ZBrush...?

I've started ZBrush tutorials. I was so excited to learn ZBrush and now I'm watching them with something akin to this expression:

Just to scroll in and out you have to hit alt, left click, hold, let go of alt, keep holding left click, say "please," recite the names of the first three presidents, yada yada...


But I'm not too worried. That's the same way I felt about Maya, and I'm a lot more comfortable with Maya now. I await the day that, instead of panicking and pleading and offering sacrifices to ZBrush when I hit the wrong button, I will instead hold aloft my sword and yell "NOT TODAY, ZBRUSH! I WILL PREVAIL!"


ZBrush, by the way, is a modeling program like Maya, but instead of 3D, it's considered 2D. It's very useful for creating characters and creatures (which just makes me squee inside).

I'm Not Dead...

...I've just been bad about updating my blog. So, without further ado, here's more progress on the personal project:

As well as the school project:

I hate UV-ing, and I'm sure professionals would look at my UV maps and wonder what I had been smoking while I made them. There are still some issues in a few places on the UVs, but on the ones I like, I'm ready to start texturing.

It's a Bed!

Just like the title says:

You can now officially do five things in this room:
1) Stand on the floor
2) Sit on the floor
3) Sleep on the bed
4) Do other things on the bed (like homework, you sick person)
5) Step outside and plummet to your death


It still needs blankies and curtains.


This is pretty much my dream bedroom.

Personal Project

What's that, you say? Not working on a school-related assignment?

In all honesty, I'll probably spend hours and hours on it not be able to devote a lot of time to it over spring break, I really need to get the church done. But I'm starting a personal project, one that relates to my book series. The church could relate too, and I might end up using that as well. Anyway, here I've started off:

This is the top third of a very enormous tower. It looks cooler with this...

...which is a star dome. It'll remain hidden until the very end, just to keep it out of the way during modeling. I made it by creating the top half of a sphere around the whole model, and texturing the sphere with a picture of stars. From inside the tower, it gives the illusion that you're looking at the night sky.

Aren't I tricksy.

Almost There

Besides putting in a lot more destruction, the modeling stage is finished. Today I plan to watch tutorials on how to beat the crap out of a building. Some refs I will probably use:

I don't plan on modeling QUITE that much destruction. This cathedral wasn't directly bombed, but did suffer a lot of damage.


A few last progress shots:


Added railing for the front steps (extruded along curves)...

...and finished the right building.

Lots o' Progress

Made lots of stuff! Still not as far along as I'd like to be, but I'm getting there. Finished the left building:

Neither of the side buildings will have nearly the detail of the main building, just because the main building is going to be the focus of the scene.

I've also started making the place look abandoned with cracks and such:

I used boolean functions for these, which means I make a separate piece of geometry that looks like a crack, then I move it into position against the building, and I subtract the crack geometry from the wall itself, leaving a crack-shaped indention behind. I'm hoping this won't give me problems while I'm texturing; boolean functions tend to leave some weird geometry behind. Normal, boring geometry is good for texturing; weird geometry is not.

Oh and I just thought I'd take this moment to say LOOK GUYS, I'M LEARNING MAYA. Like I made this building by myself. No Tutorial Guy. Of course, tutorials still definitely help. I foresee I will use them like crazy whilst texturing, because I still find texturing difficult.

Anyway, I've got some minor detail work left on the front doors, then a bit on the right building (which will hardly be seen in the camera), aaaand...then a bit of adjusting on Blackbird's position so he's easier to see in the shot. Then it's onto UV mapping which makes me want to vomit I'm really looking forward to.

I Bought a Monkey Today

No not really. But I did finish the chandelier:

I simplified the design because it's so far from camera, you don't see the details anyway. Here it is in the church:

And I've also begun work on one of the side buildings. I've been putting them off.

The layout of this church baffles me. Luckily, the camera will only see a couple of its sides.

Chandelier

I'm so excited to make this! I love chandeliers. I'm planning on making it gold, though, not silver, and I may tweak the design slightly. This will be visible from the front window of the church. Someone suggested I hang a zombie off it, which I am really strongly considering of course will not consider at all, because how ever could you take the scene seriously?

Yay Windows!

Just a minor update with the front window. Extrusion detail still needs to be added, but this is the gist of it:

That's also my tentative camera angle. I know I probably should have figured one out by now, but that's at least close to what I want, if not exactly. I'm picturing a nice stormy sky backdrop. I may also move Blackbird so that he's crashed into the side of one of the smaller buildings. Yeah I'm definitely going to Hell for this.

Stephanie Angry, Stephanie Smash

Blackbird is now dead. -cue funeral march-

The tiny man you see is for reference. I had some trouble figuring out how big to size Blackie relative to the church. I wish he wasn't that big, because I think he sort of takes over the scene when he was supposed to be a fairly minor detail. But that's okay, I spent a lot of time on him, so I guess he deserves it.

I've FINALLY tackled the big window in front, so that'll be posted next. I've still got to finish it, work a little bit more on the church's front arch, and then the main building will pretty much be finished. After that it's the two side buildings. Then on to UV mapping...yay...

Commencing Destroy Mode

Here's what Blackbird (yes I'm calling him that) looks like before I kill him:

Modified a few minor things. Enlarged the vertical stabilizers (hurrr I smart)...

...and added wing flaps so he can fly, which won't matter in the slightest because he won't be flying. But accuracy is always good.

Blackbird lived a good, long life of about a week, but alas, it's time for him to meet his maker. Which would be me, I guess. Remember him how he is now. Because next time you see him, he'll be demolished.

Subucula tua apparet

"Your slip is showing."


I may be done with the Latin phrases soon. I feel I should title these blogs with things a bit more relevant.


In other news, I'm pretty much finished with modeling the plane. I may go back and add a few small details here and there.

It's simple for a couple of reasons: one, it's a futuristic plane, and I feel like they'd be fairly sleek and simplistic in their design, both for aesthetic value and aerodynamic value. Two, it isn't going to be the focus of the scene; I'm placing more emphasis on the church. 


Now I just gotta add some shaders to give this guy a little color and texture, and he'll be off and flying! No, actually, he'll be crashed into the ground. I can't wait to dent him up.