W.I.P - My path into the 3D modeling world - Follow my 1 year progression here
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Hey guys!
My name is Evan, I'm learning 3D modeling by myself at home with a strict weekly schedule of at least 40h a week that I've build by myself. I've gathered the most resource as i could and creating a 1 year and a half program with variety subject.
I'm going to try to share here everything I can and that I judge useful for someone who would learn modeling by himself later (By example: difficulty that I've faced and how did I have solve them, how to regain motivation when you're about to give up, books to buy, website, tutorial, experience, etc.)
This post is going to show you my progression through my learning process! All C&C are welcome!
If you want to know more about my background, go read this post: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136542
Feel free to send me a message or to reply in this thread, if you have a question about my 1 year program or anything, I'm very friendly and it would be a pleasure to help someone if I can! You can also follow me on my facebook page: http://goo.gl/yQ0spc
My name is Evan, I'm learning 3D modeling by myself at home with a strict weekly schedule of at least 40h a week that I've build by myself. I've gathered the most resource as i could and creating a 1 year and a half program with variety subject.
I'm going to try to share here everything I can and that I judge useful for someone who would learn modeling by himself later (By example: difficulty that I've faced and how did I have solve them, how to regain motivation when you're about to give up, books to buy, website, tutorial, experience, etc.)
This post is going to show you my progression through my learning process! All C&C are welcome!
If you want to know more about my background, go read this post: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136542
Feel free to send me a message or to reply in this thread, if you have a question about my 1 year program or anything, I'm very friendly and it would be a pleasure to help someone if I can! You can also follow me on my facebook page: http://goo.gl/yQ0spc
Replies
First touch with Maya
First character (MAYA)
RC Car V1.0 (MAYA)
PreViz (MAYA)
From here I've switched from MAYA to MAX and started my new life schedule at the same time (See background thread)
First time with Max
RC Car 2.0 (MAX)
Kitchen 2.0 (MAX)
Knife (MAX)
Axe (MAX)
Backpack (MAX)
Bathroom part, I did it only by pulling edge (MAX)
Portable TV (MAX)
Monkey modeling (MAX)
Girl Modeling (MAX)
(for further tips&tricks I want to share soon)
(for further tips&tricks I want to share soon)
(For further Tips&Tricks I want to share soon)
awesome models.
Thank you buddy!
I've ordered Anatomy for sculptor book to do some anatomy study, I cant wait to receive it, the book will help me a lot
Any C&C are welcome!
Hand is looking a bit unnatural. The fingers come out from the hand at an arc. Look at your knuckles, they don't create a straight line. The hand itself is curved and is rarely ever flattened out that much. Take a look at your own hand from the side, and just observe the shapes of the palm, the curves, where the thumb attaches, etc.
Honestly my hands are very hmmm... Not representative of ''normal'' hands if I can say? Haha, I have farmer hands with curved fingers, lots of nerve, fatless and very crisp/dry with scratches.
It's the first time I'm doing a complete character without following a tutorial, just doing it by myself and now I really see the importance of a solid anatomy knowledge.
The book I've ordered yesterday: https://www.anatomy4sculptors.com/store.php , I'm already using the website ressources but the book seems a lot more complete.
Honestly, this app is SO much more powerful that i was thinking! I was watching livestream of people doing sculpting in it, but I've never realise how powerful Zbrush was powerful before really doing some sculpt in it by myself... I understand about 1% of this software and he already blow my mind. It's awesome to see how naturel and creative this software is...I was intimidated to start working with it at first, but now I'm already in love with it and I'm having so much fun!
Feel free to add me on skype or to be added to the hard surface skype group. alexrodriguez3d i am now working on complex environments and models which is my next 6 months. I only do 4 half hours a day to allow for breaks and small recaps 40 hour is good but ease into it
Tell me more about it:
How many hours were you doing a day?
Were you only watching the video once?
Would you have any advice to give me?
I actually follow the steps while watching and put the video on pause to do what he does on my own project. It's an average of 1.60X the time of the original video. You did about 105 hours every month, wow! I'm doing about 20-25hours/week because of the time it takes when i stop the video to practice.
Thank you Alex!
They don't count the hours you re-watched the videos though so once you see it once the hours are logged (not too important I mostly use it to stay on track and so I can use each day to it fullest).
I was doing 4 hours a day for around 21-26 hours a week not as high as 40 but I will forget and not retain as much information if I did decide to do more hours. Now that I have a better understanding in what I am doing I can push the high hours as I don't need to pause as much to retain information.
I kept tracked I did 1,356 hours that whole year, now im working 4 hours and 30 minutes a day. Think I raise it 30 minutes every 3 months but do what you feel best it what worked out for me. I just went to the Maya and Photoshop section and picked out all the beginner and moved up to intermediate now I am on the advanced but stopped as tutorial models will only get you so far.
I started the hard surface on January and took Monday/Tuesday/sometimes Wednesday to knock them out week by week. The rest of the days was spent back in Digital Tutors knocking out the lesson I had set
Thanks for the answer Alex!
I'm actually doing an average of 8 hours a day and it can reach 10-11 hours but I'm not ''overheating'' my brain, I'm conscious that the brain have restricted hours of concentration but when I feel like I'm out, I just go take a walk or eat something, work on another software, do some free modeling or something, read a book... I'm doing the hardest task first and then I'm going lower to lower till I hit 5pm and sometime when I really feel good I'm doing an extra 2-3 hours after the meal.
So yes maybe I'm doing 8 or 11 hours of study everyday but at all I'm maybe doing 4 or 6 or 8 hours of D-T on Monday... It depend of many things, how great was my sleep last night, how I feel, how is my focus etc.
At all I'm really impressed of what you've did! Nice schedule man, it's cool to know i'm not the only one learning with this kind of discipline!
And just to give a little bit of feedback on what I'm doing, I've worked a little bit on M
So here's my latest update, I was struggling a lot with UV Unwrap and was actually unable to do a descent one, but I think I finaly understand how make one. It's a pretty simple model but is that correct? Any opinion on it ?
Thanks!
Here's a quick project I've made on Digital-tutors, a recap of the basic is good sometimes!
Ps: I should not exported it as a png because I've losted the background image, but next time I'll know! We learn by doing mistakes right
keep it up!
Sincerely, thank you for your comment! Every single comments help me to keep my motivation and to push harder! I wish you an excellant week-end my friend and to everyone who is reading this.
PS: Yes, it's in my plan to learn Zbrush, but more later, I want to master Max firstly
i saw a big shift when you switched from max to maya and i liked your kitchen model (i work in arch viz).
i dont see any texturing work yet although your rendering is nice in some shots like the max rc car and the phone.
id do like these guys suggest and get on sculpting, and from me start unwrapping models and producing custom textures.
Hey Phaeton!
Thank you a lot for your comment I really appreciate that you've taken time to write me a comment!
Yes you say true, I'm late on learning texturing and UV unwraping. When I've started max, I had a hard time to learn how to unwrap a model properly but now I've get it and I love to do it! My next models are going to have more and more texture on them!
Yes, sculpting for sure, it's so fun to do and also so useful!
Have a good day my friend!
Not so bad, not so good!
EDIT: As you can see, my idea was very clear for the front part of the gun, but for the back part I've didnt think about anything and that's why next time I'll take more time to think about my concept before modeling it. I've did not use any reference image for it.
With more time and research I would propably be able to do a better model, but it was a fantastic practice to really put some pressure on my skills and knowledge in 3Ds max and see what I can deliver with a strict deadline. It's a clear start line to see my improvement in the next couple weeks/months. I clearly need more speed and precision, but time is going to do it for me!
Not perfection, just amelioration
Yeah I totaly agree with you, thanks for your comment! It's approximately what I've wrote in my post-modeling analyse
''As you can see, my idea was very clear for the front part of the gun, but for the back part I've didnt think about anything and that's why next time I'll take more time to think about my concept before modeling it. I've did not use any reference image for it.
With more time and research I would propably be able to do a better model, but it was a fantastic practice to really put some pressure on my skills and knowledge in 3Ds max and see what I can deliver with a strict deadline. It's a clear start line to see my improvement in the next couple weeks/months. I clearly need more speed and precision, but time is going to do it for me!
Not perfection, just amelioration ''
Started from a sphere and tryed different brushes.
Zbrush is definitely a very fun tool to use, I can't wait to start learning it!
Keep sharing man, it's all very inspiring.
Thank you man, it really support me!
Not perfection, just amelioration
The reference:
Love the shader, but after rethinking about it, I've forget to leave space behind the rim for the brake to fit in