Currently in class, we are trying to create a virtual reality model of our game design classroom. This is the first time that I have really tried to model something in 3D that must be this specific to something in real life, or the first thing I've ever modeled with a real life reference. I wanted to talk about the differences I have found so far with using references for 3D modeling when compared to using references for 2D art.
When I draw in 2D, I often use reference images to help me with poses, lighting, and that kind of thing. In 2D, this works very well because you are only seeing the art from one angle, and that's how the reference images exist too. It can be hard if you're using one image to reference a pose, and the light source in the reference is at a drastically different angle than the angle of the light source in your art, but it's usually pretty easy to fix this problem, or find references that won't cause this problem. Also, reference images rather than referencing from life can be nice because the angle you are viewing the scene from won't change. If you're drawing from life, you may turn slightly, and suddenly, your perspective is skewed just a little. It is still valuable to draw in 2D with real life references rather than from photos, it just can also be challenging. However, when working in 3D, real life references can be a lot easier to use. In jst modeling objects around the game design room, it's been so helpful to be able to get measurements of anything that I want. I can get each dimension easily. Also, the things I focus on are very different from when using references in 2D. With 2D, I focus more on how light interacts with objects and how they look. In 3D, the program will already set up lighting for the most part - although there is a good amount of editing that can be done with the material editor and such - so it doesn't make sense to look at objects this way. Instead, it's better to look at the actual components of an object, much like how you would break down complex objects into simple shapes in 2D art. However, with 3D, you have to focus more on what those shapes actually are than how they appear in perspective. For instance, when drawing in 2D, even though you know a table is rectangular, you may draw a shape that is closer to a trapezoid in order to make the perspective look correct. Because of how we see the world, we still interpret it as a rectangular table. In 3D, you don't have to worry about this, you just have to make the rectangle, and the program - or just the fact that it exists in 3D - takes care of the rest. With pictures, it can be a little harder to tell what shape something actually is if the picture is taken from a weird angle, so it can be nice to have the actual object in front of you. Sometimes it is impossible to get a real life reference for something. You can't easily access one of NASA's spaceships, and even if you could, it's so massive that it would be hard to work with just by standing there and looking at it. In this case, it's helpful to have multiple reference images taken from different angles, but all of the same exact object. This can be hard to find since people typically do not spend their time taking pictures of every possible angle, so it's usually easier if you do have some access to the object in question so that you can make the reference images yourself. Since I am not experienced in this sort of modeling from 2D references, I also turned to this article for advice. It talks about when the object in question is completely fictional, and 2D images are the only reference that you have (ie, new weapon for a game, cartoony stylized things, etc.). It talks about how the amount of references you'll get from concept artists varying greatly depending on their schedule. In these cases, it makes a lot of sense to use similar objects, if at all possible, to sort of fill in the mental gap. For instance, if you were modeling a cartoony car for a game, and were given no reference image for how it looks from the top down, it's not a bad idea to look up pictures of real life cars to get a basic idea of what the structure might look like, and use that as a sort of secondary reference. The article also talks a lot about creative freedom, and "eyeballing" things. A lot of times drawings just don't translate well to 3D, and in these cases it's okay to make adjustments or add or subtract certain details in order to keep the object looking proportional and looking good in 3D.
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AuthorHi, I'm Abi, a DSA student who likes games, drawing, writing, and acting. Archives
February 2020
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