3D Modeller w/ Animation looking to make it!

jamescarson86 · 06-30-2009, 10:36 AM

A recent graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, with a degree in Computer Games Technology, I learnt my love for 3D Modelling.

I am now trying to break into the industry, and am finding it difficult - maybe because of my portfolio?

My website is www.wiimate.blogspot.com , if anyone cares to have a look.

All criticism would be appreciated as to my weaknesses, and what I could improve upon.

Also if anyone is looking for a 3D modeller, and thinks I can help (free or paid) please email me at: jamescarson86@gmail.com - just looking for more experience!

PS Anyone know of any UK companies looking to hire graduates - Ive applied to 60 within the UK, but still trying!!!!

yaustar · 06-30-2009, 12:02 PM

Its on a blog which doesn't make a good portfolio site.
Not enough animation in your showreel (if that is what you want to do).
In the walk animation, it doesn't look like the character is connected to the floor in any way, lack of shadows doesn't help, the feet slide along the floor rather then 'step' and the animation 'pops'/glitches in places.

jamescarson86 · 07-01-2009, 02:16 AM

Im actually trying to focus on the 3D Modelling side of things - so do you think I should remove the animation altogether? I do only have it to show I have another (small amount) of skill in animation?

What do you think of the models - poor, alright, good, excellent?
What could be improved?

Do you know of any good free domains I could use as my website?

Also thank you for replying!

yaustar · 07-01-2009, 03:53 AM

Remove the animation altogether or improve it, it really isn't good enough to be in a portfolio.

Quote:

What do you think of the models - poor, alright, good, excellent?
What could be improved?

I am not an artist so I can't really comment. Ideally, you would have more models and possibly a larger range.

Quote:

Do you know of any good free domains I could use as my website?

Google Pages.

jamescarson86 · 07-01-2009, 03:21 PM

Done!! Now the proud owner of here!!

Also placed my animation in an appropriate section i.e Past Work!

PS Google Pages is now Google Sites, just incase you wanted to know!!

thanks for all the help....now just to find someone who can critique my models!!

EvilLlama · 07-01-2009, 07:23 PM

(please excuse weird formatting. I typed this up in Notepad and copied it over since GameCareerGuide won't let me stay logged in long enough to write this, and I'm being slightly lazy by not correcting it)

Website--Put your most recent/best work first, and if you're going to include Past Work, put it on the bottom
CV--Take out My CV in the top left corner, the link is explanatory enough
With the exception of the Work Experience section, take out anything that isn't directly related to modeling or games.
Your travels, driver's license, sports, school attendance should not be on there.
Cut down the experience paragraph to
"I am seeking to harness my enthusiasm for 3D animation and contribute my skills for the benefit of a professional company."
rename the section Objective, and put it at the top.

The Models:
Leon looks cute. However, although many professionals make their models in t-pose it
is not recommended since if you're not careful it can throw shoulder animations off.
Also if you stretch your arms out like Earl's and feel your shoulder, there is still a slight convex bump there.
I know cartooning is allowed to break some principles of realism, so it may just be a nitpicky thing.
Now put one hand on top of your head and press the palm of your other hand against your chin.
Start talking, make strange noises, growl whatever.
One thing you will notice is that your upper jaw only really moves when you tilt your head back or scrunch your neck.
Your lower jaw is the one that is constantly moving--therefore you should adjust your rig so the lower jaw it what moves

Earl--cute. The upside to modeling with NURBS is that curves are much easier and don't require a billion polygons to create smooth surfaces.
From what I've read, the downside to using them is that they take longer to render.
There is a way to convert a NURBS model to polygons, I don't know what it is. It would be helpful for you to find that out

Catfish--This is your best work so far, good job. The texture is very dark and makes it hard to see, I don't know if that was what you were aiming for

Big Z--Big Z is actually an extremely fat penguin--or at least his face is. Pay more attention to weight and volume.
I also don't see a textured version although you mention it.

Beach House--take it out. I know your first model holds nostalgic value, but your others are so much better.

Overall: You've started out simple in order to learn how to model. Good.
But you know how to model now, so you're ready for the next level.
Try to model more complicated subjects, especially people and environments.
Try to aim more for realism--you don't have to throw away the cartoons, but the painstaking attention to detail required to make realistic models work while trying to not go overboard on polygons is good experience
I would highly recommend you take classes in observational Drawing and figure drawing. Although you're working 3D, the skills learned here are extremely valuable--you can take a sculpting class in addition if you feel like you need more 3Dness
Try doing your own original characters instead of copying from movies.
Your excitement is great--don't let it drop. Keep at it.

jamescarson86 · 07-02-2009, 02:22 AM

Quote:

CV--Take out My CV in the top left corner, the link is explanatory enough
With the exception of the Work Experience section, take out anything that isn't directly related to modeling or games.

Think I have done this, but google sites doesn't like the header not having something in it, so may just end up having to leave that in!

Quote:

Leon looks cute. However, although many professionals make their models in t-pose it

Thanks, but how else will i pose him, is this not the ideal pose, especially for animation?

Quote:

There is a way to convert a NURBS model to polygons, I don't know what it is. It would be helpful for you to find that out

Nurbs was a pain to model, cant see it as being beneficial if it also takes a long time to render.

Quote:

Your lower jaw is the one that is constantly moving--therefore you should adjust your rig so the lower jaw it what moves

Thats a great tip, thank you for that, a simple yet effective tool, will adjust mode accordingly.

Quote:

Catfish--This is your best work so far, good job. The texture is very dark and makes it hard to see, I don't know if that was what you were aiming for

This was done using lattice modelling, my favourite technique by far, one which Im most comfortable with. Ill also just place the beach house under past work.
I want to try my own characters, but the technique I feel most comfortable with is placing template planes on each axis and working off them - is that lazy? Is there a good site for downloading templates from? Just to practice a bit more?

Also I removed most of what you mentioned from the CV, apart from travelling at the top, this is so a potential employer can see that I didn't just mess about for a year after graduating, and that I was actually involved in something.

Thanks very much, the advice you have given is really helpful - keep it coming!!

Are you a 3D Modeller too?, if not you should be!

yaustar · 07-02-2009, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamescarson86

Nurbs was a pain to model, cant see it as being beneficial if it also takes a long time to render.

It is extremely easy to scale the number of polygons it uses. Some games uses NURBs to do dynamic LOD,

EvilLlama · 07-02-2009, 04:51 AM

Thanks, but how else will i pose him, is this not the ideal pose, especially for animation?

http://gnomonology.com/upload/tutori...b/287/main.jpg

-as you will notice, the arms are down but not completely pressed at the sides and the elbows are just slightly bent

This was done using lattice modelling, my favourite technique by far, one which Im most comfortable with. Ill also just place the beach house under past work.
I want to try my own characters, but the technique I feel most comfortable with is placing template planes on each axis and working off them - is that lazy? Is there a good site for downloading templates from? Just to practice a bit more?

-it's not lazy, it's what you should be doing. One thing you can do is to buy modeling clay and sculpt your character. Then take a photo of it from the front and from the side and use those for the planes. You can also draw front views and side views if your drawing skills are greater than your sculpting, but I recommend the sculpting since you get more of a feel from all sides