I have always had issues modelling guns so it’s something I’ve been practicing for a while. However I am never quite pleased with my final result. And after watching various videos I feel that I am at least on the right track as far as approach. I’m not big on firearms personally but well presented ones are always a work of art. Especially designs and ornate patterns. So the first example I want to show is this guy.
https://www.artstation.com/artist/ethanhiley
As a big COD fan coming across his Artstation showed me just how fine the guns I take for granted actually look up close. Freaking amazing.
Now the modelling and getting ergonomic shapes that suit the hand or arm is also something I always ponder as well. So for this I watched a timelapse about 5x from a friend of mine Edon.
He also has a gumroad page if you want something more training oriented.
https://gumroad.com/edonguraziu
The modelling especially caught my eye. The clever use of booleans and beveling and not an ounce of subdivision. I was quite impressed with the video and technique. Personally Maya always seemed a bit rigid for speed modelling but Edon showed me in that video how it’s done. The main part I took to heart is that you are able to boolean>> difference a flat form with an elongated cylinder and then bevel the perimeter ring. Usually beveling edges against n-gons is a surefire way to go to undo button and make life miserable. However through repeatedly watching this video I noticed that the bracing edges had to be relocated to get that smooth translation. I have seen the light as far as that’s concerned.
Now when it comes to presentation I feel that the typical floating in space object just can’t cut it anymore for a result so design and presentation must work hand in hand. Before I do allow me to add another tidbit I learned today.
“As I’m able to create a lot of detail fast with dynamasks I have started to keep my sculpts simple and only sculpt big shapes, details that wont change the shape of the low poly i can do in the suite. Other then that I have started doing things outside of the suite that I wouldn’t do if I didn’t have the suite”
This isn’t completely gun related however this is concerning the texturing. And also Quixel magazine.
To be honest I thought this issue was a bit whack where I wish they would at least give tips on the programs or something. The articles just seem so vague. But I’ll make that magazine or book better yet haha.
Anyways the gist of that quote was that this person literally has their block in and does everything else in texturing. So the details and texturing both work hand in hand as a team. Geometric complexity alone wont do it or you’ll be like the cover of this month’s 3d artists magazine.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2308983#post2308983
It’s a great helmet however I am going for robots that are a little more personal. Love the model though. It’s that marriage of texture and micro detail that I’m seeking which brings me to my next point.
This guys video showed me the light in ways I can’t begin to explain. The technique is solid and I get enough of an idea to take it into my pipeline. Those guns are very nice and exactly what I was missing. Personality. Those guns look like they belong to specific people and that is interesting to me.
So in closing…. Allegorithmic. My boys in blue. Just updated Substance Designer.
https://www.allegorithmic.com/products/substance-designer/release-notes/5.0
If you don’t feel like reading here’s what matters. To me at least.
[Content] Add “Detail Oriented” technique to Normal combine filter
[Content] Add Vray/Corona/Redshift/Arnold targets to the PBR converter filter (to convert maps for these renderers)
[3D View] Add tessellation to PBR shaders
The last 2 are the main ones for me. PBR to Vray support. Oh yes. Now there’s is a node for conversion instead of using tricks to render it. And that means that other renderers too! So Cycles is next as well. Now tessellation is important for viewing height information while creating shaders so this is also an amazing addition because I’ve complained about this for a while. I was actually going to close this post here but while we’re talking about SD allow me to show you the future of their viewport.
Who’s better Allegorithmic or Quixel?
That’s an unfair choice to force yourself to make. Both programs offer you workflows that have both strengths and weaknesses. SD can get a bit complicated for very basic things sometimes but the flexibility and non destructive nature makes it a very powerful choice. Being able to make sbars and interactive textures is indispensable in my life. However Quixel is a powerhouse and with Photoshop in tow you’re in good care with the most powerful image editor in this galaxy at your fingertips. So the answer is both. I leave Quixel and go into Substance. Sometimes I paint my base maps in Substance and then go into Quixel. But using them together is just pure power. Algorithmic was on a steam sale a while back. And I was given a key for Quixel by a great artist.
Georgian is a friend of mine who recently was in Quixel magazine in issue 03.
He was in this issue showing off a fabulous model that he was so kindly as to share and give away on his Gumroad along with a breakdown. It’s kind of a classic but I might as well make this post a link fest.
This blog also talks alot about nDo and is a good place to start.
http://advancedndo.tumblr.com/
I’d definitely recommend checking those guys out and support, subscribe or follow. But that’s all for now. In the shadows I work and wait and grind… and play Black Ops 3 for PS4! Beta just drooped today!
Add me on ps4: finaleX
edit: Can’t end a post without soooomething Blender related. So I share with you all my latest robot WIP. D-29
From Imagination To Creation 