"Box Modeling" - Car

[Artic]

I'm not very good at box modeling either, but I think there's a tutorial here: http://www.3dluvr.com/content/article/84

[bombyx]

For objects like cars that need perfect clean curves, I advise U to model it with splines .U'll get more control on your curves, and a better repartition of your mesh, plus U won't have to worry about that blend meshsmooth does.......

[CapnPanic]

nah, i disagree about the spline bit.

I've modeled a few vehicles and a pile of other things using spline cages and surface tools (it used to be my fav modeling technique) but over time i found there are some things which generally can't be avoided with spline modeling. surface tools has alot of trouble with any type of hole in the (curved) surface, such as where a headlight or gas cap might be. any hole like this often causes traingular patches which in turn get lumpy or don't smooth properly.

i suggest using editable poly and meshsmooth (and the meshtools script, if you aren't using max 5) as that what i've had the best luck with and i have found it way easier to avoid random lumps or creases when using a meshsmoothed poly :)

as for a good place to find a tut....well not sure there, just play! :)

[bombyx]

I xas just saying "using splines to generate the curves and the surfaces basis", not like, you make yopur spline cage, hit surface, and taddaaaaa........cause I agree, you just can't make a decent hole in a spline based surface .But if you just generate the base surfaces, turn it to poly and detail the model using box modelling, you'll surely get a clean result

[CapnPanic]

yeah you are right there, if u use surface tools as a low poly basis for further poly editing, then you should end up nice n smooth, but really thats just another way to get a rough boxy sort of model...

all i was saying was that if u go all the way with the surface tools, its tough to get smooth...

as for the first modeling steps, it's really just a matter of preference and what works best in any given case :)

[polygone]

Originally posted by Capn_Panic
nah, i disagree about the spline bit.

...surface tools has alot of trouble with any type of hole in the (curved) surface, such as where a headlight or gas cap might be. any hole like this often causes traingular patches which in turn get lumpy or don't smooth properly....



I do agree, Surface alone is not ideal for car modeling. However, you can convert the Surface to an Editable Patch and then you can use Smoothing Groups from there to finish the model. Not ideal, but the Surface Modifier is very limited by itself.:scream:

[lragno]

Hey, thanks for the replies.

I've attached an image of what I've been working on so far. I'm nor sure if I'm on the right track. I did start out with a box then converted to "editible poly" and after a couple of slices and vertex arrangements this is what I got.

Please give me any advise.......

thanks

[lragno]

ok...lets try that again

[Fede]

Hi,

It looks as though it's going in the right direction but i'm not sure about the part where the vetex meet the top of the weel arch.

One big advice i can give you, which newbs like me and you forget about, is that it doesn't have to be modeled all in one part. It certenly doesn't get built that way.

Just do the main body and add to that from seperate objects. Your weel needs to be seperate so just box out the main body.

good luck

[CapnPanic]

hey, looks like you've got a good start to me...just keep in mind that for sharp edges, you just need to chamfer the edge so there are two edges close together, and therefore won't be smoothed much by meshsmooth.

if it's helpful at all, here is a screeshot of a car i built recently (not done, but the body is basically done). its a nascar chevy monte carlo (hence the lack of detail, as most detail on a nascar car is in the stickers n stuff). but you should get an idea of how the mesh flows around the shapes n stuff :)
hope this helps some

http://www.hello-napalm.com/pics/car_boxmodel.jpg

[lragno]

Hey thanks for everyone's response.

Capn_Panic I want to ask you a couple of things:

1. Did you start out with a box or splines?

2. Fede made a point about modeling seperate parts seperately and then welding them ( I assume). How does (or doesn't) it work with just starting with a box, since if you do that, you are pretty much modeling the entire car together.

3. Right now the method I'm using is 'splice modifier" on editible polys and vertex tweaking. Is that generally what you do?

Thanks for the chamfer tip. I've been using it on the car model. I've attached what I got so far.....

[ToddD]

My advice is keeping in mind that max's nurbs aren't great, otherwise I would say nurbs are the best for car modeling.

Ok, just wanted to add my 2cents, polymodeling(see Trinsica.com), or even boxmodeling with the use of meshtools in max is a great method. Patches are ok, but lack the directness of polymodeling. Splines, nah! I would say model the car's body as a whole, and before adding too much detail, use detach, to break it into parts, trunk, hood windows. Adjust, Now add the detail. If you want to see my results using this technique, check out this thread from a couple of weeks ago. Still have to finish it, been out of town for a bit.
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25744
:beer:

[CapnPanic]

iragno:

1- started with a box and converted it to editable poly and went from there, extruding faces and connceting edges and moving verts.

2- i would recommend the opposite, model the overall shape of the car as one large piece and then, as tbonz816 mentioned, detach it into pieces (doors windows etc) and then tweak those pieces a bit

3- i'm not sure what u mean by 'splice modifier' i generally will select edges between which i need another edge and just hit the connect button (i actually have it bound to a hotkey, but its the same command)...same button works between verts etc

[lragno]

Sorry it took this long to respond.

I am using the slice modifier(attached image) whenever I need to add detail to an area of the car. But it seems that it is far easier to use "connect" verts and polys instead, rather than "split' the entire car body.

Should I also split the car up as suggested and then add detail, using the above method, to whichever section I am working on?

thanks for everyone's help.

[jason-slab]

sorry slightly off the topic, but

Capn_Panic: good choice in music:thumbsup:
edit: hehehe but shouldn't it be "jerry was a race car driver"?
|jason

[CapnPanic]

yeah it's way easier to just connect edges to get your split faces rather then using a slice modifier :)

as for adding detail, thats up to you, you can do it while the car is one big piece or do it in little sections, i figure its just a matter of preference and the needs of your model, i.e. if the details move from one section to another (like a ridge that runs the length of the car, across front fender, door and rear fender).

[fred_bock]

Hello to everyone, i try to do one car once, and i used planes that after i transform in ed mesh.. it was a mess...
but can someone tell me where to find the drawings of the cars.. like plans to use on the viewports, cause i don't find any that i can use...

:beer: :beer:

[Fede]

http://www.suurland.com/

enjoy

[fred_bock]

Hey!
thx Fede!! i was realy mad for a site like this.. :beer: :beer:

[BartW]

It's really easy to setup a spline 'outline' to create the basic shape of a car. The corners are bound to become a problem with box modelling, if you don't watch your step......and if you make sure you keep your splines very basic from the start, it's much easier to add detail after completing the base (and mirror it, weld it, and convert it to a poly, mesh, whatever).

I think www.3dtotal.com has some really good tutorials about the combination of both techniques.

It's worth it to check them both out......and don't forget the car's texture/reflection is more than half of the final result...well, sort of ;)

Hope that helps a bit

[lragno]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Wow. This forum is really a great resource. Thanks to all that responded. My primitive modeling skills have definately improved over the last couple of weeks.

One question though. I have come to a point in the model where I'm trying to model the headlights and other corner objects. It's getting a little more difficult due to all the verticies around.

My question is: Would this have been easier if I first created spline outlines as guides? Is this a neccesity in SubD modeling in general?

[fred_bock]

guess not!
Well i don't use them !! but i worked a bit in the images i use in the background of the viewports, :beer:

[lragno]

:shrug:

Well, I've been messing around with using splines as guides, but it is still frustrating moving vertices around and getting good smooth results.

It seems like its fighting me.

Help?

Anyone want to creat the simple splines in the attachment and try to get better results?

[ToddD]

The reason you are getting that "tugging" in the corner of the lights is because of the number of sides in your polygon(s). You should try to keep your polys 3, or 4 sided, anything more will result in a poly that doesn't react well when meshsmoothed.

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