How do I avoid making models that are lumpy looking?

[shinobi]

A few years ago I attempted to model a human form in A:M by taking images of a character from Poser with the right, left, front, and back of the character as my rotoscope guides. The worst problem I had was I found myself doing a lot of tweaking of CP's to get the mesh to have the right shape in comparison to the guide images I was using. This eventually led to a really lumpy model and it even seemed to lack good looking muscle definition and was quite disappointing, but it was my first few tries at doing this. Is it worthwhile trying to use something like a Michael 3.0 Poser figure as a guide? How do I minimize the lumpiness problem when modeling? I thought I recall there is a fairly new "stitch" feature that might help, but I did also ready it's has a bad potential problem of making bias's between CP's all different to compensate which could cause other problems.

[KenH]

As with most things.....patience. Unless you're really patient, you're probably better to use the extruding method (as opposed to try and tweak existing meshes) which produces a perfectly smooth patch right off the bat.

But there are many ways to model, you just have to find your way. Look at the many tutorials on the ARM site.

[robcat2075]

Post a shaded and shaded wireframe and someone will probably jump in with more specific notes.

[zandoriastudios]

Try this

[Paul Forwood]

Modelling in A:M is like working with sprung wires. Things do jump about when you are stitching in new splines. You can minimize the amount that bias values change by using "Shift" when you stitch across existing splines. They will still jump though, especially when stitching across splines that are very curved. So you need to get used to roughing in the model as accurately as you can with the knowledge that you will have to go in and tweak eventually anyway.

 

Tweaking is inevitable. Bias handles are the basic controls for splines and are a powerful animating tool as much as a modelling tool.

Tweaking the bias handles is like putting the final touches onto the surface of a clay model. It may take time to really get a feel for splines, and they will probably get you very agitated from time to time, but you will get there eventually.

 

Try to use 4 point patches as much as possible and keep 3 and 5 point patches to areas that will not undergo severe twisting or bending on your model.

[shinobi]

As with most things.....patience. Unless you're really patient, you're probably better to use the extruding method (as opposed to try and tweak existing meshes) which produces a perfectly smooth patch right off the bat.

But there are many ways to model, you just have to find your way. Look at the many tutorials on the ARM site.

 

I forgot to mention that yes, I was using extrusions. For examples, I would start an extrusion from the base of the leg near the boot and work my way up to the top of the leg. I'd do the same for the arms from the wrist to the shoulders, and the torso. The problem was getting that baseless "tube" structure turned into a more recognizable human form without it getting too lumpy. I think what I need is to try and try again and play with it. I haven't done anything with A:M in a couple of years but I got the new version the other day and started getting interested again in creating my own short film sometime.

[jon]

here are two things that help me:

 

1 remove any spline you don't desperately need. less splines = less lumps

 

2 the porcelain material is your friend, especially if you're scared of bias handles.

 

-jon

[shinobi]

here are two things that help me:

 

1 remove any spline you don't desperately need. less splines = less lumps

 

2 the porcelain material is your friend, especially if you're scared of bias handles.

 

-jon

 

What is porcelain material and why would that help? I wouldn't want my character to look like he's made out of porcelain if that's what you mean.

[largento]

Here's a couple of tips that have helped me:

 

1) Try to keep the distance between splines even. Which is to say that if you have three parallel splines, try to keep the center one as close to the center between the other two as possible.

 

2) Use the movement restrictment keys when adjusting CPs:

 

Holding down the modifying key when you drag the CP:

 

1-->restricts CP to x-axis

2-->restricts CP to y-axis

3-->restricts CP to z-axis

4-->restricts CP to the direction of the focus CP

5-->restricts CP to perpendicular of the focus CP

6-->restricts CP to the direction of the Normal

 

Combining keys adds them together (ex. holding 1 & 2 lets the CP move in both the x and y-axis, but not in the z)

[itsjustme]

What is porcelain material and why would that help? I wouldn't want my character to look like he's made out of porcelain if that's what you mean.

 

Porcelain is on the CD under "data/materials/geometry"...if you set it to "0" it will help and not make your model look like porcelain.

 

The biggest thing though, don't use porcelain or bias tweaks to try to make up for bad modeling...it will just bite you when you try moving the character.

 

Hope that helps.

[jon]

i can't judge how 'bad' my modeling is, but i like the overall appearance of my figures with porcelain applied to the main 'skin' group.

 

i particularly like the smoothing effect on their faces, but i don't apply the porcelain material to detailed areas like lips.

 

try it, you might like it. ' ' )

 

-jon