Zbrush sculpts, high poly models and research

These are some gargoyle sculpts as I wanted to get started on the gargoyle. I originally wanted to do a dragon gargoyle - to keep it traditional. However, I wanted to do something different. 

I also done some research into the meanings of some animals. Will put links that I looked at at the bottom of the post. I decided to make a raven gargoyle sculpt. I will put the reason why I chose ravens down the bottom with the links.

Before I done these sculpts, I did try to make a gargoyle model within Maya - I didn't go well. But I used the head for the base of one of my gargoyle sculpts. 

Another attempt to create a gargoyle in Maya. Quickly knew this one wouldn't work: 

I also finally began to do high poly models on the cathedral asset 

In addition to this I done some tests on the window section on the asset. I keep having problems with glass materials when I try to create my own and there's no avoiding it in this project, I will have to use glass. So before I try (and fail), I wanted to see if I can use a glass material in UE4 and edit it so add my own custom made stained glass window.

I grabbed an image from google and used it for the test. I didn't want to create my own, test it and for it to fail. Fortunately for me, the test kinda work, so now I will go ahead and create my own stained glass window texture

As promised links for research into the spiritual meanings behind dragons and ravens:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/dragon-totem.html
http://www.spiritanimal.info/dragon-spirit-animal/
https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/fantasy-mythical-creatures/dragon-symbolism-meaning/
https://www.guardian-angel-reading.com/blog-of-the-angels/spiritual-dragon/
https://exemplore.com/spirit-animals/Animal-Spirit-Guides-Meanings-Dragon-Spirit-Guide
https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/birds/raven-symbolism-meaning/
https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/birds/raven-symbolism-meaning/
http://www.spiritanimal.info/raven-spirit-animal/
http://www.shamanicjourney.com/raven-power-animal-master-magician-keeper-of-secrets
https://alltotems.com/spirit-animals/raven-symbolism-meaning/
https://www.spirit-animals.com/raven/
https://news.softpedia.com/news/10-Amazing-Facts-About-Ravens-70914.shtml
http://mentalfloss.com/article/53295/10-fascinating-facts-about-ravens
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/c/common-raven/
https://news.softpedia.com/news/10-Amazing-Facts-About-Ravens-70914.shtml
http://listverse.com/2017/11/12/10-incredible-facts-about-ravens/
https://birdeden.com/top-amazing-facts-about-ravens
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/638969/Top-10-facts-ravens


So why did I eventually chose ravens?
There's a lot of reasons, first of their characteristics. Not only can they talk - they can mimic human voices like crows and magpie; they are intelligent; amusingly they can get 'stoned' using ants; they are very adaptable. They are also known to be playful and known to be highly empathetic - two qualities I like about the ravens as I relate to that a lot

Raven's showing their playful side in the snow:

Ravens in mythology:
Most people know that ravens symbolize death, known to be a dark omen or from Edgar Allan Poe poem, they symbolize lost love. However, in other cultures they have some other mythology, I shall put these in bullet points:

•  French myths: they are seen to hold the souls of wicked priests 
• Norse myths: Odin had two which reported to him every thing they saw and heard
• Swedish myths: ghosts of murdered people
• Native American myths: are seen as tricksters or shapeshifters
• Celtic myths: they were an omen of battle and bloodshed 
• Hindu myths: souls of the deceased which represent bad or good luck

Spiritual meanings to ravens: 

• comfort
• courage
• creation
• death
• darkness
• life
• messenger 
• self-reflection
• self-knowledge
• sexuality 
• magic 
• experiences

Back to the research I done a while back on gargoyles, they are used as gargoyle sermon stones (as in the middle ages people couldn't read). These would teach people about religion or scare people to attending church. They were also used to scare away evil spirits from the church or cathedral. With the spiritual and mythological research, I think ravens would fit the former point of use for gargoyles.

Raven Moodboard:

Sketches: