oops... "for" my copy!

yes you can do that. you duplicate your poly object with instance, then you scale the duplicate -1 on x so that they are "connected". now if you work on one side, the other side updates. and now you select the copy, and go to convert->polygons to subdiv options. and there you check "proxy object".

now if you work on the poly version of the one side, the subdiv version will update. only problem is - that you still see on the subdiv object the wireframe. you cannot hide it, as that will hide the poly object as well. and you must not change the subdiv object to standard mode as that will delete the duplicated poly object, and thus the connection of the poly object to the subdiv object gets lost.

maybe there is another way - but this works really easy and good

hope that helps

edit: this only works if you do have subd - as you need at least maya 4.5 if you have complete.

You could try also this:

• Create a Poly cube,
• Convert to SubD,
• Open up a second Perspective window,
• Space-click Poly proxy (or something don´t remember the name exactly) in one of the windows,
• On that window click Show and uncheck SubDs,
• On the other window click Show and uncheck Poly´s.

You should have two perspective windows, one with a poly cage, and one with the subdivision updating. No need even to create instance copies. All done with the same object.

Thanks for writing the PM Howard, I´m currently looking how we could approach the tutorial idea.

wow, adl, that is a great trick :banana:

as i said - maybe there is another way. in maya there is at least 2 ways.

Now, if we could only figure out a way of killing the banana. :cool:

Perhaps the fish and the crab can take him :D

Thanks for the comments and another great tip adl thanks.

The fish body was done with the create poly tool followed by the split poly tool in logical places, then some pushing and pulling, then simplifying the mesh and tidying it up before mirroring it to create the whole. I initially did the same for the tail but I wasn't happy with it so I started with the body and then extruded the fin and tail afterwards. One smoothing iteration then got it smooth as I wanted it and I softened the mirrored joint edge to stop it being a visible line. It's not a very remarkable model but I think it is coming on OK.

Thanks guys- I will try that. I was becoming very frustrated sub'ding and undoing.

H!

Couple of updates;

Had another one but it has moved on since, so deleted it to save space. :)

Lastly, making a start on textures (compression has blurred them a bit but you get the general idea).

Texturing getting there, still the arms to do, testing the texture render with a slightly dark GI Joe. :)

Texture is a map painted in PS using a scaley sort of texture from a site clipped and then cloned to avoid looking too tiled for the skin pattern (with some blending and a highlight layer) and a bit of amateur brushwork for the fins and tail . The inside of the mouth is just a shader with a small bump map, the eyes are the usual fractal shader thingy.

hey witchy, i love the hands - they are very funny and cartoony :)

wow, thats lookin really good.Your gonna beat me I think :( Anyway, Im really bad at texturing and this is the best I can come up with for just now :( Its not very good at all.Anyone got any advice for me? I dont wanna spend ages unwrapping the whole model and painting maps for them. Well here ya go...

And the smoothed version....

Thanks for the comments guys, appreciated.

I think that crab is looking really good myself- I like the edge of the shell and the claw bump in particular. I find the UV thing really quite hard myself but it gets better each time.

I don't know if you need another texture as that one looks fine, but you could try just unwrapping one bit for the practice, after all there's a day left yet! Perhaps just the top of the shell? Go on, you know you want to!