Modelling with precision - when blueprints aren't right

dzibarik

I have been modelling my first car for the last couple of weeks and I ran into problems with precision modelling. I took the blueprint, cut it into 4 planes and set it up properly (I double checked) but it seems that images are a bit off (the car is quite old so these prints might be not that precise).

First time, I tried to model it I failed spectacularly because two of my images (for top and right viewports) were of different size. After that I recut them and checked everything seemed to be ok. And yet in some points they differ. For example one door is shorter in right viewport that it's in top viewport. Is it possible that blueprints are not precise. What do you do when you encounter that? Or is it me messing up blueprints again?

Also bonus question - is it possible to model 100% precise with polygons or do you need CAD software for that?

Dave Jr

dzibarik wrote: »

I have been modelling my first car for the last couple of weeks and I ran into problems with precision modelling. I took the blueprint, cut it into 4 planes and set it up properly (I double checked) but it seems that images are a bit off (the car is quite old so these prints might be not that precise).

First time, I tried to model it I failed spectacularly because two of my images (for top and right viewports) were of different size. After that I recut them and checked everything seemed to be ok. And yet in some points they differ. For example one door is shorter in right viewport that it's in top viewport. Is it possible that blueprints are not precise. What do you do when you encounter that? Or is it me messing up blueprints again?

Also bonus question - is it possible to model 100% precise with polygons or do you need CAD software for that?

Cad Software is generally to build millimeter accurate models usually via curve tools, and when exporting them become a body object... which if you turn into polygons has TERRIBLE topology. Polygon modelling as you are allows the full control of this and is more suitable for game models.

What i'd reccomend, after doing a few cars myself is to just do it by eye. Gather reference of the areas that don't match up, draw guides in photoshop, even a example of your edge flow (draw on the photo as if it was a wireframe) and it'll be a ton easier.

Bruno Afonseca

About 100% of the cars I've modeled had some kind of imprecision on the blueprints. So I just made things up or tried to find a middle ground between one blueprint and the other. Don't be afraid to improvise

oglu

we do a lot of cars... and we use blueprints only in the first hours...
than you have to use images planes in the camera... and set the right focal length...

MethodJ

Pick one view as your 'dominant' view and follow that view when your ref planes disagree.

I've never seen blueprints that match up. Most of the blueprints floating around the web were not created by car companies, expecting them to be perfect is too much to hope for.

jStins

One of the best car modelers I know of uses a technique similar to what oglu mentioned. I haven't tried it myself, but may be worth a try.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPHXgkWtkbo"]Setting up 3d max scene for car modeling - YouTube[/ame]