COLOSSO
Colosso is a semi-stylized 3D character forged from a post-apocalyptic arena - an enforcer shaped by toxic air, masked identity, and chained rage. Developed from concept to animation, the design blends lucha libre, urban decay, and gladiator motifs. His gas mask conceals and protects, while chains symbolize both weapon and restraint in a brutal, symbolic world.
Software Used : Maya, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Redshift
Credits
Design, Modeling, Texturing, & Rendering: Jeffrey Bounthavong
CINEMATIC ANIMATION
This short sequence features Colosso fully animated in a stylized post-apocalyptic setting, rendered in Unreal Engine. Dynamic lighting, atmospheric effects, and character-driven motion bring the brute to life, emphasizing his weight and menace. Each step is deliberate, chains clinking, his gas mask glinting under moody light. Designed to showcase Colosso as more than a static sculpt, the piece presents him as a cinematic-ready character.
DESIGN PROCESS
This time-lapse captures the design journey of Colosso - from early blockout in Maya to high-frequency sculpting in ZBrush. You’ll see the evolution of anatomy, form language, gear placement, and proportion tweaks as the character solidifies his intimidating presence. The process was iterative and informed by storytelling, focusing on silhouette clarity and stylized anatomy grounded in realism.
HERO SHOTS
The final renders showcase Colosso in full form, lit and composed to emphasize his raw power, battle-worn gear, and atmospheric storytelling. Rendered in Redshift, each image highlights a different narrative angle: the tension in his posture, the weight of the chains, and the eerie anonymity provided by his gas mask. Attention was given to material response - from worn metals to dirty leather - grounding the stylized figure in gritty, believable detail.
GRAYSCALE MODEL
The grayscale render offers a clean view of Colosso’s anatomy and gear without the distraction of textures. It emphasizes the exaggerated proportions, muscular form, and layered armor design. This raw view reveals how the sculpt carries story beats in every surface-chipped edges, asymmetrical padding, and embedded damage from a life lived violently.
WIREFRAME
The wireframe view highlights the character’s edge flow and topology organization. Built with animation in mind, loops support joint deformation around the shoulders, elbows, and torso while maintaining an efficient polygon budget. Denser geo was reserved for facial structures, gear components, and areas of motion like the chain-wrapped arm.
UV MAPS
UVs were hand-unwrapped to maintain uniform texel density across key surfaces like the face, arms, and gear. Strategic padding and layout optimization ensured clean bakes and high-resolution detailing. The texture sets include Base Color, Roughness, Metalness, and Normal Maps, all hand-painted in Substance Painter to blend stylization with material storytelling.
ANIMATING IN UNREAL
Shown here is a snapshot of Colosso in motion within Unreal Engine. Animation was handled with a focus on heavy movement and grounded weight - emphasizing the slow, deliberate physicality of a character built like a wrecking ball. The animation rig supports expressive posing and cinematic angles, allowing Colosso to breathe life even amid the ruins of his toxic world.