First Model Ever - Mailbox - Simply Maya User Community

# 1 31-01-2003 , 11:06 PM

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First Model Ever - Mailbox

Hi, I've had Maya for around 3 weeks now and after doing a few tutorials I thought I'd have a crack at using what I'd learnt to try and make something on my own, and this was the result... I know it's not exactly the most difficult thing to make, I basically just used the extrude faces option and a few other basic things.

Could you please let me know what you think, is it a good first up model for a newbie? I'd also appreciate any comments you have on how I could improve upon it. Possibly what lights I could use to give it a sort of morning sunlight effect like the sun is rising (I dont like that default lighting!), and maybe any other wee tips just to add to its realism because at the moment it kinda looks pretty artificial, thanks.

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# 2 31-01-2003 , 11:16 PM

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Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: London, UK

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Up the antialiasing (render globals options) that will smooth out the edges of the post box. You could also add a photograph of a sky onto a polygon plane to make it look like there is a background. Add some shadows from your lights and it will look sweet.

it's a great start so well done!

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# 3 31-01-2003 , 11:48 PM

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Great start indeed. You can do wonders with the extrude faces tool. It's propably the most worn out tool in my toolbox user added image

Anyway, for the lighting I'd suggest to use a slightly orange directional or spotlight with a high intensity value as the backlight (which actually could be the key light in this case). Then add slightly bluish fill lights to the front side with lower intensities. Also some greenish bounce light with decay from the ground direction could work. An area light could be suitable for this.

*edit*
And don't forget to pay attention to the shadows...

Kari
- My Website
- My IMDB

Do a lot, Fail a lot and Learn a lot!

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# 4 01-02-2003 , 08:38 AM

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thanks alot for the comments, phew thats alot to take in Re: lighting user added image

I haven't used the lighting features much so far, only spotlight really but I'll read up in the documentation and see what I can do with it, thanks again.

Maya is so frustrating when you are just starting out and new to it all !!!!!!! Please tell me it gets alot easier !!! It's Frustrating because I'm stuck making simple things like this , I guess I just want to be ahead a bit more, making things with a little bit more eyecandy than this user added image

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# 5 01-02-2003 , 09:09 AM

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Join Date: Aug 2002

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What do you find difficult silva?

I'm just asking in order to try to sort things out user added image

Tell me about it and I'll give you some idea about things.

ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE TOOLS;
Well, pressing F1 give you access to the manuals, and although it may not give you those full mammuth articles about all things, it is useful to get to understand the requirements and limitations about the tools. I prefer to use the INDEX to search for terms, which may reward some interesting modeling topics.

Video tutorials are a very useful learning tool I think, as you may learn those small but handy things all along a video.

I have recently started to test my modeling "techniques" before undergoing a major fiddling with a project. Just to test how the tools will work on my model or the idea of making one. You may find it rewarding to discard your initial idea and try to solve a modeling problem with a different "method".

ABOUT SHADOWS
This is always set by each light. And for raytrace shadows, you have to enable it in the render globals (that main rendering menu). I usually enable raytrace shadows, as it is a fast way of getting shadows. This is more time-consuming, but I dont mind.

The shadow mapping gives some different looking shadows. I have little "expertice" in using this kind of shadow casting.

Raytracing is necessary for giving you transparancy!

Shift + Ctrl + MMB klick a tool from the menues to create a shortcut on your "shelf", for your favourite tools.

The spacebar is useful for different things, you can...
1) Change from perspective to orthogonical view in an instant
2) Change the layout
3) Access most (but not all I think, I'm not sure) tools from the main menu.
4) well and some other stuff... user added image

Marking menus are great for easy access to favourite tools. I press Ctrl + x to access a polygon menu, to create a poly-cube really fast. Alt + x to access polygon manipulating tools. These tools comes with the book "Maya Fundamentals 4", but you can easy make your own. SimplyMaya has a free tutorial section in the VIP SECTION, that has a tut on making your own marking menues.

Do you get your snapping tools to work silva?

I do not support Bush! Nor Saddam! Long live UN!

Last edited by undseth; 01-02-2003 at 09:17 AM.

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# 6 01-02-2003 , 11:44 AM

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it doesn't get easier , you get to understand it more learn what things do. Just don't run before you can walk start small like things you have on your computer table then you understand and learn the tools
--
plus when you get stuck you can just ask one of the experts we got hanging aroung this site like undseth

Thanks for wasting your time reading this line.

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# 7 01-02-2003 , 06:19 PM

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Ok sorry about that I should've been more specific. Things like learning what the tools are etc aren't the problem , i'm reading the manual and tutorials etc which are teaching me all the tools etc, the problem is applying the tools in a way to model things, knowing how to model things, particularly smooth living organic type things, knowing the tools and how they are used to do it is one thing, actually using them and getting something which looks like what you wanted it to when you set out is another.

For example say I wanted to create a dog , I'd have no idea where to begin, the methods used to get from point A to point B...

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