Character : Dragon

[daniella3d]

this forum is really NOT useful. This is my first post and probably my last.

[amo_77]

daniella3d, before the mods are all over you, I should inform you that you may not have received many crits or comments because you didn't phrase your subject appropriately. "what to improve? says nothing about the content of the post. It should read something more like "Model: Dragon" or something like that.

Also, the mods and modeling critics like to see wireframe images in the post. And what software did you use? People can help you better if you include the software so that they can know what features and limitations you may be subject to.

Furthermore, it's only been the first day. This tends to be a slower forum because people spend more time on their responses. Update the post and give it time.

As for your model... I'm impressed. I'm not a modeler, but I think it looks nice. I would like to see bigger wings, but I'm not sure how they really look proportionally. Maybe a front or top view would help. Also, is this character going to move ultimately, or is it a still model?

Good luck,

- A

[daniella3d]

I see, thanks for the explanation. A good suggestion to post a top and side view too. I already have some wireframe but it does not say much about the look of the dragon because it's a low polygone with a meshsmooth applied. It's been done in 3dsMax 5.1.

from the top:

http://www.3dartist.ca/topview.jpg

from the side:

http://www.3dartist.ca/dragonside.jpg

and couple of wireframe:

http://www.3dartist.ca/wirefront.jpg

the wireframe with meshsmooth at 1:

http://www.3dartist.ca/dragonedge4.jpg
http://www.3dartist.ca/dragonedge1.jpg

I am moslty concerned with proportions and the area where the wing attach to the body, how it should be done so it will move easily. also maybe the eye socket.

[ntmonkey]

Great model you have there. From what I can tell, proportions are good. I questioned the ability of those wings to carry such a heavy creature, but its fantasy and it should be okay.

My only critique is that the back legs have that horizontal creasing on it, which I think is fine for the tough armor. But I feel it would be more convincing if you just modeled in muscles definition instead. It almost looks like he's wearing greaves instead of his naturally tough hide. That's my opinion on that.

At this point I would move onto the texturing process. Have fun editing UVs. :P

Great job, hope to see it textured soon.

peace,

Lu

[daniella3d]

thanks for the comment. I agree about the upper back leg and I am reworking it. I will put more muscle definition but the original draco had scaled in front of that back leg and I do need to put some in but I will do them better, more defined.

ntmonkey, Do you think that I should put the wings bigger?

[Rivendale]

Hi Daniella, great model!

I'd like to see more detail around the mouth and nostrils. Some of it could be done with bumpmaps but anyway. Maybe enlarge the nostrils a bit too. I think that the skeleton parts of the wings looks a little boxy at the tips, you could round them off a bit. Add some eyeballs too, would look more natural.
I think the model would benefit from having slightly larger wings. I havn't myself tried to model wings that are going to be animatable but I think it would be good to keep polygon count low on the flappy skin parts to make it easier to rig and animate.
Hope this was any help:)

[Cyborgguineapig]

Yep the nostrils definetely need to be enlarged, if its a fire breathing dragon that heat in its mouth has to excape somewhere, and the tiny tiny holes you have for nostrils are too small in my opinion.

I don't know why but for some reason the back feet look a bit weak to support such a big creature. Maybe slightly increase size of feet?

[Jerkazoid]

for the most part, its so acurate its tough to see any flaws.

Cinefex(#66)

but i think u need a bit more girth and a small tweek on the cheek bones.

theres a 7th "finger" wich projects out from his shoulder ...you got it.. but double check its thinkness and its tension

the 2nd humerous and fused radius look a little weak as well. double check the strength of those bones

the wing-thumb extends out a little more

also, i cant find any good pictures of the forward webbing. ar u going from the movie? note that severeal versions of Draco where created so acuracy is impossible with one mesh.

[Kasecool]

realy authentic
cool

!!!

[daniella3d]

Hi everybody and thanks for the comments!

Jerkazoid: I think you're right about the cheek bone and I worked on them as in the movie you can see some definite bone there. I do not understant the 7th finger..what is that? I will modify the wing-thumb too, thanks.

not sure either what is the forward webbing? and yes I am going for the movie and took the model from Dragonhearth I (think I watched the movie more than 100 times!) The nose holes are not so big though on Draco's but I will double check that too.

funny, in the movie, he was breathing fire as if it was coming from his nose but it was not directly coming out of it, more as if there was some distance between his nose and the begining of the fire. DVD is convenient as you can pose it without jerking to check detail.

As for the back feet, i will check that too but they are larger than they seem and the camera perspective is a bit fooling with this. It's not an orthographic projection. looking at them, I think the toes might be a little too thin for the large feet though.

[Jerkazoid]

forward webbing refers to the skin flap that extends from the top of the wing-shoulder to the thumb.

its got a term in aviation...the forward flaps? i cant seem to locate an image of those. so im not sure if they are there.. im sure they are though

the 7th finger ... this is the sturdy "rod" that extends out from behind the wing-shoulder.

look at Draco flying towards the town (the hoax seen i think)
from behind youll notice the sharp thing sticking out and the web curves past it into the body. its the first one away from the body that the webbing connects to (a 7th finger almost). it looks a little heafty in your model thats all.

[daniella3d]

Ok I understand now about the terms that you used and you're right, I need to do some more work on that. nose holes are also a little bit too small as I watched the movie again..(so many detail to pay attention to!)

now I have lots of good suggestions to work on and improve this model thanks to all. I am traveling right now and will not be able to work on it until next weekend, just can't wait to try out your suggestions.

[osukayasuragi]

I would make the legs a bit thicker!

[syrez-one]

i like your dragon very much .. i reminds me alot of the dragom of "Dragonheart" with Kevin Costner? the only thing that is abit odd are he's legs as already stated.. if you look at them in the side view the paw are relativly flat.. and i think the lower back foot is thinner the the front one .. it should be more massive and bigger.. have his back stand up, so that it looks like he's a tiger in lower grass observing his pray.. and perhaps let the wings go down to bottom at the and .. so that they have some gravity..

well the texture thing:
i'd really split the model up in pieces and uvmap them individually.. like i.e. the torso with a plane from the side and so on...

but overall great modelling u got there ! watching out for more :)

[zeroeefx]

Cool i like it overall, the face is nice and the wings are nice. the legs and feet are to small(being a dragon heart fan myself) I would beef the legs up and make sure my edge loops are clean for rigging.

[daniella3d]

thankd for the comment. What is the edge loops?

[daniella3d]

I forgot to ask, do you think I should enlarge both front and back legs? or only the back legs? or only the paw or claws?

[Zocky]

Hey, nice model there, Daniela!

It is really nice model! But as CyborgGP already said, amaybe legs could be a bit stronger/bigger. And the wings are too flat, I think. Maybe you could give it more natural look,you know,not-so-flat-one.

Beside this, it is verry nice model. keep up! ;)

[daniella3d]

Hello, thanks for the comments.

I will make the feet a bit more massive. As for the wings, they are currently flat as in preparation for rigging. I will give it a better pose once I rig it but I must finish the modeling part completely before I can texture it and rid it. No sense doing a manual pose either :)

I still have to work on those wings as they also need to have more massive bones.

[io,]

hei.
i think i'd like him with larger wings. if u keep this size on wings, and u want to see him fly, he will have to flap his wings very close to a dragonfly. (i meen fast)..

[Mattrne]

I don't actually know if he needs bigger wings per-se. I would say however that the muscles in the arm that runs along the front of the wing could probably do with some more musculature as it would after all have to be strong enough to flap the wings and keep the rest of the body in the air. Maybe you could make the wings flare out a bit more towards the end too...

Looking good though. One question though - do you honestly think it'll only take a week to texture and rig it? If so I need to learn some tips from you!

Matt.

[daniella3d]

well, maybe it will take more than a week to rig it. I am not sure yet.

As for the proportion of the wings, after watching the making of..the mesurement are 18 feet high, 43 feet long and wings span of 72.3 feet...how much more precise can you get :) they even give the mesurements to the inch :)

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.