The Problem :
This being our first major modeling project, it was key to maintain clean edge flow while continuing to add detail. I found one of the major problems I ran into was moving vertices while in smooth mode, and overcompensating. When I went back to view my un-smooth mesh model I was horrified to find the state of my vertices. Another major issue I needed to solve was finding a good balance between cleaning up small details and moving individual vertices verses when to move on and continue on with the rest of the model. Of course clean mesh is important but there isn’t much of a point if you run out of time and do not finish the model.
The Solution :
My first plan of action before touching Maya was watching the PluralSight tutorial on dinosaur modeling. I learned so much from that tutorial before I even delved into creating the model myself. It was very helpful to see how another artist problem solves and troubleshoots issues so that when you run into them they aren’t something you struggle with. When I finally got into Maya and began modeling myself, I found I used curves far more than I used regular geometry. Of course in the end the model is all polygonal, but using curves to define large chunks of the body saved me a lot of time wile letting me start with a clean mesh.
It was about this point where I ran into my first issue, overcompensating vertices while in smooth mode. Slowly I learned to switch back to polygonal mode and move vertices there before seeing the product smoothed. If I could not achieve my desired level of detail without stretching my vertices beyond their limit, I knew it was an opportunity to add another edge loop or extrusion. Despite being a little rock at first, I found a good balance between working in both modes almost simultaneously as I constantly switched back and forth.
As my model progressed and I began to add more detail, I ran into my second major issue: spending too much time in the wrong areas. I found myself spending a lot of time moving individual vertices minute amounts to achieve the ‘perfect’ edge flow instead of modeling other important components. For this issue again I turned to PluralSight and watched carefully as the artists fixed vertices here or there but only did so as they moved to the next component. After they modeled the next major piece they did some small cleanup to make the new and old vertices flow into each other and then they simply moved on.
Ashley Johnson 