Meeper Modeling

[Zaxim]

This is my attempt to try and improve my 3D skills which in my opinion suck quite badly.

I wanted to do a high poly model (My attemps at modeling a miserable low-poly candle can be found somewhere on the forum) of the Meeper concept which can be found here: http://planeshift.oodlz.com/wbboard/thread.php?threadid=21557&boardid=22&styleid=3&sid=44dc991ff03abd21aa369609a3d263eb
The original intention was to work with the first sketch since it didn\'t look like it was going to be difficult and I could take some creative liberties.  The eyes were going to make or break that model.  But then the second concept was sketched and my jaw hit the floor.  No way I could undertake something like that.  But I decided to try anway.  This is sure to be a long project.

I\'ve been \"into\" 3D for about two years now and feel like I\'m not improving nearly fast enough, especially when I compare myself to people like cherpow.  In addition to that I feel like I have no artistic talent.

The model is being made in zbrush, which I\'ve expiremented with before, and am starting to really like.

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Here is the first part of the model that I started with by using zspheres.
I\'m just working on getting the basic shape features.



At this stage I\'ve smoothed it a bit and am just moving vertices around trying to get shape.


And here I\'m actually adding bulk, such as its waist and legs.  I also added toes which I don\'t like very much.


More bulk, I\'m relativly happy with the legs, although it doesn\'t have knees.  I\'m not sure how I\'m going to fix that.  It also grew fingers, which I really hate (they look like they\'re webbed.)


And here\'s a test of where I\'m sticking the eyes.

[Karyuu]

Zbrush is the bestest :) Particularly ZSpheres. That\'s looking quite good already! Though of course it\'ll be insanely high-poly unless you make changes. I adore the little hands, and can\'t wait to see the face developed more. Awesome!

[Izzy*dot]

Hmmh, I don\'t really thing it\'s bad to have the webbed finger thingies, I kinda actually like them. It\'s like they fit the creature... Really cool ears too, by the way. Only things I have a little bit problem with are the hips and knees, though those problems are probably connected with eachother...Don\'t know how to solve them though, guess that\'s something somebody else could give better comments on.

And um, no artistic talent? This is waaay better than what I ever could make. You know, I try and try, but I can honestly say that I\'m a beginner. This model is Advaaaanced

Looks great.

Izz

[Zaxim]

Hmm, the hips?  I didn\'t realize I had a problem there.  I do know my knees are crap.

Anyone want to give me some anatomy tips on how to fix it? Karyuu? Cherpow? Arcane? Someone? Anyone?

And yes Karyuu, zbrush is very cool.  I plan on making it ultra high detailed, and I\'ve expiremented with the 3ds max fur shader, which actually kind of sucks.

[Cherppow]

Hi there

I think it\'s huggably cute in all pictures. I especially like the hands in the fourth picture, though they may differ a bit from the original concept. The legs make it look somewhat scary, as they\'re not so fluffy.

Hmm, in DarcosWolfs picture the lower body and legs are a bit more round and closer to the ground. Other than that, I think it\'s very much meepery.

Hmm, I\'ve not tried ZBrush or high polygon modeling, so can\'t give more specific tips. Pictures like these make me wanna try it though.

Ps. You\'re doing good! >.> I suck. Nobody likes DR.

[Karyuu]

How about giving more bulk to the fingers/hands? For example, add some padding to make them seem less flat, unless that is the intention. Right now they appear rather thin. I do agree about the note concerning hips and knees - have you tried looking at references of mice, rabbits, or even kangaroos? I believe they\'ve a similar structure.

*edit* Cherppow! The DR is awesome!

[josephoenix]

Originally posted by Cherppow
Ps. You\'re doing good! >.> I suck. Nobody likes DR.

Liesss!

More on-topic-ly, looking good Zaxim. I\'ve muddled with Zbrush but I guess I never really got the hang of it... Of course, I haven\'t really gotten the hang of 3d modelling in general (If I can do that, I\'ll be unstoppable!)

josePhoenix

[DarcosWolf]

your doing my picture justice man looks great, oh and Cherrpow, you just made my brain hatch an idea, youll see what i mean

[Zaxim]

Ok what I\'m hearing is the hips are too big and scary looking, so I\'ll make it smaller.  I can smooth out that back part of the leg so it doesn\'t stick out as much.

I also think I might try and bring the legs up closer to the body like in the concept, it was pretty cute.

As far as the fingers, I still haven\'t fine tuned them yet.  I was hoping to get rid of the webbing, but since people seem to think it\'s fine, I guess I\'ll work with it.

The only pic I was going off of was DarcosWolf\'s, but I was envisioning rabbit like legs.  I did download a bunch of reference photos of mice eyes, since that\'s what I\'m going to go for, but on a much larger scale since it needs cute eyes.

Now this is a dumb question, what\'s DR?

[Karyuu]

Acronym for Death Realm :)

Huzzah for references! I\'d suggest looking at the skeletal structure first, before the muscles that cover them - it\'ll give you a sense of the animal\'s movement first. And the webbing does indeed work well.

[DarcosWolf]

yeah,  meepers use them for swimming, its coming along well though, dont be discouraged

[Uyaem]

Originally posted by Cherppow
I suck. Nobody likes DR.

So not true. Just yesterday I got a /tell from a new player who loved it. If they hate it, it\'s probably because they didn\'t want to die in the first place and cannot find their way out right away.

[DarcosWolf]

you can use the fiber brush for the hair on the meeper

[Zaxim]

I really don\'t care for zbrush\'s fiber brush.  And I have fiddled around with it.

I\'m thinking that if I do get the model done at some point in my life, I\'ll take a stab at texturing it and allow other people to as well.  With ZBrush no unwrapping would be necessary and all you\'d have to do is pain the texture from several perspective shots.

[DarcosWolf]

Heh sweet, ill have a go at that, id like to learn to use Zbrush, mabey you can throw some help my way