Class:
Due to today being St. Patrick’s Day there was no formal class but Henry did upload some videos for us to do.
—Video 1: Installing the Model with Speed Plugin—
Shown how to install the plug-in into Blender.
Add a ‘Metaball’ and click ‘Alt + Shift + Q’ to bring up the symmetry options. Switch to ‘Editing Mode’ on the drop down menu and the plug-in should work.
—Video 2: Sculpting a basemesh of a dog using Metaballs—
Added in the dog reference image and positioned it along the x-axis.
Added a ‘Metaball’ and scaled it. Using ‘Shift + D’ on the ‘Metaball’, I created the rough shape of the dog’s body.
To create the legs, turn on symmetry for the x-axis and block out the legs.
Repeat the same process for the front legs.
For the ears, add a ‘Metaball’ and scale it. Repeat the same process for the tail.
Switch to ‘Object mode’ and click ‘Object -> Convert to -> Mesh’. Click into the ‘Sculpting tab’. Using a combination of brushes I adjust the shape of the dog to better match the reference.
Used ‘Dyntopo’ and the ‘Simplify brush’. Adjusted the model further.
—Video 3:Sculpting a basemesh of a cute crocodile using Metaballs—
Added the reference image and a ‘Metaball’ for the nose of the crocodile. Added some ‘Metaballs and Capsules’ to form the basic shape of the body.
Switch to ‘Object mode’ and click ‘Object -> Convert to -> Mesh’. Click into the ‘Sculpting tab’. Adjusted the shape of the body with the ‘Grab brush’ and turned on ‘Dyntopo’.
Used the ‘Simplify brush’ and added some legs with the ‘Draw brush’. Increased the ‘Dyntopo’ to 5 and added the mouth with the ‘Draw brush and the Crease brush’. Used the ‘Draw brush’ to make dents for the eyes.
Added ‘UV Spheres’ that I scaled for the eyes and teeth.
Flattened the bottom of the feet, used bent cylinders for the eyebrows and dented holes for the nostrils. Used the ‘Draw brush’ for the feet and added scaled ‘UV Spheres’ for the spikes on the back.
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Homework/Assignment 2:
For homework we were tasked with working on our concepts for Assignment 2.
Assignment 2
I sketched some concepts for the Assignment based on the references that I found last week. I really liked the clown design so I started to explore his design further.
I will upload my concepts onto One Drive so that I can receive some feedback on my design next week in class.
Final Thoughts:
I found the video tutorials to be really useful as it gave me some time to practice using Metaballs and understanding how they work. I like the way the Shiba turned out but it wound up looking really buff and kind of bat-like in the face. From the side it looks fine but the front isn’t so good.
I’m happy with the progress that I have made on the Assignment and am looking forward to receiving feedback on my concepts in next week’s class.