Tree Modelling - Best Strategy?

[lo]

my first attempt would probably be a lowpoly basemesh and move it into zbrush

[mindzI]

my first attempt would probably be a lowpoly basemesh and move it into zbrush

Thanks for the reply, Io. Can you elaborate a little on how you would achieve this look using polygons? I don't have access to ZBrush, so I'll be modelling 100% in Maya. I am leaning towards NURBS, but will make the switch to polys if you can convince me.

[CK]

Which Maya are you using out of curiosity- as this will effect your methods. If I had to stay in Maya (versions 7.0 and higher) then I would us polys and start boxing out a rough tree keeping the edge flow nice, all quads and fairly low poly (which will also help if you're planning on incorporating it into a scene with more polys). Next I'd uv-unwrap making sure not to overlap any uvs (auto unwrap will probably be ok for you since it's just a tree but if you want to paint a detailed color map then you need to move and sew and fix your uvs so that they are easier to work with). Then I'd save a just in case save as "low poly tree" to have a fall back point... then start subdividing the tree to give it more mass to work with and use Maya's built in scuplting features to tweak, twist and define the tree. Then I'd save or export this as "High Poly tree". Then I'd either reimport my low poly or reconstruct my high poly tree by reducing polys but keeping the same general shape then import my high poly tree right on top of that one then select the low poly tree, do a Render Menu>Transfer Maps>Normal Map or displacement I just prefer Normals, function you should see the low poly tree as the target then select the high poly tree and enter it as your source (name your file and location of file something like tree normal) and Bake/close- you should then have a result similar to your high poly tree on your low poly tree so just hide your high poly tree and render it- you can also use your Normal map as a base for a color map. If I've missed anything or this isn't working for you then just add a reply- hope this helps.

[lo]

Thanks for the reply, Io. Can you elaborate a little on how you would achieve this look using polygons? I don't have access to ZBrush, so I'll be modelling 100% in Maya. I am leaning towards NURBS, but will make the switch to polys if you can convince me.

Sorry I don't use Maya, but Saltivas method sounds good. I don't understand how you plan to create the organic unsmooth surfaces of tree a trunk with nurbs?

[CgKumar]

I am not an expert but you could try paint effects, convert to polys and then start your work from there, maybe to mudbox or zbrush. Or try some plugin, there are many for modeling trees. Xfrog is one. Or try Vue or other programs to kick start your work.

Good Luck,
Kumar

[CK]

Paint efx might work but I don't think that or xfrog are going to get you that kind of detail and quality he's looking for in those images- (and I use xfrog and like it) the tree would be a main focal point with the twist and what not- I was suggesting using Polys for a tree like this to have more control and flexibility with the texturing and what not- smooth isn't completely necessary but you can smooth via vertices with the sculpt tool which has several capacities- So basically I would either use a Polygon Cube and subdivid it up and shape it to the tree or use the single poly method either would work since it's a tree- and if you don't have a more recent Maya to bake the Normals then you could always use Xnormal to either convert a displacement or gray bump to a Normal, seems to work pretty reliably since I've tried it a few times. If you need anymore advise just do me a favor and let me know which version your using so I can come up with a solution. Another method I'd use if I didn't have a newer version of Maya (to bake out transfer maps) then I'd probably just hand paint a bump for a mid poly mesh and then either use the bump for the details (bark etc.) and/or try my look transferring it into a Normal with xNormal but I honestly can't say how that'd turn out since I haven't actually tried this but I have transferred a Displacement into a Normal- also xNormal is free and if you do have an older version of Maya (or even a newer one :)) then I'd go ahead and get it... think it's like xNormal.com

[mindzI]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I will give your method a shot, Saltiva, and let you know how it goes. I'm using Maya 7.0, btw. I guess I will have to convert to polys at some point to refine the model. Io, I originally planned to model the basic shape of the trunk and limbs using lofting techniques, with a combination of deformers and displacement maps. But it looks like I'll have to get my hands into polys if I want to get the look I want. Paint effects have proven to be valuable so far... thanks Kumar.

[CK]

Very cool- yeah- I'd be torn between Polys and Proxys- Proxys you can control your smooth mesh with either the low mesh or the actual smooth mesh and as an added bonus you can use creases which might come in handy here- then you could UV the low mesh so you don't have to worry too much about all of those polys- If you started out with Nurbs already (I wasn't sure of your progress) then give them a shot but I personally prefer polys but I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd say otherwise. If this tree was going to be big (which in my mind it was) then You could definately mix in some paint fx but I tend to stay away from these since they don't render in Mental Ray which is what I use most of the time.

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