Kurt Boutilier takes second place in the “Best Design Styled” category of the Reallusion 2024 3D Character Contest. He shares insights and techniques on how he brought his award-winning piece, “Avice,” to life by synergizing the strengths of Character Creator, ZBrush, and Substance Painter.
Kurt Boutilier
With over 20 years of experience as a freelance 3D artist, Kurt has worked on a wide range of projects, from video games and toys to 3D-printed miniatures. For the past eight years, his focus has shifted primarily to 3D printing, a medium he considers his “first love”. In addition to his professional work, Kurt regularly participates in art contests, viewing them as valuable opportunities for growth and collaboration within the creative community.
Concept
Avice was inspired by Kurt’s admiration for the strong female characters in The Dragon Prince. Eager to push his boundaries, he embraced the stylized aesthetic, stepping outside his usual approach. “The contest gave me an opportunity to work in a style I don’t often do”, he explains. Her design came together swiftly after the initial thumbnail sketches, with Avice’s bold yet feminine appearance reflecting Kurt’s dedication to infuse a blend of strength and grace into her character.
Creation Process
Kurt began by using Character Creator 4 (CC4) to block out Avice’s base mesh, drastically reducing the time needed compared to sculpting entirely from scratch in ZBrush. He then exported the base mesh to ZBrush, where he focused on refining Avice’s appearance and sculpting her intricate outfit.
With the modeling complete, Kurt used Autodesk Maya to lay out UVs for Avice’s outfit and other elements. He textured the character in Adobe Substance Painter, blending stylized and semi-realistic textures to enrich her design. Finally, Avice was posed and rendered in Maya using Arnold.
Why Character Creator 4
For Kurt, CC4 was invaluable in the early stages of creating Avice. “CC4 allows me to block out the base mesh of a character quickly without having to spend hours building up forms and a silhouette from scratch in ZBrush”, he explains. Beyond initial creation, CC4 also enabled him to pose Avice efficiently, maintaining her strong yet feminine essence.
The integration between CC4 and ZBrush was another highlight for Kurt. “The way I can go from CC4 to ZBrush effortlessly from a base mesh to a finished sculpt is a huge time saver”, he says. Additionally, AccuRIG proved instrumental in refining poses, providing a quick and intuitive solution compared to the time-intensive adjustments in ZBrush.
Overcoming Challenges
The most challenging aspect of the contest for Kurt was posing Avice in a way that balanced her strength and femininity. However, he found that the contest pushed him to grow as an artist, both in terms of trying new styles and improving his skills. “Contests like this help artists of all levels improve and challenge themselves”, he reflects.
Looking Forward
Kurt’s passion for 3D printing continues to fuel his creative ambitions. His next objective is to create a collection of printable miniatures, a long-held idea he’s eager to bring to life. He also plans to explore concept work further, focusing on character design and illustration.
For Kurt, contests like the 2024 Reallusion 3D Character Contest are more than competitions—they’re platforms to connect with fellow artists, experiment with new styles, and push creative boundaries.
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