Vehicle: 1995 McLaren LM

[Giles hodges]

hey, i am also modeling this car right now in this forum

[WChestnutt]

lookin' nice!! but thats going to be one hell of a beast to detail. box isn't the best method for cars... keep it up though.

btw, www.onnovanbraam.com is the best site for blueprints.:thumbsup:

Will

[2500euros]

http://www.suurland.com/blueprints_archive.php
is also great site with A LOT of blueprints


and now please go to http://www.2500euros.co.sr and give me some money :D

[Giles hodges]

so then what is the best method to model cars. i use box and it is okay

[flewp]

2500euros: He got the blueprints off suurland, apparently you didn't notice that.

and now please go get a job.

[superb0y]

Hi Jason...my name is Jason too heh. Anyhoo I have post the attachment that I have used to model McLaren. Just thought it might help you out there. I just finished model the body but I just need to add the rims and tires to go with it too. After that, I will post it up. :buttrock:

[2500euros]

flewp: i posted to help unknown limit and other visitors who don't know about that site

I have 4 years of experience in PHP/MySQL and I had jobs, but during the past few months - none. I don't know where to find PHP/MySQL programming job for working from home. I need that kind of job because I live in very poor country [serbia] where is almost impossible to earn that much money with regular job so we need to look for work-from-home jobs for foreign clients.


JasonA: very nice model really

[flewp]

2500 euros, I was only kidding. I just find the site of yours kind of amusing, since it will probably actually help you out. I too am sort of unemployed, I work as a freelance graphic designer/web design/etc, and at the moment only have one steady customer. Maybe if you get over 2500 euros you can send them to me :)

[JasonA]

Here's a bit of an update to the McLaren model. Box modeling is a wierd beast and is really a puzzle on how to maintain quads and still get the shape you want. Anyways, I've been cutting in the detail on the front end and I'm just starting on the headlights.

[JasonA]

here's a corrected pic

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/mclaren16.gif

[Xilica]

jeeze this is looking good!!

how about a wire JasonA? :beer:

[JasonA]

Thanks Xilica, I'll get a wire up of the model shortly. my wire is not pretty so take it with a grain of salt :)

ok here's an update. I've focused on just getting the lights and doors detailed and grooves cut in. Next I'll start figuring out the roof intake.

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/mclaren28.gif

[WChestnutt]

well, i have absolutely no idea how you did it but you have! :thumbsup:

it looks very good! you must be quite skilled with box modeling!
how you got that mesh from the basic one you started with baffles me but, hey!

Great work

Will

ps. i take back most of what i said about box not being a very good method for cars. i apologize. in the right hands it is obviously very powerful!. it was just that i couldn't see how you would get that detail in.
:)

[JasonA]

unknown limit, thanks for your generous comments! I briefly looked over your car tut, and I can see you definitely know what you're talking about.

In hindsight, I can see that this car (and perhaps others) would lend itself better to surfacing from curves (im using maya, not lw). But my nurbs skills are pretty low right now. I tried working a tut (wrx subaro 99 impreza by Mike Thompson) but I found myself stuck at one of the early steps. I was spending so much time trying to solve basic problems that finally I grew impatient with it and decided to move forward with poly modeling. Truth is I'm not a great poly modeler either, but I'm learning. this is my third :)

Here's an unsmoothed wire of the car so far

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/wire28.gif

[WChestnutt]

and learning well!!:beer:
you have talent. :)

[TheShaddix]

hey man, can you please post a bigger pic of some of your car's details, like the wheel arch and the front bumper? So we can see the beveling? And by the way, did u use the original maya bevel tool? or u did u go with MJPoly tools? Tell us more about how u got the beautiful shape man. I bet everyone here wants to know it. THanks.

[JasonA]

I don't think posting a zoom in pic of what you already see in the previous wire would help much vertexstudios. As you guessed, I use the bevel tool on areas were I need a tight radius on an edge. And of course, I have to clean up the mangled geometry that maya creates with it :annoyed:. I use MJPolytools somewhat, but not as much as you might suspect. Mainly just for selecting edge loops and occasionally splitting them. But most of this is using the standard poly toolset in maya

Otherwise I just tried to make sure I had edges where I needed seams and to have faces following the overall contours of the body of the car.
:)

[JetStrike]

I've tried box modeling a car before..... didn't turn out too good lol

Awsome work! Keep it up!:beer:

[JasonA]

I've finished off the roof intake(s) and the back windshields (more or less). I'll have to put some intake ports on the bottoms of the glass. Ignore the small squigglies cause the two halfs aren't attached yet. Now its time to start figuring out the back end and seal the deal for the overall outer body.

Comments and suggestions would be very welcome :)

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/mclaren40.gif

[TheShaddix]

man, this is a good work ur doing. I once tried to make a car using polygons, it was a ferrari maranello, here is the link: http://www.vertexstudios.net/images/ferrari.jpg
But ofcourse, its nothing like ur doing. Ur car is a lot more detailed and advanced. But im workin on a new car and im almost done, its mercedes and u can check it out here: http://www.vertexstudios.net/images/thecarrendered.jpg
its made with nurbs only, just like mike made his subaru, same techniques.
Man, this car of yours looks really good, keep it up and keep us posted.

[JasonA]

your mercedes looks really good vertex, I'm impressed with how that came out for you. Are you in the process of texturing it? I definitely need to improve on my nurbs skills :) Thanks for the comments btw

[TheShaddix]

Ill tell u what im going to do next. First of all, im going to finish up the interior, all those small ass details, all made with NURBS, not a single polygon in there. NExt, ill make sure it has all the exterior detailing, and then im gonna apply a good blinn shader with nice reflections, maybe HDRI, but i dunno yet. And then im gonna make a tutorial on making a mercedes sl in maya using NURBS, that has been my primary objective all along. I beleive that if u make a good car in 3d, u shall teach it to others, what u think?
I already made a tutorial on making a ferrari.
Man, ill tell u this, when i started NUrbs i thought that was a painful experience, but down the road, i was getting used to it, and i found some good things about it. Here they are :
1.) Unlike polygons, nurbs tesselation allows u to adjust it and itll only show up when rendered while the meshsmooth will stay there all the time(unless u use MEL). Tesselation works just like meshsmooth and even better.

2.) when u work with a NUrbs car in ur viewports, u really enjoy it, because it looks good at all stages, as in ur viewports so when rendered while polygons look pretty ugly not smoothed. Plus, nurbs have that option where u can select the display quality(1,2,3) so it wont loose its performance while modelled.

3.) U can easily make parts not even worrying about beveling and such. Here is how it works... U create some simple curves, then generate a surface, then u just add isoparms where u want ur "bevel" to be, and then u just move the hulls which works amazing. ANd you dont have to deal with maya's stupid bevel products(extra vertices)., LOoks a lot better too.

Now u can make a conclusion... I suggest that you should try NURBS modeling, im sure you wont regret it. POlygons are good for characters, NUrbs - for cars.
JUst post here if u have any questions.
By the way, i think that you've prooved that polygons are good too when used right.

[JasonA]

Another update to the Maclaren. I've settled on the overall shape of the tail end, and have cut in the panels and intake ports, as well as the brake and turn light cutouts. It will need detail work in here, but mostly stuff that isn't 'attached' to the mainbody (with the exception of one part i now see I forgot). Please forgive the obvious seam because the two halves are not combined together yet.

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/mclaren61.jpg

[heiyuu]

I did a quick screen thru the post and didnt see this anywhere, but if it was mentioned before, plz forgive me.

What Software and you working in? If it is max why not just use the symmetry modifier? It automatically clones, mirrors and attaches the "other side" of the car.

Nice LM btw, that view from the top 3/4 is definitely inspiring (i just LOVE that roof intake) and it's going into the "insipiration" folder. I must finish my NSX-R. Maybe I will add a air intake like yours to it...

[JasonA]

I'm modeling this in Maya 4.5 with smoothed polys, so no modifier stack (as such anyways). As far as the mirroring/seam problem, I'm just lazy about concerning myself with it :)

[TheShaddix]

sweet, the car is looking good man, keep it up. Are you gonna make a tutorial on making MClaren LM in maya ? THat would kick ass especially that your model looks damn good.
Here is my progress: www.vertexstudios.net/images/arender.jpg
Ofcourse the windows will be transparent so u can see the interior, and i want to make a movie where the car is transforming into a covertible, thats why i have to make all those small details.
Man, I dont really know anything about materials and shaders in maya, i want to make a reflection, but i dont know how to. Let me know when ur at "texturing" stage.

[JasonA]

behold, It has wheels :D

I probably won't make a tutorial on this car only because I'm barely figuring this out myself! And also I didn't keep track of all the changes and progression of steps so my tut would be so broad that I doubt it would be useful.

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/tires88.jpg

[WChestnutt]

very nice man!!! and lush wheels!!!, but so phat!

Keep updating!

Will

[LuisTelesforo]

Like i said in www.simplymaya.com very good work Jason will be a hell of a car.

[TheShaddix]

Jason, how did u make the tires? Did you model them or did you just use a texture? If modelled, please tell us how did you connect them so smoothly? Or did u connect them?

[Pgraphics]

The modeling is great. Nice detail.

[JasonA]

The treads are modeled and actually are a collection of strips which are not connected and have an animation deformer on it/them (bend). The inner tube is a nurbs revolve.

[brazz]

man, I got to say that´s one kick ass model you got there, you´re a great modeller for sure, I wish I could model like that, how long you´ve been modelling? did you ever give it a try for 3d studio max?
keep it up

[shadowkeeper]

Looks like we got weackedsicks right here!!! That's a pretty good stuff! I tryed to model this baby but, i couldn't reach the perfection as you're reaching! that's an awesomr model, do you know that??

[Pgraphics]

don't know how I missed this. Awesome work! The modeling looks really tight. Nice modeled details. Thumbs Up!!!

[buzzlightyr]

Originally posted by Pgraphics
don't know how I missed this. Awesome work! The modeling looks really tight. Nice modeled details. Thumbs Up!!!

I 2nd that

[JasonA]

Thanks for the comments folks, much appreciated. Right now I'm getting the brake lights, grills, and mufflers done to wrap up the back end modeling. Here's an updated pic with the front end modeling essentially done. (I have to dothe windshield wipers yet).

http://home.comcast.net/~prwsjl/mclaren102.jpg

[WChestnutt]

very cool!

now for crits, and i'm going to be harsh....
firstly the headlights need some more detail, trust me, it'll make all the difference.
next there's the issue with the..... eeerrr......
nope, thats it!
just brilliant man!! 5 star!!

Cheers,

Will

[JasonA]

Thanks Will! I am planning on making the basic lens, reflector, bulb arrangement although its hard to see that here. Is that what you're referring to? if not could you elaborate a bit cause I'm not sure what more modeling would be needed in there. From what reference I do have, the headlamp area seems rather simplistic. I'll have to do some better investigation to see if I can find out more info on it.

[WChestnutt]

oh, it's ok if your going to model the bulb and stuff, it's just that at the moment it looks a bit too simple. :)

i do love this model so much!! make sure you do some really cool render for it as well!!

[jamesaevans]

Hi,

Really like your model, very clean and lots of detail.

The only problem I can see with the mesh is where the windscreen meets the roof air intake. It looks like a vertex has not been welded and meshsmooth has created a small triangle hole.

What colour are you going for, road car orange or one of the racecar sponsored liveries?

James

[JasonA]

The triangluar piece above the windshield is actually part of the frame of the real car. There's a hinge there for the door to open.

I haven't fully decided on the car paint yet. for a straight color version, it'll be either orange or yellow. I only have one or two pics of the sponsered version but it might be fun to do that as well :)

[Gremlin]

hey dude, i really wanna make a car in maya, but the tools don't seem to want to work with me... the bevel (for the grooves in the panels) is buggy, that it gives me messed up geometry, and I dont know nurbs well enough to do it in nurbs... got any tips for me dude?

also, i had the idea of a bend deformer on a duplicated geometry to make tire tread, but, what value did you use to make it perfectly bend in a circle, cause the bend value is numerical, and is completely dependant on how long the geometry is.... so basically, you can't determine a number that will result in a perfect circle... can you help me with that as well?

great looking car
Cheers,
:beer:

[JasonA]

Originally posted by Gremlin
hey dude, i really wanna make a car in maya, but the tools don't seem to want to work with me... the bevel (for the grooves in the panels) is buggy, that it gives me messed up geometry, and I dont know nurbs well enough to do it in nurbs... got any tips for me dude? if you're going to use poly's and the bevel tool, be prepared to have to fix geometry. I do it all the time. Its a pain, but you gotta do it.

also, i had the idea of a bend deformer on a duplicated geometry to make tire tread, but, what value did you use to make it perfectly bend in a circle, cause the bend value is numerical, and is completely dependant on how long the geometry is.... so basically, you can't determine a number that will result in a perfect circle... can you help me with that as well?Sure just tweak the manipulators (or use the channel box) to get what you need. I usually do it by determinuing how many treads I want in a quarter of the tire, multiply that by 4 and then duplicate the tread so you have that many treds as one long strip. Cominbine them all together, and then aaply the bend deformer. You might have to rotate the bend gizmo to get the right bending axis. The just change the bend value until you 'close' the treads. Just eyeball it. if your cicle of treads is slightly too small, then just scale it to fit.

[TheShaddix]

wait a little bit and Byron will release chamber tool for free, thats what he says, then modeling with polygons will be much better.
Did u apply meshsmooth everytime u rendered it? Different or ? Tell me how u worked around the smooth tool.
BTW, great car u made, now texture it and render with mental ray, if need help, let me know, ill do what i can.

[cwikdahl]

Looks really promising. Without being a mc laren expert, I'd say the shape is quite accurate. A few crumples in the geometry here and there, but I guess you have no problem ironing that out later. The wheels looks a little off to me. The spokes seems a bit thin, or maybe not sharp enough, and the star shape is a little too soft.

Very detailed mesh. Good job!

[JasonA]

just to elt you all know, I finished this off for now and you can see the finished version over in the Completed 3D Works gallery or click here (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=113599)

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