Stylized Cartoon Male - The GI
 

I just got the maya 2011 program and bought the GI tutorial. At the beginning of the tutorial video, he has set up 2 pictures. One from the side and the other one is a front shot.

Im tryin to wrap my head around and find out how he did that, but I'm havin a hard time.
As you understand from this post im as fresh as one can be on this.

Hope anyone can help me on this.

Cheers and thanks up front :)

Hi, my apologies it is a beginner tutorial and should be clear from the start this is the only modeling tutorial on the site in fact that starts with the image planes already set up so typical :)

However there is a free video on how to set up image planes, it's part 1 which is 7 minutes long and goes through this process so if you watch that and use the GI front and side images instead (these are in the Templates.zip that comes with the GI) it should work just fine.

I hope that will get you started alright, let me know if you run into any trouble and thanks for supporting SimplyMaya,

Nilla

Thanks alot for the help. I now got the image planes up. And I've started the modeling.

Thanks again for your response, and I'm quite sure you'll hear from me rather soon :)


Cheers

Ah my apologies too. I had seen it done so many times on other tutes, I figured everyone would have grasped it. A black mark against my name.

As a side note, maya has its own help that would also show you how to do it.

cheers
Jay

Well, atleast I'm 1 step further, but now I managed to wrap my self up in another problem.
When I'm forming my head, Im gettin' red lines who goes over to an yellow color. (not sure how to make a screenshot). And mye "head" tears apart when I try to adjust some of the points that are close to the center of the head. Anyone have any idea? Kinda hard to explain.

Cheers :)

No problems at all Jay, so far I like the tutorial alot. Just me with really "noobish" maya skills. :) But as long as I can post my problems here, I'll make it.

Thanks again for an amazing site. Keep up the good work.

It's a great tutorial Jay, I've been thinking exactly the same thing when watching tutorials :)

SkyMarshall, if it looks like below you've turned on soft selection you can toggle it on/off by hitting the 'b' key. Stwert started an FAQ last week which can be handy to check out for some common problems you might run into when you're new to Maya http://simplymaya.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35308

Also as Jay mentioned the Maya Help is very useful to search for specifics when you know what you're looking for, just hit F1 to bring them up (keep in mind they don't really like Chrome so open them in Firefox instead).

Have fun modeling and thanks for the nice feedback,
Nilla

First of all, I must say I really like this site. And It's a big help for me to ask any question here, and get a quick reply.

When im looking at Jay's tutorial, I noticed that when he has his "front" angle, he manages to adjust the front and the back of the head at the same time. How do you link those dot's like that? Quite easy to mess everything up without.


Cheers.

Ps.
You where spot on Miss Nova. Problem solved :)

Hi Sky

no disrespect or anything, but I would start with a more basic tutorial, because as of now it looks like you have just started with maya and if you start at a more advanced level you probably get discouraged since there are a lot of techniques and terminologies that you don't understand.

Hi Sky...not sure what you mean by front and back mate?? for a screen shot (Win XP) just get the position you want in Maya then hit the 'PrtSC' key...then open Paint (default) and paste..the image will come up and you can save as a jpeg somewhere then post on site...any trouble get back to me. If you want PM me and I will help you do the screenshot thing...its not too hard mate

With the Maya help...just a tip...dont scroll through all the bulldust...type in..if you can the search bar...any trouble just post and we will guide you. Im new too but have learned so much from everyone here at SM mate...best site out and the help is always around somewhere...he he he even if we sneak it in at work!

cheers bullet

I understand what you mean mate. The thought have crossed my mind. BEcause, I'm havin a hard time doin it right :) I'll see what I can find :).

I bought the GI dude, becase it says beginner. So I thought I should start there. Think I have to find something like 3-6 years :)

mmm I wouldnt have said that tute was a beginner level, not on that, perhaps a more intermediate plus for those with an understanding of maya.

Yeah do a screen shot of the problem you have, I can't picture it either and I did the tutorial LOL

cheers
Jay

Watch all the free tutorials on the site and check out the free Friday section of the forum.

While the GI might not be aimed at the absolute beginner, if you don't push yourself you'll never get anywhere. If you didn't get stuck every 20 minutes and have to go look things up then honestly you'd have just wasted your money. No point doing something you can just sail through and put no effort in you wont learn f-all that way.

Keep trying, post your questions here and you will get through it. Will be bloody difficult but then if it was not I'd have me old mum doing tutorials :D

Best of luck
Dave

I would also say as this seems to be your first big Maya project try not to get hung up on the small details. If you can get anything that even vaguely resembles the GI you'll be miles ahead of most beginners.

And remember Jay has been using Maya since computers had punch cards :D so do not get disheartened if you don't end up with an exact replica.

Dave :)

Thanks mate, I'll keep that in mind. :) I'll post the picture when im done, tho it'll take quite some time :)

SkyMarshall, I feel your pain and I just wanted to tell you that the most difficult part when you start out is actually making your way around the Maya interface which is a bit of a project on its own. Once you get past that things will get a lot easier, and in this time you'll get stuck on little things that you'll (hopefully :))be laughing at a few months down the line. Watch the short videos that come with Maya because they'll really help you here, also have a look at the Free Fridays and the Free Tutorials, start with the "Glass Jug" and "Interior Design" they're straight forward and if you work through them you'll have a good idea of how to move around the interface.

For the GI part 1 is the most difficult part because Jay uses a custom shelf which is why you're confused I believe. Make sure you are in the polygons menu set at the top, you'll find a submenu there called "edit mesh" where all the tools Jay are using will be (split polygon and insert edge loop tool). You can also get these tools up by shift + right mouse click through the hotbox.

I also got what you mean by "front-back", he is working on an instance which he creates at 2.50 in part 1 so watch that again. But with your object selected go edit - duplicate options box.

I hope that helps a bit on the way, and just keep posting up on the forum when you get stuck that's why it's here :) You just need to get past the first part and from there you shouldn't have any problems, it's just gonna take some time and hard work.

LOL Cheers Dave
Jay

Hi there again.

Yesterday I started all over again on the modelling of the GI head. Thought that would be an good idea, now that I feel abit more comfortable with toos etc in maya.


As I buildt my polygon cube, adjusted it to the right size, then cut it in half, and then duplicate it. When all that is done, and I use the border edge option, I can see that my cube haven't been connected together.
I double checked that I've used the same settings as Jay when I duplicated. So I try to use the snap to point tool to try to get em together before I start modelling. But it never goes to the point I want. Never snap's together. Not sure what Im doing wrong there. Seems like it's just choosing an rando point and connects.

Anyone have any Idea what im doing wrong?

Cheers

I havent done the tut mate but I would have thought Jay copied the mesh in 'instance' so the 2 halves dont need to be joined? I could be wrong.(could some one clarify this?)

Or if they are meant to be joined and Jay has reflection turned on (in the move tool options)....you need to 'Polgygons>Mesh>Combine' first up...then you need to highlight the vertices where the join is...and then go 'Polygons>EditMesh>Merge and click on the little option box next to merge...set the value to 0.01 and hit apply...this will set this value from now on when you merge and also merge the verts....if they dont merge then increase this value a bit...selecting apply will set this value as an automatic distance.

cheers bullet

mmm possible i used the instancing as this was done in maya 6, a few years back now

J

Thanks alot guys.

I'll try to work abit on it later on today when I come home from work.
Thanks a bunch all :)

This is how far I've come. Tryin to keep a clean mesh as you advised, tho it can be really tough sometimes.

Noticed now that I have a few places to clean the mesh abit :)

Considering your new to Maya thats pretty bloody good. If you can make it all the way through this tutorial I take my hat of to you.

Dave :)

Thanks alot Dave. :)

I had a little peak at the 3rd vidoe of the tutorial, and it's the ear that's next. Looked quite complicated.
Tho I'll get through it one way or another :)

Hi there everyone.

Thought I would post a picture of how my work is going with my GI. Remember that this is my first project ever in any Maya or 3d program ever :)

Another thing I want to say, is that I want to thank Jay for this tutorial. I've learned so much from him.
Since he not only tells you how, but why aswell you learn so much more. And he keeps talking to you throughout the tut, so you don't feel so lonely when you sit there modeling alone :)
Keep up the good work Jay.
I for sure will buy more of your tutorials.

Cheers.

Skyamrshall

hey SkyMarshall

Many thanks for the kind words, really appreciated. Its looking pretty good to me from here - good job that man!!

We are currently in the process of a couple of new tutes, one of them I think you'll enjoy for sure!!

anyway its under wraps until its release mwhahahaha!!

cheers
Jay

Jay, replacing a vacuum tube in his first computer...

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...th_2234349.jpg


Jay's, first critically acclaimed model. It took one week to render!

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...19-22-29AM.png

Ha ha ha.. Epic post ctbram :)

That's really good Sky.

If you think that's bad you should see some of my freestyle stuff. (No money for tutorials:))

Cheers Rick

My PC is still like it. I have to buy a new hamster every day as they tend to die in the wheel generating all that power to keep it going

J

was wondering how it would take you to notice that Jay (smile)