Forum: 3D Modeling


Subject: Is it worth it to learn modelling?

davidstoolie opened this issue on Feb 16, 2015 · 54 posts


davidstoolie posted Tue, 17 February 2015 at 12:58 PM

Thank you, cjd and airflamesred.  My problem isn't so much the software anymore.  I've overcome the complicated keys and "shortcuts" (what a joke that term is) as it pertains to modelling stuff now in Blender.  BUT (and this is a big but) I just don't know when to use certain tools, and unless I'm following a specific tutorial word for word, and move for move, can never figure out how to get a wireframe mesh that looks good.  Let me give you guys an example of what I mean...

I'll sculpt something cool in Sculptris, or in Blender using the sculpting tools, then I'll go ahead to create some retopology.  This, to me, is the only way I can model a proper object. But even using this techniques, I end up failing.  I start by creating strips of squares along the surface of my sculpt, then connecting the strips, and keep going until it's all filled in.  But I alway always end up with a model full of ngons or triangles, and if I try to subdivide it, it has nasty creases, bumps, or whatever where I don't want them.  I've never found a tutorial which shows you how to build retopology square by square, and how to mathematically figure out how to keep everything in squares, so that it looks pretty when you go to smooth it, and so on.  So even with this "cheat" technique, I'm not very good.  Forget about creating something from a box using edge cuts and extrusions, and all that. I wouldn't know where to begin half the time,.

OR I'll be following a traditional style modelling tutorial, and then see the guy do something and for the life of me can't figure out how he did it, what he did, or whatever, and that's all it takes to lose myself in that tutorial.  I think I finished maybe 3 or 4 complete models based on tutorials, but I tried probably DOZENS of tutorials.  Only finished 3 or 4.

Modelling is just hard.  I really really wanna learn it so I can some day maybe make some money doing this hobby.  But it doesn't seem likely,.  I'm just stupid when it comes to geometry.  I wish automatic retopology gave perfect consistant results, and us sculptors wouldn't have to worry about things like squares or triangles.

Oh, I tried Wings even before Blender.  I had all the same problems.  So it's just me I guess.