Further moddeling and teaching (14/10/2013)

Today we carried on working on our 3D model cars in which I was able to get the 'Symmetry' tool to work. This was great, as it allowed me to see the model in all its glory.

You can see my further progress below.

After further working on my 3D car model, the lecturer showed us how he would have made the 3D chair which was an earlier task.
The notes I took include the following.

• Use the 'QuickSlide' tool in order to slice through an object and therefore add an extra line to the model. This is a good way to add more faces, especially for boxed models and therefore, allowing you to put far more detail in to the game. The 'Connect' tool is also another similar method of doing this so, I should try both tools out at some point and see which one I prefer. 
• We should try and create our 3D models so as to show light and shade as much as possible. Thus, if it were for a game it would be super detailed. You can accomplish this by making sure there is space between each shape that makes the 3D asset. 
• Use the 'Remove' tool in order to get rid of lines and thus use less memory. 
• Overall, the chair he created was very well modeled and detailed and, since it was very similar in design to my own chair, it showed me numerous techniques I could do in order to improve mine.

Later my lecturer looked at my 3D car model and overall thought that, even though it looked a lot better than before, and showed noticeable improvements, that I needed to round my planes by rotating them. If I don't do this then the whole thing looks too blocky and unreal. Also, I can include fewer faces to save memory, as long as they are not too big, otherwise they will stretch the textures used for it.

The lecturer also helped to re texture my chair's cushion by using 'Unwrap UVW', thus getting the following positive outcome.

 
He then showed us how to edit our future blue prints / photos for our 3D character models on Photoshop.

• Recommended that we use the 'Ruler' tool in order to get the correct measurements when editing our photos side by side. Use the head measurement's technique as well to capture each portion of the figure.
• Holding down shift is an easier way to use the 'Paint' tool as this stops you from drawing jaggard lines instead off straight ones. Also, I can use the same art style I used to paint over an existing image of myself in order to come up with a stylised version for my character, if I wish to use that as a template instead.

When creating hair for our model we will have to create multiple small planes and layer them on top of one another. Then, with them all placed correctly, texture them with hair. He will continue to explain this technique when the times comes. 

We will need to get hold of blue prints of ourselves in order to start thinking about creating our 3D character models. Thus I need to take numerous pictures of myself from different angles before next week. 

We will also be modeling the face for our model next week, therefore I must remember to bring photos of myself.
By Christmas he would like our character models to be finished and ready to animate.