Kimon's High Poly Practice

Kimon · Mar 2014

Hey! After spending some time lurking around this site I've come to the conclusion that my high poly modeling pretty much sucks.

Therefor I've decided to make a thread where I can practice my high poly modeling skills and hopefully get some crits!

So, please let me know what I'm doing wrong, and maybe right

So, I'll start with this smaller practice prop I started working on today:

Thanks for helping out!

Kimon · Mar 2014

Another practice piece:

It's the top front of a sci-fi vehicle.
Tried to keep more geo as one continuous mesh on this one.

Joost · Mar 2014

Pretty clean modelling. The edges are way too hard if you intend to bake this though.
NormalMap?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=normal_edge_thickness.jpg

NormalMap?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=normal_edge_thickness.jpg

And I think you should try some rounder shapes, those are usually the hardest to model.
random example:

Kimon · Mar 2014

@komaokc

Thanks for the input! Yea, I'm practiing for baking so I will definitely work on my edges. Practicing some rounder shapes sounds great, thanks again

Kimon · Mar 2014

Just a semi quick base, but how does this look edge-wise?

Thanks in advance

Joost · Mar 2014

Edges look a lot better there. Keep it up

Kimon · Mar 2014

Started working on a similar kind of diaphragm valve as the one you linked!
Here's what I got right now:

These kinds of shapes are really new for me and has proven to be a good challenge

Thanks for the input!

DInusty · Mar 2014

man fixing those edges and using the knowledge from that point on really changed your look. very well done. keep going! This type of stuff only gets better as you keep making it.

Joost · Mar 2014

Good start! The area where the 2 sections meet is a bit soft. And the holes don't feel perfectly round to me, maybe I'm just hallucinating? Try doing the bolts next, they can be pretty challenging. Here's a tutorial I did that might help you as well:

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132383

AlexCatMasterSupreme · Mar 2014

So youre the one copying my thread ideas.... just kidding, I think you're executing it well, can we see the control mesh? Also that one raised up part on the circle in the back looks like it has really tight edges but its good

Polynaut · Mar 2014

Nice progress on the edge smoothness. One thing to watch out for is your edge flow when you start getting into complicated pieces. The edge flow on this latest piece looks a bit wonky. Keep at it though.

Kimon · Mar 2014

@Frozan
Thanks man! Makes me really happy to hear

@komaokc
Yea, you're right, those holes were really wonky.
Oh, thanks for the tutorial! Awesome stuff.

@AlexCatMasterSupreme
Haha yea, I kinda stole your threa idea there, sorry for that

Yea, sure, will post more pictures!

@Polynaut
Thanks, yea I agree. Wasn't really sure how to get the base shape for that last piece so I ended up welding and shaping two cylinders. Probably not the best way to do it ^^

Here's a small update with the bolts and fixed holes etc:

Thanks again for the input guys, really means a lot.

Joost · Mar 2014

Don't know if you're following the concept 100% but the bolts you made are missing the slanted edges, like here:

And the edges on the cylinders are a bit sharp.
Also on the bottom of the bolts the threaded part should stick out.

Kimon · May 2014

Hey! Havn't posted here for a while but here's a fun little guy (based on the combat drones from Homefront) I made today:

Nothing technically impressive but good practice none the less.
Probably won't be taking him any further. Really want to start working on a real portfolio piece but I'm having trouble finding some concept I really want to do

Stockwell · May 2014

Hey Simon,

Cool model choice, and great start. I think though from a sub-d stand point, my biggest critique would be your edge consistency. I wish I could do a quick paintover to be more clear, but for example:

The edges on the main body will bake clean :thumbup:, though some seem too fat, espcially near the top and may read as a softer material to some, ie:rubber not metal.

But the box with the shallow bolts on the side, has an inset that looks far too tight. As well as the cylinder pointing up from the back, the inset is far too tight and there are a few other inconsistencies that you could improve on

I followed your Missile Turret project and it turned out nice!

My only other nitpick would be about the treads. Unless these are supposed to be rubber treads, which if thats the case ignore me, but if they are metal, they would have to be broken up into segments with hinges holding them together to move about the wheels.

Cool stuff though, I was really impressed with the amount of detail you put in during a second pass on your last project, but I bet you could model more in to this one

Kimon · May 2014

Hey Stockwell! Thanks for the kind words, as yes, I agree with you on all points.
I was really sloppy with this one, and pretty much no details has been added.

Wanted something to do for a few hours and I didn't even think I was going to post it anywhere, then I remembered I got this thread!

I don't plan to do a low poly or anything and saw this as more of a warm-up than anything else.

Regarding the treads, I'm pretty sure they based their combat drones most on the SWORDS and TALON robots which seems to have some kind of continious hard rubber treads. (i'm by no means an expert in these kind of things, but I look up references and do my best, haha.)

Thanks again man!

Kimon's High Poly Practice

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