Simple Human Model. Where to start?
 

Hey, ive recently started using Maya and followed the video tutorials about the cartoon dogs. I needed to use Maya because on one of my modules in Uni (Comp/Science Games Dev) requires me to make a simple model of a human in Maya.

I have 10 weeks to learn the package and have to submit the model before that. I was wondering what is the best way to start make the human on maya? Cause the best i have made is a cartoon dog. Im just need some advice and tips suck as

+ Where do i start
+ Any tips you guys can help me with in developing each of the parts? (arms, legs etc.)
+ Any guides/websites which can give detailed help, on making human models?

As i say, im completely new to his and have a limited knowledge on maya (only started last week) so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

im no expert so heres where i would start - but u can also wait for more seasoned users to reply for better help

reference pics
try that website for reference pics as these are the first thing u need as u have probably learned from the v.good dog tutorial.
u can eithe make it in a similar way to the dog nurbs -> convert to polys or u can start with polys from the start

hope that helps

dont know if theres (a best way) to make a head. im new into maya but i think i wold start with a box or a cylinder and start playing with the verts. simplymaya have a dvd (ninja modeling) it shows how to make a head. heres a site with online tuts http://www.learning-maya.com/index.p...art=0&search=*
gl

There are loads of character tutorials here if you want to go that route. Otherwise, look for box-modeling tutorials. You start with a cube and extrude, split and shape the body out. You can probably find some good-time lapses of this in the forums at spiraloid.com. If you have something where you can view each frame of the gif one at a time, it'll be helpful.

You can also google the infamous joan of arc tutorial...I believe 3dtotal hosts the english version.

I agree, check out the tuts. I just got done scanning and there seems to be some really good ones here.

Yup, 3dtotal.com for the english version. You should definetly check it out, it's an amazing tutorial, and easily taken from Max into Maya.

Other than that, I'd suggest studying other peoples wires and figuring out how to make your edges flow, but that might take you a little more than 10 weeks, unless you work really, really hard of course :)

Another really important step is getting good reference images. Other than that, just use the techniques you learned in the cartoon dog tutorial, and just should be well on your way.

High poly or low poly?

Here's a tip or two that may get you started in the right direction...

Go to your local library and find some anatomy books that shows muscle form and structure... and then study how the muscles flow and the direction....

Now, with that in mind, if you have done any traditional art ie drawing sculpting etc, you already have a good fundamentals on 3d modelling - the only difference is the modelling you want to do is on the computer.

There is no real area to start with, its mostly preference, but a good idea is to start with the body and extend to other parts of the body if you aren't using reference images on image planes...this way with the size of the body, you'll have a decent idea on how big to make the head.

The big picture (or many) in this case is reference material.. reference, reference, reference....its what that boils down to.

Question. Ive read the Joan of Arc tutorial and its very impressive. I was wondering wheter i should use the extrude function in Maya? Ive never done this before though, so it might take some time to figure out.

A problem ive been having in using NURBS is that, i dont know the best way to move the vertex? (the blue dots where you move the NURBS) so they dont bunch up together (picture below). Also whats the best way to add Isoparms? Like the above, i tend to add too much or too little, and end up having the vertex bunched up together : |

Still trying to get use to the program -_-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/Zelnaga/Maya.jpg

You should do the half side first then use an instance copy and locate it on the other side by changing the translate to "-1". Makes modeling easier.

for beginning I would not use nurbs. but that´s my opinion. I myself tried to start human modeling with nurbs but found polygonal modeling much more intuitive for beginners.

you might get yourself 2 tools which are mighty helpful for organic boxModeling and speed up your workflow tremendously.

- MJPolyTools
- SpinFaces



I know, the hardest part is where the heck to start off? here you can find my own attempts for answering this question in the past.


http://forum.simplymaya.com/showthre...threadid=17571


kind regards!

Where can i get these tools from? Guess i should find them in google or something. Thanks for the thread. Ill have a look at it :)

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I downloaded it and stuck both files on maya>Maya 7.0PLE>Scripts.

But when i type either on the MEL command, it says it can not find the procedure : |

Anyways i was looking at a technique used. http://www.suchyworks.com/textrusion.html Is this what the tools are for?

I personally think that nurbs would be easier for some -- but then again I started modelling in Rhino 3d in my highschool 4-5 or so years back so I'm quite biased. Instead of people needing to visualize what a shape is from a planar-approximation they get the shape directly.

I never had a problem with that, but some did.

hm..

latest version of Giuseppe Improta´s SpineFaces can be found at his website http://www.knower.it/

maybe it doesn´t work with the PLE version?



the PLE version of Mikkel Jans' tools at least you can find at http://www.maya3d.dk/Scripts/MJPolyTools/

If your using Maya seven then just use the split egde ring tool and the duplicate edge tool works the same as the MJPoly tools script

Personally I start off using primitives, cylinders and cubes and then use lattices and shift the vertices around by hand, personally I can can pull out more detail using this method rather than starting out with nurbs, but each to his own, if it works for you then no one else can tell you different