How do I set up reference images?

Youngy798

I have seen people create references in the background for them to model over the top. I have looked online but most the tutorials are old and involve the old feature that how turned into 2d pan and zoom (I think).
Does anyone have any good tutorials for setting up a simple reference, I am making a knife and I want to set up the side view image I have.
I also saw a video where they made the model slightly transparent so they could see the reference, how would this be done?

Thanks in advance

Zack Maxwell

I assume you're talking about ZBrush, but it would be good if you could actually say what software this is.

Youngy798

In 3ds max, I saw a video by Joe Harford where he done these, he didn't go into much detail about setting it up. I saw older tutorials, but they required a setting which is no longer in max.

Higuy

Just make a plane, rotate it so its vertical and apply a material with the image on it. Then scale it to fit the correct proportions

For transparency if you select the object and hit alt+x it will make it transparent.

Youngy798

Will it keep in proportions if I zoom in and out? When I tried something like this before, when I zoomed in and out to look at details, the reference would get out of place.

sargentcrunch

n/a

Youngy798

Ok, Ill try it out. I am going to try making my first tool/weapon model, I found this small knife on google images.







It should be an interesting tool to make. For some reason, models with wood in them always look really cool.

Thanks for the help guys, ill make a post once I get some progress done showing off my work

Scratcher

are you making a high poly atm? if so I'd suggest using floatpoints for the thumb knob on the blade and the big silver circle which I can't think of what it is called atm lol but also make the rivets float too.

I'f you're making a low poly version first I'd suggest starting out with a rectangle for the handle of the knife and just add swift loops to curve it a bit.

Youngy798

I had the plane with the image on it. I was modelling in front of it, I zoomed out, then when I zoomed back in the reference was off. I froze the reference so its not moving at all.
Also, when I have a transparent texture on the model, whenever I move a point the model goes all fuzzy and then slowly turns smooth again.

Youngy798

snyone know how to stop the zoom messing it up?

Youngy798

I managed to fix the problem of it getting messed up. However now when I look at the model its not a pure top side view. When I pan I can see the sides distorting. Its hard to explain. I will post screenshots tommorow