How I modeled Pedenjped in ZBrush
This article accompanies a time-lapse process in ZBrush: from a comic-book reference illustration I built an organic 3D model of the character Pedenjped (a well-known Slovenian children's book character) with a distinct caricature silhouette and a dynamic pose. The full record of the process is on the video; below I summarize the main steps and why they matter if you want to prepare a similar character for 3D printing or rendering.
I publish more similar processes on the YouTube channel @JureMali — if you are interested in the workflow from the 3DShop workshop, a public archive of processes is gathered there.
Why ZBrush for a character like this?
Pedenjped is a visually "soft" character with strongly stylized proportions — a big head, a short body, long arms and an expressive pose. For this type of organic form, digital sculpting in ZBrush is more natural than pure box modeling: you can quickly move masses around, sculpt the silhouette and iterate without locking in the topology at the start.
1. Reference and silhouette
I start with one clear illustration as a guide for the camera angle and proportions. The first goal is not detail on the nose, but a readable silhouette — if you can recognize the shape just from a black cutout, the model will work as a figure in the real world too.
2. Blocking and volumetry
I merge the basic shapes into a single volume (e.g. via DynaMesh or a similar approach), then gradually raise the resolution. At this stage I still clean up the bigger proportion errors: shoulder width relative to the head, the tilt of the spine, the position of the elbows — the pose must be alive, not just a static A-pose.
3. Face and caricature reading
With stylized characters it is crucial that you read the face as a whole: the spacing of the eyes, the nose as a geometric box or a softer mass, the lip as a simple cut. Smaller brushes come only once the large volumes hold — otherwise you quickly fall into "texture without structure".
4. Hands, fingers and tension
If the character points or holds a space between the fingers, the thumbs and joints must be thick enough for FDM or resin. In the video you can see how, during sculpting, I watch the minimum thicknesses — a thin joint on the screen is often a broken piece on the printer.
Before export, always check for problems with thicknesses, undercut parts and unsupported planes. If you want to physically print the model, it is easier to add a small base or a hidden joint already in the sculpt phase than to fix the geometry only during mesh cleanup.
Video: the full time-lapse
Below is the full recording of the process in ZBrush — from the initial masses to a more finished form:
If you liked the workflow, you can follow me on the YouTube channel @JureMali — there I add new process videos from the workshop.
How does this connect to 3DShop.si?
The same principles of organic modeling also apply to bobbleheads, custom 3D statues and AI-generated models, where cleanup and preparing the mesh for printing still follow. If you have your own character, mascot or IP and want a physical prototype, contact us with a reference — we'll prepare an estimate and the next steps.
Need a custom model or figure?
Send a sketch, illustration or photo — we'll respond with a timeline and a quote.
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