3D Modelling

Exploring Specialist Pathway

MAYA

3D modelling of assets. 

3D artists to work from completed concept designs and create 3D models.

After all the tutorials, book work, study of character modelling professionals I thought I would be able to knock up a 3d character model no problem. How wrong I was. On reflection I would be able to squeeze a month of Mondays into one blog entry that went along the lines of … “Struggled with 3d modelling of Zeus for most of the day” Got frustrated, Lost Motivation Went home a broken person. After each session I viewed art history as ‘light relief’.

Each session I would try a different approach, some times with a little success, sometimes with non.

Techniques:

 Poly Box Modeling

Ø  Block Modeling

Almost always start with a cube.

The basic block modeling was relatively straightforward, not that I didn’t have some difficulty at first. Once I got a feel for the need to get blocking in large areas and grasping how each represents an area of the model then getting the basic shape was not a huge issue. 

Ø  Modeling according to muscle Flow

Looking at the later models V1.6 onwards I think I could see how my model of Zeus incorporated some degree of muscle flow especially in the shoulder area. Whenever I looked to focus on a bicep, triceps and calf I would try to remember how Jeff Unay would go about reflecting his knowledge of anatomy into the models he was making in 3D and trying to stay true to the basic topology of muscle flow. Having a limited polygon limit made it difficult to produce a character with flowing muscle while limiting your self.

Default T poses:  Creating the model in the T pose as advised was not something I achieved. Why? Because I followed the image plane too closely, therefore working to the letter of the model leant I got over dependant on the drawing and as a result the model suffered.  Not following the T pose meant the hand of the Zeus character was too close to the body so I got too cramped up and working on the inside of the hand was often obscured by the body. In future I would definitely have the arm extend away to form the T pose. It would eliminate some of the frustration of what was already difficult.

Scale: Establish Overall Scale early on.

Task: To build a 3D model of Zeus that would fit in the Chariot I was modeling also. To ensure this I referred to the way Jeff used a ‘measuring tool’ within Maya to ensure the scale was true to the character he was working to. I was able to work out in Maya how the ruler tool could be activated and therefore, with a little playing about was able to ‘measure him up’ for his chariot.

Ø  Working with Image Planes

Using the Image plane was useful when modelling and something we had covered in classroom based tutorials. Setting the planes up in the first instance caused a few problems but once there were beneficial. As noted above I did become over dependant on having the planes in the viewport and once Neil agreed for me not to follow the image it was quite a ‘liberating’ experience! Straight away I found the modelling was more intuitive and less ‘modelling by numbers’.  Keeping the image in a finder window so I could refer to now and then but 80% of the time was done without it.