Help with topology! Retopology masters I invoke you!

JoseGR

Hi there! With the purpose of improving my sculpting skills I've been working on this MiniRex (as I call it) in my spare time. Now that I got something I like it, it's time to do the retopology, yet I'm really bad at it, I would say this point is practically something new for me.

I got stuck in the head, I've sought for some references but I haven't found so much information about dinosaurs topology.

This is what I have so far, I got some triangles (red) and I don't know if having them is something normal. Do I have too many poles? Is the mesh too dense?








Here he is

Thanks in advance!

Anchang-Style

An Example of T-Rex Topology:

JoseGR

Thanks @Anchang-Style ! It will be very useful 

purplekami

As Joshuag mentioned, the Maya retopology system has come a long way in 2016 and is very useful. Start off making massive edge loops, don't get bogged down in starting off dense as that will be a nightmare to manage. The great thing about the retopology tool is that it's very easy to add loops and density and then relax the shapes so that they conform to the high poly. If your model is symmetrical make sure to use the duplicate special tools as well so that you only have to do half the work.
Retopologizing is one of those areas that as you work it you'll learn more and more about what works and what doesn't. I also suggest looking at Maya's list of shortcuts as that will make your workflow a lot faster and of higher quality.

Good luck! Post progress

dpadam450

The only reason quads were useful is for using subdivision /subsurface. Since you already have a high poly and you are going to bake the HP as is onto the low-poly, then this doesn't matter.  Unless the low poly you are making needs to be subdivided, this doesn't matter at all.

JoseGR

@JoshuaG @Purplekami I don't have Maya yet I'll try to get it. However, I've been using 3DCoat this evening and I found it easier (I even would say that its retopology tools are similar to Maya's according to some videos I watched today).

@Dpadam450 Thanks a lot! Now everything is clear in my mind

That's how the head is looking so far

purplekami

3D Coat is an excellent tool, personally I use it a lot for UV Mapping, and you're right, it's very similar to Maya's tools. Looking good so far! I would be careful about that pole in the cheek area since it's breaking up the edge flow but that's pretty minor in my opinion.

dpadam450

At the end of the day all these things just become triangles.

JoseGR

Eventually I would say that the body is done, it took me some time ^^U
I guess that teeth and claws won't be that difficult. Here it is:







Really thanks to @Purplekami, @Anchang-Style and @dpadam450's explanation