Any tips for modeling? - Page 2 - Simply Maya User Community

# 16 23-11-2003 , 12:38 PM

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another update, after attacking the model with a sculpting tool. user added image

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# 17 23-11-2003 , 03:11 PM

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I think it might benefit from some references. You can find them on sites like finearts sk etc. They might help in getting everything in proportion as currently they look a bit out of place in relation to each other, the eye sockets are a bit huge, the nose a tad small etc. It is pretty difficult to model heads without references imho.

To remove seams you can merge the two sides and then merge vertices manually and or soften the edge normals to get rid of the crease.

Don't be worried about starting again more than once, I have more scrapped models than finished ones and I suspect a lot of other people here do too.

I've never used the sculpting method so I can't comment on that, but you might find it easier to get to grips with pushing and pulling stuff about manually first. Everyone has different ways of doing things though so whatever suits you.

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# 18 23-11-2003 , 07:24 PM

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Another thing I try to do is only add geometry as I need it. That goes against the HobbitGuy's tutorial, however, so be aware that it is a different method.

Another thing to start integrating into your method is the limiting yourself to mostly 4 sided polys. It IS ok if you have the occasional 3 sided or n-sided (5+) polys, but your want the vast majority (like, 99%) to be 4-sided.

Now, that's only if you are going for high-res projects (ala Shrek, Pixar, etc). For games, you actually ONLY want 3 or 4 sided polys. So, it just depends on what you are going for. (and before it's mentioned by someone else to point out my error, game engines automatically triangulate models, so although I may have a 4 sided face, when it gets in the game it becomes two 3 sided. When I count them, I count quads as 2. user added image

)

-Mike
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# 19 23-11-2003 , 07:46 PM

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Guess I should wait to merge both the poly's until I'm done with one, to preserve the -1 times Z-axis copy mode user added image

. Actually, I'm making this for a move, if there will ever be one, and I'm trying to create smooth looking heads, but not too smooth, as that could result in a too big contrast with the rest of the scene ( do you understand this or am I being vague.... again?). Any tips on how to preserve a little 'roughness' when I smooth the poly's? BTW: I think I'm improving with every model, the first one just sucked big time user added image

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# 20 23-11-2003 , 07:54 PM

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the closer edges are together when you smooth, the more defined that section will be.

-Mike
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# 21 23-11-2003 , 09:04 PM

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You said the number of sides of my faces would be dependent on where I use them. Is the normal rate for 3d game engines to use 3 sided ply's, and aren't they much... 'uglier'?

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# 22 23-11-2003 , 10:19 PM

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I prefer game art myself.

I do not recall saying that.

All games are triangulated (3 sided) in some form or other before they're finished.

-Mike
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# 23 24-11-2003 , 12:31 PM

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Heh, wrong interpretation user added image

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# 24 24-11-2003 , 01:29 PM

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dirack, 3 sided polys don't smoth well for nothing.. making thing very iraguler.. 3 sided polys are ment for games, smoothing afects are best done with 4 sides.. neather of which it sounds like you want.. I would try what mike says and put edges real close togather in places you want it to look umm.. ruff.. best of luck.. yeah definit inprovment comeing from your way..

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# 25 24-11-2003 , 07:48 PM

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Not that much of a prob. though, I've been experimenting a little with the triangulating function and it doesn't make that much of a difference iwht quadragulated poly's, at least not a too big difference. Heh Pony, there was a lot to improve from user added image

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# 26 26-11-2003 , 01:09 PM

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two huge time saving modelling tools I use for organic modelling are free form deformation tool and sulpt's smooth tool.

for ffd's... just select the vertices around an area you want to work on and create it (the more divisions the more precise deformations you can achieve). Then just select latice points near the vertices you want to deform most and start transforming (trans, rotate or scale).

This is better than pushing and pulling vertices manually since it allows smooth drop offs of deformation so it's less harsh. Experiment with how each lattice point deforms the geometry it envelopes and you'll get how intuitive it is...

The sculpt tool's smooth brush you already know is for blending harsh areas. note: it does seem to slightly shrink the geometry so you might have to go back to ffd's to ajust the scale.

This is generally for when your model get's more complicated and dense.

Hope this helps.

"Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there...with open arms, and open eyes" - Incubus

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# 27 26-11-2003 , 01:32 PM

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Guess I should mention...every time you use an ffd, when you want to finalize the changes to your model, select your model, edit/delete by type-> history

"Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there...with open arms, and open eyes" - Incubus

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