can I 'carve' in maya?

# 1 06-12-2007 , 01:14 PM

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I'm used to sculpting and carving (not on the computer) so that's the way I'm trying to approach sculpting in maya (not sure if that's a good idea or not yet).

What I want to be able to do is draw for example a lion. Draw one outline view from the side, one from the top and one from the front and extrude the three views, and have a mesh that results from only the parts where the three overlap, like I have cut it out of a block of foam.
Then be able to edit it further and carve out details and make the body rounded etc.

Is this possible?

If it is could someone please explain how? I don't really know anything about maya yet. Or is this not the way sculpting on the computer works, and should I approach it in a different way?

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# 2 06-12-2007 , 02:17 PM

As Zbrushiac sounds stupid!
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Maya is not really a sculpting program...

I don't quite get what your trying to say, but the only thing i can think that could give you those results is the Booleans, but you would end up with one hell of a messed up mesh.

I'll do a bit of browsing later, and see what i can find.

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# 3 06-12-2007 , 02:27 PM

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You can build the basic mesh in Maya, and then export it to a program called ZBrush.

pixelogic.com/zbrush

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# 4 06-12-2007 , 07:47 PM

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If you already know how to sculpt in real life then Mudbox or ZBrush will be your best programs to use.
You can take it a couple of ways:
1) learn to create a base low resolution mesh in maya and then import that into Mudbox or ZBrush and take it to a high level
2) sculpt your model at a high resolution straight away in Mudbox/ZBrush and then re'topologise' a simplified mesh over the top. An example of software that allows you to do that (though I think its still in closed beta) is somthing like topogun. I've heard mention of Silo and another program also having this capability built in too.

Mudbox is designed to be real easy to pick up and sculpt so it might be a good idea to grab a demo from their site and see how it goes.
ZBrush has a lot more to it and can be seen as harder to get into based on the interface, although there is now an easy to use mode. ZBrush also has a retopology tool although from reading about it, it sounds like it can be difficult to get used to initially.

The best advise I'd say is to see if you can get demo's of each and give them a little play. Then whichever you find better go with.

Simon

p.s, I frequent the mudbox forums (only to read) and there are a lot of traditional sculptors on there who are moving into the digital world. I'm sure the ZBrush forums will have the same type of people too. If you get the chance have a loo at them both and see if there are people already on there that have posted advise or can answer any more of the traditional arts style questions.

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Last edited by t1ck135; 06-12-2007 at 07:52 PM.

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# 5 06-12-2007 , 07:58 PM

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Originally posted by Mayaniac
Maya is not really a sculpting program...

\\

Originally Posted by

Actually maya is a sculpting program. The only difference is that you can't take away geometry or as AshesTigress says "carve". What maya does allow you to do is Push, pull and add geometry, to shape whatever you want. Though Maya also incorporates other features like animation, effects etc. It's not a program made only for modeling, or sculpting. As t1ck135 said Zbrush and ModBox are programs that focus much more on modeling, which help you out much more in that area than Maya.

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# 6 06-12-2007 , 08:06 PM

As Zbrushiac sounds stupid!
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Originally posted by djknucklez1
Actually maya is a sculpting program. The only difference is that you can't take away geometry or as AshesTigress says "carve". What maya does allow you to do is Push, pull and add geometry, to shape whatever you want. Though Maya also incorporates other features like animation, effects etc. It's not a program made only for modeling, or sculpting. As t1ck135 said Zbrush and ModBox are programs that focus much more on modeling, which help you out much more in that area than Maya.

Originally Posted by

Well, your right about the sculpt tool, but Maya isn't based on Sculpting, and offers very little in comparison to a real sculpting program. Maya is a Modeling and animation program that offers a small sculpting tool.

We shouldn't be promoting Maya as a sculpting tool, rather a modeling tool that offers a wide range of diverse modeling tools. One of them being the Sculpt tool.

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# 7 06-12-2007 , 10:54 PM

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Same thing. Webster's Dictionary doesn't lie, but whatever. lol user added image

Modeling:
1. the process of producing a form
2. to form, shape, or manipulate, as in the manner of sculpture
2. the representation, often mathematical, of a process, concept, or operation of a system, often implemented by a computer program.

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# 8 06-12-2007 , 11:24 PM

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I've got the zbrush demo and I've been trying to use it, but I just can't seem to get anywhere with it.
I think a lot of the problem is not knowing what the controls do, or knowing how to use the program. But going to zbrush forms does sound like a good idea. I'll go and look on there soon.

Eventually (I realise it will take me a long time to get there), I'd like to be able to build an animal and animate it, so from what I've read maya would be better for that. Most of the things I'm wanting to sculpt will be organic shapes like creatures, but I'm happy to build it up from other shapes, rather than carve it away. I'm better with real media sculpting than I am with carving anyway, so it's probably an easier approach.

Can anyone recommend any really really basic tutorials for someone who has never used maya? Even the basic ones I'm finding assume some prior knowledge, or use terminology that is very unfamiliar to me. Something so I can get used to some basic tools and functions. At the moment I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed.

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# 9 07-12-2007 , 10:16 AM

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Originally posted by AshesTigress
Can anyone recommend any really really basic tutorials for someone who has never used maya? Even the basic ones I'm finding assume some prior knowledge, or use terminology that is very unfamiliar to me. Something so I can get used to some basic tools and functions. At the moment I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed.

Originally Posted by

Check out the free tut here. Oh, and look at this free ZBrush training:
https://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/

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# 10 07-12-2007 , 11:36 AM

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It was only when I went to that tutorial that I realised that I don't have the Zbrush demo. I have MudBox instead. I had the names mixed up. I'll go have a look at Zbrush now too.
I really am interested in the animation side of 3d though, and I can't find anything about animation on the Zbrush site.

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# 11 07-12-2007 , 11:43 AM

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I think you are so new to this that you really should be reading the documentation and help files that come with Maya.
If you are not even sure what an app does then you should research it instead of posting silly questions and expecting others to do the work for you .

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# 12 08-12-2007 , 05:29 AM

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I have been trying to read the maya help files. The way it explains it, I don't understand what it means. Even when I go to the glossary I'm having a hard time understanding that.
I have a couple of people I can ask questions, but I don't see them all the time, so I registered here so that I could ask people questions and find out about the programs.

This is my way of researching the programs because the people are giving explanations I can understand (mostly).

I'm sure the glossary explanations make perfect sense if you already know the words, but I really can't make heads or tails of most of it.

I am trying.

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