Learning 3D modelling - Progress Thread - Page 2

**Extreme Angle** · 08-13-2012, 11:35 AM

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** · 08-15-2012, 08:33 AM

Made a floor and shot it in UDK!

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** · 08-16-2012, 11:11 PM

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

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** · 08-17-2012, 07:07 AM

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!

**DaveBrawl** · 08-17-2012, 08:14 AM

That's awesome.

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

**DaveBrawl** · 08-18-2012, 08:05 AM

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** · 08-21-2012, 10:45 AM

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:

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:

**DaveBrawl** · 08-21-2012, 11:07 AM

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** · 08-21-2012, 12:05 PM

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

**DaveBrawl** · 08-22-2012, 11:24 PM

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** · 08-23-2012, 03:42 AM

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** · 08-23-2012, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBrawl

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBrawl

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** · 08-24-2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Extreme Angle

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** · 08-25-2012, 12:02 AM

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** · 08-27-2012, 08:18 AM

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:

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** · 08-27-2012, 08:26 AM

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** · 08-29-2012, 11:54 AM

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

Here's the anatomy reference i'm using:

**DaveBrawl** · 08-30-2012, 09:08 AM

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** · 08-30-2012, 09:37 AM

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

**DaveBrawl** · 08-30-2012, 10:30 AM

Yeah that's looking really good.

**DaveBrawl** · 09-02-2012, 05:16 PM

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.

08-13-2012, 11:35 AM	#41
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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.

08-15-2012, 08:33 AM	#42
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	Made a floor and shot it in UDK! 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.

08-16-2012, 11:11 PM	#43
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	You're other post on weapons inspired me, so I decided to try a weapon of my own. 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.

08-17-2012, 07:07 AM	#44
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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!

08-17-2012, 08:14 AM	#45
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	That's awesome. I'll check on the poly count later when I get back to my laptop.

08-18-2012, 08:05 AM	#46
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.

08-21-2012, 10:45 AM	#47
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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: 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:

08-21-2012, 11:07 AM	#48
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.

08-21-2012, 12:05 PM	#49
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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

08-22-2012, 11:24 PM	#50
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.

08-23-2012, 03:42 AM	#51
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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.

08-25-2012, 12:02 AM	#54
Purgatory You're Welcome. Posts: 7,242	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.

08-27-2012, 08:18 AM	#55
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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: 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.

08-27-2012, 08:26 AM	#56
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.

08-29-2012, 11:54 AM	#57
Extreme Angle XBL TAG : Mootkinstein Posts: 3,342	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 Here's the anatomy reference i'm using:

08-30-2012, 09:08 AM	#58
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.

08-30-2012, 10:30 AM	#60
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	Yeah that's looking really good.

09-02-2012, 05:16 PM	#61
DaveBrawl Inconceivable Posts: 9,887	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.