the new dragon - Page 3 - Simply Maya User Community

# 31 04-09-2003 , 02:48 AM

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I still don't like the texture (which I know is still temporary), but this is an improvement.

Are you aiming for realism at all here? If it's going to be more cartoony (for lack of a better term) then your wings are fine, but if you want this to be realistic, then you need MUCH bigger wings. I guess it also depends on the effect you want. Generally if the dragon is supposed to be "bad" (i.e. create a sense of doom) then you want to go for more realism. If he's more "good" (think of films like "dragonheart" where the dragon is the good guy) then slightly less realism and a more personified character would give you a better effect.

Something isn't right about the tail... for one I would make the taper closer to the end there, but there's something else... Perhaps it's just attached too high.

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# 32 04-09-2003 , 03:29 AM

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I see your point and I thank you for your comment. Just that very big wings are hard to fold when the dragon is on the ground and I didn't want the dragon to be all wings, that's all.
For the shape of the tail, I am not sure I understood what you mean by "I would make the taper closer to the end": could you rephrase for me please?
Here is a reference picture I used for the body:

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# 33 04-09-2003 , 04:12 AM

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you know what the head is way too small comparatively. make the head larger and maybe a thicker neck overall hmm but definitely make the head bigger, unless you really want it to look like a dinosaur user added image

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# 34 04-09-2003 , 05:21 PM

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the head is to small maybe make it bigger.

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# 35 04-09-2003 , 06:33 PM

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Originally posted by traveler
the head is to small maybe make it bigger.

Originally Posted by

That should say something about how differently people see things... and I was sure the head was already too big!

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# 36 04-09-2003 , 08:03 PM

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Personally I think you should not go for a smaller head, since it will end up looking like a dinosaur, and not the dragon you´re envisioning. I would say it looks balanced now. (Maybe a shorter neck though?)

As per the wings, I agree with the preceding replies as they won´t be able to lift him of the ground (or so it looks). Maybe they serve a mating purpose? If so, remember that when texturing.

On another note, I made a small image with the things I would change. Maybe it could be of use to you. user added image

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# 37 04-09-2003 , 09:42 PM

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Thank you adldesigner, very nice sketch you got there!
No the wings don't serve mating purposes because the stupid dragon is missing some vital bits and pieces under the tail, if you get my meaning... user added image

Those wings you sketched are positively HUGE! Are you sure about that?? And would you also have some idea on how to fold them when the dragon is not flying? I am using Maya Complete, so I don't have access to cloth. If you have any suggestion on the matter, it would be very appreciated.
Also, do you think the front legs should be that big? Look at the relationship with the back legs...
I tend to agree with a shorter neck as I posted before. I will make several experiments and see what I end up liking best.
Thank you so much for your help!!!!

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# 38 04-09-2003 , 10:37 PM

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Here is a possible version with a shorter neck:

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# 39 04-09-2003 , 11:07 PM

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And this is a possible experiment with larger wings.

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# 40 05-09-2003 , 12:06 AM

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Hi silviapalara - as for folding the wings when not flying you can create a skeleton where the actual bones would be and use bind skin>smooth bind. Make sure you have enough polygons around the area where you wish the bend to be and try to have lines running parralel to the bend. Where the bends get rough you can add lattices. I'm not saying it's a supper easy process but it works the same for large wings as for small wings user added image

I've not built a wing like this but I will be shortly. I have animated one and it provided convincing results even tho it was super low poly and crossed the bend area at odd angles.

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# 41 05-09-2003 , 12:48 AM

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I went for muscular front legs in a sort of gorilla fashion. user added image

( I thought it might make it more interesting .. in any case, you can actually resize them just a bit more larger)

As per the wings I was working on some sketches I found and by using a somewhat cross-principle when seen from above flying (if you get what I mean) That´s why it needs the massive wings.
In the new pic you submitted I noticed you changed the wings to a larger size, yet you pulled them backwards. The first impression I got was ".. looks like it´ll fly as a wasp or something..".

You can use the bones I sketched in mine to make your wings as they were based in bat, and pterodactil wings.
(The lower one is actually the wing folded).

Hope it helps.

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# 42 05-09-2003 , 02:11 AM

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Okay, I wouldn't go with the shorter neck. The wings are better larger like that, but they need to fold better. the bones in the wings should fold together and the whole wing forward and pressed against the body when folded, and outward when in use. (not up and back like it's shown in your pic, that does remind me of a wasp)

as for the tail, look at adldesigner's pic. That's what I meant. In other words, thicker until you get really close to the end.

Your head is fine, your neck length/thickness is fine, and the legs are fine. I would work on the wings some more.

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# 43 05-09-2003 , 02:50 AM

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Oh, I am sorry guys... it's a matter of perspective... When I enlarged the wings I also rotated them lower (i.e. if you imagine the dragon to be along the Z-axis, with the width of the dragon along the X and its height along Y, I rotated the wings around Z, not X, so they are not rotated backward) I hope what I just wrote makese sense... but you are right that they should come forward a little more. Hehehe, I liked the "flies like a wasp"... user added image

Seing the two, I agree that the one with the longer neck does look better.

For animating and folding the wings, I remember I saw a tutorial on, I think, 3D World Magazine on how to make an umbrella fold. It sounds pretty similar to this kind of problem. I'll have to see if I kept it somewhere...

Thank you so much everybody!