3D Modeling / Task 1, 2, 3, and 4 Exercises

April 24, 2024 - (Week - )

Anandya Dewi Saputra / 0354651

3D Modeling / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 1 / Exercises

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LECTURES

Week 1:

This week we are briefed about why we have to learn 3D Modeling. Mr Kamal sketches a board for us to understand the art/creative industry and how 3D Modeling is fundamental for movies, games, etc. He also briefed us on how the modules 3D Modeling and Animation Fundamental build up from each other to a more advanced module. I learned that 3D Modeling is based on basic shapes such as squares, circles, triangles, etc. Base materials (wood, rubber, metal) and lighting also play a huge part in 3D Modeling. Mr. Kamar showed us some of our senior's work varying from vehicles to interior and characters. We also tried to do some of the basics in Blender like how the tools work, how to add/duplicate objects, the tab and panel, etc. 

Fig 1.0 Sketch notes.

Fig 1.1 Sketch notes.

Week 2: 

National Holiday (Labour Day)

Week 3:

We learn about features such as extrude, bevel, insert, and loop cut, and how to apply it in Blender. This feature comes in handy when we have to make a model that has a cylindrical form such as a bottle, bowl, plate, etc. We also learn about faces, vertex, and edges. Mr. Kamal showed us how to take a reference and put it in Blender for us to make the 3D model out of for a demonstration for the next assignment. 

Fig 1.2 Sketch notes.

Fig 1.3 Sketch notes.

Fig 1.4 Sketch notes.

Week 4:

For the next submission, we practiced an in-class exercise to apply all the previous modeling techniques we have learned and incorporate them into constructing a model based on a box. We were then introduced by Mr. Kamal to the step-by-step of how to build a car which after some time we altered to work on it as we wished.

Week 5:

In this week, we learn how to trace models from image reference. We also learn the tool Boolean and some modifiers in Blender. We had an in-class exercise to create a modeling of Karambit and also step by step on how to render for our submission. 

Week 6:

This week, we learned about Look Development. We are briefed on the industry workflow from how to do the concept art, model sheet, and then blueprint. We also learn how to render based on the scene world and scene light. We are also introduced to different types of lighting and how to render a texture like brick.

Fig 1.5 Look development notes

Week 7:

We learn about UV wrap and texturing. We were briefed about the polygon components such as vertex, face, edges, normal, and UV, however, it is not visible to view in solid mode, we have to view it in render or material mode. 

Fig 1.6 UV wrap and texturing notes

Fig 1.7 UV wrap and texturing

Week 8:

(Independent learning week)

Week 9:

Character modeling in Blender is the process of designing characters within a 3D environment by rendering techniques such as box modeling or sculpting. First use base reference images for modeling and define artwork. Add the character detail like face and clothes also accessories if needed, apply materials with textures for real look, and finally render with high performance tools of Blender such as Cycles or Eevee. 

Fig 1.8 Patrick modeling example

Week 10 onwards:

Consultation week

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INSTRUCTIONS

EXERCISE 1: PRIMITIVE MODELING

We then receive our first exercise, creating an object from primitive shapes ( sphere, cube, etc.) I chose to do the snowman since I think it's the simplest one to do. For my first few hours, I tried to explore the application to understand it and once I got the hang of the basics, I proceeded to make the snowman. I combined 2 spheres for the body with the top one smaller than the bottom one and an ico sphere for the eyes and the buttons. For the snowman's hand, I used a cylinder and cone. I had trouble color/shade it so I asked Mr. Kamal to help me with it and I finally managed to find the problem. 

Fig 2.0 Snowman blender

To be honest it's really hard for me to understand to use Blender but I got the hang out of it in the end. The assignment required us to submit in a PNG format (1280 x 720) with 2 images containing with and without the wireframe. 

Fig 2.1 Snowman wireframe.

Fig 2.2 Snowman rendered.

EXERCISE 2: CYLINDRICAL MODELING

For our second assignment, we must create an object that contains cylindrical shapes such as a bottle, glass, plate, bowl, etc. We are given in-class exercises to learn about the features such as extrude, bevel, insert, and loop cut. 

Fig 3.0 Lipstick blender

I tried making lipstick since the top part needed some extrude, same with the previous assignment the required submission is in 1280 x 720 with PNG format containing and without wireframe. Mr. Kamal demonstrated to us how to create a 3D model of a bottle using references to those features mentioned in an in-class exercise for the upcoming assignment. I changed my mind from doing a lipstick to doing a plastic bottle since there are some interesting shapes from a bottle that is the curves at the bottom part and ridges at the top part.

Fig 3.1 Bottle blender

Fig 3.2 Bottle blender

I had some struggles with rendering it to become a clear plastic bottle, I asked my friend to guide me through the rendering process, and it turns out I had to update my blender since it's the old version and doesn't contain some of the features that the new version offers. We finally came up with this as the final result.

Fig 3.3 Bottle blender final result

Fig 3.4 Bottle blender wireframe final result

EXERCISE 3: BOX MODELING

For the next exercise, we need to create a model out of a box as the base shape. We have an in-class exercise to create a car out of a box mesh. 

Fig 4.0 Mr. Kamal's screen / in class tutorial exercise

I use the modeling technique that we learn in the in class exercise I completed the car but I did not like the shape of it because it was too block-shaped I felt that it was too rigid, I asked Mr. Kamal if I could mess around with it and he said okay stating that as long as the base of mesh is still of a box’s shape, we can do what we want to it. I had to turn it into a tractor because the shape of the car is more appropriate for being a tractor than a car. I added the front part of the tractor which is the excavator bucket.

Fig 4.1 Tractor modeling

As for the rendering, it was a little challenging and, I also had another person, my friend with whom I was working on the rendering of the plastic bottle, ask to assist me with this as well. I said I wanted the tractor to be of a light yellowish-orange color so that it could match the cylindrical model of the previous exercise which is the bottle plastic. We have come to a conclusion and this is what we end up with. 

Fig 4.2 Tractor modeling

Fig 4.3 Tractor modeling with wireframe

EXERCISE 4: ORGANIC MODELING

For the next exercise, we needed to create a model of karambit using an image reference. We are given the image/blueprint and we have to apply the technique we learnt (boolean, loopcut, knife, symmetry) we also need to apply basic material and color. Same with the other exercises, the output needs to be 1280 x 720 using PNG format both rendered with and without wireframe. In this exercise, Mr. Kamal guides us on how to model using a reference to trace the shape that we can later adjust. 

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Fig 5.0 Tracing the Blueprint.

After we traced the blueprint it's time to make adjustments by applying the technique we learnt. This part is quite tricky as I struggle since there are a lot of vertices and quite hard for me to make adjustments. The rendering part is so tricky and consumes a lot of RAM from my laptop that I had to keep it charged in order for it to have the power to run the application smoothly. Finally, I exported the image to PNG format both with or without the wireframe.

Fig 5.1 Karambit modeling

Fig 5.2 Karambit modeling wireframe

For me, this assignment is complicated and I sometimes have to struggle to learn how to do the modeling. I'm happy I'm able to finish it but I need to learn more in order for me to save myself time to finish it. I also still need to familiarize myself with the shortcut/command as clicking the tools manual consumes a lot of time and gives me a lot of confusion.  

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FEEDBACK:

Exercise 3:

Try to make the body of the car wider so that I will have more space for the window.

Exercise 4:

Make the karambit vertices points and sharp.

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REFLECTIONS:

These exercises build up through each other, and the complicity from the first exercise to the last exercise slowly rises. I find that it is important to completely master the technique learned from each exercise before moving on to the next one. Overall, these exercises are the fundamentals for 3D modeling as we need to understand and master it for the upcoming projects for this module.