I was hoping for some help with a model.  Here is the Carrara model - it needs work, but this is a start.  I need help with the feet - ( webs and toes ) and any ideas for the wings?

I want to make a puffin that doesn't require two models, like many other bird models - one for flying and one for wings in.  I know it is possible.  The wings should fold in - the outer end folds in and under, the middle folds a little over - and all in to the body.  

And the vertex model needs to be adjusted for correct folding and bending once I apply bones.
I'm thinking aloud - don't intend someone to do all this for me - just sharing the model for anyone interested in playing with it.

I'll work on a texture later and then add the bones.

The feathers on the wings are another issue  - I always struggle with real physical feathers or a texture map.  Most people use a texture map. 
R

Never Give Up!

 Here is an image.

Never Give Up!

Use three cylinders then use the bridge tool. Be sure to point segments facing each other long wise, then bridge the facing segment for the webs between the toes.

The wings my pose more of a challenge.

 Good idea.  

Never Give Up!

There is a tute for Carrara somewhere about feathers. Was it using Anything Grows?
Just can not find it---tooooo many tutes saved! (Pretty sure it was at Pollyloop originally--but can not see)
However, I am positive there are feather images (clear background); which you could utilise using the Surface Replicator.
Will come back if I find more.

bwtr

Some examples

bwtr

And

bwtr

And

bwtr

And. All could be colour changed in say Photoshop to your needs.

bwtr

 Thank you Brian - I can use these textures - especially the last bump. I'm including another Carrara file containing the puffin as is at 8:00 this evening. I can't get the feet to join - it keeps freezing Carrara when I try and join them.  I don't like to weld - rather connect into one mesh.

If anyone can help -

Never Give Up!

 Yeah, I just can't get the feet, which were copied and pasted, to attach in any way to the legs - you can see here - the scene holds 5 vertex objects - the bird is one mesh, the rt wing has 2 "feather" faces, and two feet - Maybe I should have made it all in one room...

Never Give Up!

 I figured it out.  It is coming along.  I think the texture will make it or break it.

Never Give Up!

http://forums.polyloop.net/carrara-eng/9738-fur-using-carrara-particles.html#post109344

Here's the "Tute" I was thinking about. Further in to it is some stuff and zip files about feathers.

bwtr

 Last on for the night.  The shading domains are fun to apply but they don't do it credit like a well painted texture map.  

Never Give Up!

Another link. Using feathers with surfce replicator:

http://forums.polyloop.net/carrara-eng/7491-feathers.html#post88411

There's a link on the post with the .car file too. Be my guest to download it, if you like. ;)

 Very helpful  - and nice eagle! I haven't seen that one yet. 

This is as far as I'm going on this for now.  It doesn't have bones in the legs or head, tail, or beak yet so I have a lot of work left.  Setting it all up with weight zones takes hours.

The wings don't fold perfectly, but it works as a model for setting up my painting.  Thanks for help.

Never Give Up!

You're welcome, OP. But I can't see the image.

I'm developing a wing tutorial, in portuguese (for now, hosted at my good friend GKDantas's Carrara Forum) about bat/dragon wings. They fold and unfold perfectly. You can see it in action at my YouTube page:

Noviski's Carrara3DWorld

I'm trying to create the same with feathered wings, but it's a hard thing. You need a complex bones behavior or a delicate morph on it, moving feather by feather. Anyway, let's join our fantastic brains together and solve this crap. ;)

Cheers!

(P.S. The English version of the complete tutorial we will post at the DAZ ArtZone very soon...)

 I think you're way ahead of me on this one.  Every time I think I get the wings to fold, I need to go back and adjust the weights and make morphs for them to look good.  The bird wings could almost use joints instead of bones - with the joints, the wings wouldn't deform.  And to move it feather by feather - lots of work.

The bat wing videos look great - did you use morphs on the pair of wings?

Never Give Up!

No, no morphs at the bat wings. Just bones. ;)
I see the Noggin's 'Real Makaw' Bird Model from DAZD, and I like the way as the wings fold and unfold. I'm pretty sure they're using more morphs instead bones at this one. Btw, nice model! :)

 Here is what I"m going after with the puffins... it needs more fish and I want em' scattering from the puffins and some behind.  I'm also trying for more light cones instead of the cloudy look.

Never Give Up!

Very cool scene, OP! I love the underwater enviroment. Did you use the fog primitive or clouds to create de atmosphere? I suggest some caustics map at the light cones gel. ;)

Here's the first try with the bird wings:

Bird Wing - Round 01

The wing has 3 morphs, at three sections of feathers: tip, middle and shoulder. I see some overlaping on the feathers, but I thiks it looks ok. I'll try with the arm, now. Let's see what I get. :)

Congratulations again for your nice job!

 

 Looking good.  I do like the way it folds over - I'm also impressed with the alpha channel.  My feathers still have a white and gray fuz around the edges, like it is not taking out all the white.  I just used the image twice - instead of making an alpha channel in photoshop.

Not long ago I had a chance to investigate a bird wing from a little one that died hitting our window.  I wish I still had it to look at.

Never Give Up!

 I still haven't figured out how to add the light cones.  It isn't clouds - it's just a spot light with fog added, but I want 6-8 light cones coming down at angles, following the puffin and the bubbles...

Never Give Up!

There are sever different light cones in the Misc Tab of the Browser that may help understanding.
Like that latest effort. Great.

bwtr

I agree with Brian, this last one is much better!

Well, I found an interesting site, maybe this one could help us to understand the fold/unfold wing system without touching dead birds... ;)

Cheers!

I read somewhere that the wing of a bird is much like our arm - shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers - The site you found is very interesting. I also found one that detailed how a designer was using his program and complex math to assign movement to the outer feathers depending on how it bent - way too much for me. I played around with morphs last night some - not a bad way to go since the bones deform the feathers - but one could take the feathers out of the bond influence, but then they wouldn't move with the wing tip.

Never Give Up!

I made another animation, now with the arm. The feathers overlaping still bothering me, but I think we are on the right path. ;)

Check it out this site. Sweet! :D

 Noviski, it looks great!  I like the overlap.  It is very realistic.  Are each feather an object or is is a map over one object?  Did you say it is a morph or bones?  Looks good to me.

Never Give Up!

 Okay, 3 morphs - I don't think the macaw goes from flying to folding as it has 2 models.  Looking at eagle paintings by Robert Bateman, I see the middle section of the wing folds over the outer section when it folds up.

I've got to give the internet a break  : )
I have report cards to finish for school next week.  Keep working at it !

Never Give Up!