Trex Modeling Maya

In the first couple of weeks of our spring term we had to model a T-Rex, Through the model I learnt how to edge extrude alot easier, this helped out a great deal when it came to modeling my spaceship for our game in unity. I also benefited from other ways of extruding by using the scale tool this really worked well when creating the eye of the T-Rex.

Here is the building process throughout the model:

Star Trek Model

At the start of the year, one of our first projects was to copy the Maya images are recreate the main StarShip from StarTrek, I really enjoyed doing this as this was my first time I was able to copy images in Maya and turn them into 3D first hand. One my tool I profited from using while doing this method was the see through tool shown in Maya which aloud me to get the correct measurements from the images and put them into the model.

Here are the images from the model:

Life drawing - 2

Life drawing - 1

When it comes to life drawing, it always feels like a new environment everytime I visit, I still haven't got over the atmosphere of the room when it comes to the drawing the nude model, however I do feel I have benefitted from the lessons with improving my human/character proportions along with my overall knowledge of using different types of media liek charcoal, chalk and ink.
Here are some of my drawings from this term.






In this photo, I was asked to use 3 different types of media. The first image of the left I used charcoal, followed by pencil and the Biro pen.

Character model.

When I heard we had to create a character model for our end of term assignment I was quite excited to create the model as I always look forward to the next step when it comes to 3D. While doing this assignment I have learnt how to bridge polys alot easier along with going in depth with edge extruding and really making a complicated shape out of nothing.

One concept I feel I have benefited from in the character model is how you can use edge extruding to reform different shapes to make the model look more in depth, here I was able to edge extrude the arm of the model.

When it came to modeling the head, I found this one of the most complicated parts as I found it hard to adjust the size of the head to the rest of model, in the end I managed to finish it correctly however I feel if I had the opportunity to redo the head of the model I jump at the chance as I feel the head really let down the model over look as a whole.

StarShip Design

When me and my group started our design I was determined to design the main fighter starship, I always want to learn and improve, creating new things in Maya and this felt like the first milestone of becoming better at Maya as it was an independent project as there were no guidelines apart from my imagination.
The first goal I set myself was to look at some designs and see how I could make something different and unique to the other spaceships used in video games and films like Star Wars and Star Trek.
Here is my research:

My original thought when designing my spaceship was to go with the Star Wars X-Wing Design in the top right of the image above but when I got the back end of the ship in Maya I realised that it may be easier to go with a different approached I'm glad I followed my gut doing this as I made my design more unique.

Here is my Photo Shop Concept:

After looking back at this I tried adding a backdrop to my spaceship so it wasn't floating of the page here is my final concept design, if I had more time on this project I feel I should of done a different view point to really show my concept more clearly.

Here is the building process of my starship in Maya:

 I first Started of with the front I felt this would give me a good estimate on the size of my spaceship and how much further I would need to go back, In the second image I decided to work on the back of the ship, if I had the back and one of the sides done I could then copy and paste the other side and go back and more gun turrets to really finish of my overall design,

In the final screenshot is the angle the ship will been seen from inside the game.

Lava Monster

When Creating the Lava monster I found it quite hard to blend the colours of the lava to really give my monster some variety of fire and warmth towards him, I feel my art style didn't really fit with how the monster looked, If I had to change the way he looked I would of gave the lava more variety of colour.

I feel this image looks to rushed compared to my other images as the lava drips really don't blend well with the picture, I would like to make it look more realistic I also feel the backdrop of the black doesn't really blend well with the image either.

Frog Design

When I first heard about designing a Humanoid frog I was a little bit puzzled on where to start, I had a look at a couple of frog designs and I felt it I went for a rain forest frog then I could really pick up the real characteristics of what a frog looks like, this being the bright red eyes and green body, then I realised this couldn't be any old frog I needed to give it a theme and that is when I thought of the wild west and the film Rango where I could copy the parts of the design and really make it my own.

When I was first thinking out how the figure of my design would look I felt it would be easy to draw up a quick design of the different images I have found until I got a build I liked, it took me a couple of times to get the proportions correct on the face before I built down into the body and legs.

As I worked my way down to the legs I realised it would be quite hard to try and work out how to position my frog on the page as his legs were quite hard to put on the ground this is where I had the idea to have him sitting in bar the arms could lean back on the bar with a glass in his hands and his legs could just dangle from the seat. 

If I had more time on this image I would go back finish of it completely give it a nice looking backdrop and also work on the design of his arms and legs, I feel that I could improve the way he is holding the glass along with making the legs a little bit more realistic.

Lizard Monster

When colouring the lizard monster I enjoyed learning how to blur different colours together through Photoshop I feel that blending colours can make an image look more professional and really give it an image a different look.
I started the image by colouring a base layer of the image shown here:

 I then added another layer of light brown and slowly built on it multiple times blending until I got a design which I quite liked, from that i then kept adding different colours of brown and grey until the last layer where I started adding hints of white into the picture I did this with parts of the weapon and then on the right arm with then adding a shadow to the feet and back blur so it wasn't floating on the page.

Pixel Art

When doing pixel Art I had great fun learning different techniques on how to get the correction proportions when creating low resolution images. One main concept of pixel art I feel I have benefited and learnt from is how you can create and image and blend colour really well without having a huge variety of colours in the image from the beginning. 

Here is my fire Hydrant:

On the left is my first image initial image, I felt it was easier to do this as I new that I had the proportions correct which I could then copy and paste image from the left and than redo it in colour. I did this with both designs along with my robot as I felt it was the best way to get measurements correct and more easy to do.

Here is the Research and final design of my Robot.

Here is the final design:

MudBox TRex/Spinosaurus Model

When I first starting using MudBox I found it quite easy to pick up how to use the tools as I found the interface quite user friendly, all the main buttons were shown in the bottom of the screen with labels on the icons to show me the user what which button did.

One of the main advantages I have learnt using Mudbox is how you can really go into fine detail with a model making it unique to your design rather than just an ordinary model that could may look the same to any old design.

Here is the face of my Model.

When it came to the body of my model I wanted to give my dinosaur something different to the design, so I tried turning my Trex into a Spinosaurus by giving it some different features I did this by researching different images of Spinosuaras images.

From these images I notice a few different features the Spinosaures had different from the Trex its nose was a lot longer, the dinosaur also had spots along its back and also had a lot less teeth.

Here is the dinosaur in full:

If I had to look back at this model I would try and improve the shape and make the dinosaur alot longer after looking back at the screenshot I have noticed it hasn't been shot a great angle, I would also try and go into more detail on the arms and legs, however I feel I am not experienced enough to use Mudbox and that level until I spend a little more time learning the other key features on the program.