Harper57

Thanks Frank. I think my revised model is simplified a great deal now, but perhaps I can go further. The hippo does seem a tad simplified to me, but maybe some of the nuances are better handed with bump detail. I'm talking the nostrils, ears, and lips. I think I count 12 splines from the neck to the snout on the hippo, and about 9 from the lower jaw to the top of the head. By contrast, my desmostylus has about 20 and 14. The desmostlyus is related to elephants and sea cows, but they may have lived more like a walrus. There are four genera in the order. The other main one I guess is paleoparadoxia. I am not a scientist so I'm no expert! Your help has been invaluable.

Okay, looking more closely I guess you put a Desmostylus skeleton next to a AM hippo model. is that right? If so it is still helpful.

Can you tell me where you found this? Desmostylus is also found in Japan, and this may be one. If a model already exists and I can obtain permission for use, I can move on to the other creatures I need to do! In any event I will study the geometry carefully. Thanks.

No materials have been applied. In fact, I shudder at that prospect of developing a UV map, if that is how AM works.

Well, I didn't just sit down for the first time and an hour later there was this model. I went through the training exercises in the AM manual first. I started at least a half dozen other tries before finding a method that worked for me. I am adapting techniques used in the book Modeling Digital Dinosaurs by Ken Brilliant. It is an excellent source, but since it deals with polygons things work a bit different in Animation Master. I will keep posting updates until the final is done! Thanks to everyone for your input.

Here is a shaded/wireframe view.

Here is a simplified version. I have not added inner lips, gums, or tusks. I think it may be two steps forward, one step back. There are less bumps but more creases now as I had to use several five point patches. They can been seen prominently above the upper eyelid, and the lower eyelid also. Otherwise, I think it is better. Comments? Suggestions?

Robert, I played around twith AM last night and I think I have the hang of creating and isolating groups now. I just wish I had come here before! Thanks to everyone for their advice.

Here's a screen shot. I hope it reads okay.

I tried to render a wireframe but the program shuts down every time. If I can make it work, I will post it!

"I found helpful is as I model (Example the mouth) I assign it to a group as I model it.." I don't understand this part. The only way I know how to group is to select a group of points. How is it possible to create an isolated group of points?

"there is more geometry being used than is needed to define the shape." Can you expound on this a bit. I too felt this was the case but I'm not sure how to deal with it.

Okay, it may not look like much to experienced users but I have spent a lot of time getting here! This is the head of a desmostylus, a prehistoric hippo like creature. I am developing it for a museum project. As you can see, there are no textures applied yet. I am used to a solids modeler where I can use layers or pick an item as a group to isolate components. It seems in AM my only option is to group one section, then lock the rest. this breaks down when I get mutliple parts. Right now I have to work on the lips that meet the lower tusks. In the mouth are inner lips, gums, and the tusks. Trying to find the correct points to move the lips to comform to the tusks without moving something you don't want to change is difficult. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!