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Alex's High Poly Improvement Thread

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AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
In this thread I want to get feed back on my models, topo and how it could be better, and such, or really anything. I want to upload the control meshes to sketchfab and keyshot renders and wires. I really want to learn how I can do things better. Since starting my job I have seen the work of people who are gods at modeling and 3d in general.

I want to really push my skills now that I have the time. Any advice would be great! Not all of them will really be anything specific, just more practice shapes and random stuff.

PLEASE CRIT MY MODELS!

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  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I am not at home so I will upload what I have with me and then continue to post more as I practice.
    I will post wires when I get home, it's just some random shape, I tried a few new things ect.
    7kRcG
  • sltrOlsson
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    sltrOlsson polycounter lvl 14
    If you use Dropbox or imgur my company's web filter won't block them :)
  • luge
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    luge polycounter lvl 4
    can you throw up an image of the wireframe? also give us some different angles.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    luge wrote: »
    can you throw up an image of the wireframe? also give us some different angles.

    I will once i get home from work. Sorry
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I don't have the model for that anymore so I'll upload something about a month old.
    Pic of high and wires for low.
    6zOXj
    7tsMw
    6EDbV
  • Baron Flame
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    Baron Flame polycounter lvl 12
    Woah. When did you make all of that?
  • leleuxart
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    leleuxart polycounter lvl 10
    This is beside the point, but god damn that green is beautiful!

    Anyway, these are looking nice so far. Looking forward to seeing more!
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    More stuff from that scene, trying to find things i can get crits on now and think about going forward.

    6am9Z
    7tt6K.png
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I made it for that noob challenge barron but please guys i really need crits. I really feel like I could be so much better, these are pretty simple props, I really am need to try my hand at some more complex stuff after I get these posted, more like small daily studies.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Here is a ghost I was attempting to do but felt I was not doing a very good job, I re-did that wing thing like 30 times, I felt like a total noob. I would really like to know if people see re-occuring flaws and bad practices in my work i could improve greatly.
    Sorry for spamming the board.
    7ttxS.png
    7ttJi.png
    7ttMd.png
  • JordanN
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    JordanN interpolator
    I don't have the model for that anymore so I'll upload something about a month old.
    Pic of high and wires for low.


    7tsMw
    The Cylinder's topology needs to be improved.
    ic7nVthvg8Qh.png

    Here's a tutorial.
    http://jonpolygon.com/3d-modeling/3d-model-tutorials/quad-geometry-cylinder-cap/
    quad-geometry-cylinder-cap
    quad-geometry-cylinder-cap
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    It's on a flat surface for the high poly so it doesn't really matter in that case, I appreciate you input though.
    7tuJh
    7tuJu
    It does look better in a presentation of course but it works.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Some more real quick practice before bed off this shape on one of paul pepera's mechs. Tomorrow I want to try something more challenging, I feel like the topo works, also maya triangulated my ngons on import.
    Obviously there are tris, but it doesn't effect the end result I feel.
    Also I hope I didn't come off like a jerk or not wanting crits in my last post.
    7txC3.png
    7txGb.png
    7txAL.png
  • LaurentiuN
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    LaurentiuN interpolator
    To me everything looks good, no crits here and like Alex sayd, if its flat surface then doesnt matter if u have ngons, tris, unconnected vertex, its fine...so yeah man...give us some more complicated stuff :D keep up the great work.
  • benji
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    benji polycounter lvl 7
    Yo Alex, these are looking great, not a whole lot to crit here :) I think you could chunkify some of your details though and soften up the edges, to help catch a better highlight (especially on the Paul Pepera piece). The reference is actually pretty soft; it catches some great highlights and the form reads well as a result
  • BARDLER
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    BARDLER polycounter lvl 12
    One critique would be only use the geometry you need, instead of over doing it. Those cylinders in the most recent one you posted don't need that many sides, and are just messy. You can get the same results from a 12 sided sub-d cage instead.

    A couple small nitpicks would be on this one.
    7ttJi.png
    With all that geometry pinching down at the nose you probably have some waviness there. Try to step down your edge loops so you don't get that bunching up. Also you have a similar issue with using dense geometry when its not really needed, like on the bottom piece, and the curvature of the wing. The topology of the wing could be improved to. You have all those edge loops coming off the curved part of the wing and being sent down, and across towards the body. Instead, have the support loops follow the edge of the wing so you get a nice even smoothing along that edge. Here is what I mean.
    bBBOZQd.jpg
    This will avoid that pinching you are getting at the tip, and that difference in edge sharpness around the curved part of the wind.

    The main thing I would focus on is using only the geometry you need. Its easier to add geometry to a sub-d model than it is to take away from my experience.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I agree I defiantly need to work on my edge flow a lot more, it's one thing I really want to do better, I think I tried that wing about 5 or so times and that ended up being the best one which still sucks. I will try and post some harder shapes so I can get more advice and crits on my topology which is my main focus here. I am going to try and do this visor piece tonight. I tried last night with little success and felt kinda dumb. Also I have to check I think I may have left those parts of the wing at a sub division level of 1, I was using a lot of modifiers cause of non-destructive workflow but either way it could be vastly better.

    And thanks guys but I really have a lot to improve looking at the people at my studio's work makes that more apparent than ever.
    7tvPS
  • EarthQuake
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    It's on a flat surface for the high poly so it doesn't really matter in that case, I appreciate you input though.
    7tuJh
    7tuJu
    It does look better in a presentation of course but it works.

    Yeah, quad capping is a waste of time unless you have some real specific purpose to do so.
  • MeshModeler
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    MeshModeler polycounter lvl 11
    I don't have the model for that anymore so I'll upload something about a month old.
    Pic of high and wires for low.

    6EDbV

    Keyshot?
  • Stockwell
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    Really love what your doing with The Ghost! Totally agree with BARDLER though on the front wings, that topology could use some work. You'll get better results too and cleaner geo always means easier tertiary detail imo.

    Keep one of these models going, you've got knowledge of how hard surface works, but you've got a bunch of different incomplete pieces, I say stick to one and finish that bad boy *cough* the ghost *cough*

    Good work though!
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I would finish the ghost but I don't really have the drive or need anymore since I was making it for my portfolio, this thread is going to be filled with mostly incomplete models as it's only for practice not really finishing assets, more like nightly studies. Also I was using keyshot.I know it's lazy but it works.
  • ae.
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    ae. polycounter lvl 12
    keep it up man its always good to practice! stuffs looking ace btw ;P
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Thanks for the kind words man:)
  • MeshModeler
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    MeshModeler polycounter lvl 11
    I would finish the ghost but I don't really have the drive or need anymore since I was making it for my portfolio, this thread is going to be filled with mostly incomplete models as it's only for practice not really finishing assets, more like nightly studies. Also I was using keyshot.I know it's lazy but it works.

    not lazy :) i was just wondering what materials you were using in keyshot. looks rad
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Haha thanks man, I feel like it's being lazy cause I could do it in maya, but that is more work. In the concept there are holes in the bottom pad, I wasn't sure if I should have modeled them in or how i'd do that without it being fucked to hell. I could have done it in zbrush in seconds but that's not really the point of this. If I had started it flat and modeled the holes then bent it I probably could have but I didn't start that way.


    Read the description in my sketchfab link about it before you comment please:)
    I didn't drop everything to the lowest subdiv before upload, shouldn't matter.
    If sketchfab doesnt work or you're lazy here are the wires.

    http://puu.sh/7xS57.png

    I did another model today which is a seat from this concept:7xOqG
    7xR8t.png
    [SKETCHFAB]84e8e209fa9c4dd6a8b9eee24689b81f[/SKETCHFAB]
  • Stormfreek
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    Man your high poly techniques are awesome man, great edge consistency and v clean! Your renders are the shizzle man, what do you use to render? Any insight into how you get this glassy reflective renders would be awesome!
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Stormfreek wrote: »
    Man your high poly techniques are awesome man, great edge consistency and v clean! Your renders are the shizzle man, what do you use to render? Any insight into how you get this glassy reflective renders would be awesome!

    Thanks man, I use keyshot cause I'm trying to pump them out fast. Just mess with keyshot it's pretty simple to get stuff down in it.

    I need topo crits and crits pls
  • Kimon
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    Kimon polycounter lvl 6
    That seat looks crazy cool. May I ask which technique you use for placing the seams?
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Kimon wrote: »
    That seat looks crazy cool. May I ask which technique you use for placing the seams?

    Thanks,

    I arrayed a set of little dots I made in max, prolly 55 long, less or more depending on the size of the seam, then made them one object and used a path deform modifier.
  • s6
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    s6 polycounter lvl 10
    Looks solid dude.

    I wouldn't worry too much about topo. If it looks clean and renders correctly, it doesn't matter much. Better edge continuity makes it easier to optimize, but that's the only thing I can think of being in your favor.

    Good start. Now make the rest :D
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    s6 wrote: »
    Looks solid dude.

    I wouldn't worry too much about topo. If it looks clean and renders correctly, it doesn't matter much. Better edge continuity makes it easier to optimize, but that's the only thing I can think of being in your favor.

    Good start. Now make the rest :D

    I know. My Topo is fine. But I wanna know how I could have made it better even in small ways
    Maybe how I could have approached it better. Maybe I need to do something really hard so you can see me struggle more
  • nickersf
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    Are the stitches on the seat floating? I cant get a good zoom on it in sketchfab.
  • luge
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    luge polycounter lvl 4
    i would sit on that seat. looks pretty sexy though.
  • WarrenM
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    Alex

    I think maybe people don't know what to say because the work is generally very high quality. Maybe post something that you feel is at the bar you want to reach to give people something to compare your work against? I don't know, that might help.

    I'm useless in this regard because I'm with s6 ... if it smooths right and bakes right, then it's right. I don't see huge benefit in agonizing over every edge loop.
  • luge
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    luge polycounter lvl 4
    i agree with warren. right now, it looks tight and right. theres nothing to really say, other than it looks good. i personally don't see anything wrong with it.
  • SaboR1996
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    SaboR1996 polycounter lvl 8
    sltrOlsson wrote: »
    If you use Dropbox or imgur my company's web filter won't block them :)

    You are like the opposite to me, I had to download a google chrome plugin just so I could see imgur stuff
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Well I understand that it's totally workable geo and could be used for sure and doesn't have any problems, but I am still trying to learn, for example on this peice I did stitching which I've never done, for the chamfer on the side of the metal I tried a new technique that is going to help me in the future. When I was running edge loops like on the left I had massive issues due to the nature of the slope on that shape, so I tried what is on the right, overall I'm trying to think and get better at guiding my topo I think is the main point of this thread. I want to be able to just know where I need to guide my loops to make good smoothing on all parts especially curved geo, additionally I feel like I am just starting to really get used to the add more geo part of sub d and get better at it a little.

    One more thing I would really like to learn is that workflow perna uses for booleans and truly understand it, when and how to use it, I have used it once but I feel it was not well implemented and nothing like his examples. I am probably going to do the hard surface challenge next, one of them, those should show my noobness.
    xOiQOnk.jpg
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    This is a technique I'd like to understand, I kinda do to a small amount I think, but perna never made his tutorial, I just wish I could get a clear explanation on the thinking and planning part of making stuff with booleans like this. I would really appreciate that. http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106272&page=2
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    Did the weekly hard surface challenge 2. Not too happy with a lot of it, it's not perfect but wwhatever I need to sleep. Some of the proportions are not as good as s6's and his nut holes (lel) are better proportioned, my thing doesnt meet in the middle flat and was a challenge, the bottom doesn't fade in and the edge chamfers are not as good on a part I don't remember I'm going to sleep now./

    IWTIADE.jpg
    35xUcId.jpg
    [SKETCHFAB]9885ee8698d0467f83c2b40b3030c903[/SKETCHFAB]
  • s6
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    s6 polycounter lvl 10
    Looks good man. Keep proportions in mind, some are a little off, like the bolts.

    I wanna see you finish the high for the quad and bake it :D
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    s6 wrote: »
    Looks good man. Keep proportions in mind, some are a little off, like the bolts.

    I wanna see you finish the high for the quad and bake it :D

    I am considering it, I honestly think my issue is not that I'm that bad at modeling, but that I'm intimidated at tackling large objects, I get stressed breaking things down into simple parts and get caught up in details to the point I get nothing done. I think I'm going to do a few more practice objects because I'm learning more each time I do something, then I'll do a project in probably a month to show my skills off and prove to myself I can do things.
    I know I'm not too bad at modeling but I think my observational skills are still underdeveloped, if this hs challenge is any sign of that. I was considering modeling a p1, I think if I could model that, especially with it's internals I could model anything.
    Thumbnail.jpg?p=131115_03:09
  • AlexRodriguez
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    AlexRodriguez polycounter lvl 6
    I am the same way, I remember in my drawing classes and holding the pencil out to visualize the object was always the most challenging part I got to bogged down by the minor details and end up filling the page with 75% of the object

    When I started the hard surface challenges I barely thought I could do the beginner from Week 1 and over the 9 weeks I been able to do them all semi-succesfully. It kind of like skecthing you need to do hundreds of skecthes in order to become more proficient at seeing ways to improve upon your model

    The Cast Iron Strainer think it was Week 7 is a nice one to tackle it has a organic shape ontop of it being a hard surface
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I am the same way, I remember in my drawing classes and holding the pencil out to visualize the object was always the most challenging part I got to bogged down by the minor details and end up filling the page with 75% of the object

    When I started the hard surface challenges I barely thought I could do the beginner from Week 1 and over the 9 weeks I been able to do them all semi-succesfully. It kind of like skecthing you need to do hundreds of skecthes in order to become more proficient at seeing ways to improve upon your model

    The Cast Iron Strainer think it was Week 7 is a nice one to tackle it has a organic shape ontop of it being a hard surface

    I'll take a look at it, I think that it's so true. Sure i could prolly model nearly anything, or close, but it's the design and shape reading that is hardest, as well as going large detail to low, I think when I do my next big project I'm going to really spend the time on the blockout and the shapes, I want to fucking nail it. I don't know what I'll do but yeah it's so true. I mean look at people like paul peppera, yes he's a good artist, but half of what makes him good is his design skills, not just modeling skills.
  • s6
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    s6 polycounter lvl 10
    P1.

    DO IT!

    That'd be epic. I'm temped to try it.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    s6 wrote: »
    P1.

    DO IT!

    That'd be epic. I'm temped to try it.

    We should do a model together like we said we would. Idk about a p1 but we'll see. It needs to be something cool enough to take to finish and fast enough to not get boring.
  • AlexRodriguez
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    AlexRodriguez polycounter lvl 6
    The car shouldn't be to hard to model you can always find some nice orthographic shots to get your proportions down (or I can head to my garage and send you some pics of my P1 for reference)

    I seen Paul work before just never remembered his name, I wouldn't even know where to begin on some of his models. You guy should do something a little more complex as a collaborative model (something that can be split between two people *kind of hard to split a car in half*)

    I eventually want to split a environment with another artist something that both of us can accomplish in a months time.
  • AlexCatMasterSupreme
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    AlexCatMasterSupreme interpolator
    I sculpted this rock for a scene I'm working on to improve my organics skills.
    A few things I think I could have done better:
    Relied less on cool brushes
    better distribution of wear, damage, and shapes
    more micro detail but i got lazy.

    Here is the concept and rock.

    O0XMuJt.jpg
    Ty4MLul.jpg
  • LANKUS MAXIMUS
    I like it. You nailed the overall forms :)
  • Mossbros
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    Mossbros polycounter lvl 9
    You are asking for crits and in all honesty the only crits anyone can give would be minor due to the level you are working at, you shouldn't fret about little things if the overall design is there. You should always scrutinize your own work more than others but Don't doubt your skills.

    Last thing, if you feel the work is lacking something and in need of improvement, I'm sure you could tell yourself more than others what in fact it needs, just give yourself a quick summary after finishing a model to evaluate what you think works, and what doesn't. Use that in practice for the next project so that you can implement it.
  • genwu
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    genwu polycounter lvl 7
    Looks great man, as I told you before I really wouldn't worry over things like 'relying on cool brushes'. From what I can see there, most of that could've been done with typical brushes anyway.

    This looks cool, but I think you need to go further. As it stands now this is just a pretty HP render, and we both know anybody can make a HP look decent. Like you mentioned in better distribution of wear and micro details, I want to see more of the scene and more hints as to WHY the wear and micro details are there. I guess to me, that's the difference between a good artist and a great one. The conveyance factor. Keep up the great work man <3
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