How do you model when a reference image is only in perspective?

dzibarik

For example a client sends you an image of a sofa or a chair you need to model precisely. And it's in perspective. You ask him/her for more detailed images, perhaps even blueprints and he says that it's the only image available. So you have to deal with it.

And when you start (especially if you are a noob like me) you see that's something is off. Even if blockout seemed right further down the line you start noticing that the model is not that precise. And you have to scrap a lot.

So what's your way of working with such images/vague concept art?

Stromberg90

Look for more references, even if you can't find something that is exactly what you want, you can still use it to figure out details that might be missed otherwise.

Try Google image search on the picture and see what comes up.

sargentcrunch

n/a

Neoekamp

Import the image into a DCC with a perspective/photo match tool, and try to match the lines as best as you can. Won't get it perfect but should be good. Google Sketchup has a great one (it's my main use of the program lol)

Nam.Nguyen

I think the best way is to do a blockout. Start with basic shapes like cube, cylinder, sphere, . . . this is very first rough blockout so, you can try and see how big, how long the object will be, after you happy with the proportion then move on to silhouette blockout, try to get the main shape right in this stage. Now your blockout start to look like a low-poly object, continue on refine, add small details, . . . Just do it step by step and you're good to go.

Something look off when you go down the line is usually because you jump right in to hi-poly when your blockout is still too rough

slosh

This is going to happen a lot even in a studio so get used to it. I often have gotten character concepts of just a 3/4 view...nothing more and off you go. Finding reference close is your best bet. Also if your reference image has distortion or a fish eye lens effect, try to account for that.

seth.

If this is an issue for you then maybe you aren't ready to freelance yet?
You will very rarely get ortho's of anything. As mentioned above a good blockout is going to be your best approach, nail the basic shapes and move on from there.

dzibarik

seth. wrote: »

If this is an issue for you then maybe you aren't ready to freelance yet?
You will very rarely get ortho's of anything. As mentioned above a good blockout is going to be your best approach, nail the basic shapes and move on from there.

I'm not doing furniture for freelance now but I'm getting ready for this. The problem is that I'm already doing basic blockout and still results are subpar for my taste. I think it will come with practice.

zadirion

I'm not an artist, I'm a programmer so that might explain my approach.

What I like to do is figure out the FOV and position of the camera by identifying the right angles in the image. I use a camera in Blender and a background image set to the reference imiage. I usually figure out FOV/cam position with a 3d cube/parallelepipede superimposed over the reference image. Once that's out of the way, figuring out dimensions is just a matter of scaling/positioning your 3d objects to fit right over the reference image while looking through your 3d camera.

I might be making it harder than it needs to be but it works for real photos. I guess another approach might be needed if you're using concept arts.