Researching more and more about Budai there is a lot of relation to the Gautama Buddha, there are 32 characteristics of a great man that apply to the Gautama buddha some of which I would like to transfer over to my model of Budai.

Gautama Buddha - Indian roots teacher of Buddism

Budai, Hotei, Bo Dai - Incarnation of Maitreya, nick named "Laughing Buddha" many people confuse Budai with Gautama Buddha.

Characteristics:

Every hair root dark coloured

Body hair graceful and curly

Golden-hued body

Soft, smooth skin

Soles, palms, shoulders, and crown of head well-rounded

Body erect and upright

Full, round shoulders

Teeth white, even, and close

Tongue long and broad

Eyes deep blue

Eyelashes like a royal bull

CONCEPT  ART

Instead of a traditional bust I would like to have the model stop mid may through the stomach area because it is a key distinguishing feature of the character. 

For the turntable I would like to create a Jade turntable that is a little cracked and tarnished with lotus flowers bolded out around the piece. The Lotus flower is a Buddhist symbol so it will tie in with the whole theme.

Looking at a variety of male chinese flesh tones I have settled on a more tanned tone because most of the photos I have seen of the monks tend to be more tanned.

To add to the realism of the model I will include wrinkles, skin imperfections (sun spots, freckles, moles, subtle redness in areas and skin pores)

Budai is traditionally depicted as bald but I think slight scalp stubble or hairs slightly growing on his head will also add to the realism in stead of a shiny perfect head.

Budai/Buddha taught Monks and Nuns to make their robes "pure cloth". Types of pure cloth that has been chewed by rats or oxen, scorched by fire or soiled. (Make the robe tattered and dirty)

The robes were cleaned and boiled in spices such as Turmeric and Saffron where the name "Saffron robe" orginated. Which gave the robes a yellow-orange hue. (Know the correct hue)

There is a variant in color which will give me more freedom when pairing with his flesh tone and bead colour to accentuate the model.

He is depicted wearing beads around his neck. Keeping with his Chinese origin Mala beads or in chinese culture "Shu Zu" beads would be appropriate for the selection. Beads for Pacifying, magnetizing, forceful means are made of different materials and colours. The material selection and colour i will choose will best contrast flesh tone and the robe. 

Traditional material possibilities could be (gold, silver,copper, crystal,elm wood, peach wood, rosewood, sandal wood, bodhi wood, oxblood coral, pearl). Malas are typically made with 16, 27, 54 or 108 beads.

The styles of Budai i would like to replicate or follow for my bust.

Some statues tend to look disfigured and out of proportion but both images have a nice rounded feel and seem to be in somewhat human proportion.

My favourite of the Budai statues because it looks more like a realistic human proportion than any of the statues I have come across.

 

 Schedule 

WEEK 1: Image plane creation/Body Modeling

WEEK 2: Modeling Body/Head

WEEK 3: Modeling Head

WEEK 4: Modeling Accesories/UVing

WEEK 5: Scultping All Models

WEEK 6: Texturing All Models

WEEK 7: Texturing All Models/Render Tests

WEEK 8: Rendering