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Okay, okay...
Because the first contest was so successful (4 entries out of 3.2 billion people on earth...come on folks), the Second modeling-related contest is open and closes for judging on September 15th.
The topic? Create something simple that can be immediately recognized without the aid of textures or fancy lighting or background.
Here's my submission and example. It's a dart. I suggest that you limited your design to 5 or fewer children object.
Contestants must provide a picture and a wireframe of the model. This is modeling at its purest, folks. No other properties besides shape to lean on to create a "visualization solution".
Examples? A telephone, a fork, a chess piece, a 2-button mouse, a table lamp...you get the idea? Shape and not texture.
Regards,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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Okay, okay...
Because the first contest was so successful (4 entries out of 3.2 billion people on earth...come on folks), the Second modeling-related contest is open and closes for judging on September 15th.
The topic? Create something simple that can be immediately recognized without the aid of textures or fancy lighting or background.
Here's my submission and example. It's a dart. I suggest that you limited your design to 5 or fewer children object.
Contestants must provide a picture and a wireframe of the model. This is modeling at its purest, folks. No other properties besides shape to lean on to create a "visualization solution".
Examples? A telephone, a fork, a chess piece, a 2-button mouse, a table lamp...you get the idea? Shape and not texture.
Regards,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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Gary,
Sounds like fun! But are you sure that is a dart, and not some 1950's space rocket that is being kept in AREA 51. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img]
Just kidding. Very nice model. And spammers do suck. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
--Randy
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Randy--
Did you mean Area 51 or Studio 54?
I violated my own game rules here. Attached is a hidden wireframe of my entry, the funky dart. I recommend that if/when you submit this month's contest model, you use hidden facet for the wireframe. I can't speak for everyone (much as I try [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] but I cannot easily read a full wireframe to examine the construction. Something about reading 300,000 polygons...
My Best,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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Gary,
I was thinking of the place in New Mexico, where the government keeps all the aliens, and spaceships at.
--Randy
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Hi Randy...
I used to live in Manhattan, the glitter capital of the uncivilized world, and believe me---
I went to Studio 54 twice, and there were aliens.
Apanchewka zumbwata, K.
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Here is my contribution to the contest. This is my first model, wanted to bring it into poser but ran out of saves on my Rhino3D evaluation! I'm gonna have to save up my pennies so I can buy it some time, great program!
Steve Newport
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And the wireframe...
Steve Newport
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Well, my entry is probably not very recognizable, and I doubt that anyone has actually seen one of these before, but I refuse to give it away by telling you what it is! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
From the beginning I decided that this object was going to be modeled using LightWave's SubDivision surfaces. In case anyone is unfamiliar with this type of modeling, I tried to demonstrate how it works in my submition below. Basically, you are still working with points and polygons. The polygons must be either 3 or 4 sided - nothing more will work. With those poly's, LightWave generates NURBS curves, definied by the points. The curvature of the NURBS is determined by the weight that you assign each vertex. In my image, you can see the Weight Shading, and how the weights actually form the shape. If you've never modeled with SubDivision surfaces before, I highly recommend you give it a shot.
So, what's the big deal about SubDivision surfaces? Well, first of all, they are extremely easy to work with. Your system doesn't have to be a $7,000 workstation because your underlying 'cage' is often composed of only a few points and polygons. Yet, with those few points, you can raise and lower the SubPatch level on the fly, and walla! You have an object that has an infinite level of detail. I can't stress how powerful this is when it comes to animating your object...not to mention making last minute changes...
Ok, so enough on SubD's and more on my mystery object. First of all, there are NO parts to this object. Everything is a connected curve - no breaks in it, no seperate pieces. That's probably the biggest advantage to SubDivision and NURBS modeling - you can keep your objects under one continuous cage of curves (nice alliteration!) - eliminating undesired distortions, seams, and object explosions during animation. Anyhow, the surfaces are all simple - no textures. I only changed the base color so the 'parts' could be distinquished. I rendered the object at a SubPatch level of 20. At that level, there are 62,400 polygons. The base object itself (without any SubPatch level) is only 156 polygons. See the top row for example renders of a few SubPatch levels. Please note that NONE of those top row renders have any surface smoothing turned on. The third render on the top, at level 20, is naturally smooth due to the high number of polygons. The best part is - render times were not very high - even at a SubPatch level of 20.
The middle row shows the actual renders, at level 20, with surface smoothing turned on. No fancy lighting - one light on top, one on bottom. The wireframe on the right of the middle row is there just in case you wanted to see it. It's only rendered at a SubPatch level of 3, thus it is NOT the wireframe for the renders next to it. Since they were at a SubPatch level of 20, the wireframe was actually solid (the spaces inbetween were too tiny to see).
The bottom row shows a probably more useful wireframe - the NURBS wireframe. Those are the curves that I'm dealing with when adjusting vertex weights.
Well, that's it I think. If there are any questions about SubDivision modeling, feel free to ask. I know that I was a little timid of it when I first got LightWave, and I would have loved to have had someone explain it to me 5 or 6 years ago. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]
[This message was edited by Earl Wilson IV on August 21, 2001 at 22:28.]
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Thanks for the detailed description. Sheds some light on Lightwave's SDS modelling. Weighting points in C4D's Hypernurbs is one of the most lacking features that C4D has.
Well you are right I can't guess what it is. The only thing I know for sure about it, is that it as a LIGHTwave object [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
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That is a very well laid out explanation, Earl. One question, and I cannot see it from your screendumps: does the thread spiral, or are those a sequence of rings at the base?
BTW, I discovered a way to do a thread by using four profiles. aligning them to their backs, and then skinning them. Attached is a picture of the threads technique, and then a render of it.
Kindest Regards,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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Earl--
Isn't the bulb part a mother to sculpt realistically? I must have gone through half a dozen splines to lathe.
My Best,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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LIGHTwave - You got that right Randy! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
The thread is a 'sequence of rings,' Gary. I was thinking of actually modeling the spiral in SDS. One of the biggest rules for modeling, though, is to model efficiently - don't model something that won't be seen or noticed, and never go into unnecessary detail, or your project will never meet the deadline. And since a lightbulb isn't likely to be seen any closer than a meter (and when it is, it is most often in the socket), modeling the threads was on the other side of that efficiency line. Now if it were for an industrial animation to be given to engineers, detailing the proper installation of the bulb into a socket, why then that would be different! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
That's an interesting way to do threads Gary, and it looks like it works out pretty well.
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Hi Earl--
I agree that you should not model what the audience will never see. I did my bulb the way I did because I had no idea from which angle I'd render it. I do a lot of simple tools and stuff and reuse them incessantly (now, where are my pliers? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
The modeling system that I'm using is an antique and I had to learn stuff in a different way that you have. At this moment, I'm lean on the dough, and proceed to use what I've invested 7 years in learning, even if it is a steam engine. I think that even if a box containing Maya were to drop on my front lawn tomorrow, I'd still find uses for Extreme 3D.
Why waste an education? That's why I took one look at InDesign, and said, "it's no better than PageMaker. Bye, now!"
Best Regards,
Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.
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Agreed Gary, and quite understandable.
For anyone who's interested, here's another image which might better convey how vertex weighting works on subdivision surfaces.
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Well hopefully you can figure this out. We all have most likely used one of this before.
--Randy
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Very nice Randy. Looks accurate, and detailed.
Man, I had forgotten about those disposable floppy disks until now... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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Hi guys (& dolls [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img])...
Ok so, here's my entry for the newest contest.
If you're guessing it's a bowl of soup... YOU ARE SO WRONG!!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img]
Modeled in Rhino, leisurely of course [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img], in around... 45 minutes i guess. Never done this type of model before, so i had a couple things to think about; plus, i always "diddle" when i'm creating something. hahaa (and NO, not THAT kinda 'diddling'!) Doh! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Anywho... there it is!
Over...
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...version. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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Mark,
Good looking game pad. The only suggestion I could make is that with Rhino's excellent blending power, is to blend the three main sections together.
A easy way is to boolean union the pieces together, then select solid fillet edge command, to fillet the joints where the sections meet. This will make it look like one piece.
--Randy
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Cool game pad [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I am really scratching my head over what to make....ooooww splinters,see [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Ah I will come up with something [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Stu.
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cool controller Mark. I think the control stick could be a little shorter (If we're talking practicality!), but that's about it.
Randy, Marks design is pretty much correct. That's the way game controllers are designed these days: with the button columns raised, that wasn't a lack of modeling knowledge, I believe it was done on purpose
Steve Newport
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Hey thx guys.
Randy... the 3 main body pieces are booleaned together. I made the mistake of taking the screen rip before i did that though - so that's why you're seeing the wireframe with all the components separated. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
But the full render is after the boolean. The sections just maintained the sharp edges where the parts were connected. I'll try now though to do the Fillet part you suggested. That might help smoothen up those few edges - i didn't like em much either. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Thanks again!
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Ok heres my contribution [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Ok so its a mountain bike,I couldnt think of anything else to model...oh damn I coulda made a tooth brush...ahhh never mind [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Did I follow the rules this time?..or have I messed up again...I cant remember what the rules were anymore? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
Cheers [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Stu.
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hehe...
Hey Stu?...
Explain to us please about how you constructed those bristles. Thanks! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
I see an opportunity to learn an easy way to create a city scape. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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Ah the evil looking bristles [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Ok I made the handle and then go to the point where I wanted to add the head and bristles,so I extruded 10m about 20 or so times to give me anough individual bristles,but they were not far enough apart to look individual,so I used inner extrude to give myself some breathing room,then I zoomed and just selected the inner {new} polygons and extruded by about 150 metres.I them bevelled the top of the of the bristles and used the move tool to pull them a little higher so that there was a little flat part on the top so that the bristle tip would stand out a bit more.
Excellent idea about city blocks Mark,actually wouldnt be easier to do that with a relief object,and then you could use different sized square brushes in PS for the grayscale and varying building sizes too.
Cheers.
Stu.
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Heres a quick attempt with that building idea Mark [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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Stu,
I like the tooth brush and the city scape. Good technique. (sp?)
--Randy
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Thanks Randy [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
The only thing about that technique is it can get really tedious zooming in and picking out heaps of little polys [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Not sure what you meant by {sp?}......maybe I have some new holes in the ol swiss cheese brain of mine or something [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Stu.
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(sp?) means I am not sure I spelled the previous word correctly.
--Randy
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Ah ok.... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I think I could wear out that abbreviation,I am progressively forgetting how to spell [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] ,and punctuate and........ [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Stu.
