Maya 2020 fundamentals - modelling the real world
Get halfway through a model and find it's an unworkable mess? Can't add edge loops where you need them? Can't subdivide a mesh properly? If any of this sounds familiar check this course out.
# 1 22-11-2006 , 12:55 PM
MattTheMan's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fairfield, CT
Posts: 2,436

Dune Worm

Hi!
I haven't done an organic model in a very long time, and I am reading the book Dune by Frank Herbert, the sci-fi classic. That book is really good, and so I'm inspired to model the gigantic sand worms from the book.

I've pulled up some "references" and I will start modeling very soon!

user added image
user added image
user added image
user added image
user added image

I actually found this on Wikipedia- info about the sandworms from the book:

"Sandworms are presumed to be animals, most likely related to Terran annelids, though probably only through convergent evolution. They are cylindrical creatures with no significant appendages, though with trifaceted jaws. The Encyclopedia of Dune's identification of their genus as "Geonemotodium" is most likely invalid, as the segmentation is like that of the terrestrial annelids, rather than simple round-worm nematodes. Like terrestrial annelids, each segment has its own autonomous nervous control; they are described as being "incredibly tough." Thus, a worm can only be killed by electrocution of every segment, by another sandworm, or by exposure to a large enough amount of water (poisonous to the adult sandworm). It also is hinted at in the original novel that a nuclear explosion might be capable of destroying one.

Sandworms grow up to hundreds of meters in length. The largest worms officially observed reach 400 meters in length and 40 meters diameter, although Paul Atreides becomes a sandrider by summoning a worm around half a league in length or 2,778 meters.[1] As the worms seem to retain an aspect ratio of 10:1 of body length to diameter, thus, a worm encountered in the deep desert by Muad'Dib that had an oral diameter of 80 meters could have been as long as 800. These gigantic worms burrow deep in the ground and their constant motion around Arrakis is presumed to be the cause for the sand covering the globe."


Live the life you love, love the life you live
# 2 22-11-2006 , 01:11 PM
arran's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 3,708
nice idea matt - user added image

That first image looks like hr geiger - it would be cool to give it that kind of look.

good luck with this one!

# 3 22-11-2006 , 01:54 PM
Acid44
Guest
Posts: n/a
the first pic looks like hes eating a big black wang...

nice idea though

# 4 22-11-2006 , 02:04 PM
NeoStrider's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Posts: 1,541
lol yea acid i was thinkin the same thing...

i think the texturing and the mouth will be the most interesting things... do you plan on animating the sandworm as well?

you could throw in a few thumpers for good measure, too user added image


Accept no substitutions.
# 5 22-11-2006 , 02:06 PM
gster123's Avatar
Moderator
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Manchester Uk
Posts: 6,300
Nice Idea, be good for a texturing excercise, think the modeling would be quite simple (he says, as it will probably end up quite involved depending on how much detail you put in)


"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle
# 6 22-11-2006 , 02:33 PM
MattTheMan's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fairfield, CT
Posts: 2,436
thanks, but yeah, I do plan on animating it eating something. The mouth is going to be a challenge user added image

wip 1- head and a tiny bit of detailing

Attached Thumbnails

Live the life you love, love the life you live
# 7 22-11-2006 , 02:41 PM
t1ck135's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 1,991
nice topic to choose MattTheMan, the book is a really good read and gives a nice 'different' persective to the film (i.e, using your imagination).
The first one does look giger'esque and in fact he did a bit of concept work for the film but parted from them over some disagreement or other projects (cant quite remember)
The basic shape should be straightforward and it would be nice to see the mouth rigged if you're going for the film look. The texturing or extra detail on the giger reference would
give the creature a lot more character.

Good luck user added image


Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net
# 8 22-11-2006 , 02:43 PM
NeoStrider's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Posts: 1,541
i think the mouth opening goes too far into the body compared with your picture references... i always thought of it as the same as looking at a hollow point bullet. right where it starts curving in is where the opening begins.


Accept no substitutions.
# 9 22-11-2006 , 03:57 PM
MattTheMan's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fairfield, CT
Posts: 2,436
I did some more work user added image

I don't think I'm going to go far into detail, I just want to texture and animate this baby user added image

I want to take a long time animating the sand particles to make it realistic, the model itself doesn't require to be super-realistic user added image

user added image


Live the life you love, love the life you live
# 10 22-11-2006 , 04:10 PM
mirek03's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,752
looks pretty amazing, now for something completely differant...


take it easy and life will be easy
# 11 22-11-2006 , 05:51 PM
MattTheMan's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fairfield, CT
Posts: 2,436
thanks user added image

btw I was bored so I painted a dune worm in photshop user added image

Attached Thumbnails

Live the life you love, love the life you live
# 12 22-11-2006 , 06:04 PM
mirek03's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,752
bored, i know that feeling, but i like the unfinished 3D one better than THE PHOTOSHOP ONE, YOU JUST HAD TO GET THAT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM RIGHT? whoops hit caps lock by mistake.
looks like you were into it for a few days, theres some nice detail there. the drawing looks more like a flower than a dune worm lol user added image

maybe you should of put the 3D image into photo shop and worked with that, whats it called 2 1/2 D or some thing, everything has a label these days, it just cant be called some thing simple like 'a drawing' everything has become specialised into the point of stupid.

was a good effort though, are you still going to finish it?


take it easy and life will be easy

Last edited by mirek03; 22-11-2006 at 06:07 PM.
# 13 22-11-2006 , 06:09 PM
mirek03's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,752
hey acid, what's a 'whang??' user added image


take it easy and life will be easy
# 14 22-11-2006 , 06:15 PM
arran's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 3,708
er.. check between your legs. If it's a geiger than it's supposed to look like that.

Nice drawing matt.user added image

# 15 22-11-2006 , 06:18 PM
mirek03's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,752
man, thats some big 'whang' that would scare a few of the err, girl worms wouldn't it?? or is that what is happening in the scene, dune worm porno??


take it easy and life will be easy
Posting Rules Forum Rules
You may not post new threads | You may not post replies | You may not post attachments | You may not edit your posts | BB code is On | Smilies are On | [IMG] code is On | HTML code is Off

Similar Threads