Fishing for Monsters: Modelling WIPs

[stwert]

This is the Modelling Work in Progress thread. I don't think it will be necessary to have a thread for every individual model, so they can all go here and intermingle. Feel free to post any screenshots or renders (or questions) of your models for comments, suggestions etc. Final .obj files can be uploaded to the File Upload (http://www.digitaltutors.com/forum/showthread.php?21833-Fishing-for-Monsters-File-uploads) thread. For the general objects and secondary elements, feel free to get reference photos and material from elsewhere. We're going to aim for as realistic as possible, since everyone knows what that means (as opposed to a stylized concept).

[Dean]

what are you guys modeling from? any reference drawings?

[stwert]

Well Dean we're hoping to get some more character designs coming in yet, but as far we're going to have to go off the two images in the file upload thread. And for real world stuff, like boats, rocks, trees, water, fish etc, I think it would be fine to let the modeller gather what references they would like from the internets [sic].

[Dean]

yeah, and what about the style ? sry if it was explained somewhere and i missed it.

[stwert]

No, sorry, I don't think I did post that. Thanks for asking. Why don't we go with a realistic style, because I think that will be the easiest to keep consistent. If we decided to do a toon style, everyone might interpret that differently. Obviously it will be very hard to get a perfect photorealistic human, but if we aim for as realistic as possible, I think the results will look very good, even if we don't quite nail something. Does that make sense? I'll update the other threads too.

[Dean]

sounds fine to me.

[atomic]

Here is what I have so far.

http://a.imageshack.us/img96/6225/boat121.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img818/9882/boat122.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img401/899/boat123.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img833/7640/boat124.jpg

Comments and critiques are welcome. :)

[stwert]

Sweet, looks great! I think the edges might look a tad smooth, but it could be just me. Depending on the material, and how polished the boat is.

[DigitalSprocket]

Looking sweet! I digg it atomic. I agree with stwert, the edges do look too soft but thats easy enough to remedy. Stwert introduced me to the Crease Tool in Maya and I think it works wonders but I'm not sure if your app has that (what software are you using?). Keep up the good work.

[Fusedgore]

Looking good .

[purplemikey]

@DigitalSprocket (hope I spell it right) he's using Maya 2011 (well it looks like)
so he can use that feature
but I think he's using bevel or maybe just adding an edge loop and manualy smooth the corners

[DigitalSprocket]

Oh NO! Sorry about that purplemikey. I saw your avatar and then it hit me. You told me about the Crease Tool, credit is due in your corner.

[purplemikey]

I don't remember it sorry but if I did im happy to have learned you something =]

[Fusedgore]

Atomic that boats looking really good .Looks like it is all quads .I would suggest if this is going to be a still ,you might want to detail it .

[atomic]

Thanks for the kind words guys. :)
@stwert, DigitalSprocket: which edges are too smooth?
@Fusedgore: yes, I'm planning on detailing it a bit more. :)

[DigitalSprocket]

Hey atomic, sorry for such a late reply, busy weekend and crazy day at work kept me away from the computer. I can't speak for stwert but I am talking about the edges on the frame of the boat. It looks as if there is a chamfer along the entire edge I highlighted below, making the wood look too rounded or soft. I think it just needs to have a harder edge all the way around.

http://bradyoo.com/extras/dt/fishingformonsters/ref/boat123.jpg

So I tried playing with the Crease Tool in Maya and found it gave off some horrible looking renders. I took a cube, creased the edges and when rendered the shadows just seem to fall off as if the surface is round. If you know any other way to use the tool and make it look good, give it a go (and maybe give me some tips :) ), if not maybe just move your edge loops closer to each other. (** for anyone, what is the best way to create a hard edge on a smoothed mesh?)

Again though atomic, I think the boat looks fantastic! Keep on doin' what you do.

[stwert]

Yes, that was what I was meaning as well, sorry for some reason I thought I had responded already. I haven't used the crease tool much, I typically just squeeze the edges tighter as you mentioned. I think the smoothness really depends on the type and finish of wood you're trying to portray, but I think a bit harder would give it a bit more of a used and real look.

[atomic]

Thx for the tip.
I moved the edges a bit closer together and added some other, but I think it might be a bit too sharp now. I also lowered the little benches height and added some shape to the body. And I added a plate to the back for a potential motor, as well as corrected some spots here and there.
Anyway here is an update. I took a quick render cuz some things, like the sharpness of the edges might be hard to see from a viewport snap.

http://a.imageshack.us/img832/7414/1601.jpg

yea I know the boat is sinking, but don't worry I allready got to shore. :p

[spam_septic]

Looks great atomic. What are you thinking for textures? Fresh and clean? Battered and worn?

[stwert]

Haha, looks great! I'm not so sure about the creases along the side, as they spread out before reaching the keel.

[Dean]

Looks nice, nice progress.

[brandeil]

Looking very nice :)

[atomic]

thx guys :)
I believe stwert made it so that the person who models something isn't the one who gets to texture it, so I probably won't texture it.
@stwert: yea I know , I'm not completly sold on those as well. I still would some sort of interuption to break the side up a bit, but if I didn't smoothed out those creases towards the front I would get an unsmooth front curve. I'll see what I can do.
And a late congrats to you stwert for winning the monthly, you did a great job. :) As well as almost everyone else this month, really saw some impressive stuff in there.

[Devere]

looking good atomic

[DigitalSprocket]

Absolutely fantastic. Can't wait to see some textures on it. Do we have anyone heading that up yet?

[atomic]

Hi guys, I thought I give a go at UVing the boat and put some textures on it.
I'm never really surrendered myself to the whole UV/texturing/shading/rendering world to, so pls don't expect too much. It's just a single colour map with a simple bump for the edges between the wood.

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/5763/boat2102.jpg

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/940/boat2101.jpg

I just did this because there doesn't seem to be coming any movement in this project.
So please if there is someone who actually can texture or just wants to try, just let us know and I can give you the model.

[atomic]

Oh the water goes outside the boat, why didn't you say so. :p

I was just thinking what the boat should like like, style and feel speaking.
And if we perhaps change the textures, so that the boat looks painted.

Anyway thanks for the nice words.

[stwert]

I think it looks great, I love the water in the bottom of the boat. As for textures, I like the raw wood texture, but I think there should be a lot of weathering and wear on the boat. After all, a fisherman who doesn't take care of his body so much probably won't take care of his boat so much. So I think there should be a bit of rot or some algae and scratched up bottom.
Thanks so much for putting the effort to keep this project going, atomic. I'm really hoping that others get inspired to join in. I was planning on modelling the fishing pole, but these items won't be much good without some characters. Any takers?

[atomic]

Thanks for the input stwert, I hope others will find the inspiration to hop on board as well. (nice wordplay huh? :p)

I tried your suggestion, and added some wannabie algaes and other usage dirt. I also tried to age the wood texture itself a bit. But I'm not very good at this so I'm not sure how the do scratches and other damage.
A made a quick render of it, but know that it's just a wip.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3366/boat2103.jpg

[Dean]

Looks much better already, keep doing it you gonna get it perfect.

[atomic]

Thanks man. :)

And I could say the same about your awesome zbrush sculptures. :D

[Dean]

HEheh thank you sir, real glad you like em :D

[Dean]

oh and btw, im very busy with private stuff at the moment... but if you guys need any help with sculpted detail on your props\characters whatever just tell me, id be glad to join, but only on sculpting cause i really dont have the time to do the whole pipeline thing, i can also make you guys some nice normal and cavity maps for the zbrushed detail to...

Anyhow its nice seeing this project still going.

[stwert]

Yeah, that would be great to have a sculpter around for some detail work. Hopefully we'll find an organic modeller or two for this in the meantime.