11 replies to this topic

[Vapor Trail]

Having seen others' 3d model work, I decided I wanted to do some 2d artwork featuring a 3d model...

Instead of building my own, I thought I'd grab one off Sketchup's model library and use that. Trouble is, there's only two of the Mad Dog / Vulture that I've found.

http://sketchup.goog...d89682b&ct=mdsa
and
http://sketchup.goog...e3d&prevstart=0

(To the modelers of these: Meatypotato and Radditz Thanks for your hard work. This thread isn't possible without you.)

Now they both look fairly decent from the outside, but once you start getting down into the models they both have problems, particularly for someone who wants to pose them.

Some components are or aren't nested inside other associated components.A lot of pieces that should be articulated are welded directly to the next major piece (toes and the foot for example, just off the top of my head). A lot of the duplicate detail work ("greebles") aren't components. And one entire model isn't perfectly symmetrical: one leg is slightly longer than the other, and the torso twist axis is off center.

So I've decided to build a decent model and document the basic process for any other beginning modelers (which technically I still am)... Since I'm using another model as a starting place this should be quick.

---

Warning: Massive pictures.

Spoiler

First off, isolate the legs. Since these legs are used in both the Mad Dog, and the Timberwolf I'll do the legs as a completely separate model than the upper body. That way I can import the model if/when I build a Mad Cat upper body... So:


Now, isolate the major component I want to tackle first. The foot. So:


With that out of the way, I build up the basic shape of the foot, making each piece an individual component:




Now since I'm not sure how many images they're gonna let me post, I'm going to start linking them, enstead of embedding them. I figure if you're still interested at this point, you'll clicky.

Duplicate and reverse (very important) the component and place where needed.


Repeat that major process for Ankle and Calf:
http://i38.photobuck...MDLegsex-04.png

Lower Leg:
http://i38.photobuck...MDLegsex-05.png

Knee and Upper Leg:
http://i38.photobuck...MDLegsex-06.png

And Hips.
http://i38.photobuck...MDLegsex-07.png

All I've got for today.

Edited by Vapor Trail, 01 September 2012 - 04:59 PM.

[Vapor Trail]

Ok. It's tomarrow, from yesterday's perspective.

Click to see massive pictures.

Spoiler

Now I separate the toe and heel components to put some space between them. They move up and down, more down than up.


Next up is to give a physical joint between the pieces. Since I've got my component instances working, I really only have to do this once for all four toes, and once for the heel. Note the cheater cube I've got in there. It's so I can easily do the proper facings.



Once we're done installing the hinge joints, we can pivot the toes. Here's an extreme example.



Next is to raise the entire leg system vertically to give the ankle joints some room to move. The ankle cover housing and Heat Sink knock at 5 degrees or less travel from vertical otherwise. This gives about +/- 30degrees of freedom.



A superimposed shot of both sets of legs.



Decided the A-Pod housings looked a little small, with the raising of the leg assemblies. So I scaled and stretched them a bit.

Well, that's the current state.


[Edit]
Well, that's not true anymore.

Let there be greebles!

Spoiler

Oh they grow up so fast...

Spoiler

No torso and he's already walking. How precocious.

Edited by Vapor Trail, 02 September 2012 - 01:34 AM.

[MarauderDeuce]

The talent of everyone posting here leaves me in awe - far above anything I seen anywhere comparable outside of an actual art site.

I put on a hat so I can take it off to you sir!

[Unluccy]

I actually didn't know that one could model (and pose) something like this in SketchUp at all. Well, I've seen people do some stuff like that, but I always thought they were really abusing all kinds of tools to get the effect.

Either way, this looks good! While it's still a simple model I dig the detailing. Makes me wish I had put that extra effort into my models before animating... It would not have made much of a difference for the render times, I'm sure, and this looks a lot better.

[Vapor Trail]

Sketchup is pretty dang powerful for a semi open-source program. I haven't even used Sketchup Pro (or any tools that require a purchase or donation for that matter).

The user interface is very intuitive. I picked up Sketchup and was modeling in no time. I loaded up Blender, and after actually getting it to work, wound up not being able to make heads or tails of it. I might just have been spoiled by Sketchup. I know Blender is more powerful, I just find it much, much easier to model in Sketchup.

One thing I do know about sketchup, making a 1:1 model of a starship is possible.

Edited by Vapor Trail, 02 September 2012 - 06:09 AM.

[Unluccy]

What I was getting at is, that SketchUp is not a modeling software at all (in the traditional sense) but more of a architectural CAD software with an easy to use interface. Since it's focus is on architecture I did not know it had "hinge" elements and so forth. That's pretty neat.

Blender is really not as complicated as most people think (and I was one of those "most people" not too long ago). But of course, just like Maya, 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, etc. it is a complete 3D modeling, animation and render suite. I started about 8 years ago with Cinema 4D and even though I still think it is the easiest to use full CGI suite, Blender is a "faster to use" solution once you get the hang of it. Oh, yeah, and it's free and open source of course...

[Vapor Trail]

There's a couple of attempts at making it work that way. And I believe the Pro version's Dynamic Components can be adapted to do it. Right now though I'm doing posing the tough way (by individually moving the different components).

But, it can be done.

If I ever pick up Blender again it's probably going to be as an animator and renderer, rather than a modeler. I'm fairly certian I can output raw model component files from Sketchup in a format Blender can use.

Legs, mid-sprint:




One of my earlier, non-Mech related, attempts (and probably the last one I can post on this particular subject matter:)

Spoiler

You may recognize the subject as a Mark 16 missile from David Weber's Honorverse series.

Edited by Vapor Trail, 06 September 2012 - 07:49 PM.

[Sean Lang]

Very cool. It is always fun to see sketchbook being used for hard surface models!

[miscreant]

Awesome work...

[Archerko]

It needs an Urbie torso on it.

[Vapor Trail]

Well, dunno about urbie...

Found an hour and a half to start on the Mad Dog's torso.
Working on the arms.



And after another hour:


Pulling inspiration and detail from here:http://www.sarna.net.../4e/Mad_Dog.jpg

Front and Left Parallel Projection views:


Now with torso mounted pod space!

Edited by Vapor Trail, 14 September 2012 - 11:53 AM.

[Vapor Trail]

Haven't done a whole lot since my last update. Here's the current state though: