Stylised Axe Hero Prop

This asset’s art style was inspired by a Netflix show I worked on called Wolf King.

On this show, I modelled a variety of weapons alongside hero assets and set props, which were used for set dressing. Each asset had such a fun facetting style that I wanted to bring that to life with my axe prop!

Reference image of a rustic axe mounted on a wall with a wooden handle and metal blade. This was used to create my stylized CGI 3D axe weapon hero prop

Here’s the real thing! Minus the leather straps

You can see the areas I’ve exaggerated with the wood carving on the handle and facets on the axe head. While the reference image has a smooth handle with evident wood grain, I wanted to enhance the silhouette on my asset to make it more visually appealing and to make the surface easily identifiable without relying on textures to sell the material types.

The original direction for this asset was to make it more realistic for a VFX use case. However, as I got to the detailing pass, I decided to exaggerate the details and distress beyond that of its natural counterpart.

The axe itself was modelled with a Sub-D workflow in mind, as this is modelled with the intent of being used as a hero prop. The UDIMs are divided by material type.

Software used:

  • Autodesk Maya (Modelling & UVs)

  • Redshift Plugin (For Rendering Clay/Ambient Occlusion/Wireframe passes)

  • Affinity Designer (For compositing final stills)

Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Wireframe / Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Wireframe / Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Wireframe / Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Wireframe / Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling
Viking Axe Stylized Asset Prop - Wireframe / Clay / Ambient Occlusion Pass by Hayley Adams 3D Modeller and Mentor for 3D Modeling

What’s a Hero Asset/Prop?

A hero asset is a prop that’s significant to a story plot and interacts with a main character!

With this in mind, the asset must meet specific criteria. Such as:

  • Its proportions work with the character rig that it’s interacting with.

  • It’s been modelled with functionality in mind, working in real life and meeting the requirements for it’s interactions within a story context.

  • The detail level from the modelling side is appropriate for framing the shots in which the asset appears.

  • The UVs are of a high enough resolution, so the textures don’t pixelate/blur.

As someone with an active, private FB community group, 3DMC (Join here), I’m happy to answer questions for anyone looking to grow their skills as an artist.

You can message me HERE or on my socials at the top or bottom of the website.

Alternatively, if you want to take your skills to the next level… I also offer one-on-one sessions where we can dive deep into areas you’re currently struggling with and work together to improve your skillset!

Would you like advice on how to model something that’s suited for a Animation show?

< Previous

Next >