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.
# 1 29-09-2007 , 10:32 AM
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Fish - Need Help

Hey,
i am currently modelling a fish character for an illustration piece with the catch-line 'Strange but true'

The fact is -
'The oldest ever goldfish lived to 41 years old' - i know it sounds like a daft assignment and i agree that its bloody silly, so i decided to use Maya for more of an effect, the thing is i am struggling to model a fish in the 'pixar/finding nemo/cartoon' style that i want it to be in.

This is a 'very' rough draft, i would greatly apprciate any kind of help/ideas of how to make this fish feel more human/cartoon and also to make him seem older...i am already working on a zimmer-frame for him but to be honest i am shit out of ideas at the moment, my modelling skills are poor to say the least as i consider myself more of an animator than modeller, and it seems that all you guys know what your doing, so hence why i am here for some expert tips/advice.

Cheers!![IMG]"https://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6761130"[/IMG]

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# 2 29-09-2007 , 11:10 AM
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Well, first off, you should try to find some references of some old looking fish to work from.(Probably not the easiest find.) This way you won't be totally lost if something goes wrong. It looks pretty cartoony now, but you could give it a little grey beard to show that its old. I found a pic that might help though. Notice that the scales are very pronounced and the skin is pretty wrinkly. Also, the fins are a lot bonier than usual. This first fish is 50 million years old, so dont go too far with this one.

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"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

George Bernard Shaw - Man and Superman

Last edited by AnthonyCg; 29-09-2007 at 11:14 AM.
# 3 29-09-2007 , 11:12 AM
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This fish is much younger with healthier fins and much smoother skin.

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"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

George Bernard Shaw - Man and Superman
# 4 30-09-2007 , 01:22 AM
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There is aloot of problems at the moment with that model, will get my red marker when I get home from work. user added image

# 5 04-10-2007 , 09:19 AM
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cheers for the advice you really helped!

Although i have goone with a more stylized fish character, for an advert-assignment i was given, here is what its looking like thus far.

user added image

# 6 04-10-2007 , 09:23 AM
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cheers for the advice you really helped!

Although i have goone with a more stylized fish character, for an advert-assignment i was given, here is what its looking like thus far.

https://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6806063

starting on an animation project needing to model a sheep soon so i maybe asking for some help soon =p

# 7 04-10-2007 , 10:00 PM
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Well this object has alot of flaws, you should start with doing the part that you think will be the most detailed, the eye for an example so that you dont stand there with a good model and realise that you cant do the eyes with that poly count. user added image

Second of all, you should "attach" the fins so you dont have that ugly line there, you should also make it thiner by the end of the fins. And what is that thing at the "main fin" looks like a miner fin in the larger fin or something. user added image

user added image

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