CONTENT

FOREWORD

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

What Is Digital Modeling?
Who Can Become a Professional Digital Modeler? Who Should Read This Book?
What Can You Expect from This Book?
What You Should Know What You Will Need

RAM
CPU Speed and Number of Cores
Graphics Card and GPU
Two Monitors

About This Book’s Approach to Software
Software Requirements

3D Software
2D software

What’s on the Disc A Final Word: Change Your Thinking

CHAPTER TWO UNDERSTANDING A MODELER'S ROLE

Production Pipelines: Stages of Production

Stage 1: Pre-production

Story
Visual Design
Storyboard
Audio: Scratch Voice Recording
Animatics
Audio: Voice Recording

Stage 2: Production

Modeling
Rigging
Scene Setup
Texturing
Animation
Effects
Lighting
Rendering

Stage 3: Post'production

Compositing
Audio
Final Edit and Delivery

Evolution of Production Pipelines

Virtual Art Department (VAD)
Stereo Department

CHAPTER THREE PREPARING FOR MODELING

Tools of a Digital Modeler

Reference
Observation
Problem Solving

Gathering Reference Material

Physical Reference
Digital Camera
Tape Measure
Sketchbook
Digital Reference
Printed Reference
Movie Reference
Note on Copyrighted Material
References to Avoid

Preparing Reference Material

Scan or Transfer
Adjust Color and Levels
Rotate, Size, and Crop
Composite
Rename and Organize

CHAPTER FOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF A DIGITAL MODEL

A Model’s Anatomy

Points
Vertex Maps
Edges
Polygonal Models
NURBS
Subdivision Surfaces

Model Classification: Hard Surface and Organic

Production Driven
Attribute Driven
Construction Driven
Model Classification Evaluation

Model Styles

Photo-real
Stylized
Choosing a Style

CHAPTER FIVE DIGITAL MODELING METHODS

Build Out

Point by Point
Edge Extend

Primitive Modeling
Box Modeling
Patch Modeling
Digital Sculpting
3D Scanning
Modeling with Texture and Animation Tools

Texture Displacement
Bones
Dynamics

The Importance of Mixing Methods

CHAPTER SIX PROFESSIONAL MODELING PRACTICES

Naming Conventions and Directory Structure

Content Directory
Naming Conventions
Don’t Agonize, Organize

Clean Modeling

Polygon-count
Topology

Preparing a Model for Production

General Production Preparation
Texturing Preparation
Rigging Preparation

CHAPTER SEVEN POLYGONAL MODELING

Modeling 3D Polygonal Text

Vector and Raster Images
Getting Started
Creating the 2D Base Mesh
From 2D to 3D
Micro-bevels, Chamfers, and Fillets
Clean up

Modeling a 3D Polygonal Object with Seams

Getting Started
House Cleaning
Layout Foundations
Final Stages
Goooal!!!

CHAPTER EIGHT SUBDIVISION SURFACE MODELING

Modeling 3D Text with SubDs

Getting Started
Adding Support Edges
Patching in Polygons
Adding Depth
Adding Detail

Modeling a SubD Object

Reference
Getting Started
Creating the Metal Spring

CHAPTER NINE MODELING A REALISTIC HEAD

Choosing a Method: Edge Extend vs. Box Modeling

Using Reference

Preparing the Background Templates
Taking Advantage of Symmetry

Modeling the Head’s Components

Eyes
Nose
Laugh Line
Mouth
Jawline
Ears
Finishing Off the Head

CHAPTER TEN MODELING A STYLIZED CHARACTER

Box Modeling a Character Mesh
Getting Started
Detailing the Face
Building the Body
Give ’em a Hand
Final Character Review

CHAPTER ELEVEN PRODUCT MODELING FOR PRINT GRAPHICS

Building a Better Product
Reference: CAD Geometry, Photos, and Blueprints
Getting Started: Creating Splines
Spline Patching
Final Details

CHAPTER TWELVE DIGITAL SCULPTING

Digital Sculpting with Glen Southern
Creating a Digital Creature Maquette

Sculpting Legs
Sculpting Arms
Sculpting the Head

Second Pass over the Sculpt

Detailing

CHAPTER THIRTEEN GAME MODELING

Next-Gen Game Modeling with Glen Southern
Creating the Creature Sculpt
Performing Retopology to Create the Game Model
Creating UVs for the Low-Poly Model
Generating Maps for the Low-Poly Model

Color Map
Bump Map
Normal Map

CHAPTER FOURTEEN 3D PRINTING OF DIGITAL MODELS

3D Printing Overview
3D Printing Applications
Preparing a Digital Model for 3D Printing

Using Closed Meshes
Avoiding Texture or Displacement Maps
Getting the Right File Format
Guidelines for 3D Printing

From 3D Printing to Manufactured Toy

CHAPTER FIFTEEN GETTING A JOB IN DIGITAL MODELING

Overview of the Industry and Markets

Film
Television
Games
Visualization
Print Graphics

Demo Reels

Demo Reel Case and Sleeve
Demo Reel Content
Demo Reel Length
Demo Reel Audio
Demo Reel DVD Burning and Labeling

Personal Site

The Seven Deadly Job Search Sins

Sin #1: Homesickness
Sin #2: Creed
Sin #3: Inflexibility
Sin #4: Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket
Sin #5: Sloppiness
Sin #6: Playing Hard to Get
Sin #7: Sloth
Get a Job!

Staying Current

Skill Set
Software
Networking: Online Communities
Staying on Top of Industry Trends and News
Reel and Resume
Health

Advancing in Your Career

FINAL THOUGHTS

INDEX