Turning 2D to 3D

Extrude

Using the pen tool in either 3D Max or Illustrator, we were able to learn how to turn a 2D image into a 3D one. First we tried dawing within 3DMax before going to the modifer list and selected the Extrude feature to make it 3D, similar to how I did the text for my supermarket last week. The first object was a sword.


The second drawing was using Illustrator before importing the image and Extruded the image to make it 3D before resizing it. This time, I drew a cartoonish head from a game.

Lathing

After that, we were told how to lathe an 2D image. Whether the user draws in 3DMax or Illustrator, the person will have to draw half the image. Me, at the time, didn't understand the concept fully and thought that I should try and create a ghost. After drawing your half a image, you rearrange the pivot poin to the egde of the image, where the lines end, and then apply the lathe feature, giving you a fully 3D image. While doing this, I watched as my ghost turned into a spinning top before turning into a hand bracelet. Earning a good half an hour of confusion and a sudden thought at the end thinking that this feature will be usful when making side items such as cups. This thing is madness I tell you!!

Loft

Next, we drew a spring like line, using the Helix tool and made sure that both of the radius were the same. Then, we drew a small circle and selected the circle (shape) to Loft in the Compound Objects. From there, you would link, 'select path' and then select the Helix line made, thus creating a 3D spring. From there, you can mess around with it and change the size of it, changing its shape.


Boolean and Pro-boolean

Now we are told to make letters imprinted in a box using either Boolean or Pro-boolean. From making some 3D letters from before and placing them within the box so that they were inside the box but was still popping out of the box, I went to compound objects where Boolean was. I tried using Boolean first but after following the tutorial, all I managed to do was change the colour of the box while the font disappeared or the bow just disappeared all together. But after using the Pro-boolean, I managed to get the letters to imprint into the box.

Array

I quickly drew an fence and changed it to 3D before bringing up the array settings within the tools to make three by three worth of fences. This technique will be useful when cloning certain items, though I would just copy and paste the item from hand, unless I want to keep things in line.

Research

I have been looking at images and research of Leonardo Da Vinci, his drawings of inventions and the Italian environment within the 15th century. From some of the research gathered, Da Vinci was working within Florence before entering the service of the Duke of Milan in 1482. From the time of service between 1485 to 1490, Leonardo produced his research and designs, from nature to his inventions. For some of his inventions, Da Vinci could only design them as the idea for his invention would be unrealistic at the time, it was only after his death in 1519 that people started to take Da Vinci's inventions and knowledge in. Here are some pictures of his inventions from his sketchbook.

Da Vinci's inventions designs

At this time, I am not sure which design I might go for the assignment. I am stuck between the flying machine and the tank. The flying machine looks like an interesting project to do, as it would be interesting to animate the device within the air, but this will require to create a person as well. The tank's design seems easier to model but it would seem boring for the tank just to be moving and blowing stuff up. It's whether I want to try something with a challenge such as flight it self or stick to the ground with the tank.

The environmental design will be based within Milan since that was the time when Da Vinci began his designs. Because of this, I researched in some images of buildings and the way that Milan is shown from the 15th to the 21st century.

Milan

I'm not sure what I have planned yet for the project but I guess if I was to the tank, I would make animation powerful as it fires its cannons while if I went with the flying machine, I would try and animate with the sense of freedom, since at the time, man couldn't fly. I will have to sort my ideas out and design what I might want, as well as how I might go to creating the idea I choose.

First try on 3D Max.

We were told to pick a building and re-create it on 3D Max to see how well we can work with the shapes given and use them to create things. I decided to go with the typical supermarket seeing if I could get the shape of the building. Looking at the ASDA buildings, I thought I make a similar design to the others, keeping the theme. Forming the shapes together to either make the doorway, the roof or the cylinders at the side, it allowed me to make the building, including when looking at the top, front and left view to make sure that things are in place. I tried using the align tool, it did seem a bit complicated at the moment, it will properly take some time to get use to it. The text had to be turned into 3d instead of lines so that the supermarket had the company's name on the building. You can't have a supermarket without a sign.


The next thing that we were told to do was to make some fruit and place it in a fruit bowl. This is my attempt at the task:

 

The apples were easily done. Using the low poly modelling tool, I was able to shape the basic sphere into an apple, the same way was used for the fruit bowl. The bananas were both started in different ways though; my first attempt was the one on the right, my second being on the left. My first banana had started as a cylinder, simply shaping the fruit to get the right shape. It was close to the same shape as an actual banana but I guess a little more work could be done on it. The second attempt had started as a cube, being needed to add more sections by ringing the object or looping it, as well as smoothing down the edges with the chamfer tool and make it look more natural by using the meshsmooth modifier. From the end of it, I kinda liked my first banana. ^^