I usually start with a box or cylinder, nothing else. And I really sucked at textures for the longest time, still do really. I favour using procedural textures rather than jpegs, probably from working with Vue before max.

For the toolbox, I just made it up as I went along, I'll post an image of the wine bottle and toolbox for you.

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--Matt

Yeh, I'd say start with simple shapes rather than massive scenes. You've done the switch which is pretty basic so i't time to move up a notch. Why don't you try and model your computer or monitor, something that's fairly simple and right in front of you now. Maybe a speaker or something like that.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

thanks very much by the varnishedotter love the toolbox and the wineglass and bottle looks amazing thanks for the tips. If you dont mind me asking do you do 3d modelling as a job.

Steve martin thanks for the advice i will have a bash at the speakers and the computer thanks.

Here is a screw driver i did hope you like it.

[Link to img530.imageshack.us]

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

No, I wish . I am nowhere near good enough to do modelling as a job. I'm a programmer, mainly PHP programming.

The screwdriver is great, did you lose the definition in the tip after a meshsmooth?

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--Matt

yer i did loose the definition lol it went all pixels before the mesh smooth but then when i mesh smoothed it i did not have a clue what to do after that lol. i cant understand why though your work is amazing have you ever tryed going for the that side of the job.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

maybe you could give me a bit of advice on how to get round that thanks

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

with that, I probably wouldn't bother meshsmoothing the shaft/tip of the screwdriver. Just make sure when you create the cylinder it has enough segments to appear smooth.

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--Matt

The screw driver's showing your improvement already, keep up the good work. As for what the meshsmooth has done to your screwdriver, it's very hard to explain over a forum. Post a wireframe of your mesh and we'll try and help.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

i had changed the screwdriver here is what i hhave come up wth now

[Link to img247.imageshack.us]

i need somehelp on making a hammer i have created the handle and the shaft but i have not got a clue on how to create the hammer head bit. please help that would be appreciated.

[Link to img232.imageshack.us]

Just one more question for varnishedotter do you know when you created your hinges on your toolbox how did you do them like have circles built in them i was trying all last night to do it and i could not here is my version of the toolbox feedback appreciated thanks...

[Link to img232.imageshack.us]

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

I dont think I have the mesh of that model anymore, but pretty much I did it as separate objects. (as below)

Edit: I found the mesh. Posted below.

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--Matt

Heres what I did for my hammer.

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

Just a comment on the screw driver first, The tip still isn't really as defined as it should be. It might be a good idea to forget about meshsmooth on it as you probably don't really need it. It looks good on the handle though, so I'd leave it there. If they're part of the same object, delete your meshsmooth modifier and select all the polys that make up the metal part of the screwdriver. Then press the detach button, make sure none of the boxes are ticked and press ok. Then reapply your meshsmooth modifier to the handle. It's important to delete the meshsmooth modifier before you detach those polys otherwise it will be collapsed into the modifier stack and your object will be harder to edit.

As for the hammer I'd start with a low detail cylinder or a box and extrude and push and pull from there. Sorry to be of little help, but you've shown you can definately model so it's just a matter of trying things until they work. Most things I make I still end up on my second or third try before it looks right. If you get stuck, here's a tutorial:

[Link to www.oktutorials.com]

Keep working, you're getting better by the day.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

thanks very much for this you have been a lot of help i like it when i get feedback no matter what ever the feedbak is i appreciate the tutorial but i dont feel as proude when i have followed a tutorial as much as when i have moddeled it my self but its all part of learning i will have a bash at this tonight thanks very much

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

Well have a go by yourself withou the tutorial. What's the worst that can happen? If you get stuck, even just reading through the tute will give you some ideas and tips even if you don't follow it step by step.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

yer like you say there is no harm that can happen lol i love to model in my spare time if you dont mind me asking do you model for a job because the work that you produce is phoniminal.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

Mave done a bit of modelling work, not as much as I would have liked though. I've been a bit slack over the past year or so, waiting for the previs company to get off the ground (see website below) and not really trying to get work. Hopefully it doesn't come back to bite me.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

Oh rite i get you know i was trying to use a boolean but it was not working lol thanks for the guidance.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

hi i was really struggling doing the hammer i might need to follow the tutorial that steve martin required here is the tool box whith the new hinges that varnishedotter showed me

Varnishedotter do you know when you created the tool box did you do all the tools all in one movie or did you do them in seperate ones and import them in thanks

also here is a wheel brace that i created i think it could be done again to make it look better but i think it is a good attempt feedback would be great thankyou

steve martin is the images on your site wht you have meade in 3d

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

Lookin good man, Although I'd probably either narrow the shafts or increase their length and the size of the sockets. Also is it meant to be at that angle? I've never seen any that weren't right angled.

I make everything in the same scene usually. I use Isolate Selection mode alot. Like seriously ALOT. When you go to create a new object, just insert your primitive in the middle of the scene as big as you like (dont worry about the scale compared to the other objects for now). Then select it and hit Isolate Selection. Work with it until its done, then exit isolate mode. Scale and position the object in the scene.

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--Matt

Nah, I haven't done any of the stuff on that site. That was all done by the guy I'm going to be working for and his brother. I think most of the models they used are bought or poser objects. This allows them to pump out more animations in a short time.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

oh right i will have to give that a bash yer i will do that about the hinges i am nearly making all the objects that you put no the list i think i will struggle with the spaceship becasue thats a little complex to do but when i have done the rest i will give it a bash.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

With the angles I was thinking of the wheel brace, sorry I didn't explain properly.

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

oh right i changed the whewll brace this morning anyway lol i also finished the hammer off aswell i tryed the isolation selction aswell yer its a lot better i understand what you mean.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

It looks like you may need to use the edge smoothing technique in a few places here. like the tips of the hammer claws, get em nice and straight and also to add some definition to where the claw part joins the main hammer head part.

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

i will have to try and work on this thanks for the feedback much appreciated

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

varnishedotter can you remember on the other post where you put a list of things to create what did you mean by a mech.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

Mech, like a Mecha or Mechwarrior, big fighty robot. (see images)

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

yeh, what otter said. And I think the wheel brace crosses should be at right angles to eachother. Coming along well though.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

Steve Martin yer i will have to ammend that i did it once and it still was not right i will post the finished version tomorrow

Varnishedotter yer are you having a laugh lol that looks really complex but when i have done the other objects i will have to try and have a go at this thanks for you both replying much appreciated

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

You would be surprised at how easy it is man. its all mechanical shapes, cylinders and boxes.

I would usually start with a leg, think of how it will bend. Model in the basic "bone" structure in boxes and then refine it. Then add hydraulic thingoes in the angles to help it move.

Then it normally will grow from there, mirror the leg to create the second one. Create a body, head, arms. your done.

Its very easy to make a mech for still frame rendering, but very hard to make one animate properly, as when you animate, you need all the correct physics. (Ask Jamie, he knows all about how hard this is)


Reminds me, I haven't modelled a Mech in aaaaaages...

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

thank you i will have to have a go in my spare time cause i am at college 3 days a week

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

i cant wait until i start moddeling really good though

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

It'll be a gradual thing, you probably won't even notice.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

yer i know what you mean

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

It's all relative as well. You might look at my work or otter's work and think " man, I'm crap I wish I was as good as them", but we look at other people's work and think that as well. The good thing is, you'll never get to the point where you'll think "Yep, I'm good enough", you'll always be looking to improve your work.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

theres always plenty of things we dont know hey, like negative IOR haha.

Thats gonna become the running joke I think.

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

lol yer i suppose you are right.

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One life Live it
[Link to www.scotts-designs.co.uk]

more great ... man

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[Link to onemillioneuroblog.blogspot.com]

*Topic title changed - sorry, it was bugging me.*

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]