3D Modeling at MAGIC

[1302magic]

Great job!

Just wanted to say how proud I am of everyone, you guys did great work on the final characters! 

If you haven’t posted a project please please upload it today and I can still count it for credit, but grades are due tomorrow so tonight is the absolute last minute.

Please consider leaving me a positive review on Rate My Professors, I really try my best to give you guys everything you need to succeed as a 3D artist, but I’m only human, I taught 90 students this semester, and was taking 4 classes as well!

I would stay at MAGIC all day but I have a fuzzy buddy waiting at home for me ;)

Feel free to contact me on Tumblr, or I’ll be teaching classes at MAGIC Mondays & Wednesdays over the summer semester if you need input on any projects you’re working on. 

There are still open slots in my DIG1710 Intro to Game Design class if you want to learn about the game industry and how to prototype a game, it’s not easy though, big group projects & technical writing.

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Course Feedback in Email

Course feedback forms are online this year (previously they’ve been a scantron) to provide feedback for the course. Check your email for this:

[1302magic]

Linking a Zip file on Tumblr

Find your Maya *.mb file

Right click -> Send To -> Compressed (zippied) folder

Login to google.com/drive using your MDC email

Drag the ZIP file from windows into the drive

Right click the file in Drive, choose Get Shareable Link

Click Sharing Settings

Click Get Shareable Link

Change link sharing method to “Anyone with Link can view” (you may need to click More to show this option)

Copy link

In Tumblr click Link, paste that URL

Tumblr should find the file

In the text section, click the camera/photo icon, and add a render to the post.

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Also add the image files you used for your textures into the same Zip file as your .MB Maya scene.

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Please be sure to upload all of your final to your Tumblr as a backup just in case!

Also post a render with the ZIP file.

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Turn in Instructions

Due end of class Thursday April 26th (yes we are meeting)

Once you have a working rig(with textures), go to File->Export, choose FBX for the file type, make sure you check Embed Media on the right. 

Upload the FBX file and the texture folder here (make a folder with your name on your desktop, put all your files into that folder, then drag that folder to the dropbox - Data1 drive on the server under This PC)

M:\Instructor\msimpso1\Dropbox\DIG1302 3D Modeling Spring 2018\Final Project\Rig FBX\

Then pose your character, once they’re posed, click on the mesh in object mode, create a duplicate with Ctrl-D. Fix the greyed out controls in the channel box/layer editor, https://1302magic.tumblr.com/post/173078600030/to-unlock-greyed-out-objects

Click the unlocked mesh and move it over, it should keep it’s pose, then select the character with skeleton & delete it so you just have the posed mesh.

Then export just the mesh as an FBX (so no skeleton).

Drop the posed character to 

M:\Instructor\msimpso1\Dropbox\DIG1302 3D Modeling Spring 2018\Final Project\Posed character for group shot FBX\

Don’t forget to add your texture folder!

Rigged character.

Posed mesh

[1302magic]

Class Tuesday (April 24th)

Tomorrow we’ll be rigging our character in-class using Maya 2018.

Bring your completed character & armor models with textures. Prepare your file by:

Delete the existing skeleton.

Combine the character model & armor models into one object (Mesh->Combine)

Follow the rigging tutorial for Maya 2018, Quick Rig using Step by Step will create a new skeleton, your job is just to tell Maya where the joints are (elbow, shoulder, knee, etc).

Pose your character & export as an FBX (File->Export), remember to check Embed Media so your textures export.

Test your file on another computer with File->Import, we’ll be importing all the FBX characters into one scene so we can get a render of the group.

[1302magic]

Final Due Date

Tuesday April 24th your character should be completed with all the geometry finalized and textures applied.

Please watch the rigging video with the cartoon character below to bind the armor to the character model, you’ll need to find a computer with Maya 2018.

On Thursday April 26th we’ll pose all the characters together in a group shot.

Post to your Tumblr with 2-3 renders & downloadable ZIP file containing:

Maya MB file

FBX Export of your posed character

Texture files (JPG, Targa, PNG) if used, only flat colors are required for your armor, but remember to submit the character texture from Makehuman

All Projects Due:

Aircraft 100 points

Midterm (interior) 100 points

Expressions 50 points

Walk Cycle 50 points

In-Class assignments (couch, lamp, airbus, crate, building) 100 points

[1302magic]

Upload all the files as a ZIP to your Tumblr and also onto the school server:

M:\Instructor\msimpso1\Dropbox\DIG1302 3D Modeling Spring 2018\Final Project

[1302magic]

To Unlock Greyed-out objects

Select the mesh and go to the Channel Box/Layer Editor tab on the right side of the screen. 

Notice the small grey rectangles next to Translate, Rotate, Scale, those boxes mean the attribute is locked.

To unlock, first select all of the attributes by holding shift to select them all.

Right click and choose Unlock Selected near the bottom.

Now you’ll be able to manipulate the object.

[1302magic]

An example of Photogrammetry being used to scan a room using a VR headset.

[1302magic]

3D scanning, or Photogrammetry, is already making waves in the 3D modeling world, although it takes a LOT of technical know-how and experimentation. 

At-home Photogrammetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye-C-OOFsX8

[1302magic]

Final Due Date

Tuesday April 24th your character should be completed with all the geometry finalized and textures applied.

Please watch the rigging video with the cartoon character below to bind the armor to the character model, you’ll need to find a computer with Maya 2018.

On Thursday April 26th we’ll pose all the characters together in a group shot.

Post to your Tumblr with 2-3 renders & downloadable ZIP file containing:

Maya MB file

FBX Export of your posed character

Texture files (JPG, Targa, PNG) if used, only flat colors are required for your armor, but remember to submit the character texture from Makehuman

All Projects Due:

Aircraft 100 points

Midterm (interior) 100 points

Expressions 50 points

Walk Cycle 50 points

In-Class assignments (couch, lamp, airbus, crate, building) 100 points

[1302magic]

Maya 2018 Upgrade at MAGIC

As you’ve noticed, the school’s Maya 2017 license is expiring before the end of the semester, so IT staff will be installing Maya 2018 on the computers this week.

One known bug is AiStandard textures made in Maya 2017 will not work correctly in Maya 2018.

[1302magic]

Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

[1302magic]

A collection of historical reference and fantasy costume design. Feel free to submit images from...

[1302magic]

Rare Photographs Show The Last Samurai Of The 1800s

Forget Tom Cruise – you are about to see the real last samurai of the late 1800s. At this time, photography was just coming to Japan, and the samurai? After holding an elite position of military power for centuries, they were officially in decline.

[1302magic]

10,000s Cool Editable Seamless Patterns for Backgrounds and Wallpapers

This website is good for Sci-Fi looking texture patterns for bodysuits or futuristic armor pieces.

[1302magic]

If you’ve already exported your character from MakeHuman to Maya & you don’t have the MakeHuman file (*.mhm file type), to pose your character you’ll need to add a rig in Maya 2018.

Import your character *.OBJ file into Maya 2018 and follow the tutorial above to get a QuickRig onto your character. 

You’ll need to Export from Maya 2018 to Maya 2017, since the default Maya file types won’t work (*.mb or *.ma). So in Maya 2018, go to File->Export and export an FBX file.

Then open Maya 2017 and File->Import that file you just created, it should have a working rig that you can use to pose your character.

[1302magic]

Final Project: Armored Character

This post will be updated.

Design a character that wears armor, I suggest you pick one of the following genres:

Medieval Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Modern Military

Steampunk

Step 1: Collect Reference

Collect 10-20 reference images 

Half should be inspiration, work by other artists, like the concept art above   https://www.artstation.com/

Half should be photo reference, real-world objects that will give you the little details like where the screws and rivets go. https://www.armorvenue.com/

http://www.medievart.com/Medievart-2/Histoire-Armures.html

Step 2: Sketch character

Use pencil & paper or Photoshop to draw your character concept.

Start with large shapes, then medium, add details later.

https://wingza.tumblr.com/post/154791597753/character-design-tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmbPoUdF-ik

Step 3: Create Character in MakeHuman

Look for a 3DSK model (google it) that fits the dimensions of your character. Bring that image into MakeHuman (put it in the Backgrounds folder in Documents\Makehuman\...\Backgrounds). Use the sliders in the Geometry tab to adjust the 3D model to your liking.

Step 4: Export 3D Character to Maya

https://1302magic.tumblr.com/post/172377336620/makehuman-character-creation

Step 5: Model Armor Pieces

Import your concept art into Maya & model out the armor pieces you designed.

Tutorial videos:

Model Medieval Armor Set IN MAYA

Model a Greek Helmet in Maya

Timelapse: plate armor speed modeling