Modeling an scene with impossible objects

#1

Hi all!

For school we have to model a scene with a building that contains several impossible objects a la mc Esher. I have chosen the scene as seen in the attachment. Of course this can't actually be modeled as it's draw so we have to set up a camera. Through this camera the scene has to look exactly like the picture, and we have to come up with a way to model it. Pieces of the scene may be far a way from each other when looking in perspective view, as long as it looks like the picture through the "Illusion camera" it's fine.

I have to position the camera first before I start modeling. I'm having trouble with setting up my camera though. 
I've set the picture to an image plane in Maya as a reference. I'm trying to line up the view of the camera to match the view of the image with the help of a cube. 
It seems impossible to line them up though. Once I have a few lines lined up with a cube another part of the image doesn't match. I'm fiddeling around with focal length of the camera and such but no luck.

How would I do this, or is this impossible? I guess if the drawing contains any errors it would be impossible wouldn't it? Getting kinda crazy trying to figure this out.

picture

#2

This should be pretty easy.

Make sure you camera is set to be orthographic (there is an orthographic tab in the attributes for all cameras)

Then line up your image plane to the camera the way you want it. Push it back in Z so you have space to work.

Start modeling from the back and work your way forwards towards the camera.

Ignore real space when you need to. In proper 3d space it will look weird!

I just blocked out most of the picture in your link in a few min. worked pretty well!

lighting would be more of a challange. would probably have to bake and hand paint it in a bit :slight_smile:

Enjoy!

#3

Cyberone,

I’m sorry but I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about in the first sentence.
What does all this mean.
" Make sure you camera is set to p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }be orthographic (there is an p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }orthographic tab in the attributes for all cameras)"

I actually talked to a 2nd year student today who said this is picture is a mixture of Isometric and some parts Perspective view. She said I had to to do something with film offset to make my horizon lower or something. This makes maya behave VERY strange though. I have no idea how to use it. My camera panning is super fast now (not rotating around object) focusing on object doesn’t work anymore it’s way off. Also zooming is weird now. Would this also work or am I missing something.

#4

sorry that was a weird copy paste formatting thing from linux :slight_smile:

I have fixed my above post.

yes the picture is a mix of isometric and perspective but you could cheat the perspective.

Setting the camera to orthographic should get you most of the way there.

Just model to that camera. It will look weird in the maya perspective view.

This will only ever work for a still camera.

also make a new orthographic camera to model to and render with. dont use mayas default perspective view.

#5

Ah :slight_smile:

We can’t use a camera set to orthographic. I can’t remember why that was just now but I guess there are some issues with that. I only remember we can’t use it. The “illusion camera” also has to show depth which there isn’t with orthographic. I also can’t distort any of the geometry. Meaning for example a roof can’t be at an angle, it has to be straight, like it would be if it were real. We are allowed to rotate an entire building though. I also know there are a couple of lines that are wrong but it’s not many, only a couple. The rest should. According to the teachers I SHOULD be able to get it right by only adjust the camera using the dolly tool and adjusting the camera’s focal length. I can get a very large portion of the image lined up but mostly the left building will be misaligned.

Here is the Maya file: http://www55.zippyshare.com/v/28372824/file.html

#6

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