Maya Creature Head DVD ?

[Shamrock]

I'm seriously considering ordering the Maya Creature Head Tutorial DVD. but I have a question. Do the modeling techniques taught in the video reflect how you'd want to model a character for animation (with proper deformations, etc)?

I realize that my question is pretty remedial, but I wanted to make sure. My goal is to model, rig, and animate my own character...I just want to make sure this DVD will help me get there (at least from a modeling standpoint).

[Rich-3DT]

Hello Shamrock,
The question is not remedial - in fact it is a valid one. To anwser you - I believe the mesh is similar to the original that I made for Max. I understand that the polys form an even grid across the head and do not necessarily form groupings that follow muscle structures. I think this is what you were enquiring about. I'm in no doubt that the DVD would teach you all the principals you need to know about high poly modelling and re-arranging the polys' into muscle groups would be a simple process using the lessons avaliable - it would be a question of adding subdivisoins in slightly different positions but in exactly the same manner. I hope this anwsers your question,
any more probs let me know,
Many thanks,
Rich.

[Shamrock]

Rich, thanks for the reply. I'll probably order the DVD. I'll just have to figure out where the polys are supposed to be for muscle flow. The actual rearranging doesn't seem like it'll be too bad once I figure out where they go.

I noticed on the 3dtotal website that you guys are asking for potential tutorial topics. Something I'd like to suggest is a DVD that shows how to model for the muscle structure (speciafically for the head). I realize that all characters are different and that there's no one size fits all solution, but it seems like the edge loop (don't know if I'm using the right terminology) layout should be fairly similar in most humanoid characters as they have similar muscle flow.

Do you think there's any chance of 3dTotal coming out with a series that could take a novice like me from modeling a character all the way through the 3D pipeline to animation and rendering?

Thanks so much for getting back with me.

[Rich-3DT]

Hello Shamrock,
Well as you are using maya have you had a look at the modelling a male nude DVD by Tareq Mirza - this covers the entire process from start to finish and organises the poly's into muscle groups that will help animation and is really good. Also we have a series of three DVD's due to be released early next year which are very comprehensive. The first one covers modelling a female nude from scratch. The second one ( which I have done incidentally ) covers mapping, unwrapping and texturing as well as making hair and clothing with some techniques on lighting and rendering. The third one will cover creating a rig, assigning it to the character and then skinning it to the mesh followed by animation tutorials. So in a way these sound like the sort of thing you are after me thinks,
Keep an eye on the site,
Cheers,
Rich.

[Shamrock]

Rich,

That's exactly what I'm looking for...any chance those DVDs will be offered for maya users? I'll check on that DVD from Tareq--is it the Freedom of Teach DVD?

Thanks,
Jake

[Rich-3DT]

It is the freedom of teach one and not sure about a maya conversion yet.