From molecules to dragons?
hrpschrd
Posts: 180
I have been using Carrara for showing animated molecular reactions. Pretty easy really. Now my teenager wants to draw and animate cats and dragons.
I assume you start with primatives and it takes forever. Has someone made a tutorial that shows how to get started in making animals that can be animated? Are there basic animal shapes available online?
How do I get her started with minimum pain?
Thanks.
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I´m not a Carrara user but I could give you some general advice.
If you are not a modeler and a rigger experienced in modeling and rigging animals, don´t even think about creating your own.
There is a free dragon figure that comes with Daz Studio and there might be a way to import it into Carrara.
Other than that there are of course animals you can buy such as the Daz Dragon http://www.daz3d.com/daz-dragon-3
Or the Big Cat http://www.daz3d.com/daz-big-cat-2
However, in the product description, Carrara is not listed as a compatible software so it is hard to tell whether these will work or not.
Definitely do your research on whether these will work or not before you buy them. Hopefully some Carrara user can specify whether there is a way to import and use these in Carrara.
You could always use free Daz Studio but I personally find animating anything in DS very hard and it is impossible (for me) to get any decent results. I might be spoiled by being used to animating in Maya though.
any of the older Poser compatable DAZ content works in Carrara
it is a sad indication of how DAZ treats Carrara that you do not even know that
but that is another story ........
Then again, if she does have the basics of modeling in 3d, a friend of mine whom is a profesional in the 3d business was just telling me how understated Carrara's rigging system is. She uses Messiah, LW, Modo, Blender (but not as much) and some others and said that, while it may not have all of the latest and greatest rigging technology available, it(Carrara) is one of the absolute easiest when it comes to rigging 3d models, which truly is a dream once one starts to realize how tedious a job rigging can be.
If you go the route described in the first reply to your query, I have found Carrara do be a dream to use as an animation tool compared to Poser and/or DAZ Studio when using these figures (pre-rigged 3d models). My animation kit for the Millennium Dragon 2 includes Carrara NLA, Poser PZ2, and DAZ Studio aniBlock formats of the same motions, all of which work well in Carrara (the aniBlocks require the plugin for aniBlocks in Carrara). But if you load in the Mil Dragon 2, select the figure, go to the NLA tab and use "Load data from clip" and pick the clip you want, you'll get the exact keyframes I've created for the motion, and nothing else. The motion will be the same, but the advantage would be that there won't be any extra keys added, so you can see exactly how I've created the motion.
I always begin each new movement with the hip bone and all of the rotations of the hip that I imagine the hip to need to make and then rotate the rest of the joints accordingly - possibly going back to the hip if adjustments are needed. The problem(s) with leaving the hip for later is that the hip's motion is the parent of them all, so that anything done beforehand can turn up being a big waste of time. That in mind, if the motion requires the leg doing something particular, it can also help to just quickly shape the leg poses a bit before going to the hip, but the hip should always be considered as soon in the process as possible.
Any help I can offer in this endeavor, I'm glad to help. ;)
Here's a link to the promo I've made for the Animation Kit for Mil Dragon 2:
https://youtu.be/UZf3ZDvfTik
I didn't model the dinosaur in this video, but I did rig the model and weight painted the joint influences.
Toyen is correct that modeling can be a laborious process, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't try it if she is interested! Someone that thinks they want to sculpt doesn't stop before they have at least tried it.
Vertex modeling is the way to go for this. Probably a method called box modeling. There are many tutorials out there, using all kinds of software, but the principles are the same.
When it comes to vertex modeling, I consider myself a complete novice. I did however, Make this model of a Martian War Machine using box modeling principles, added shading domains and then rigged it:
http://www.sharecg.com/v/78191/view/5/3D-Model/Martian-War-machine
Download it if you wish, and have her look at it in the vertex modeler. Pick it apart, push polys around, play with the rigging. The idea is to try and demystify it.
There is nothing wrong with DAZ Studio, except that maybe it fosters the idea that you have to be some kind of expert to model the things that are used in it, or sold for it. To me at least, it seems to foster a certain amount of dependence on other people to make stuff for you.
Now don't get me wrong. I use pre-made content in almost all the images I make, so I'm not some kind of snob that derides people that use premade models or figures. It's just nice to be able to have the option and the confidence to make the things that I need as well.
diomede64 and Roygee will have much more expertise than I do, and could maybe point you to some tutorials that are fun for her and keep her interested.
It might be useful to think of three different categories of animal (or any other figure) usage.
1) acquiring an animal figure that has already been modeled, textured, and rigged, then posing it and rendering it. For merely posing and rendering animals in an environment with a realistic sky, plants, etc. , I think you will find Carrara as good an introduciton as anything else. You can buy animals available here in the Daz store (the Vendor called Allessandro, or AM, has quite a collection of animal figures), or variety of other websites. Don't forget potential free models at places like sharecg. Just look for animal models that will work in Poser and they should also work in Carrara.
2) rigging an animal model created by others. That is what Evilproducer describes with the dinosuar example. You could help her find and acquire static models of animals, then create the bone skeleton rig in Carrara. We once had a monthly challenge to use old items contained in carrara's cntent browser and several people turned static models into poseable models. I know I rigged an ape and EvilP rigged an octopus. I thought it was a fun exercise. I rendered a silly scene with an ape in a cowboy hat riding a horse next to an astronaught who was driving a connestoga wagon. Carrara's rigging is failry simple because the model does not need to have clearly assigned vertex groups first. So again, there should be a decent supply of free or cheap animal models capable of being rigged available on the web.
EDIT: Here is EvilP rigging a model of an octopus. That thread has more examples of using Carrara to rig static models. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/364720/#Comment_364720
3) modeling an animal from scratch. Yes, this is even more complex, but as EvilP suggests, can also be more enjoyable. Again, this can be done in Carrara, but if someone is not already familiar with Carrara's vertex modeler, some would suggest that they learn a different modeler first. Having said that, this is my post, and I enjoy using Carrara's vertex modeler, so she might as well give it a try.
I'll see if I can track down some links to illustrate each of the three categories. I'll add them in an edit.
EDIT - here is an animated dog that Wendy made from a photo
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/470249/#Comment_470249
Carrera seems to have so many different ways to do things.
What you are saying is: you make multiple parts of a character with primitives; use vertex modeling to shape them; create a skeleton with bones; and attach to the model to animate? If you already have the model then you just "rig" it and animate? Where are the tutorials for vertex modeling basics and rigging basics?
Thanks for your help.
This PDF document may be of some small interest to you,
It focuses on modelling a simple Fish, but the principles can be applied to modelling any object
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7907045/Fish_Modelling.pdf
Perfect! This will be a good learning tool for her.
Ok, I am stuck at the very beginning.
I found a jpeg clownfish and opened it in Carrera 6. In the model tab I don't see a vertex modeler panel as you show in the very first image.
Does v.6 not have vertex modeling?
Hi, there are some free Carrara tutorials available on youtube.
1) examples of free tutorials for vertex modeling, but not of animals
wine bottle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr3ynKuPx50
human head - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUYg1z1GCmY
2) Rigging and bone influence
rig a bone skeleton and edit weight influences on simple object - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiAnIqlfgOg&index=10&list=PLCE038B4C72040A2C
These should just get you started. In the threads that are stickied at the top of the forum, I believe that many links to more tutorials have been gathered in the thread labeled Information manual. Also, a very generous Carrara user named Cripeman has posted many free Carrara tutorials on youtube, which you can probably find by searching for Cripeman youtube carrara
No doubt you will have more questions.
I will take a few posts to display a very simple example of creating something vaguely animal-like in the vertex modeler and then rigging it. Depending on how that goes, it might be worth showing additional features such as loading reference images in the modeling screens, create a custom morph, uvmap, add hair, and animate. But let us just start very simple. This won't be the best, easiest, or most satisfying way. Hopefully, it will be a way that can get someone started.
OK, now to make something that looks vaguely like an animal. I will want a body, 4 legs protruding down, a neck and head protruding forward, and a tail protruding back.
1) Start Carrara and see the empty Assemble room. To start a new vertex object, you have a number of options. I think it easiest to click INSERT and then choose VERTEX OBJECT from the drop down menu. But you could also click and drag the icon that looks like a sphere with squares on it into the working box.
2) Carrara transfers you to the Model room. The vetex modeling room has a menu along the top. For this example, choose CONSTRUCT and then choose INSERT 3D and then choose CUBE
3) A menu will appear asking for dimensions for the cube. For this example, in the box for segmentation, insert the number 4. Click OK and a cube will appear that is 4 polygons wide, tall, and deep. This will be the core of the body.
4) Use the camera controls on the left to look at the cube from underneath. Use the select tool to click on one of the corner boxes (polygon). Hold down the shift key and then click on the other 3 corner bottom boxes. This should result in all four bottom corner boxes turning red, meaning they are selected. If you don't hold down the shift key while selecting, then when you click on a polygon, line, or point, only the new selection will be red and the previous selections will be de-selected (no longer red).
Hopefully, I will add the screenshots and then pick up in the next post.
So, if the above steps came out OK, wth four bottom corner polygons selected, can start on the legs.
5) Hover your cursor over the icons at the top of the screen. The name sould appear while the cursor is over it. There is an icon that sort of looks like a vertical pipe with a fat middle. It is the Dynamic Extrusion tool. Click it and a menu will appear along the right side of your screen with terms like dynamic extrusion, extrusion mode, manual offset,...
6) For the moment, lets ignore the menu and just use our mouse to extrude the corners downwards. To do so, hover your cursor over one of the red corners and left-click your mouse (continue pressing down on your left mouse button, don't release). With left click held down, move your mouse around and see how new polygons are extruded from the corners. It may take some practice to get the hang of controling the size and direction of the extrusion. No big deal. If you don't like something, just undo it by choosing EDIT: UNDO from the top menu (the hot key for undo is controlZ or commandZ depending if on windows or mac).
7) Once you get an extrusion start that you like, repeat twice so that the legs are 3 polygons long.
Now to start on the neck and head. The extrusion tool will be used again, but this time on the forward face.
8) Using shift-select, select the interior six front facing polygons that are in the top middle (see attached).
9) Click on the dynamic extrusion tool - but don't extrude yet
10) look at the menu on the right. Click the option for "link polygons" and a checkmark will appear.
11) Extrude the neck/head forward for a length of 4 polygons long.
Now apply the same concept to the back to make a tail.
OK, so now a very crude 4-legged creature has a basic outline. From here, vertex modeling is largely just a matter of adding and moving points. Modeling programs have a variety of tools designed for making the selection, addition, and movement of points, lines, and polygons easier. Because this is just an example for rigging an original figure, I'm not going to worry too much about refining the shape. But I'll show a couple of edits just to demonstrate.
- Symmetry - the basic shape of the animal should be symmetric even if refined details are not. Select any polygon and click the box for symmetry in the x axis.
- Smoothness 1 - the animal should not have sharp edges. From the top menu, choose EDIT : SELECT ALL. (or use the hot key Control A). From the top menu choose MODEL : SMOOTH EDGES.
- Smoothness 2 - the animal should be less "blocky." In the menu on the right, choose SUBDIVISION and click SMOOTH. The animal should appear more organic.
- Adjustments - now using symmetry, select and move points, edges, and polygons on one side to narrow the neck relative to the head, lengthen the middle of the body and any other desired adjustments.
At this point, it might be a good idea to save this crude 4-legged animal model with a tail so it can be used as a base for other projects.
- click on the hand to return to the ASSEMBLE room.
- In the properties tray in the upper right, change the name from "vertex object" to something more useful like "crude animal"
- Click and drag the crude animal object from the properties tray to the object tab of your browser tray
NOTE: I have made subfolders for my browser tray for my custom objects. In this case, I have made subfolders for 2015 and animals.
RE: Version 6
**** cheap handbook recommendation ****
I picked up a used book called Carrara 5 Pro Handbook by Mike De La Flor. Among its many useful chapters, it has Chapter 10 on vertex modeling in Carrara, Chapter 11 on vertex modeling in Hexagon, and Chapter 15 which has rigging a character with bones and IK chains. A used copy on Amazon now goes for less than $2.
Rigging a model with bones
If you saved our model from the first part, start a new empty scene.
- load your model (the crude animal above) by dragging from the object browser to the instance tray.
- click the camera selection menu and choose the left camera view
- select the animal vertex object and press the 0 (zero) key so that it zooms to the animal object.
The way Carrara rigging works is you click a spot on the screen and a damond appears. Clicking a second spot creates a second diamond with a bone connecting the two. Clicking a third creates another diamond and another bone. The diamonds act like joints such as elbows and knees connecting bones. Ultmately, Carrara allows you to "attach" a model to a bone structure. When the bones are bent, the vertexes of the model near the bone bend with it. Carrara also lets you edit how the vertexes of the model are influenced by each of the bones. It is best to add bones while in one of the directional camera views (left, front, top,...). OK - so the plan will be to create a bone hierarchy for half of the animal, then use duplicate with symmetry to create the other half.
- In the left camera view, start at where the hip meets the tail and click once to create a diamond.
- rename the diamond, which is currently named bone, to hip
- add diamonds up the torso, neck, and head. Rename them all something useful like spine1, spine2, or torso1, torso2, etc.
- click the camera selection menu and go to the top view
- select the hip bone. use the bone tool to add a diamond for the left back shoulder and rename it
- select the forward front bone where the spine meets the neck. use the bone tool to add a diamond for the top of the left front shoulder and rename it.
- use the camera selection menu to go to the front view. Select the diamonds for the shoulder tops and add bones for the leg joints.
Now it is time to mirror the legs from the left to the right
- First use the cameras to examine the skeleton from various angles to make sure it aligns with the model.
- Then simultaneously select all of the bones of the left legs (but not the spines, hip, neck, head, or tail).
- From the top menu, choose EDIT then DUPLICATE WITH SYMMETRY and choose the x axis.
- Again, use various camera angles to confirm that the skeleton matches the model
- Then in the instances tray, lower right, select the hip bone and the animal model simultaneously (shift select)
- From the top menu, choose ANIMATION and then ATTACH SKELETON and accept the warning.
- click on any bone and use the rotate tool to pose your model.
Carrara also has tools to edit how the bones influence the individual vertexes of the animal model. It is also possible to create additional morphs for the animal. Plus, one can add textures, hair, and many other details. Maybe a later date.
Of course, you could start by buying a cat model.
diomede;
I may have a problem. I cannot get the menu on the right (actually none of the three). This makes it tough to link the head polygons.
Is it V6 or a bug?
But with a little patience, you can do a lot better than my crude 4 legged creature above. Here is the start of a low resolution dog that I modeled in Carrara's vertex modeler.
If you are using Carrara 6, there is going to be some limit to our ability to match your screen and to know what features you have and don't have. I do know that Carrara 5 Pro had vertex modeling, the extrude and symmetry tools, the ability to make a bone skeleton and attach like I did with the crude 4 legged creature above. To open the menu running along the right side of my screen shots, there should be a little handle on the right side. Click and drag that handle inward to open the right menu (often called the Poperties Tray or Instances Tab). A botttom handle is used to open the "browser tray" which has tabs for your content and for the sequencer which is used in animations.
Along the top, does your menu have an option for Insert?
If yes, when you click it, does the resulting menu have an option for "vertex object"?
Is your version of Carrara a Pro version?
I think that symmetry might be a "Pro" feature, but I could be mistaken. There were also some other Vertex Modeler features that were "Pro" as well.
Some of the other issues with finding stuff could also be due to interface changes in later versions of Carrara.
diomede;
OK, I restarted today and the boxes appeared. I am able to follow most of your directions. I don't seem to have the Symmetry box to check though.
I have Carrara 6 (no Pro).
The OP referred to cat rather than Big Cat, so this one might be more appropriate:
http://www.daz3d.com/millennium-cat-le
The easiest way to get into 3D is to use ready made content, and learn how to navigate around a scene, pose, light and render. Only once you have those skills would I recommend getting into your own modelling, and try to start with fairly modest aims. Little steps at a time build confidence and help you get a feeling of achievement. If you aim too high too soon, it could be off-putting. But once you have the basics, you have a skill that you can use for a lifetime of enjoyment!