3D Artist Mehul Soni Reimagines Clementine in New Fan Art Project

NEW DELHI, India — Mehul Soni, a 3D character artist, recently unveiled a stunning fan art project featuring Clementine, a beloved character from the game ‘The Walking Dead.’ The project showcases Soni’s detailed modeling and texturing work, which he shared on December 29, 2025.

Soni’s journey began in childhood as a gamer, where he developed a fascination not just for gameplay but for the intricate worlds and characters in video games. Driven by this curiosity, he started learning 3D modeling independently through various online platforms.

After gaining valuable experience working on live game projects, including a role at Supercell, Soni enrolled in the Character Mentorship program at Zombie Art School. Under the guidance of mentor Ankit Garg, Soni honed his skills in sculpting and character design, aiming to create characters with depth and personality.

His current project, focused on Clementine, evolved from a long-standing appreciation for the zombie genre, particularly the emotional narrative presented in ‘The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series.’ Soni wanted to explore how Clementine would appear in a more realistic world, similar to ‘The Last of Us.’

“The goal was not just to recreate her, but to reinterpret her,” Soni explained. “I aimed to depict her as someone who has experienced significant hardship while retaining echoes of her past self.”

The modeling process began with a MetaHuman model, which Soni customized using Autodesk Maya. He meticulously refined her features using ZBrush, ensuring a balance between realism and the character’s recognizable traits.

To bring Clementine’s clothing and gear to life, he utilized Marvelous Designer to create lifelike fabric simulations and detailed textures in Substance 3D Painter. He mentioned that every imperfection, such as a tear or stain, had to tell a part of her story of survival.

“Achieving a believable balance of wear and tear on her clothing was challenging,” Soni noted. “I wanted it to feel organic, reflecting her experiences without overwhelming details.”

For lighting and rendering, Soni employed Unreal Engine 5, which allowed him to render in real-time with high visual fidelity. He drew inspiration from a pivotal scene in ‘The Last of Us Part II’ to set the atmosphere for Clementine’s portrayal.

“This project has taught me the importance of iteration and attention to detail,” Soni added. “Each step has pushed me to refine my skills and enhance my understanding of character appeal and storytelling.”

As he continues to grow as an artist, Soni remains focused on creating characters that resonate with audiences, embodying the emotional depth that captivated him in video games as a child.