the primary forms. In certain areas, I used ZModeler for more structured blocks. I paid close attention to keeping the forms readable, but I also avoided over-exaggeration. For complex parts like the teeth and horns, I went through many iterations to find the right silhouette. Polygroups were especially helpful in speeding up the process during this stage.

Once I was happy with the shapes, I cleaned the meshes using ZRemesher, Crease, and Polish by Features, then smoothed everything out with the hPolish brush. In the detailing phase, I followed the BMS rule (Big–Medium–Small) to guide my sculpting, making sure all forms and shapes remained, both readable and organic.

During this process, I primarily used the Clay Buildup, Move Brush, and the AccuCurve feature. For secondary details, I often masked specific areas and used the Move Brush (especially while holding Alt) to sculpt more stylized and balanced shapes. I adjusted the thickness and density of these forms based on the model’s overall silhouette. Without overdoing it, I added subtle curved stylization details, and in the final pass, I used both the Pinch and Anchor brushes to refine and emphasize certain areas. For the handle, I used the ArrayMesh tool to quickly build up its structure.

For tertiary details, I added cracks and readable micro-details of varying sizes across the surface. I was careful to keep these elements under control – too much noise at this stage could easily break the stylized feel of the model.

I believe that adding small creative deviations from the concept can contribute to the character of the model. For example, I broke one of the teeth and added an earring. These details weren’t in the original design, but they gave the model personality and a lived-in feel.

I used Mask + Extract along with Dynamic Subdivision to create thickness. I sculpted organic crevices using the Orb brushes and the Folly Hair Brush, polished the edges with the Cue Edge Brush, and added detail to organic forms with the SK_Cloth Brush. For the gums, I applied Cue Buildup and used the Inflate Brush to add volume.

Whenever I needed guidance, I watched various ZBrush tutorials to observe the specific effects different brushes can create. Experimenting with different tools also helped me explore how surface textures can shift depending on the brush used.

By placing the forms close to the gum, I aimed to create a subtle outward bulge.

Final Sculpt:

Topology & UVs

Retopology Process

After completing the high-poly sculpt, I moved on to the retopology stage. During this phase, I carefully analyzed the model and decided to merge certain objects into a single mesh. This optimization allowed me to create a more efficient and manageable low-poly structure. I used Blender for retopology, but I prefer the RetopoFlow add-on over the default tools, as it offers greater control and flexibility. It helped me retopologize even complex forms more quickly and precisely. I also used the Baking Supply add-on by Kostia Perry (Tarmunds), which significantly improved my workflow during the naming and baking prep stages.

Attention to Detail & Optimization

Regardless of the model’s complexity, I meticulously monitored the triangle count and surface flow to ensure optimal performance without sacrificing detail. Throughout the mesh optimization process, I was careful to preserve the essential shapes and volumes that give the model its distinct character. This stage was both technically demanding and creatively satisfying.

UV Unwrapping Workflow

For UV unwrapping, I used a combination of UVPackMaster and ZenUV, which made the process fast and efficient. When marking seams, I mostly relied on sharp edges and ensured that seam lines were hidden from key visible areas. I divided the model into two material groups and laid out the UVs with consistent texel density in mind. I packed the UVs using the UVPackMaster engine for optimal layout efficiency.

Baking in Marmoset Toolbag 5

Once the UVs were complete, I baked the model in Marmoset Toolbag 5, whose advanced baking engine allowed for quick and clean results while preserving fine sculpted details. I adjusted the cage mesh settings directly within Marmoset and used the Paint Offset feature to manually correct problematic areas. This gave me precise control and helped prevent common baking artifacts. While baking the Ambient Occlusion map, I made sure to disable the “Ignore Groups” option – this improved shadow transitions and resulted in a more natural, unified look.

Baked Low-Poly Mesh:

Texturing & Stylized PBR Approach

For the texturing phase of this project, I used Substance 3D Painter. While software like 3D-Coat is often preferred for hand-painted styles, the powerful tools available in Substance 3D Painter made the process highly efficient. To be honest, hand-painting in Substance 3D Painter can be more challenging at first compared to brush-focused software. However, when the layer-based workflow is used together with generators, filters, and smart masks in the right way, this difficulty becomes an advantage. Using these tools consciously and creatively not only speeds up the painting process but also improves the overall texture quality.

In my workflow, I chose not to rely entirely on automated tools. Instead, I followed a process that blends manual touches with technical methods. This helped me achieve a result that feels both technically accurate and visually hand-painted.

During this process, I didn’t hesitate to experiment with different techniques. Specifically, to give the gum area an organic and moist feel, I added a pink emissive layer on top of the painted texture in the final stage. I used purple gradients where it meets the tooth and light pink emissive highlights in certain areas, deliberately lowering the emissive intensity. I anticipated this approach would create a subtle “juicy” effect on the surface and produce a semi-translucent appearance similar to subsurface scattering (SSS) under backlighting. As a result, these techniques gave the gum area both a stylized and translucent quality, delivering a dynamic and striking effect in the scene’s lighting. This look was close to what I was aiming for, but in the final scene, I further enhanced the emissive effect by adding a subtle SSS adjustment in Marmoset.

As someone familiar with PBR-based techniques, I wanted to explore how this technical foundation could be adapted to a hand-painted workflow. To enhance the sense of depth on the tooth surface, I used a two-layer height system. First, I defined the base form by hand-painting a height map and assigning it as an anchor point. Then, I added a second fill layer with a curvature generator, referencing the anchor to apply additional height and a secondary color to the inner areas of the surface. By blending manual painting with procedural elements, I achieved a surface that is both more readable and full of character. This method allowed me to enhance the depth of details without compromising the overall visual consistency.

The PBR hand-painted workflow contains much more data compared to the traditional hand-painting technique, which focuses solely on base color (albedo). In this workflow, maps such as base color, roughness, and metallic must work in harmony, as the material perception on the surface relies heavily on this balance. The brightness or darkness of color tones is directly related to roughness values. For example, brighter tones tend to appear smoother (lower roughness), while darker tones may look more matte and diffuse (higher roughness). At this point, color theory still plays a key role; elements like color transitions, tonal variation, and contrast balance have a direct impact on the visual strength of the model.

The level of detail is highly important in this workflow. I experimented extensively with colors, trying out multiple variations to find the right tones. Color variations, soft or sharp brushstrokes, and other hand-painted elements bring personality and vitality to the model.

When working in software like Substance 3D Painter, it is crucial not to rely solely on auto masks. Incorporating manual masking helps give the textures a more authentic, hand-painted feel.

One advantage of the PBR hand-painted workflow is that painted lighting, shadows, and highlights can be supported by additional data such as metallic and roughness maps. Even though this workflow operates within a physically based rendering system, manually painting these visual elements strengthens the model’s overall storytelling and presentation.

In this project, I had the opportunity to explore the layered structure and creative potential of the PBR hand-painted workflow in greater depth.

Final Presentation & Rendering

I usually use Marmoset Toolbag for rendering, and for this project, I rendered my work using Marmoset Toolbag 5. In setting up the scene, I combined HDRI lighting with the classic three-point lighting technique. Additionally, I placed auxiliary lights such as detail lights and rim lights to emphasize the model’s form and material details.

Correct HDRI usage is crucial in the rendering process because the chosen HDRI directly affects the overall color tone and contrast perception of the model. For this project, I exported the “Panorama” HDRI from Substance 3D Painter and added it to my Marmoset Toolbag library. This allowed me to preserve the color tones from the painting process and prevent color shifts during rendering.

To highlight striking details in areas where I wanted the model to stand out, I added dedicated detail lights. A soft rim light helped define the silhouette more clearly, while the three-point lighting setup enhanced the sense of volume and depth throughout the model. Thanks to this balanced lighting setup, the form, material properties, and color harmony of the model were effectively showcased in the scene.

During post-processing, I opted for linear tone mapping to keep the color balance as natural as possible. Since I did not want to dramatically alter the overall color balance, I made only subtle adjustments: slight highlight corrections, minor midtone balancing, a bit of clarity, and very minimal saturation to enhance visual quality. This approach helped me avoid unrealistic effects while preserving the original texture and color coherence of the model.

Thumbnail Readability & Background Color Tests

I tested various background and lighting combinations to study how they influence the asset’s visual weight and atmosphere. This iterative comparison helped me choose a setup that best frames the form, contrast, and stylized feel of the piece.

Key Learnings & Advice

One of the main challenges was the PBR hand-painted texturing process. I had to consider not only surface details but also lighting information. At first, I didn’t expect to dive into such a detailed painting process, but I ended up hand-painting nearly 90% of the textures.

Working on this model taught me the importance of patience and careful observation, especially when dealing with subtle shapes. Paying close attention to these fine details significantly improved the overall quality of the work.

I faced some uncertainties along the way: Would adding emissive and subtle SSS effects to the gums be appropriate? Would intentionally leaving brush strokes make the texture look dirty? If I made the colors a bit more vibrant than the original concept, would it break the overall cohesion? Instead of getting stuck in doubt, I followed my instincts and focused on what looked and felt right. In doing so, I discovered that I had begun to develop a personal painting language, one shaped not just by technical problem-solving, but by artistic intuition.

My advice to beginners is to experiment without fear of making mistakes; you’ll improve through practice. While watching tutorial videos is important, applying what you learn is just as crucial. With time, consistent hand-painting practice will sharpen your eye for nuance and elevate your technique.

Projects that challenge you with different material types like stone, wood, and metal, or that combine organic and hard-surface forms, are especially helpful for growth. And when it comes to reference, don’t just glance at it, break it down, study it, and understand it.

I sincerely thank the 80 Level team for giving me the opportunity to share this journey. Being featured on this platform has been truly motivating and inspiring. I hope this interview encourages artists who are just starting out on their path.

Thank you to everyone who offered feedback along the way. Your insights helped me push the work further and grow in the process.

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out through my social channels, where I regularly post WIP updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my workflow.

Follow me on X, Instagram, ArtStation, LinkedIn, and email.

Aysu Hoscan, 3D Game Artist