Progress of "First" model - critique please?
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Hiya chaps,
Just wondering if you have got a spare 5 minutes to have quick look at my first attempt at modelling, when I say "first" it's not my first attempt, rather my first go at using photo texture to build a model, with a view to entering the 'Build your town' competition.
I have got to a stage with it where I can finish but before I do, I woudl like your expert opinion on if there's anything I should change? For example, I am worrried about the photo texture for the walls - as it was almost impossible to get a 'clean' shot of a particular wall (I have taken 30+ shots of the church btw and have details of it from the www: http://allsaints-northstreet.org.uk/history.html).
I am just basically looking for a constructive criticism, and don't be afraid to say it's rubbish! I want to learn!
Cheers,
Lee
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The model is coming alone nicely Lee. One thing I would suggest, is the mirror the windows so that they are not so repetitive.
Mike
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@leedeetee said:
Just wondering if you have got a spare 5 minutes to have quick look at my first attempt ...
Looks great!
Minor comment: Components and Groups should be named. Just select and type names in the Entity Info box.
Another minor comment: soften/smooth the edges where stone meets stone.
Major comment: 3MB? I bet you can reduce that by 90% without loss to the model.
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@martinrinehart said:
Minor comment: Components and Groups should be named. Just select and type names in the Entity Info box.
I know how to do this, will do.
@martinrinehart said:
Another minor comment: soften/smooth the edges where stone meets stone.
Major comment: 3MB? I bet you can reduce that by 90% without loss to the model.
I'm really unsure about these two though, can you shed any light on them? Especially the smoothing the edges bit. I thought that the file was big in size, but just didn't have any idea where to start.
Thanks ever so much for the comments!
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@leedeetee said:
@martinrinehart said:
Another minor comment: soften/smooth the edges where stone meets stone.
Major comment: 3MB? I bet you can reduce that by 90% without loss to the model.
I'm really unsure about these two though, can you shed any light on them? Especially the smoothing the edges bit. I thought that the file was big in size, but just didn't have any idea where to start.
Minor: Eraser+Ctrl or use the Entity Info window.
Major: First place I'd look would be at the size of your .JPGs. You don't need more pixels than you'll display on screen.
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Thank you Martin, I had no idea the jpeg's size made a difference, although it is perfectly logical when you think about it!
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Thanks again for the input, i'm going to start again with my model (This particular church is doign my mhead in!) and start my modelling properly now (bearing in mind image sizes etc etc etc) with a new location. I feel Much better now, I fear this first model was a bit of a ham-fisted effort!
Thanks.
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Hi Lee,
You do not really start from scratch but can easily reduce file size in this model as well.
There are two, very handy tools when dealing with photo textures.
When you take a photo of the building, you cannot take it perfectly fitting into the view of course. Therefore already at the beginning, you probably crop the image so that only the building's façade is in there - as much as possible. Now when you positioned the texture on the wall, there are still parts of it that are useless. Right click the face and "make texture unique" - this will crop the image exactly around the face and whatever cannot fit (because maybe the face is a non-rectangular area), will be titnted with white. This makes sure to apply an image as economical as possible.Now when you finished texturing, right click on your faces > Texture > Edit texture image... This will load the image either in your system default image viewer/editor OR the one you prefer using with SU and set in Window > Preferences > Applications. Here you can safely resize your texture as well as give it some more compression without major visual decrease in the final model. When you save the modified image, it will instantly reload in SU but keeps all UV co-ordinates so will not mess up your positioning.
Some guidelines for texture sizes if you are modelling for GE: the Google QA Team "likes" it best when about 1-2 centimetres of the "real" building are covered with 1 pixel of image. 2 is preferred but 1 is still okay.
Another tip: export your model to kmz yourself and upload it to the Warehouse as such through the web interface rather than as an skp straight from SU. In this case, the Warehouse software will not modify (shrink) your images further (at least as far as I know) as well as you can even upload a decent photo with the model. True that you won't get a 3D View (that "swivel function" where one can spin the model in the 3D Warehouse window).
Edit - here is a "version" of your model - very quickly just resized the images but not even compressed (left it on 100%) and it's already some 1/3 of the original file. They could be safely resized (and compressed) further as per above.
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Gaieus, thanks ever so much for the information above, it is invaluable, all makes perfect sense and easy to carry out, thank you!
Even the question I was going to ask, after re-reading your post explains all, thanks again! I really owe you a pint now!
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@leedeetee said:
I really owe you a pint now!
Unfortunately, as it turned out, it won't happen this month due to lack of funds. Maybe some time later.
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@leedeetee said:
I fear this first model was a bit of a ham-fisted effort!
My first SU model, a health club, featured brain-dead stuff like stretching cages made from individual, 24-sided pipes. Today I'd use a single component, maybe six-sided. You model; you learn.
You were very smart to ask for a critique, by the by.
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Yet another from Caer Ebrauc eh!
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@leedeetee said:
Hiya chaps,
Just wondering if you have got a spare 5 minutes to have quick look at my first attempt at modelling, when I say "first" it's not my first attempt, rather my first go at using photo texture to build a model, with a view to entering the 'Build your town' competition.
I have got to a stage with it where I can finish but before I do, I woudl like your expert opinion on if there's anything I should change? For example, I am worrried about the photo texture for the walls - as it was almost impossible to get a 'clean' shot of a particular wall (I have taken 30+ shots of the church btw and have details of it from the www: http://allsaints-northstreet.org.uk/history.html).
I am just basically looking for a constructive criticism, and don't be afraid to say it's rubbish! I want to learn!
Cheers,
Lee
Model looks good:
- No off axis lines found;
- Few stray lines , above small portico door, at base of tower close to rectangle, inside on floor but, not many 7 total;
- East end rake edges of roof intersect not per pictures. They are separated some in the html file you enclosed. Maybe a design mod from then to now?
- Potico rake edges seem out of place with the rest of roof. Roof work in progress I assume.
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Thanks very much for all the further tips and advice, I really do appreciate it. Just asking this question has opened up a few more things for me to learn and made a better modeller. Thanks.
@chrisglasier said:
Yet another from Caer Ebrauc eh!
How'd you mean, Chris?! Sorry, I'm new aroudn these parts.
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@leedeetee said:
How'd you mean, Chris?! Sorry, I'm new aroudn these parts.
Oh, I just noticed your location had such a weird name I looked it up here to find it was York. Unfortnately the link got mangled.
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@chrisglasier said:
@leedeetee said:
How'd you mean, Chris?! Sorry, I'm new aroudn these parts.
Oh, I just noticed your location had such a weird name I looked it up here to find it was York. Unfortnately the link got mangled.
Ah yes, I'm a bit of a history geek and much prefer the old monikers to be honest; Caer Ebrauc, Eboracum, Jorvik, Yorke etc!
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