Feedback Please- 3D Dinosaur

Worble

Hi guys,

Brand new to the forum. I finish university in a month and only started modelling 3 years ago when I started so I haven't become as good a modeller as I wanted to be by now. My intention isn't to get a job in the games industry as a modeller but I would like to improve my skills as it is something that interests me within the world of Game Design.

For this project I had to choose a dinosaur and make it in 3D using the pipeline of base mesh> zbrush> retop> texture> rig> animate (idle and run cycle)> engine> setup in UDK as a pawn. I have now reached the end of that process and so I would mainly be looking for 'improvements' I can make and not changes.

Please keep in mind I am really not a great artist and so telling me to change this muscle group some how doesn't really mean anything to me.

I appreciate all the help you can give and hope to utilise the forum in future to get better at 3D modelling.





Album Link:
http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Cue/slideshow/PolyCountFeedback

(It also contains reference images for the dinosaur itself)



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9uez-IfAm8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9uez-IfAm8[/ame]

Sorry about the low quality of the Youtube video. The screenshots in the photobucket slideshow show off the rig better.

switz

Your anatomy is way off; Start by using a reference and getting the big details hammered out before you move onto the small details.

It's a good start though, here's good image to work from:

Worble

switz wrote: »

Your anatomy is way off; Start by using a reference and getting the big details hammered out before you move onto the small details.

It's a good start though, here's good image to work from:

Thanks, Nice to get a bit of feedback. Similar to what I got already as feedback elseware. I struggle to really see the anatomy as shapes in my head, I can't explain it but often I put it down to a lack of artistic ability. I am good with hard-surface modelling as I can process shapes as instructions and primitives but organic stuff I can't break down.

What would you suggest is a good way to learn beyond just looking at reference images?

switz

A good way is to do a wireframe paintover; it helps give you an idea of the mesh will layed out before you start modelling. I don't have my tablet with me today at work but I found an image that explains how this is done.

DiegoTeran

Worble wrote: »

What would you suggest is a good way to learn beyond just looking at reference images?

its all practice Worble. when i started, i would make a model, see it and be like wow.. this is amazing... but it wasnt. i had trouble seeing it too.

just keep practicing and stay motivated. references are your best friend. try and sculpt/model from life images rather then someone elses 3D models!

you dont want to make their mistakes, specially if you are just starting and you know dont your way around the block if you kno what i mean cause that person might be lost also.

try and get some character sheets, front side back top and so on and import that to your program and use it.

even something like this can come in handy.

follow the proportions and really pay attention on the anatomy and try and see in our head if it can work or not.

http://www.garydraws.com/wordpress/?p=1007


try and find better stuff then this tho

Worble

Thanks very much guys.

Very helpful indeed. I do my best to stay motivated because I really do enjoy 3D. The wireframe paintover is a very helpful technique I will definitely try that one.



Couple more things I would like feedback on however...

Looking at the slideshow- any errors in the rig you can spot with regard to deformation? (I know its not much to go on but even a small comment of feedback is better than none) I am looking to be an animator so comments on that sort of thing would be helpful.

I will post better Youtube references for my animation in future but for a first post I am just looking to feel my way into things.




And also the texture...

- I had a lot of trouble painting in scales as I didn't sculpt them and it didn't work out as well as I had hoped. What would you recommend for getting more detail into the texture? What is lacking in my diffuse mainly?



Thanks so far guys, very pleased with the feedback on anatomy as that is where I struggle most.

Worble

Just bumping this cause I could with some feedback on texturing and rigging as mentioned above.

lotet

Worble wrote: »

1.
I struggle to really see the anatomy as shapes in my head, I can't explain it but often I put it down to a lack of artistic ability

2.
Any errors in the rig you can spot with regard to deformation,
I am looking to be an animator so comments on that sort of thing would be helpful.

3.
I had a lot of trouble painting in scales as I didn't sculpt them and it didn't work out as well as I had hoped. What would you recommend for getting more detail into the texture? What is lacking in my diffuse mainly?

Felling Like I have to help out a fellow dinosaur lover.

first of.
1: Your main problem is KNOWLEDGE, this has nothing to do with artistic vision or anything, its your KNOWLEDGE about anatomy that is lacking. You basically need to study anatomy more, humans, bird, dinosaurs, anything.


2: The rig is not important right now, you will need to redo the entire thing when the sculpt is better, honestly I think you need to focus on one thing at a time here. If you want to be an animator, download free models and animate them, not caring about all the other things.


3: Same goes with this, most of the texture work now days are projected from a high poly sculpt, so you need to sculpt those scales into the model and then bake that into your texture.


and finally: references, get lots of reference.

Worble

Thanks, knowledge is definitely somewhere I am lacking. I think I will use the time after finishing university to properly read the books I have on anatomy and learn more.

Your third point is a good one too, everything is projected so I should have sculpted.


Thanks for the feedback, I've been noting everything down on the thread so far.