Modeling from Reference, How?

Mane

I've done many tutorials, for modeling, and most of them was, without reference image, some few from DT, modeling a car and motorcycle.
But. now when i want to try to model something on my own,i got some blueprints from tank and helicopter, from the blueprints site, i put them in 3D max, and i have no idea now how to start.

Entity

just follow the reference?

Wonkey

megalmn2000

Always make a blocking before getting into the detailed high poly. This will help you a lot with the settings of proportions.

skankerzero

do you box model, spline model, or strip model?

figure out which you are and do it.

Saman

How would you go about drawing something off a reference? Or sculpt something? Start with the basic shapes, blocking like megalmn200 mentioned, and just continue from there with details and stuff. Keep it simple in the beginning.

Xoliul

skankerzero wrote: »

do you box model, spline model, or strip model?

figure out which you are and do it.

Or learn them all and use the best one for the situation, even better.

Alberto Rdrgz

Entity wrote: »

just follow the reference?

+1!

Zombie Acorn

Depends how many references you have. If you have top front and side just build a three sided box of planes with the reference images mapped on each. When you look through the orthographic views you will see the top reference.in the top view, side in the side, etc. Just start filling the space in the reference.with your preferred method. I'd suggest box modeling to start.

Heres a random image I found on the internet to give you a general idea.

DrunkShaman

Entity wrote: »

just follow the reference?

Exactly.

Also, Do compare.

GarageBay9

If you want to get REALLY serious about it, you build a dimensioned jig like this with images that have been verified to be square and calibrated to each other:





(Someday I really should finish that Yorktown model for the IL-2 Sturmovik mod community to play with...)

Zombie Acorn

Now that is a reference lol

Noors

Blueprints are rarely 100% accurate because most of the time they are drawn in 2d after the model.
Most of the time you won't have perfect match in 3d, so you have to double check with photos.
Gather as many references as you could before starting.

Bruno Afonseca

Yeah, assign the blueprints to planes, set them in their own layer so you can freeze or hide easily (don't forget to right click them, go to object properties and uncheck 'show frozen in gray').

Then model! What I like to do is starting with splines, so you're pretty much retracing the reference in 3d. You can then model polies on top of it, or use a surface modifier.

DEElekgolo

Ever try Camera mapping?
http://imageshack.us/clip/my-videos/43/6eu.mp4/

Mane

I see, thank you guys, though that they are always match up each other. What do you guys think of modeling with just one image plane? Like side view?

Smash

it doesnt really work because you dont know the real proportions, unless you have a gist of the missing views e.g. front/left/right/back/top and just want to guess and be creative which in general is the key term anyway.

but if its for a job it needs to be accurate.