Learning 3D modelling - Progress Thread

[Extreme Angle]

Just thought i'd post this up to sort of keep track of everything i'm doing and get some opinions and shiz...
Hoping some of you guys do this or are looking to try yourselves.
Haven't had this much creative fun since Airfix as a kid :P

Here's a car i'm working on... Just done the wheels atm.

[Kalyx triaD]

Nice. Our modeler have a lot cars and environments that look good. Don't think I'll be drawing models myself but Khuntry is definitely getting into it. Our guy uses Maya, same tool as the Tekken team.

[Cool King]

Maya is an absolute bitch when you get introduced to it. I've been using Maya now for two years and I'm still trying to get to grips with it. :-\

I much prefer 3ds Max, but the guys at my university prefer it if I use Maya.

[Extreme Angle]

Maya is an absolute bitch when you get introduced to it. I've been using Maya now for two years and I'm still trying to get to grips with it. :-\

I much prefer 3ds Max, but the guys at my university prefer it if I use Maya.

Yeah exactly this... Maya is better at a higher level apparently. Same with Zbrush and Mudbox... I'd rather use mudbox but my lecturers want it all done in Zbrush...
Supposedly Maya and 3DS are merging into one program for 2013 versions...
This coming from my lecturer who helped with Arkham Aslum, Skate, Force Unleashed and worked on Ed,Edd and Eddy :P

[Kalyx triaD]

Interesting.

[Funky Fly]

That looks pretty good.

[Extreme Angle]

Nice. Our modeler have a lot cars and environments that look good. Don't think I'll be drawing models myself but Khuntry is definitely getting into it. Our guy uses Maya, same tool as the Tekken team.

Chuck up some of your stuff bro :D

[Kalyx triaD]

I'll try to get him to share some of his car models and such.

[Requiem]

I'm not doing 3D modeling for video games, but I will be doing 3D design for my career. We use a suite of programs made by AutoDesk, the people who make 3DS Max. They are for designing functioning parts in 3D space that actually 'work' and have physical characteristics. Pretty cool. Not exactly the same thing, but in a way it is. Not taking that class yet, but I've taken it before and we designed a 3D air engine that actually functioned and was sent to the machine shop to be manufactured.

[Kalyx triaD]

Nice. So you can make robots that are technically functional? Make a Terminator.

[Swiss Ultimate]

I'm not doing 3D modeling for video games, but I will be doing 3D design for my career. We use a suite of programs made by AutoDesk, the people who make 3DS Max. They are for designing functioning parts in 3D space that actually 'work' and have physical characteristics. Pretty cool. Not exactly the same thing, but in a way it is. Not taking that class yet, but I've taken it before and we designed a 3D air engine that actually functioned and was sent to the machine shop to be manufactured.

Wait, are you majoring in engineering?

[Requiem]

Drafting & Design

After last semester in Hospitality Management, I changed majors back to what I originally went to school for (took like 19 hrs while in high school my Jr/Sr year).

[Swiss Ultimate]

Neat. I can't draw worth a shit, is it possible to do that without skills in the department?

[Requiem]

Yeah, most everything is done using computers these days. I'm sure there are still places that hand draw certain things, but likely nothing I'll ever get into. I used to be a decent artist back in grade school, but I am pretty terrible now probably, as I didn't stick with it. lol

[DaveBrawl]

Neat. I can't draw worth a shit, is it possible to do that without skills in the department?

It's probably best to take a class or two to learn the basics of some programs like AutoCAD, but I've had 2 draftsman jobs and my degree is in Urban Planning. I haven't taken a drafting class since high school, and I had to basically learn the program from scratch on the job since the difference in versions was so vast.

I probably should have gotten my degree in drafting though since it is something I enjoy and I have done absolutely nothing with the Urban Planning and have no desire to enter it to be honest. I originally wanted to be an architect but couldn't stomach all of the school. I probably would have come up with a job in the field faster than the 2 years it took me this last time.

[DaveBrawl]

As for the original topic you've done an excellent job on those wheels. I've been trying to teach myself 3d modeling for the last couple of months off and on. I've started a couple of different projects including a garbage truck and finished some basic tutorials like a sofa and cardboard box. I've started trying to make a model of Bullseye but I haven't done much on it in the last week or two since I've started a new job and been trying to find a new place.

He doesn't have a head, hands/feet or texturing yet, but this is what I have so far.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8996/bullseye.png

I've been using blueprints from Marvel:Ultimate Alliance 2 and I started out trying to do Electro since he seemed pretty simple, but as I got into him I noticed he was apparently wearing some form of jacket and I wanted something straight forward so I started over with Bullseye.

[Extreme Angle]

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8996/bullseye.png


Really Nice start, haven't been able to get on a computer for the past few days, been waiting for my new one to arrive...
What program did you use for that?
Here's what i'm working on right now alongside that mini:
Finished the base mesh so just sculpting in Zbrush now.
Still thinking up a final look at the moment, playing around with some sketches hoping to come up with something good...
All I know is he's gonna be pretty fat.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/extremeangle/zbrushatm.jpg

Need to do some anatomy study on fat people :-\

[Extreme Angle]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3WAZSHcX6A/TzI-tLVrHXI/AAAAAAAAAE0/SNV34HvvVlM/s1600/Rough+Character.jpg

Rough Idea of what my guys gonna look like...

[DaveBrawl]

I've been working in 3ds max.

This is supposed to be what it comes out like.

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1018503/touring-the-marvel-ultimate-alliance-2-universe-20090907043947213.jpg

Yours is looking really good, it should look really cool when it's finished.

[Purgatory]

Blender is a really nice modeler as well. Youtube has a bunch of short movies made with Blender.

[Extreme Angle]

Here's what it came out like, finished it months ago but didn't post it here:
Kinda sucky looking at it now, regardless I got a first for it :D.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Polycount/FinalRender.jpg

Working on a zombie right now:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Polycount/zombieprocess.JPG

[DaveBrawl]

Looking really good, I really should get back into finishing the model I started. Although I haven't worked on it since I started my job in January so I've probably forgotten what little I did know.

[Extreme Angle]

Just did the hair:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Polycount/wackyrender.JPG

[Sepholio]

I tried a few times back in the day with 3DSM but never really got the hang of it, to be honest. Seeing this, I may have another crack at it.

[Extreme Angle]

I tried a few times back in the day with 3DSM but never really got the hang of it, to be honest. Seeing this, I may have another crack at it.

Go for it! Especially now with the Steam workshop, being able to make your own stuff from scratch and use/sell them online after is pretty neat.
My mate has made £800 this month just by selling stuff he's made as a hobby.
Once I've finished this zombie I think i'm going to make some TF2 weapons/hats.
Not sure what though :/
Fire away if you need any help too, I use Maya but it's all the same really...

[Extreme Angle]

http://www.teamfortress.com/workshop/

[Extreme Angle]

Not much progress on this, but just did a rough torso this morning...
Been in work a lot to keep me going over summer :/
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Polycount/zombieprocess2.JPG
Gonna rough out the limbs from there then use some layers for his skin.
Then onto clothes :D, not sure what i'll have him wearing yet...

[DaveBrawl]

I'm not doing 3D modeling for video games, but I will be doing 3D design for my career. We use a suite of programs made by AutoDesk, the people who make 3DS Max. They are for designing functioning parts in 3D space that actually 'work' and have physical characteristics. Pretty cool. Not exactly the same thing, but in a way it is. Not taking that class yet, but I've taken it before and we designed a 3D air engine that actually functioned and was sent to the machine shop to be manufactured.

Did you mean Revit? I must have missed this post when I was reading through here before. Because where I work now they are trying to ween us off of AutoCAD and slowly onto Revit (we're just in basic training now) and it sounds like what you described.

Pretty sure that between CAD, 3ds and Revit, Autodesk may have some ownership of my soul.

Even downloaded the AutoCAD app for my phone.:$

Haven't had a chance to really use it yet though.

[DaveBrawl]

Finally made myself sit down and start back into this a little last week, but I realized I had indeed forgotten what little I knew, so I started a new model from scratch so I didn't mess up my Bullseye. Still wanted to work with a guy with a mask and straight forward costume so I didn't get bogged down with that much facial work. I started this Saturday afternoon and within a couple hours had like 75% finished. I really thought I was flying, then I hit the inevitable bumps so I just now finished. 2 days isn't that bad I don't think. The DC animated guys seem to be harder to do though than guys with standard anatomy. :lol:

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/8578/flashrender.png

[DaveBrawl]

That zombie is looking amazing. So realistic looking.

[Requiem]

Did you mean Revit? I must have missed this post when I was reading through here before. Because where I work now they are trying to ween us off of AutoCAD and slowly onto Revit (we're just in basic training now) and it sounds like what you described.

Pretty sure that between CAD, 3ds and Revit, Autodesk may have some ownership of my soul.

Even downloaded the AutoCAD app for my phone.:$

Haven't had a chance to really use it yet though.

No, Inventor. We used Solidworks last time I took these classes years ago, but they don't use it anymore. Just Inventor now. Haven't heard of Revit but I looked it up and it looks to be more toward the architectural side of things. Not what I'm going into. I'm more interested in the mechanical side of it. Also we have a 3D printer which I'm looking forward to messing with more next semester.

[DaveBrawl]

A 3d printer does sound pretty cool.

When we first started out I was watching videos for Revit and the architectural version looked pretty fun, we use the MEP version though which while it does some cool things, really isn't all that much of a time saver for the electrical section which is where I am.

[Requiem]

Electrical seems like a pain in the ass. I've heard civil is where the money is, but I've also heard it is a BITCH.

[DaveBrawl]

It probably is, but I really have no experience with civil just architectural and electrical.

[Extreme Angle]

The profile view of Flash looks sweet! Curvature of the spine really adds to the pose.
I've just been doing shed loads of Zbrush work, learning all the new stuff.
Much easier now with dynamesh and zspheres to just build a base mesh from a sphere and just work it into a character.
Did this in half hour as a warm up, from a sphere.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Polycount/Capture.JPG

Made a bin:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/bin.jpg

Also some weapons for a game which i've stopped working on now:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/469254_10150906658870867_1886124169_o.jpg

Had them all running in Cryengine, was amazing seeing stuff i'd made being used ingame.

[DaveBrawl]

That would be amazing. I want to finish my Bullseye then up the challenge a little on mine maybe try some faces.

[Extreme Angle]

What's your current workflow like?
What do you start off in? Do you use zbrush or anything?
And what do you use to UV unwrap and texture?

[DaveBrawl]

I basically start with a box convert it into an editable poly then make that into the torso and work my way down to the feet and legs, then come back up and do the hands and then the head. Fine tune the model, then apply the texture.

I've done it all from 3ds so far. As far as texturing, since I have just been doing very basic stuff I've just been using the material editor and applying my stuff through that, no wrapping or anything yet.

[Extreme Angle]

Try signing up to www.cgpeers.com it's full of loads of amazing tutorials and stuff.
Helping me heaps.

[DaveBrawl]

Thanks, definitely going to check that out tonight and maybe play around with a few basic things. Hopefully learn a little more about texturing since I have spent all my time learning modeling and nothing towards the texturing aspect.

[Extreme Angle]

Here's a pretty neat workflow that I pretty much followed for my first character:

http://en.9jcg.com/comm_pages/blog_content-art-180.htm

I pretty much use:

Maya 2012 to do my base meshes
Zbrush for High poly
Topogun for Retopology
Diamant Tools (Maya Plugin) for UV Unwraps
Xnormal for Baking down Normal Maps
Photoshop for Texturing (With Marmoset Toolbag open to preview the model with the textures)
Marmoset to get my final renders.

[Extreme Angle]

Made a floor and shot it in UDK!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/Flaw.JPG
Need to add some more depth to the low poly version so it doesnt look so flat only used a 4 faced plane.
Also found a cool plugin for maya called 'Nex' has this really neat retopology fuction called sandwhich wrap. It just sucks lowpoly objects around their high poly so their pretty much perfect. Think i'll use it with a 100 face plane so that it goes down into all the nooks and crannies of the HP.
Plan on making a Room full of all my stuff.

[DaveBrawl]

You're other post on weapons inspired me, so I decided to try a weapon of my own.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5792/batm.png

Probably could use some more barbs on the wire, but it's good enough for now as far as that goes. Sadly took me way to long to figure out to use helix to wrap the wire around the bat. Kept trying to use bend or something since I had the wire laid out as a line and was trying to warp that into working.

[Extreme Angle]

Looking sweet man! I've always wanted to go a base ball bat with barbed wire, but I was never sure on how do go about having the barbed wire wrapped around in it's low poly state.

Found this thread though which is neat.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89483

What's the current polycount on your bat?

Love that guys baseball grenade!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/metalliandy/Baseball_WIP_1_Wires_1.jpg

[DaveBrawl]

That's awesome.

I'll check on the poly count later when I get back to my laptop.

[DaveBrawl]

According to the Polygon Counter the bat is at 124796.


That's a surprise, I did not expect it to go above low 4 digits.

It's all in the barbed wire though. The bat alone only has 1800 polygons. 70920 in the barbs, and 88076 in the two pieces of wire.

Flash had 6812.

[Extreme Angle]

Yeah it's suprising how much poly's are eaten up even with the simplest things.
Ideal amount for a baseball bat is around 500 poly's for something used in a game.
Characters can go right up to 15,000
I've started a new character because the zombie was annoying.

Here's the concept i'm using, not going to follow completely though:
http://cghub.com/files/Image/128001-129000/128915/332_large.jpg

Currently getting the forms right for the face using Dynamesh, going to stick to this one, might even put it in Skyrim when it's done:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/goblin.JPG

[DaveBrawl]

That's gonna look awesome. I thought of a new character I'm gonna start working on, but I started finishing up my Bullseye this past Sunday and haven't gotten around to starting on the new guy. I've got a little of Bulleye's head left and then his belt to model and then it's on to texturing. I think I'm gonna try using that link you posted up above. So far I'm pleased with the way he's come out.

[Extreme Angle]

Cheers! Yeah, I find using that tut really helps. Normal maps in particular are just amazing.
Post up some pics of Bullseye or when it's finished :D

[DaveBrawl]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3501/bullseyemodel.png

Finally finished up his head. He doesn't look quite right, his chest looks to be hanging too low although it's where the reference picture had it, but I'm hoping it just needs some color to make it look better. Really like the way his hands came out though.

[Extreme Angle]

Post up your wireframes? In front view and side view?
To me it looks like you've his head too small and his chest is too big.
Your better off doing high poly modelling using Zbrush.
Only problem is it's recommended to use a tablet with it...
But with Zbrush it's so much easier to quickly move stuff around.

If I were you i'd download ZB4R4, Export that model into it as a .obj.
Then use Qremesher to give it clean topology for sculpting.
Then just follow the reference and other anatomy reference to get his anatomy right.
Right now its looking sweet as a base mesh for zbrush.

[DaveBrawl]

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1018503/touring-the-marvel-ultimate-alliance-2-universe-20090907043947213.jpg



http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3501/bullseyemodel.png



Do you think it could be that the neck is too long? That's the pic I've been using and when they are next to each other the head is pretty close to the same size as the drawing, as is the chest. The neck and shoulders don't look right to me though.

I'm gonna try what you said when I get home though. I appreciate the advice.

[DaveBrawl]

Your better off doing high poly modelling using Zbrush.
Only problem is it's recommended to use a tablet with it...
But with Zbrush it's so much easier to quickly move stuff around.


Does the tablet give much better results/save time? I mean I don't mind using my laptop, but if stuff comes out better with a tablet maybe I'll look into it.

[Purgatory]

Oh god yes. A Wacom Tablet would be your best bet. I've used one with Zbrush before and was amazed how different it was from using a mouse. I'll probably buy my own at some point.

[Extreme Angle]

Yeah tablets are amazing. I have a Wacom Bamboo which works a treat. Moving into a house with my course mates next week.
He just did some freelance stuff for some Disney iPad game, so he got himself one of these bad boys:
http://media.dexigner.com/article/21683/Wacom_Cintiq_24HD_01.jpg

About the neck....
I think it's because it's just a block out you can't really tell what's what...
His traps don't really stand out, right now it looks like he has a fat neck.
Pretty much why I said about detailing in zbrush, some nice anatomy sculpting could make it looks pretty sweet.

[DaveBrawl]

I'm trying to buy an intuos3 off ebay, had one locked up yesterday but it wouldn't take my last second bid.:-\

So hopefully I can win one today and start playing around with it soon.

[Extreme Angle]

Did you win one after?

They are such a good investment, I think i'll be getting an intuos in a couple of months.
Wacom is pretty basic if i'm honest.

Here's some more of the goblin.
I have his body roughed out, just sorting out his form now. Arms and Legs are nowhere near done, everything is completely wrong with them.
Looking at his head now too, seems a tad big for the body :/.
Any pointers off anybody would be great :y:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44725137/goblin%20figure.JPG

Here's the anatomy reference i'm using:
http://th04.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2010/272/f/0/anatomy_study_update_by_mojette-d2zrjs2.jpg

[DaveBrawl]

Yeah I won one that afternoon, it isn't supposed to get here until tomorrow or Saturday though so I haven't gotten much done since the pictures were taken.

Personally I think the head is a good size for the goblin.

[Extreme Angle]

Sweet!
I played around with it some more, here's where it's at right now:

[DaveBrawl]

Yeah that's looking really good.

[DaveBrawl]

Played around a little more in max with my guy, looking a lot better I think. Haven't gotten to ZBrush yet and the mouse is working better for me in 3ds so I'm still working with that.

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4736/bullseye9212.png