I need help with character modeling
 

I cant seem to remember how to model a character in maya anymore, I tried that simple man tutorial but it didnt turn out great when I edited its polygons to make a more "muscular" look to it.

Does anybody here on this board have any suggestions/tutorials/methods/interfacelayout that can help me model a decent character, I also tried taht hobbitguy's tutorial but it didnt work out as good, therefore im back to square 1.

thanks in advance.

Try starting with a subdiv cylinder. Right-click and go to Poly mode, then rotate it so the single sides of the upright face sideways and the double faced sides face forwards and backwards. Now delete all the interior edges on the top and bottom of the cylinder. Select the bottom face and extrude down to start the legs. Make sure you have Keep Faces Together checked in the Poly menus.

Once you have extruded the face, split the bottom face, create a very thin "crotch" area, then select the outside faces on that same bottom and extrude down for the legs. Extrude a few times to create the upper legs, then knees, the lower legs, the ankles, then the feet. Extrude the feet out, then split the front faces and extrude your toes.

Now go up and create your upper body by extruding the top face for the neck, extrude and scale in a couple of times to get a neck and draw the shoulders in. Now just pick the faces on opposite side to pull the arms out. Remember to extrude for each part, the upper arm, the part above the elbows, the elbows, the part after the elbows, the part before the wrist, the wrist, then the hand. Then split the front of the hands and extrude out 4 finger on each one. Split the side of the hand to pull out thumbs and rotate into place.

Now start playing with faces to get a better shape. Once you are happy, go to Standard Mode and work on the control points to shape even more, refine points as you need to.

Just an excellent way to model characters in my view :) I'm going to write a tut for here showing all this soon! But at least this should get you started :)

Darkon

P.S. Just noticed I told you to rotate the cylinder the wrong way, as it stands now is how I do it, thanks :)

Modeling is probably one of the more subjective and individual parts of 3D Method... everyone has a way that they like and no way is wrong or right... it all depends on the individual. The only thing I can tell you is to practice with it... try different methods... try making up your own method. See where it takes you.

I know Raul tends to disagree :p but I like to just start with a cube and rough the shape out, adding detail as I go. That's poly-modeling of course. If I were to create a nurbs characer, I'd start with a sphere or cylinder... depending on the shape of the character in question.

That's my method. :)

ha ha no no im on your side mike.

When I model I make sure I have good Image plane, then I start with a simple nurbs cylinder (height and spans = 4x4) then I make sure the histrory is deleted.

Then I position the hulls on strategic places and then adjust the vertex. When ths is done you will have a global outline on the model. And now we add Isoparm. Do not add 5 sections in the same area, but look for isoparms that have big gaps between them and add them first. Always adjust the vertex afterward.

If you do this slowly your model will appear with the proper detail.

Hey Killer. Protheus has got a point. Don't try and do any character modeling without an image plane. I'm new to Maya too and I am working on a male model that I had no image plane for. Let me tell you. If I knew then what I know now? I'd have this damn thing done. But key to "pulling", "pushing" and "bending" your character is to do it uniformly. Like, if your going to move a point on the right shoulder, multi select the exact same point on the left shoulder and move it to. If you want to see an early post of my man you can paste this link in your brower.
http://www.simplymaya.co.uk/forums/s...=&threadid=741

well you can try it without the image plane but it is going to be difficult because you do not have a reference point.

And the man tutorial is an excellent way to start learning modeling in maya !

Try to model in other 3d sofware, and export it in maya, its much easier if your out of time:)

traitor! lol, j/k

So far, Maya's modeling tools have been the easiest for me to pick up. :p

To each his own....

welcome to SM davidjon.. :p
emm.. other 3d software..? WHAT..!?!? hehe jk lol

mtmckinley is right modeling is easy.. I thought is was going to be hard but with the right image plane I can model "almost" everything.... well the next step is now animating the model !

cool, thanks everyone, I am thinking of using a different program to model my character, what programs would you reccommend?

I have used a number of 3d progs in the past, a few good ones I came across for modeling were Animation Master, Poser, DreamWorks and Cinema4d. I might go back to animation master, but I cant seem to find any tutorials, but its a good modeling program. Zbrush is kinda hard to use and I cant find any modeling tuturoails for that one as well.

As for the ideas that eveyone has posted here, I have tried those ideas out long before you guys mentioned them, I am not used to the maya's interface for modeling, but I am used to it for animation though.

once again, thanks for all ur help.

well... in time you get used to the interface and then you will see it is all you will want and need

im used to the interface, its just that I dont like the way the modelign aspect is setup, it looks out of order, however I do like using it to create "easy way made" monsters, rendering, and animation. Other then that, its ok. Do you know any good modelign programs.

hmmmm.... how about ..... MAYA !