firebird model.

# 1 06-10-2012 , 10:54 PM

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Here's a few snips of a work in progress. I've got most of it minus the hood, ready for mirrior, I think, besides lights and a few more pulls here and there. Please critique and feel free to tell me where I might have issues. The door isn't right, I went to far with it so it wont mirror correctly, this I know. It's poly smoothed mesh preview so I will be converting poly to smooth preview, I hope..lol. Wheels and rims soon too. It's a 79 Trans Am by the way, no T-tops.

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# 2 07-10-2012 , 12:11 AM

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it's very boxy and also very high poly which is going to make it very hard for you to shape without getting all lumpy and bumpy.

I use a nurbs curve -> nurbs surface -> poly surface workflow that is more like CAD surface modeling approach which might be a little advanced to start out with. However, for a all poly and subd workflow you might want to look into this https://simplymaya.com/autodesk-maya-...=109&sub_cat=5.

Also one of sites users named Acid44 has been modeling automobiles for quite a while. Check the WIP section and you might get some ideas from his work.

-Rick

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 07-10-2012 at 12:13 AM.

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# 3 07-10-2012 , 12:27 AM

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it's very boxy and also very high poly which is going to make it very hard for you to shape without getting all lumpy and bumpy.

I use a nurbs curve -> nurbs surface -> poly surface workflow that is more like CAD surface modeling approach which might be a little advanced to start out with. However, for a all poly and subd workflow you might want to look into this https://simplymaya.com/autodesk-maya-...=109&sub_cat=5.

Also one of sites users named Acid44 has been modeling automobiles for quite a while. Check the WIP section and you might get some ideas from his work.

-Rick

Originally Posted by ctbram

Thank you. I started with a poly plane so if I were to go with nurbs should I start with a plane as well? Call me chicken to try nurbs.. I dropped in a nurbs plane and saw all to cv's and it chased me away,lol.

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# 4 07-10-2012 , 12:56 AM

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I would not recommend trying to play with nurbs if you are just starting out. The process involves laying out curves that follow prominent body lines and then using those curves to create surfaces which are then converted to polygons.

I would recommend sticking to polygons and either using box modeling or an edge extrusion workflow. For auto body modeling the edge extrusion workflow is probably the best way to go.

You might want to also go to theblueprints.com and look for a set of blueprints that you can use to reference the various orthogonal view to model against.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 07-10-2012 at 12:59 AM.

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# 5 07-10-2012 , 01:14 AM

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I would not recommend trying to play with nurbs if you are just starting out. The process involves laying out curves that follow prominent body lines and then using those curves to create surfaces which are then converted to polygons.

I would recommend sticking to polygons and either using box modeling or an edge extrusion workflow. For auto body modeling the edge extrusion workflow is probably the best way to go.

You might want to also go to theblueprints.com and look for a set of blueprints that you can use to reference the various orthogonal view to model against.

Originally Posted by ctbram

I read your reply a little to quickly. Starting with a cv curve is problay a much better route for vehicles. I have very little expirence with nurbs so that's why I say I'm a bit on the chicken side but no sense in not taking the leap I suppose. I'm using blueprints.com and the one in my garage, (trans am)but just havent placed the image plane in the scene, I'm funny like that I suppose.

Off topic, but I noticed you are from Michigan, so am I. Thanks.. user added image

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# 6 07-10-2012 , 01:24 AM

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I would go with using the polygon edge extrusion method.

Maya nurbs are a bit on the flakey side to work with so unless you are actually following a good tutorial that points out some of the pitfalls it's very likely to be a frustrating process and I would not want to think I sent you down that path.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 08-10-2012 at 01:00 AM.

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