Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 106 24-11-2003 , 12:28 PM
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Chipper !, Thanks. well you don't have to have the ability to create real yet , as you see it all the time so your comments have plenty of merit.. Don't worry if you don't know how or if its possible to fix something you can still say something is wrong there.. love the C+C because it really helps get me better. And often sometimes things are over looked because the artist focused is on such and such at the time...

Yeah know what you mean about the 1st and second renders with the real looking fur.. I like them both.. I like the depth of the first but the hair count on the second one.. I'm not sure about what to do about that just yet..

# 107 24-11-2003 , 12:50 PM
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I like the effect of the hair, but I only have one comment, on the curves you can tell its flat, would 3d paint maybe a nicer aproach?I meen I cant comment to much as I only started a few days back! but on the whole I am mesmorised!


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# 108 24-11-2003 , 01:19 PM
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Thanks Ra1Der.
Well like with the ears.. yeah you can defiantly tell on the edges its flat.. I do plan on having some whiskers, and fussy fur around the nose and ears. Via paint FX, or MayaFur.. I'm not sure yet.. that should alleviate most of that problem.. for most of the rest of the horse.. there are a couple of things.. 1) I don't plan on getting that closes up to the horse normally. (I'm only getting this closes to get opinion about how good it looks. that way when I'm farther away I don't have to wander. 2). really when you look at close ups of horses.. or in life.. there fur really smooth during the summer months. So you don't see fur like affects on the edges.. (except for hoofs, nose, ears, eyelashes, tail and main). You do see a lot of secular glare and velvetish hazes.. during the colder months though they really start the shag affect and I wouldn't get away with this thin that’s for sure..
Also, man there fur is really close knit to the body. This is one of the main reasons I think trying to fur a horse completely with Maya Fur just gives it fits.. I haven't ever seen a dog that has such short smooth fur, as a horse dose..
Not at all saying your wrong at all..thease are just things that I have really become aware of when trying to recreate the reality of a horse.. this is just my take on it.. feel free to comment on even this that I say.

and "mesmerized" thanks! that’s rather inspiring to hear words like that about my stuff. I appreciate it much.

# 109 24-11-2003 , 01:23 PM
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Taking into concideration of what you said I agree, what age is the horse? I was going to say that maybe some areas perhaps could have some slight fuzzy effects was the horse made in curves ?


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# 110 24-11-2003 , 01:39 PM
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Just a quick thought Pony,
have you tried using your bump map as a displacement map? takes a little longer to render, but those highlights would then react naturaly with the lights and give the surface more depth when shadows are added to the lights.

Coming very very well my friend!

# 111 24-11-2003 , 01:40 PM
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The age I think is pretty young, like 4 maybe.. its the one Arwen is riding in the first LOTR's.. He looks rather young, with a lot of care and good food in him. Slight and well padded for a stallion, I would think. That must be stardom for a horse though.. cushy barn, all the fresh hay he could eat probly..
Like what kind of areas ? would be interested to know more..

no the horse was made buy a create poly. did the outline.. thin split poly.. I did that where I wanted all the faces to be.. thin I just pulled it out like a accordion.. works fast, well, and with a damn clean poly mesh. you can kinda see me doing just that on the first page or to of the tread.. I don't remember exactly now. I have a lot more pic's of it under construction laying around also.

# 112 24-11-2003 , 01:44 PM
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Hay Chris. thats a thought.. but with so many hairs on it.. I would think it would really bog down the times.. but hay.. its worth a try right ? There is still so much to do.. really am hoping I could get hair on it for the main and tail like iceQueen has for the beard on Gandalf. They are great. wandering if you can do things like change the tip colors though.

# 113 24-11-2003 , 02:24 PM
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The paint fx for hair can be really good but take a lot of working with to achieve the look you want. I've dabled with it Gollums hair. You can attach a brush description to a curve for more control over thier direction. and yes you can apply ramps to colour and effect speculrity as well as a host of other twidley fiddley bits.

# 114 24-11-2003 , 02:41 PM
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Another thing to consider with all this tiny detail.... Detail is great, but with the pull back of the camera and the more than likely full shot you are going to have of the horse, are you going to be able to see all this detail?? Do a test . If it's a close up then fair enough, I'm just a slave to TV Production, and this is one of the first things I ask of myself before I spend the time. Maybe your time could be spent on other more important detail. Displacement is fine, but your more than likely going to pull your own hair out by the time you've finished your test renders! Just something to consider because I know that getting pulled into the detail can get you lost in time and perspective and when all is done and the detail cannot be seen it's a bummer! Check my thread for the paintfx derections I used on Gandalf.

# 115 24-11-2003 , 02:42 PM
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P.S, your horse is looking really great! Fantastic job user added image

# 116 24-11-2003 , 03:47 PM
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Thanks Chris.
IceQueen, thanks.

Warning, possible useless babble fallows..
I checked out the instructions about paintFX and there just the ticket.. about the detail. First I would like to say I very much respect your opinion. Seeing as your in TVproduction. I would love to be getting paid for something.. LOL but this is why I'm going to state all this.. because you would know if I'm out on a limb with it.. I'm fighting a three way battle hear.. 1. I'm prone to dabbling with projectionist little tweaks.. (not good in the long run) 2. I do try to keep down on the level of detail.. doesn’t always work.. 3. and three .. well I'm going some on the concept of subpixilation. Like the difference between camcorder video and film. Even after adjusting the contrast, color, and frame rate of video it still doesn’t quiet have that film feel to it.. because of the film grain. People don't notice it much at all unless its a really bad grainy seen in the film. but I know its film because something in the back of there mind says its film.. subconsciously we see the grain that is there.
So buy doing some details that you would think doesn’t really appear much or matter, I'm hoping in the end the fact that they are nearly imperceptibly mixed will help with the realism feel. Or at least quality..
am I making any sense hear or is it one of my hair brained ideas.. ?
also I'm not sure where that line is where I'm helping the subpixilation or I'm wasting my time with to much detail.
one more little thing.. I really don't know how to paint the texture lower res and have it look convincing.. I am finding it easier to understand and express how it should look if I'm down there twiddling with the hairs.. which can be a pain.

I give long responses don't I ?? hope you all don't mind reading them.


Last edited by Pony; 24-11-2003 at 03:50 PM.
# 117 25-11-2003 , 07:39 AM
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# 118 25-11-2003 , 07:59 AM
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Pony... damn dude!


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# 119 25-11-2003 , 08:40 AM
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Wow...nice!
Now you will add a tail and a crest and voila the hors is finished!!!
Cheers user added image


"Imagination is more important than knowledge" A.Einstein
# 120 25-11-2003 , 02:42 PM
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Really coming on nicely Pony!

I'm not sure weather it's the lighting or too much detail in the texture ( or even my eyes, been at the screen too long) but it looks a little statuesque to me at the moment. Looks fine in close up though, so maybe just a tad too much detail. I'll take another look after my eyes have had a good rest.

Keep it up user added image

ps. I should have posted this on Simply Photo, lovely painting there, will have a closer look and better reply later.


Last edited by Chris_H; 25-11-2003 at 02:44 PM.
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