Dragon thread

**s.winders** · 04 July 2001, 05:38 PM

Welcome guys

Earl I have done some more work to the dragon since the last render.

I have no idea what happened to the texture on the left eye as opposed to the right as it looks like the texture has slipped but the eyeball is an exact copy of the right hand side and just moved down the x axis,could it be lighting that has made ths unwelcome effect?

I am thinking of re doing the dragon skin texture actually to get a better sort of result.

I want hyperish realism guys all comments welcome,let me have it [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Stu.

**s.winders** · 18 July 2001, 05:13 PM

Cheers Earl.

I have since remade that arm because I forgot to allow for the outer angle of the forearm as it exits the bicep area,and I forgot to add a bit of rotation to the biceps and as the modelling ws all one piece I just had to chuck it.

I cant decide whether I would get a better result making arm veins from a bump map or making them with splines,what do you think?

Also is it possible to join to separate pieces by using a bone,I know you are unfamiliar with Cinema but I would assume the explanation would be similar for Lightwave and Cinema if I am right

The only explanations I can find for bones in the manual or on the web might as well be {to me} 101 ways to drink Peruvian bats blood from a furry slipper [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I just dont get it.

Cheers.

Stu.

**Earl** · 13 July 2001, 05:36 PM

Probably a wise idea...but then, it's all personal choice. Some like to model the full thing first, then texture, others like to handle texturing as they go, so they can tackle geometry problems that may creep up but aren't noticeable until you try to apply a texture.

The only thing that doesn't quite look right is the texture on the ear...it looks a bit stretched. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] It's a hard shape to texture...the best bet would be UV mapping, if your application handles UVs efficiently (again, I don't think LightWave's UV tools are sufficient). I'd try tweaking the ear texture a bit...

**Earl** · 06 August 2001, 06:41 PM

For your first dragon, I think it looks fantastic. There's always room for improvement, but that'll never change. Even the cg in top movies could be improved. So, with that, I think you should be proud of your dragon. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

A killer whale eh? That sounds like a good project. Although it's body is much simpler in design than that of a dragon, it's a much more familiar creature (in that many of us have seen them in person or at least in photos). Thus, it's going to require a LOT of patience to get the details and proportions to look just right. I think it'll be a challange - as much so as the dragon.

**s.winders** · 20 July 2001, 04:22 AM

Hey no problem Earl [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Now I got ya control bones as in the ones that you model into your object for a more realistic effect using a pushing and pulling points around the joint method.So control bones are just too look pretty and deformation bones are for doing the business with right [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I am having ever increasing problems with retaining information so if it gets to the point where I am not getting the most simple explanation just say so and we will leave it there [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I made a new forearm and some veins for it,I just couldnt get a bump to map or protrude the way I wanted too,I suppose its because of the difference in geometry for all the pieces,I tried uv mapping as well but it just was not satisfactory,but then again I can be hideously fussy [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] It looks quite good I tok your advice Earl and made some grooves and then I settled veins into the grooves themselves.

Cheers.

Stu.

**Earl** · 19 July 2001, 02:59 PM

Well Stu, that depends. I built the wings out of one solid sub-d object, which makes using bones to control it much easier (see the image I posted, which is just a cropped view of my old dragon's wing). If you take this approach, and mold the actual dragon's wing bones (not the 3d control bones) to the wings themselves, then the skin in between will really fold well. You may have to create 3d control bones that match the dragon's actual bones, then perhaps put 3d control bones inbetween, where you want the folds to go. You can use those "bones" to control where the folds go. The folds are not usually automatic. Generally it won't fold at all without some sort of control bones used to control the fold (as I tried to describe up there). All these bone terms are getting confusing...having bones modeled for the dragon, and having 3d program 'bones' used to animate and manipulate the dragon....heh. If this is really confusing, let me know and I'll try to re-word it.

**s.winders** · 12 July 2001, 10:29 PM

Ok here it is.

I just had a thought I might be able to fit the bump to the object making it unmovable and then apply the skin over top [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Stu.

**s.winders** · 13 July 2001, 03:26 AM

Ah ok I will do some more work to the bump,if it comes out alright feel free to try on your dragon as well [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Please dont EVER shutup you are being brilliant help Earl,and its much appreciated [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]...feel free to comment on anything and criticizm is also cool too

Your Dragon is really good,it really looks like a Dragon.The only thing I would comment on is the muscalature if you add ribbons of muscle say along the neck and down the chest that conform to its shape I think it will look more animal like,but apart from that I think it looks great.I have dug up my old copy of Grays anatomy to look into muscle striations for the neck etc,and I modeled a human jaw in places for the new Dragon jaw..you were spot on there Earl.

Stu.