Well, using reference images usually comes recommended…? If you have a particular design in mind, then why not use references? You can use photographs, drawings, blueprints, anything if it’ll help you in your end goal.
I don’t do any kind of modelling personally without a reference image of some kind. Preferably I go with a side, front and (where possible and appropriate, rear and top). I forgo the references for very simple objects and shapes (but even then they can be handy!)
What I meant was I need reference images in my background, so I can kind of…COPY the image. It seems other people just look at the images and start to modeling, but I need the…coordinate of vertices?
For smaller stuffs I just need 3/4 view images which I give glances couple of times,
but for human head I need front and right image, AND need them placed in my background.
Or I can’t decide where my vertices and edges should go.
You can use a background image from the properties bar in the viewport. Each viewpoint can have their own image. Make sure you’re in orthographic. Background images aren’t visible in perspective mode.
box modelling is very hard without reference image, and honestly i dont find box modelling all that useful either. the only time where i use box modelling is when blocking out a scene, or making a basemesh for a character to witch i will sculpt later. Polymodelling however is a skill, and not using reference takes a very long time.
i beleave you will like this video. This is however not considered box modelling.
I think I confused people with my vague thread and it’s definitely my fault,
I wanted to do box modeling without background reference image, but it didn’t go well.
I was wondering if it is very hard thing to do, or am I just slow at modeling.
I’m very relieved to know that it is hard for others too.
Sculpting is much easier with or without reference image, but box modeling needs not only reference image but also viewport background image for details, at least for me.
I guess I should go for sculpt-retopo-baking route.
Mignon, here something that you need to know. I was once in your shoes in a weird way, I wasn’t particularly trying to model without references because I was scared of being much slower then I already was when using them, I felt ashamed for not trying to model without references because I thought it devalues me as a 3D modeler or even takes away that title from me, but you see… The truth is very different, no one cares if you can model without reference images, it is a skill, I will admit that, but it’s a very useless skill given today’s workflow that involves using a lot of references, even William Vaughan says that in his book “Digital Modeling”.
Don’t worry, I do realize that you’re talking about background images for placing vertices correctly and yes, I was referring to them the whole time.
Ok, ok. Here’s something that you need to know. You need to learn to draw and understand functions of both humans and machines(industrial design). When you learn this, you’ll have a better understanding of human anatomy, 3D space and how some machines function. When you know all of this, you won’t even pressure yourself to model without background images, instead you’ll draw couple orthographic and free view point images and used them for modeling. But when it comes to already existing stuff in the real world, just use whatever you can find on the internet.
Too summarize all this stuff:
Modeling without reference images takes too much time and gives bad results, knowing how to draw stuff for 3D modeling is a much more valuable skill to have. And yes, learning to draw would boost your speed of modeling without reference images but I still wouldn’t recommend doing that.
I could write a whole Bible of this stuff, because I still haven’t mentioned sculpting which in 30% of cases doesn’t involve reference images.
MediumSolid, your post is not boring at all and helped me a lot.
I was feeling some pressure that I should be able to model from scratch, without viewport image help,
…like some youtube speed modeling? Many youtube videos don’t use viewport images. They were so awesome and when I couldn’t do that, I felt rather small.
I assumed that most medium/high level artists do modeling without background images, maybe because of youtubers?
but it’s really great to know that I don’t need to batter myself about the way I do modeling.
Yes I thought it was skill, basic skill. I’m relieved to know that’s not a ‘must have’ skill. Not even basic skill.
Actually I prefer sculpting. Box modeling is sooooo tedious and painful. (though it’s good for low poly)
I got a lot of help from you guys, especially MediumSolid, thank you very much
Now I can have some rest without knocking my head against brick wall.
I’m not sure why people think using reference is cheating. If you’re trying to create something specific within a reasonable amount of time then using a reference directly is the simplest way to do that. Whether it’s a particular human face or a helicopter gunship. It’s not as if the reference is going to magically give you a shortcut. Because it won’t. There’s more to modeling than just placing verts along the boundaries of an image. Working without reference is more an exercise in memory retention than anything else. but it doesn’t go hand in hand with skill or talent. Reference is supplementary.
You will still need to understand how to construct that mesh to accommodate deformation/baking/sub surf. And you still need to be able to visualise the object in 3 dimensions. It’s quite possible to follow a 3 view to the pixel, and still not get it quite right. Your observations from reference material will help fill in the gaps.
If you’re more interested in doing studies to improve your observational/practical skills, then you could still use reference indirectly. But that doesn’t mean the other method( background images) won’t teach you anything. Unless you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing.
I’d suggest practicing both approaches to get the most benefit.
Actually tracing reference images to draw ‘2d’ sketch is considered cheating, I think that mentality affects 3d modeling too.
Yes 2d arts also use references but rarely use direct images, they are used only for background scenary I guess?
But I think 3d is totally different. I can’t do modeling easily as I do with paper and pencil at all. Entire processing seems different between 2d and 3d.
I gotta eliminate 2d mentality to do 3d modeling I guess.
You guys’s advices helped me a lot, thx very much.
When box modelling a head, I think, you first have to know the mesh you want to make. Or follow someone else’s mesh. Simply cutting edges and pushing vertices around adds a level of confusion that’s difficult to overcome. Box modelling tutorials are tough to find these days.
