Hexagon Sword : A Strategic Modeling Masterclass
Details
We've seen this scenario play out all too often. There are lots of props out there, but what if the concept you have in mind calls for a specific prop in a specific style that you can't seem to find?
You think to yourself Hexagon is free, and if it's good enough for artists like DZFire, Protozon and FirstBastion, maybe I should take a look? You find some YouTube videos on how to use Hexagon and the basics of modeling a 3D object and you're ready to start. But halfway through your project, you realize that you've modeled yourself into a corner and don't know how to escape!
In this tutorial set we'll go over a strategic approach to modeling from conception to creating a usable prop.
We'll walk through planning your modeling project from setting up reference images, to dividing the mesh into segments, to surface planning and then UV mapping.
We'll identify common areas where new modelers make mistakes and how to resolve them.
We'll also go over importing your object into DAZ Studio, parenting the prop (a sword) to your figure's hand.
Total running time of tutorial : 4 hours and 18 minutes
You'll Learn
Strategic modeling : tips to make a smoother workflow
The difference between a personal use model and a commercial one when it comes to planning and modeling
Finding, preparing, and setting up reference images in Hexagon
Our example be an old Celtic design using a crude anthropomorphic handle
Identifying the pieces of a model and considerations for how to divide the mesh
Where to add mesh density and where to keep it simple
Using Hexagon's modeling tools like Bend and l Clone to make modeling faster and easier
Using Hexagon's troubleshooting tools to find bad geometry such as:
N-gons (faces with more than 4 vertices)
Non-planar vertices
Non-manifold mesh
Flipped normals
Defining surfaces and material zones
Dealing with the hilt : ways of capping a cylinder
Should you UV Map inside Hexagon? A recommended tool for UV mapping
Importing your creation into Studio
Refining the model in DAZ Studio to make it more usable
Parenting the sword to a figure's hand
About the Presenter : Karl Knarr
Whilst Karl's formal training is in computer programming, he has been learning and sharing tutorials on DAZ Studio since 2014. You can read more about Karl's digital artist journey and his tutorials at https://karl3d.wordpress.com/
As I've gotten back into modeling some of my own 3D content, I realized how it has given me more freedom of expression. A lot of my renders lately are of the roleplaying characters for my girlfriend and I to create snapshots of stories we're co-writing. We tend to have very specific ideas about the look of our characters and the things they might own; so being able to create things myself has allowed me to reach my goals for my images without having to be limited by the content that others have created."
About Digital Art Live
We've been connecting, educating and inspiring digital artists in our weekly live webinars since 2013. Look out for our community live workshops at the Digital Art Live website and our tutorial products in the Daz 3D store.
What's Included and Features
Hexagon Sword : A Strategic Modeling Masterclass
3 x MP4 video files with total running time of 4 hours and 18 minutes
Session 1:
00:02 Introduction - why modelling?
00:08 Resources - reference images
00:13 In GIMP with a reference file
00:14 Tagging parts of the reference image
00:16 Trade offs with your model. How realistic should it be?
00:18 Measure the points. Spreadsheet with the various parts of pixels/real world measurements
00:21 Into Hexagon
00:22 Setting up the measurement grid and bringing in the reference
00:24 About the reference image. Why does the image not go all the way to the ends?
00:30 Lock the reference image
00:35 Create the initial primitive for the model
00:37 Tesselate by slice
00:42 Dissolve a tessellation
00:46 Shaping the blade
00:47 New pivot point in the top of the sword
00:48 Sorting out the sword point
00:54 Creating the quads on the point
00:56 About symmetry
00:58 Save incremental
01:06 Separate the materials on the model : material zones on the bladeSec
01:13 Several material zones added as examples
01:16 No need to model something that won't be showing
01:17 Cloning
01:20 Advice not to work on the smooth model clone
Session 2:
00:01 Introduction
00:04 Dealing with the tip. Giving it a sharper point
00:06 Smoothing problems with 4 sided polygons
00:11 Making the blade edge sharper
00:16 About smoothing levels
00:22 The hilt
00:24 Using a cylinder primitive and capping it.
00:26 Issues with Hexagon with the capping model.
00:28 Different capping approaches
00:30 Spiral cap
00:38 Small cap
00:50 Making an arm on the pommel
00:56 Curving the arm
01:08 Copy and paste the hilt "leg" and rotate
Session 3:
00:05 Tweaking a vertex
00:08 Getting read of n-gons
00:12 Non manifold mesh - they can't exist in real life
00:20 Non manifold meshes in DAZ - what happens?
00:21 UV Mapping
00:23 About UV Mapper pro
00:24 We don't want to weld the pieces together
00:25 Bake in the smoothing
00:25 Export as Wavefront OBJ
00:27 "Def surf" material and what to do with it
00:32 Unwrapping the blade
00:38 Unwrapping the hilt
00:41 Weld operation
00:50 DAZ Studio and texturing in Iray
00:59 Use the joint editor to centre the prop
01:03 Saving the prop and prop attributes
01:09 Parenting the sword into the hand
01:11 Save wearable preset
01:22 END
Notes
This product includes:
3 General Installers
https://www.daz3d.com/catalog/product/view/id/69349
