BookandCase.

Andrew Mackie

Hello Internets!

Okay everyone, here is the deal. I will be starting and [hopefully finishing] this small asset tonight by midnight. I am going to take this as a learning experience so I would like every little bit of help I can get [I know you guys will help me out ]. Please comment and leave any and all feedback.

Some basic rules I have laid down for myself.
- I have until midnight tonight to bring this asset to a complete stage.
- Every 1 hour I must upload whatever I have done, or am doing.
- It must be the very best I can possibly do at this point in my "career" as a 3D artist.

Here are some reference photos of the Book and Case that I will be modeling and texturing.








...and GO!

Andrew Mackie

Modeling.

Mike Yevin

I like the idea, and you obviously have a solid start, but taking the time to take screenshots and post them up here every hour might hinder your ability to meet your strict deadline. I will be watching this tonight, as I am curious to see how it turns out. Good luck

HughieDM

Modeling is lookin pretty solid so far, dono if you want the book open at all but could be an interesting addition to the modeling so far before you start UVing and texture

Andrew Mackie

Hey Mike.
Haha yeah I know what you mean, but I want this to be a learning project for me. Also I want to see if I can do it
Thanks!

Andrew Mackie

I'm going to start a rough UV set right now to see if I modeled this correct.

Andrew Mackie

HughieDM- Hey! Yeah I was thinking of doing that after I get some solid looking textures down on the book case and covers.

Andrew Mackie

Just covering the Case with textures at this point. Still need to UV some more and still have a lot of seems to fix once I am done.

Andrew Mackie

So I hit the 3 hour mark...
I'm getting a red bull :P

HughieDM

Lookin good lets see the texture map

Sean VanGorder

That is one extremely high poly book. You should really try to optimize it. And try to do more to the texture than copy and pasting the reference image onto it.

I like the idea of giving yourself a time limit though. You should look into more interesting things to model next time.

Andrew Mackie

HughieDM- Texture uploading...
Sean_EG- I set out to simply make something that looked good. I figured I could always go back and scale down the textures and optimize the geo afterwards

Andrew Mackie

Covering the book and some brief tweaks to the case.
I'm going to finish covering the book and then go back and start fixing up the case now.




Also, here are the texture spaces so far as promised.





I have to say I am enjoying myself slightly

oobersli

seems a tad simple. maybe challenge yourself and do a zb sculpt with paper rips on the cover,paper rot...ect.

Might also consider trying to recreate the texture without directly ripping it from the photo. I'd consider that better texturing practice than trying do a rush job for no reason at all. If you did all that then you might even have something good to put in a portfolio.

Andrew Mackie

oobersli- I planned on texturing it from the ref I took as best I can then [if I had time] I would play around with a more unique approach to it. But I do know what you're saying, I should be doing something more intriguing instead of just a simple version of the book and case.
Also, I do need to get better at texturing and so far [4.5 hours in] I think I have gotten better than when I started.


Also, also, thank you everyone for commenting and giving me advice. It helps me out tremendously!

Andrew Mackie

Just and update on the book this time.




I think I'm losing steam. . . .

Andrew Mackie

So there will only be one more update for tonight.
After midnight a few things will happen.
1. I'm going to bed, I have work tomorrow.
2. I will take a step back from this and look at what to do next.
3. [Hopefully] You guys will enjoy what you see. If not, then I have more work to do.
4. Candy?


See you at midnight.

Andrew Mackie

So here are the "Final" shots for the Charles Dickens book and case.
I spent 6 straight hours working on modeling and texturing these and just trying to learn more about the texturing process. A lot more work needs to be done all over [mostly on the case itself], but I am actually happy with what I have so far.
I still need to downsize the texture sizes and map them both together, maybe make a cabinet or drawer for them to go in, create the alpha maps for the torn edges of the case, light the objects, and do other touch ups that I cannot think of at this moment.









Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback and crits on these, and I will be coming back to these definitely soon [ish].
Until then, goodnight internets.

HughieDM

good work glad you finished I do agree with most of the post though you need to move to something a bit more complex and focus on better UV usage

The final product looks pretty good but on your next model you should work on creating diffuse, spec and normal for that detail

Jeremy Lindstrom

and about 1/4 the amount of polys. You need to terminate the polys you used for the semicircle on the case, you've wasted lots of polys on this project. Part of learning is learning where you can save polygons, there's not many places I would think you'd see 1200 to 1500 triangles for a book and cover.

How big was the texture sheet?
How many triangles total?

Lots of wasted UV Space, try mirroring sides.


I'd also suggest as others create your own textures, your pictures are a little blurry so it comes across as blurry photo ref with a horrible normal map

Andrew Mackie

HughieDM- Thank man! I'm going to start re-arranging the UVs tonight and downsizing them. And I am looking forward to a new project as I tweak this one.


Jeremy Lindstrom- Hello, yeah I think I achieved what I set out to last night but there are MANY things I need to touch up [mostly what you just said]. I am going to take more texture ref as well due to them being blurry. Overall though, this is just one project out of many that I will be doing to get better.

Jeremy Lindstrom

No problem, please don't take offense but I personally would try to fix the issues people have posted here and try and finish the piece with the crits, because that way you'll have something you could be proud to put in a portfolio. Right now, it's just going to be something you modeled and put aside. Good idea to keep moving forward but make sure you are learning as you go.

Art is never finished, it's only abandoned.

Andrew Mackie

Jeremy- I don't take offense at all I appreciate the feedback greatly and I am going to be touching this piece up this weekend and uploading it some more. The 6 hour session was to just to get started. Please keep the feedback coming

Andrew Mackie

So I have been slowly tweaking this asset and here are the newest screen grabs.
I have lowered the texture size to 512x512 and I have been optimizing the geo.
The texture still needs work, but I'm watching a gnomon workshop on texturing right now to get better.
I should have better grabs tonight.

Mike Yevin

What I would do on such a small piece, instead of cutting and pasting your reference texture (which is quite blurry and low quality), use it as a guide, and hand paint the details over it. That way when you remove the reference images you have a custom, hand painted texture to show off the model. Just a suggestion because from the newest screenshots it doesn't look like they are working out in your favor too well. Keep it up, don't give up just yet :P

Andrew Mackie

Mike Yevin- Hey man, yeah I really need to get better at hand painting my textures. That is what I am going to work on today, and hopefully get better

Andrew Mackie

Ok everyone.
New plan.
I have better reference images and I am going to make this book more in a "magical" style.
Here are some ref photos.

Andrew Mackie

Here is about 10 min into creating the brackets.
I will be ZBrushing the details into them.

Andrew Mackie

Just covering the book, no spec or normal on it yet.
I'm liking this new texture better already.
I think I'll be adding an alpha this time to the edges of the book.

Andrew Mackie

There is some stretching that I am currently fixing.

Will Faucher

While the reference does look pretty slick, I believe you should make your own book texture as opposed to slapping on the reference picture. Be a little creative! Practice your modelling and sculpting and come up with your own textures.

Andrew Mackie

Prophecies- Hey! Do you mean start from scratch and paint on a blank canvas to create an entire texture? Or do you mean modify this and add from other textures [with the clone stamp/other tools]? Because I plan on creating a new texture map with a combination of a few textures of older books but I just need to get better at it .

Andrew Mackie

If you could give me an small example I would be very grateful.