Modelling CG ant for live action plates

[eraserhead_in_time]

Hi,
I;m making a short film where a single ant climbs up a table as the camera tracks up..
I'm sorta novice at 3d so I'd like to know the workflow, hence I can research and isolate trouble if it pops up.
Kindly have a look at my workflow and suggest-
1) Modelling the ant.
2) Sculpting it with finer detail in any scultping software.
3) Texturing it using ptex if possible.
4) Extracting all maps and base model for 3ds max.
5) Rigging the ant.
6) Lighting the scene using HDR maps of the location that I'll make up Ptgui or similiar.
7) Animating the ant to match the scene.
8) Rendering all the components out in diff maps.
9) Combining 3d elements with live action in AE.

Is this alright? I have already modelled the ant so can I move onto sculpting?

 

[Jeff Troiano]

While I'm an extreme novice at 3d modeling. You might consider buying an Ant already modeled and rigged. It might save you a lot of time and headaches. I've looked on numorous sites that sell pre rigged models. I'm sure there has to me an ant out there. Then you'd just have to animate, and you're good to go.

Perhaps others can chime in on sites they use to buy premise models, if that's an option of interest to you.

Jeff

 

[Anim8]

If your sculpting it in Zbrush you will want to UV map it before you sculpt it usually. You can get more predictable results/seams that way.

 

[eraserhead_in_time]

Thanks Jeff and Anim8..
@Jeff. I did try and download model online but those models need detailed sculpting as well. Plus it gives me a chance to learn something that can be production quality. So I downloaded a base mesh and now am sculpting on it. Rigging, lets see what I do. lol

@Anim8 I'm using mudbox brother. UV less painting saved me a lot of heartburn, plus those alien menu system in zbrush was so complicated.