Making An Axe

Littlenorwegians

So, I need some help with my 3d.

I made this axe and I'm not happy with it. I feel there are things missing. Things I should know how to do better.

Doesn't look like metal or wood, I feel. Just, eh, not as good as it could be.


So, I want to 'remake' it in the sense that I am doing a new axe.
I'm working on a sort of base model to get into Zbrush.

loosely based on this axe (http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS8sjG3tbp1vKjTcSSO3UvswO42qKRJE1v7DI9q1u6nWWhx4Hre0Q)

There's a lot of stuff I could learn to do better. Texturing. Better sculpting techniques. Pipeline, even.
So, please help me polycount forum. You're my only hope.

Dre#51

The redo looks like a good start. I tend to not do too much smoothing in my main modeler (Max) as you'll do alot of sub-dividing/smoothing in Zbrush. Your first attempt isn't bad either, the blade is just missing a blade texture to sell the effect. Youtube is loaded with modeling vids, that offer suggestions/alternate methods of modeling the perfect blade or sharp weapon edges. When the axehead or blade is modeled and UV'd right,it makes doing a better texture that much easier. Check this one out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRrXBtjiLyU

Littlenorwegians

Thanks, Dre. I am doing some new stuff and it's interesting. Clear I have much more to learn, but already there are some things I like better.

Littlenorwegians

Not entirely finished, but largely so. From my end. I want to hear some input.
I feel I've learned a little just from, well, doing more. But if I can learn even more from feedback then bring it on.

Tobbo

I think it's looking better. I think the axe could have some sharper more defined edges though. There are parts that look a bit blobby or soft.

Pegbird

The material definition on the wooden shaft is great, nice texturing work here.

The axe blade itself has a few soft/blobby edges to it which don't make it read like forged metal. Also I would do more with the specular map on this part of the weapon and less with the normal map.

Keep it up

Littlenorwegians

Thanks for the comments, guys. I'll see what I can do to sharpen the cuts and scrapes of the blade.

Will also try to make it look more metal-y via the specular map.

And thank you, I do like this axe better than the other one. Looked up some tutorials on wood-sculpting.