MODELING / Small Little Things from Tristan Lock

Tristan Lock, Blender 3D modeler giving a speedy workflow on BLOCKING, SCULPTING, RETOPOLOGY, UV and TEXTURING.

At Sydney's Blender Meetup (Character Mill) the other day, we were really fortunate to see Tristan Lock, one awesome 3D modeler (Blender artist) demo-ing some of his workflow in 3D sculpting and techniques of doing retopology inside Blender.

You can find out about Tristan Lock and his works by using Google Search.

Tristan was basically FLYING AWAY when modeling in Blender. He is that fast. That is my first time to see anyone models in such speed. Well, many speed up video on YouTube but this one is realtime.

I am not a 3D Sculptor per se, more of generalist/animator/rigger, and I am often still using the old school "box modeling" and NURBS modeling. However, watching him modeling is a truly an eye opener. Sculpting and Retopology is not that hard and you can work fast.

Below are some notes of modeling techniques I gathered from Tristan. The notes will grow as I study sculpting in Blender. Thanks to Tristan!

TRISTAN STARTED BY BLOCKING....

... a SIMPLE block object. He actually started with just the default Cube, really.

Then, jump into edit mode (TAB) and start few simple extrusions, reshaping the front side top using grab and proportional move in 2D Projection mode.

Before later, he applied Subdivision Modifier, which will subdivide and smooth the basic blocking shapes and start extruding and blocking some topology (eyes, mouth, ears, etc for head).

Once the required basic topology is there, he switched on Multiresolution Modifier and start Sculpting.

That is the basic steps, very common, yet practical.

✿ Multi Views
Some artists like to work with Quad View (Top, Front, Side, and Perspective views shown). This is actually can be good. At least have FRONT and PERSPECTIVE, always checking from every angle of your model. Switching between Perspective and Ortographic using the '5' on your Numpad keys.

✿ Turn On Wireframe on Surface and Show All Edges
Always a good to have for modeler is ability to see all the Wireframe on top of the surface while modeling.

✿ The Transform Hotkeys Combo
We know the hotkeys such as:

• G (grab/move/translate)
• R (rotate)
• S (scale)

While using those G-R-S tools, some of their combos are also handy:
G -G => slide components along edge or surface.
G - G - X
G - X - X
R - R
R - X - 90
(please try it yourself)

Below, I am setting the AXIS to Normal, then while watching the arrow gizmo, I can tell Blender if I want to scale locally using S - X -X.

Switch between SOLID and WIRE using the Z Hotkey. Wireframe enables you to see the the edges and vertices while solid is of course enables you to see the overall.

S - X - X

✿ Turn ON "Release Confirm"
Depending on your preference, this could really speed up the modeling work. This option is off by default. Normally when modeling, you probably Grab move with RMB and LMB click to confirm. However, with this Release Confirm option ON, you will confirm once you release.

Watch this space, plenty of options inside Preferences that make Blender works better for you.

Have this option ON when you use Proportional Editing ON, you will see the differences!


✿ Using the 3D Cursor as Pivot
Pay attention to how Blender can adjust pivot during transformation. There are plenty of options. Sometimes, you might want to scale Individual Origins of faces. Extrude Individual can be handy.

Maybe in some other cases, you want to use 3D Cursor as the pivot. Pay attention to "Pivot Point" and "Transform Orientation" which you can customize as well.

✿ CTRL+TAB > 1, 2, 3
Quick switching between Vertex, Edge, and Faces is possible using CTRL+TAB hotkey in Edit Mode. Doing this will convert your selection on the fly.

Assign Subdivision with Optimal Display

✿ Multiresolution Modifier Sculpting
With "Optimal Display" option on.

✿ Bridging
Bridging between edge loop in Blender is actually quite robust. More robust than I thought at first. It just works and it gives you lots of options. You can have non equal numbers of edges, and it will bridge.

✿ Hotkey K
The best KNIFE tool for 3D modeling? Yes, I think so. Blender has the best Knife tool for spliting edges, cutting faces, and more. Be careful when using it, check the help status line, it is hot and sharp.



✿ Hotkey Z = Normal Shaded Mode <> Wireframe
The usefulness is quite obvious.

✿ CTRL + Click Click Click
The ability to extrude selected vertice(s) or face(s) using this CTRL + Click Click Click method is something I talked about and could easily be overlooked. However it really super handy to be able to do this.

Actually, no other 3D packages out there allows you to "connect the dot" and draw just by using POINTS, except Blender.

Ability to just draw a point, extrude point into edges, and so on is really come in handy. Suddenly, we are not limited to think in faces only.

✿ Proportional Edit Mode with Fall Off can be modified in on the fly
When we are in Proportional Editing mode, hotkey O, and we are performing transform (move, rotate, translate), we get this brush fall off that can be edited using Mouse Wheel Scroll. This is almost taken for granted, but in the long run, this is really super handy.

✿ Face can be extruded by selecting the Center of Face in Wireframe mode
If we are looking at Face that is dead side ways from Ortographic view, we can see a little dot representing Face Center, this is selectable when you are in Wireframe mode (Z), and we can access extrusion easily.

NOTE: As someone with Maya background, this is the old school feature that I saw in Maya, "Face Center" is still there, but actually OFF by default. I am actually happy seeing this in Blender! Need to be noted also is how Blender Face Center appears automatically when we are to select Face.


✿ Vertex Snapping Quirk
Sometimes you will find the Snap to Vertex does not do it the way you want it. The secret is to have the mouse already selecting the Vertex you want to snap, then mouse hover around the vertex you want to snap to, then press G. It should definitely work like this. Perhaps Blender Raycast works at the time right after you press G.

Blender has neat option to automatically merge together vertices that area are moved to the same position, that's probably useful at time.

Merging 2 vertices manually, you can select 2 vertices and ALT+M and check out your options.

You can also use LoopTools Add-On if you are doing Bridge.


✿ Use the "2D Project" option for Proportional
I believe Z-Brush has this feature. Being able to look at 3D object from specific angle of view, then we can reshape it just as if we are reshaping 2D shape.

We can easily turn Suzanne monkey head into a human head.

✿ Hiding and Unhiding (Hotkey H)
The hotkey H means hide selected. Alt+H to unhide hidden parts. Works in Object mode and Component mode.

✿ Ability to change Local OpenGL Lighting for Modeling purpose

Although if you prefer Matcap style of viewing your shaded model.

✿ Hidden Wire Option

Often also called "Backface Culling", this option to hide faces or edges that are facing backward or behind the geometry is handy for modeling.

ViewPort Shading and the Shading option inside the side Property panel (N) are related. Always watch if you have any override on this panel that might hide any other viewing mode. Sometimes not that obvious.

NOTE: However, be careful when having this option, always aware that it is actually ON. Turn it OFF again after you use it, because it might override other function like Painting using Stencil.

TURN ON SOME ADD-ON FOR MODELING

Tristan actually turned ALL of the Add-On related to Mesh!

But I guess for beginners, study each Add-On and see if it suits your modeling workflow. Every Modeling Add-On will show up on Toolshelf side tab when you are working on 3D geometry.

Just check them all!

Remember that every Add-On that comes with Blender as part of the TRUNK is Blender approved and will work nicely across Blender. It comes with own documentation. For example: This RELAX Add-On is one example of a really usefull Add-On that you might use often.

TRISTAN RETOPOLOGY TECHNIQUES

✿ Turning on Snap on Surface

✿ Using ShrinkWrap Deformer projection (!) for retopology.
1. You have the high dense mesh.
2. Project the low mesh blocking to the high mesh. The low mesh = can be Skin Modifier.
3. Continue refining the low mesh while watching how it projects.

✿ Using Circle then extrude CTRL + Click Click Click along surface

UV TECHNIQUES

✿ CTRL + P = pack UV
Auto arrange UV inside UV/Texture Editor. And then we can aligning the UV manually (if UV is not straight. It's good habit to make UV aligned verticall and horizontally.

✿ P to Pin UV
Do pinning adjustment with Live Unwrap and Stretch Map is enabled.

You can also use Proportional Editing tool.

SMALL LITTLE THINGS...

When you think of it, sometimes, the small little GOODNESS that make Blender GREAT. Even for one feature like 3D modeling, Blender is giving  nice little surprises here and there, a full set of tools that are practical for all kind of modeling purposes in 3D production.

Now, I could continue with spicy rants about other 3D commercial packages, like how software package X or Y does not match Blender in term of modeling tools... I should not.

I guess what matters in the end is how the artist can suit their workflow.

"I love Blender and ZBrush for different reasons" -- Tristan.

The tool you are using needs to make you work faster, more flexible, better. It should NOT crash (Autodesk Maya, I am pointing at you). Just do the UV right (do we really need Maya 2015 to get stretch map? or Maya 2016 to get UV pelting right?). It took Maya 3-4 years to update their UV and I really could not believe it.

NOTE: Often said, Maya is a very advanced 3D package. True, it can do advanced things, providing there are TDs (Technical Director) supports, working on powerful beast machine. Advance particles, AI motions, Fluid systems and node based procedural stuff, and so on.  However, that often leaving behind some areas that supposed to be basic and practical. Maya needs to rely on other 3D package: ZBrush, Mudbox, Motion Builder, Nuke, etc.

Here is an example: Maya's long overdue UV Texturing Tools.... Maya users need to update to 2015 to get this. Pay more $$$$? You bet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZJx3xr0xOM

Some artists really do not know that there are better tools and have to live practically with outdated tools. Artists are creative, they can always manage, given limited tool, but only if they know there is a better tool to do things. I used to be one of those artists, luckily, I got into Blender just on the right time, when they switched to new UI, Blender 2.5x.

PEN/PENCIL AND PAPER
Back before I got into 3D Animation and Computer Graphics,  I draw a lot using JUST: pencil, pen on paper. PENCIL/PEN and PAPER are the only tool I needed. I don't care too much about particular brand. I just pickup ANY pencil or pen available and start working and making a flip book animation.

I didn't do much painting, so that's probably one skill I am a bit lacking but developing it over time. Painting can be more expensive than drawing with pen or pencil. Digitally, however, we have unlimited amount of "INK and PAINT".

Traditional sculpting is also something I would also love to do and practice in real life if I have time, before really doing it in computer. However, traditional sculpting is also expensive and I could not afford it. I have to use what I got now: 3D sculpting.

One thing to note:
I don't like working with broken or pencil, no matter how expensive, or how awesome the pen might be.

These days, many more people are dreaming to create CG Animation of their own. Apart from the TRADITIONAL ART skills, they also need to also LEARN THE TOOL for making their dream animation to share with other people. I am talking in term of Computer Graphics and being able to create and share your works.

There are many ways you could pursue and present your dream. I think the TOOL actually matters as well. There will be cost and all sort of stuff that might be stopping you, even after you have access to computer and Internet.

Of course at the end of the day "tool is just a tool", a MEAN to an END. However, again, the tool needs to be practical. It should just work, it should always be widely available, can be installed and run on any computer, does not crash for no apparent reasons, continue being refined, and MADE FOR THE ARTISTS. Many commercial tools claim all these, but their promises are not always true! We do not like a sorry world of 3D.

Not until you SEE how 3D artists are using OPEN SOURCE TOOL like Blender to the max, one can truly understand the meaning of FREEDOM in creating your work.

In the end, it is HOW you use the tool, but CHOOSE the RIGHT TOOL.

For me, Blender is not only FREE. Blender and its community understand in FREEDOM and OPEN CREATIVE mentality. Blender is ELEGANT that way, as French people might say.

I am 100% supporting open source tools like Blender 3D, Processing (MIT), MyPaint, Arduino, Design By Numbers, Scratch, and many others. I donate as much as I can for Open Source because all those tools do help me and many others to learn and to create.

With OPEN MENTALITY, our knowledge and skills are out there helping us together to improve and to share, to make beautiful works and to tell story.