Hey all,
I wanted to post this in “Modeling” for more exposure, but I suppose by content it belong here.
Linked are two files at pasteall, two because of a 30mb limit. They are labeled as .blend files so the site would admit them, but are actually (and must be renamed to) .zip files (sorry to the monkeys at graphicall…but at least it’s relevant and on topic!)
Contained within are .html -> .pdf grabs from a conversation/soliloquy on another message board. I do not remember if I cached them myself, or lucked out and someone else did. All I know is that I have NEVER seen them anywhere.
There are 15 parts, as well as 2 “revisions”.
Within is the single longest, most detailed, most LUCID, INFORMATIVE, and USEFUL discussion of topology (particularly of faces, but of anything, really) I have ever seen.
It covers everything. Polyflow. Loop creation, placement, addition, subtraction. The different kinds of poles (N and E poles as the author calls them), where and when and how they arise. When and how to use them. When and how to hide them. How to structure topology to easily allow addition and permit detail addition as the need arises. Everything.
Whether you want to box model all the way, or sculpt and retopologize, these ought to be considered NECESSARY reading.
In fact, they should have their own website or book.
In fact in fact, if I knew how to do it and thought that there would be sufficient seeders other than myself, I would make it a single .torrent file.
If anyone knows the author of the relevant parts, I would love to know. At times, I actually suspect it may be Bay Raitt, the king of SubD modelling himself and lead modeler of Gollum from the LOTR triology, due to the tone and the way he jokingly refers to Raitt. If it isn’t Raitt and somebody knows who it is, I would love to know.
I wanted to get these files out there because, as far as I know, I have the only extant copies and I’m paranoid of a dead HD and lost thumb drive. A permanent home, site, or consistently seeded .torrent would be incredible.
Enough ranting. Here they are:
http://www.pasteall.org/blend/43249
http://www.pasteall.org/blend/43250
I hope anyone who takes a look enjoys and soaks up the knowledge, gradually in my case. This is not a short (or long) annoying video tutorial. It is not a poorly explained and visualized text tutorial. It is a fully, fully imaged with visual examples demonstrating every aspect of the process. I haven’t checked to see if the original forum and post still exist (because I’m lazy, and this is from 2008, but the URL and website are clearly visible in the .pdfs).
Take care. Save the files. Spread, host, seed, whatever wherever possible.
I don’t have much to contribute to the community because I am always learning and asking questions. But I did have the foresight to save this, and my paranoia has pushed me to post it.
Take care, all,
-M
TL;DR:
Go here: