3D Modeling - Project 1: Hard Surface Modeling

5.6.2024 - 26.6.2024 / Week 7 - Week 10
Chan Wan Qing / 0350928 / BA of Design (HONS) in Creative Media
3D Modeling
Project 1

---

INDEX:

1. Lectures
2. Project 1: Hard Surface Modeling
3. Feedbacks 
4. Reflection

---

LECTURES

Week 7 / 5.6.2024

In week 7, we learned about look development. We will learn the basics of rendering. 

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVK_ErYo4=/

Look Development (Miro Notes)

Render Engine > Eevee / Cycles (Takes longer time) / Workbench
Cycles - Max sample: 8 - 32 (the lower the faster)

Object > Apply > Scale
Add modifier > Solidify 

Lighting

Lighting Rendered (Cycles)

Materials: Roughness, Metallic, Specular 

Materials

Materials Rendered (Cycles)

Shader Editor 
Material > Base Colour > Brick Texture (?)
Preference > Add-ons > Wranglers > Ctrl + T

Texture

Week 9 / 19.6.2024

In week 9, we learned about UV unwrap and texturing. We will be focusing on texture for this week. 

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVK6C8WmE=/ 

Texturing (Miro Notes)

Texture Image: 4096 x 4096 (4K)
                          2048 x 2048
                          1024 x 1024 [^ higher quality]
                          512 x 512 
                          256 x 256  [^ lower quality]
                          128 x 128

• Aspect ratio - 1:1
• Resolution
• Seamless

Shader Editor > Ctrl T > Add texture
UV Editor

Wood Texture

Model > Select Face > U > Project from View

Painting in Blender:
UV Editor > Create New Image > Assign in Shader Editor > Texture Paint (Main)

Brick Texture

Painting

---

INSTRUCTIONS 

Project 1: Hard Surface Modeling

In this project, we have to choose hard surface object in any of these categories: vehicle, weapon, robot and machine to model it. After choosing, we have to search for the object's reference or blueprint and model the selected object using polygon tools and techniques based on what we have learnt. Then, we should apply the right material and texture to give its appearance and set lighting and rendering using ‘Eevee’ / ‘Cycle’ as the rendering engine.

Requirements:

• Use Eevee/Cycle rendering (Blender) for final output
• Output size: 1280 x 720 
• Format: .png 

References & Blueprint 

Initially, I was looking for the category of vehicles in this project, I found a few references of motorcycle. However, when I observed the references, I realised them some of the parts are not clear and I am not familiar with the structure of a motorcycle, so I changed to the category of machine. While finding research, I found a reference of an electric guitar. I was thinking that the electric guitar could be quite fun for modeling, so I decided to find a blueprint of an electric guitar. 

Fig.2.1 Initial Idea - Motorcycle

Fig.2.2 Final Idea - Electric Guitar

I used the third image of the electric guitar as my blueprint when modeling it. 

Blender 

1st Attempt

For the 1st attempt, I started with a cube model for the body part and adjusted the height, width and length following the blueprint. Like how we did the exercise of the karambit, I extruded the faces and scale in/out the model to achieve the result of curves like the body part of the electric guitar. Then, I also extruded the center part of the body for the neck part until the headstock. 

Fig.2.3 Electric Guitar Modeling - Body (Attempt 1)

Fig.2.4 Electric Guitar Modeling - Neck & Headstock (Attempt 1)

I found that the wireframe looks weird in the 1st attempt as they are uneven and I couldn't apply loop cut on the edge. So, I decided to make another attempt. 

2nd Attempt 

In the 2nd attempt, I refer to the 1st image in Fig.2.2 as reference for the wireframe and use the 3rd image as blueprint. Similarly, I placed the blueprint image into Blender and started to model the body part using a cube model. I adjusted the size of the cube and divide it into 4 parts vertically using loop cut. Then, I adjusted the edge using scale in and scale out to model the curve part of the body. 

Fig.2.5 Electric Guitar Modeling - Body (1)

The tricky part of modeling the body is the upper part where it connects with the neck as the shape of both side (left and right) are not even, so I model both side seperately with extrude and move tools. I also connected a few vertices so that I can move and amend the shape easily. 

Fig.2.6 Electric Guitar Modeling - Body (2)

Then, I extruded the 2 faces on the centre up and extrude them following the blueprint for the neck part. I also used scale down to adjust the neck part while extruding it.

Fig.2.7 Electric Guitar Modeling - Neck

After that, I used a cylinder model for the headstock part since it is from a circle shape, I divided the cylinder using 16 triangles and then connected it with the neck part like how we did in exercise 4. 

Fig.2.8 Electric Guitar Modeling - Headstock

I then insert loop cut on the edges and applied subdivision on the electric guitar model to see the result. I think it comes out quite well. 

Fig.2.8 Electric Guitar Modeling (Subdivision: 2)

After that, I proceeded to model or add the details of the electric guitar. First, I started with the white part in the blueprint, where it is like a board on the body. For this, I used extrude tool. I selected the faces following the shape of the board and extruded them out. I used bevel tool to round the edges. 

Fig.2.9 Electric Guitar Modeling - Board

Fig.2.10 Electric Guitar Modeling (Subdivision: 2)

Next, I modeled the tuning pecs on the headstock. There are two parts of the tuning pecs, one is on the top of the headstock and another part is on the side. I first model the part on the headstock. I added a cylinder model as the base and used extrude, inset, scale in and scale out to model the shape of the tuning pecs. I used difference tool to create the top part of the screw. 

Fig.2.11 Electric Guitar Modeling - Tuning Pecs (1)

Then, I model the tuning pecs on the side. I used cube as the base shape and divided it into several parts and scale them down. Then, I applied smooth tool and added subdivision on the pecs. 

Fig.2.12 Electric Guitar Modeling - Tuning Pecs (2)

Next, it's the pick ups part on the body of the electric guitar. I combined different shapes including rectangular and cylinder shapes to create the pick ups. I followed the sizes of the blueprint and placed it accordingly. I duplicate them as there are 3. I also modeled the volume and tone controls which are placed next to the pick ups. I used cylinder as base for this one and used inset and extrude tools to achieve the shape. 

Fig.2.13 Electric Guitar Modeling - Pick ups

Fig.2.14 Electric Guitar Modeling - Volume and Tone Control

I then modeled the bridge which I found it's quite complicated. I found a clearer reference of that part before I started to model it. I used cube to model the bridge part and added screws that are modeled using cylinder shape. I adjusted the length of the screw to match with the bridge. 

Fig.2.15 Electric Guitar Modeling - Bridge

Then, I modeled the plate and also the strings using cylinder shape. For the plate, it was not easy, I used difference to create the shape and also shade it smooth. I tried to apply subdivision but it does not seem right. So, I used more time while modeling the plate. For the string, it is not easy also because I need to connect it from the tuning pecs to the bridge, and it has to be in-line with the neck and pick ups. 

Fig.2.16 Electric Guitar Modeling - Plate & Strings

After that, I added colours and materials in Eevee mode. Initially, I used Cycles mode while applying colours but it takes longer time and there are noise which make the process slower. So, I changed it to Eevee mode and after applying all the colours, I changed to Cycles mode to amend it and add materials. 

Fig.2.16 Electric Guitar Modeling - Colours & Materials

After adding colours, I tried different types of lightings to see which comes out the best. I played with different positions, power, angles and so on of the lightings. I used spot at last, with 850W of power and render it in Cycles mode with 16 samples.

Fig.2.17 Electric Guitar Modeling - Rendering in Cycles

Final Project 1: Hard Surface Modeling

Fig.2.18 Final Electric Guitar Modeling (Wireframe)

Fig.2.19 Final Electric Guitar Modeling

---

FEEDBACKS

Week 9 / Project 1

Specific Feedbacks:

Use knife tool to make quad shape for the wireframe if possible. Otherwise, the wireframe looks ok. 

---

REFLECTION

For this project, I think the overall process was quite fun despite I had some challenges while building the model using Blender. Initially, I used some time to think about what should I build for hard object, and I tried to find different references online. I realised that without completely knowing the structure of the object (if the object is complicated), it is harder for us to construct the object since we did not know how it looks like as the reference only shows an angle. Therefore, I chose to build an electric guitar even though my initial idea was to build a motorcycle. I found that the first step is always hard because I am not sure where and how to start. I also found that it is important to make multiple attempts to identify the mistakes and enhance my understanding on the more suitable way on building the model. Through repeated trials and analysis of errors, this process allows me to continually refine and improve both the model and the wireframe so that the final outcome looks nice. I also learned to remember to save the file each time I made a progress because while doing the project, the software was shut down suddenly, and I did not save the file, so I had to redo some of the parts. Another part of the project which is challenging for me is that the placement of the lighting, I am not sure where to place the lighting and adjust the values to make the model looks good. Through this project, I realised that there are still many areas that I have to improve especially the rendering part so that I can show the best angle and lighting for the model.