Topology practice for caracter - Page 3 - Simply Maya User Community

# 31 28-08-2008 , 12:09 AM

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I would just do it in maya to be honest. I cant see the point of sculpting the form, then making a mesh from it, then probably sculpting it again to add detials.

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# 32 28-08-2008 , 12:13 AM

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Yes well since i wont be animating it, it doesn really matter, also i've seen when i extrude the abs in maya it doesn't look very organic and when i try to sculpt the extruded abs in zbrush it doesn look as realistic as sculptin from a simple body like this.

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# 33 28-08-2008 , 05:24 AM

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Hmm dont rely on the software alone to save you doing stuff.
You took the model this far already. Its generally better practice to actually do them in maya first then apply Zb to enhance it after. You can alway re-export the base level again anyway...

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# 34 28-08-2008 , 06:56 AM

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Nah! You can sculpt your mesh in ZBrush. Nail all the forms and muscles. Then simply Retopologize the mesh to better conform to the shape.

A very popular method is to build a rough base mesh. sculpt out your character, then simply retopologize it. Or build a more topologically correct mesh in Maya. Import it into ZBrush Subdivide it 3 or 4 times, then simply transfer the details from one mesh to the other.

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# 35 28-08-2008 , 04:32 PM

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We must be old Jay.

Again Mayaniac, your letting the software do the work, if you didnt have Z3 you'd be boned. What would happen if you only had Maya or Max about in the studio?

For me a sound understanding of constructing the forms FROM the base and building from there gives a MUCH better understanding of topology and character creation, retopologising isnt the same you dont get the feeling of the forms as your building. I sort of get the feeling that the usage of Z is sort of making people lazy, probably the way its gonna go, its faster, but the top modelers dont need it to get stunning results.

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# 36 28-08-2008 , 04:53 PM

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Originally posted by gster123
We must be old Jay.

Again Mayaniac, your letting the software do the work, if you didnt have Z3 you'd be boned. What would happen if you only had Maya or Max about in the studio?

For me a sound understanding of constructing the forms FROM the base and building from there gives a MUCH better understanding of topology and character creation, retopologising isnt the same you dont get the feeling of the forms as your building. I sort of get the feeling that the usage of Z is sort of making people lazy, probably the way its gonna go, its faster, but the top modelers dont need it to get stunning results.

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Also I think the torso seems a bit long.

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# 37 28-08-2008 , 05:03 PM

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Well to me the most "artistic" way is to make o very low base mesh and export it into zbrush because i will test your anatomy skills and you wont be fighting the topology. As i said i have tried to create the topology in maya but this way looks much more organic. Here i have worked some more on the abs and rib cage.

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# 38 28-08-2008 , 05:30 PM

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just an opinion, his pecs look a little low, almost like old man droopy pecs *shrug*

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# 39 28-08-2008 , 05:38 PM

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The midsection is too long, period. And the relation of the bellybutton to the "penis area" is strange.

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# 40 28-08-2008 , 05:40 PM

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For an anatomical artistic study yes, use all the polys you can, where you just want to sculpt a form (I would have just used Zspheres and then gone from there in that case).

For a topology study (which the title suggests) then no, build up from the base, if you get the base correct before going into zbrush then you dont need to fight the topology, it will work with you, if your just looking at topology then why use Zbrush at all?

In all honesly the I feel the most artistic stuff in 3d is where the lower sub division levels describe most of the form and look correct, Z's pass is the icing on the cake to "ping out" the detials, not to make the base, have a look at some of Steven Stahlberg's works Antropus Costa's too, they get superb anatomy from the base mesh.

Anyway its your model and your study

Gect, yeah haha.

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# 41 28-08-2008 , 06:08 PM

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Thanks for the comments, here i've made some tweaks to the model, made his pecs higher, and also moved the abs higher.

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# 42 28-08-2008 , 06:26 PM

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Looks okay but its not topology practice if you arent doing topology.

Again doing correct topo is always going to benefit the model in and out of Zbrush etc plus the model will deform properly or better if its ever posed or animated...this I cant stress enough!!

Edge Loops are key to this!!!

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# 43 28-08-2008 , 06:30 PM

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Well as i said i was intending to redo the topology, and i know that is important to have a good topology when animating, getting most af the muscles in there, and i just want to try this method and see how it works. I think that i have finished the abs, also moved the rib cage up a bit, think i will go to the back if everyone thinks it looks okay

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