First attempt with 3DS max

Kindri

I just got a copy of 3DS a couple days ago and decided to start playing around a bit. I'm starting a 3D gaming class next week so I thought I'd watch a few tutorials and try to get my feet wet with 3ds before the class started. I guess I should have tried something easier first, like a desk or a chair or something, but I ended up trying for a doggy!
I'm sure the polys are horrifying (and I haven't figured out how to clean them up yet, hehe) - but for my first object ever I'm pretty excited at how it's turning out. Now I have to figure out how the heck to texture.... anyone know of a good beginner tutorial?

rebel

ive started the Joan of Arc tutorial, seems pretty good!

http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials/max/joanofarc/joanmenu.asp

i gotta get back to it though, been slacking

might try out that glock tutorial ^

dale22x

not bad, you need to learn your edge loops and making your mesh cleaner and waste less polys

Kindri

Thanks for the links guys, I really appreciate it! Checking them out now.
DKK - this is my first attempt at any sort of 3D program (it's very messy! :O)

SinisterUrge

Considering its your first model, you did an excellent job. The internet is full of tutorials, personally I just do a google or youtube search for videos. Also, its worth while downloading a program called veoh, that way you can get your hands on tonnes of free video tutorials. As for the model itself, you have kept it very clean using quads which is excellent. The only criticism I have is you need to remove some edge loops in the bottom hind legs and one going from his nose to his front legs. To save yourself time you could have made a copy of the dog and then used the front legs as a template for the hind legs. All you have to do is select the faces in the copied model you want to detach and then you can attach and weld those faces to the original model.

Keep it up, you are doing fine

Josh_Singh

Good Job on your first model. Take it to the next level and uv it, and texture it.

Mark Dygert

Josh_Singh wrote: »

Good Job on your first model. Take it to the next level and uv it, and texture it.

Or rig it, do some test animations, fix the model, then move onto UV's and materials.

Technically its a step that most don't do, but you would learn quite a bit and it would help when creating models in the future so I suggest doing it.

Kindri

Thanks for the tips guys!
As it stands now I haven't got a clue how to start rigging/animating, so I guess I'd better start reading up and going through some of those tutorials. I think I might put this model on hold for now, until my class starts and I have a better grasp on the technical stuff. Also I don't have a copy of PS so that is hampering my texturing a bit, hehe. I'll update when I work on it again

Kindri

Ok, since I've decided to hold off texturing/rigging my original model I decided to start up something new - a human model. Conceptually I eventually want to make a faun, but for now I am focusing on a human torso.

Here's a quick front/back I modeled, I would appreciate criticism but I am primarily looking for help with modeling the breasts. Is there a specific way to add vertices here? I see a lot of models posted and I know how I /want/ it to look, but I'm not sure what I need to do technically to get to that. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

-Kindri


EDIT: New frontal. Still don't know what to do with the boobage though

Kindri

Getting there...

Neox

if you can't model it smooth, try it with relax, would help the shapes alot

Kindri

Ah thanks! I've never used relax before, it really helps. I feel like such a nub with all these modifiers and buttons I haven't figured out how to use yet :P

Mark Dygert

Also in the sub object of edit poly if you select all the polys/elements and clear the smoothing groups, or auto assign it will clear up some of the shading issues you have.

Looking good so far, you've got a pretty good grasp on form. Keep at it

IronHawk

good stuff keep it up!

Kindri

Ok I think I'm more or less happy with the torso - working on the legs now. Thanks for the link DKK! Wish I had seen that before I started!

nfrrtycmplx

a lot better than my first 3d stuff... and i have a job... looking good

Reich

Yea for being your 2nd shot you are doing really well. You have a good since of form and where to make your cuts. You'll only get better with the more stuff you make so keep it up.

Kindri

Ok I've been working on her head. Gotta say, head modeling is really quite hard

The polys are really messy, and I have a lot of n-gons and three-sided ones that I don't know what to do with. so I have a couple questions for any helpful veterans:
1. any trick to cleaning up the polys? or is it just the case of manually going through and changing them?
2. I've heard different things about 3 sided polys. Are they OK to keep or does it need to be quads only?

Here's what I have so far, I'm not happy with how messy it is but at least its a start.

Psyk0

Depends what your goal is, for a high res mesh / base mesh it's better to keep it all quads.

-For cleaning up polys i'll usually destroy and rebuild where needed.
-Tris are fine for a real time model, unless it messes the polyflow or creates shading errors. I usually model in quads and optimize where needed, redistributing some of the polys to the silhouette.

If i can offer some advice for the polyflow: the human head is constructed with a bunch of circular muscles, which offers a perfect range of motion in any direction. What you have now is a grid structure and will not deform as good...well that's my opinion anyway XD.

P.S.: Looks good , my first attempt was nowhere near that!.

DanaP

Kindri,

You Sir, are a brave one! Human (at least realistic) modeling is one of the hardest things you can tackle. And here you are on your second attempt making one! I just started character modeling myself. I think the single most helpful thing was to look at references. That typically is a good thing for any type of modeling that you do.

One of my instructors has a neat method I'll pass along to you. In photoshop (or any simliar paint program) draw the loops on your reference, that way you've sort of mapped out your poly placement.

If you are like me and collect books, then I highly recommend:

Polygonal Modeling - Basic and Advanced Techniques by Mario Russo


Anyways, happy modeling and keep creating!

Kindri

Thanks for the advice guys! Good to know the tris aren't going to make anything explode.
Yeah I definitely need to work on the facial line flow. It's not really intuitive to me, so I see myself doing a lot of painful head-modeling practice in the near future @_@. I'll definitely have to try drawing the lines on a reference as well - though I need to pony up and get a copy of photoshop one of these days, especially if I ever want to start texturing anything, hehe.

Reich

This is a little higher poly then what you have but hopefully it will give you an idea on edge loops. No Tries in here all quads.

Keep it up!

{scumworks}

You're really doing well. As DanaP said, try to get some refs. You'll learn alot more then just doing stuff from imagination, unless your at wiz at anatomy. Learning the muscles and bones underneath should help alot too, and it'll give you an insight at the why and hows.

Character modelling is really hard (atleast for moir), but if you can keep the fustration at bay, its also one of the best way to learn the process.

System

Just a tip when your modelling anything - don't worry about keeping all quadrilaterals until the shape convinces you that the work is up to standard, then think about making it simpler and try to keep an even distance between loops/rings...


Keeping a figure of 8 edgeloop helps shaping the face alot and will enable a good animation - around the eyes, across the nose bridge and around the mouth.

RustyFranks

lookin really good. keep at it.

here's a good discussion on edge loops
Loop discussions

and here's some video tutorials. i don't know why but the way this guy modeled the head made more sense to me than many other tutorials. maybe it will for you too.
videos

this also might help

Levus

Yes, I agree with RustyFranks. I'ts the best looping solution on this screen.
Might be a little difficult, especially in the nose area, so look carefully at this example, but the effect you get would be really comfortable to next steps of modeling/sculpting/face animation.

Anyway, your progress it's really nice for first steps in max, good luck!

Kindri

Wow big thanks guys. RustyFranks - excellent video, it was really helpful and miles better than the crap tutorials I've been getting off youtube

Gonna clean things up a bit, I'll post my progress when she's looking more normal. Thanks again!

System

Yeh good tut RustyFranks,haven't seen that method before, it's always interesting seeing new approaches. Personally I love the plane around the eye approach and build from there on in but this would work better for beginners as box modelling does.

Good luck Kindri hope to see another post soon

Psyk0

Already looks much better on that last image. The issue you have now is too many edges too close together that dont define anything, don't worry it's part of the learning process.

You have to understand how the skull is put together and represent the "planes" of the head (or landmark areas if you prefer) first and not over-define everything.

Here's a base mesh i made for sculpting.


and here's an example of edgeloops in action:


Hope that helps, keep going.

Kindri

Ok quick update

I worked on her face a bit, the flow isn't nearly as elegant as I'd like but at least I know where to start when I make my next head. She had arms, but then my power went out (!!!) and I got pissed off and made some hair instead.

Thanks Vig about the smoothing groups thing! It took me like 3 days to figure out what you were talking about, then I finally found the buttons.

Kindri

finally got photoshop, so here's my first real texture job (diffuse only)

ChrisG

you are kidding that this is your first time right? If not oooo dam what have I been doing all this time

Kindri

nah not kidding ^_^
just trying to dive right in and start making stuff. There is so much to learn though
One thing I'm curious about, is it realistic to try making a normal map for this without Zbrush?

EarthQuake

photobucket deleted your image, must have had *gasp* BOOBIES!!!

Kindri

oh noes! I didn't even think of that :poly134:
Nipple alert!

I'll try again: