Blender Add-on no:1 - Texture Set Manager

I wanted a quick way to load, name and update texture sets based on selected objects so I coded this in Blender.

...as well as in Maya and Max.

I'm finding it useful for quickly flicking through textures in dense scenes and for keeping all texture sets named and organized.   

Here is a flat shaded viewport screen grab of my text scene:

Render test:

 I can switch between image types( jpg,tif,png ), sizes( SM,MD,LG ) and image sets( type of 
wood, skin, metal... etc ).  

The process of making add-ons in blender is a relatively fast and simple one:

Modeling from perspective drawings in Blender and Maya

1: In this first example I've used the Blender plugin "Blam!". Blam is a camera and projector calibration toolkit. I based my line drawing on this skinny Meriton apartment building.

Python Notes - Misc 01 - Blender/Maya

Metallic Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa (Lestis)) - 2nd V-Ray Render

Modeled in  - Maya
Render in     - V-Ray
Texturing in - ZBrush
A previous render and a modeling time-lapse can be found HERE

Redback Spider (W.I.P)

Modeling in   - Blender 

Hair added in - Maya

Rendered in   - V-Ray

Light Balance: 


Test render of  just the spider:

As a workflow test I decided to model a new Redback in Blender using Blenders Skin Modifer. Previously I modeled one in Maya.

I noted my first attempt at using Blenders Skin Modifier HERE. Once the base shape was created I retopologized the mesh using the blender add-on RetypoFlow.

Render test one. I created a web alpha in photoshop and projected them onto images planes in Maya. Here is a test render:

The web is, in all honesty, not very believable, the spiders joints are way to bright and the lighting isn't the best. I decided to do a test without a background or hair:

....could be better but, as always, it's a W.I.P.

Art Station gallery

I just created an Art Station gallery. I hope to grow it with plenty of random art this year.

Link:  www.artstation.com/nathanjones