Assignment 2.2: Self-Critique

Lets start off with the image below.This alleyway was textured using photographic images. I personally had to go out and find each item in this render and photograph it. Once I had everything I needed I applied the images to the texture map using adobe photoshop. I could have added a little more details to the way. Maybe have added a rain gutter and water drain on the gutter area. This could have made my texture work that much better. Also I feel that my street texture map might need to be scaled down a little.

Here is a model of a character that we were making using maya for my character modeling class. I still have a lot of things I need to work on such as the overall head. I need to fine tune my poly and line flow. Making sure to limit the amount of ngons I have. I could add more detail on the ears for future pieces. After using maya we took or low poly models into ZBrush and sculpted more details on. I made alpha brushes for a lot of the detail work you see.

A low poly trashcan, Not much I could have done with the poly limit we had of 1000 poly. We then added a diffuse, normal and specular map too. I should have posted those renders up along side with this one. That way the you could see the completed work.

Here is a Nissan Skyline that I had worked on from 2004, everything was modeled in 3ds max. The textures you see are actually materials that were created using photoshop and then tweaked in 3ds max. Looking closely at the model you can see I have added a few texture maps such as on the turn signal markers. I would have liked to add a "glass" material to the headlights and windshield. With them being black it is a little distracting. Also the refer has no material or texture map applied to the tire.

Showing the detail on the front. You can see the texture map on this render. Knowing what I do now I wish I could go back and remove the bump map added to the turn signals and make it a normal map instead. I think it would have improved the overall look of the entire render. If you notice the lip area on the front bumper ( lower black section ) this was a carbon fiber material or shader I created using a base image in photoshop and then adding further tweaks to it in 3DS max. I had to things like specular and a gloss to make it as though it were a smooth surface.

This was an illustration I made for a Tshirt. I learned a lot of different techniques using the pen tool and creating such things as compound paths. I think that was the first time I have really put compound paths to a good use. I utilize everything I learned here while making newer designs.

I wish I could figure out how to add a little more detail in the wheels adding the spokes or faces on the wheels I think would make it pop.

This illustration was also done for a Tshirt that I printed. I was so excited to make this piece. It is a 2004 volkswagen R32. The red illustration above this one is the 2008 model. These were the only years this model was produced. Using the pen tool in illustrator I was able to add fills and strokes to produce some amazing work. I could have added different line weights to add some depth to the image. Again an issue I find with it is a lack of detail in the wheel. I have all this nice line work on the car and none on the wheel.

This was a color wheel made for the Color Theory class here at AAU. As students we were to mix 6 tube colors together to make a 24 color color wheel. As you can see from my image I did just that. I had learned a lot about color mixing and being a Tshirt printer I am now using this everyday. I could see brush stokes and finger prints in the original piece. I could have probably picked better swatches to make a smoother transition to the next color.

A monochromatic painting done by me. Used a single color of blue while adding various amounts of black or white to produce darker and lighter colors. I have learned a lot about muting and tinting colors now. I know that if you want to make a lighter color, you would have a base of white and add only a slight amount of color. One would think that you add white to the color to make it lighter, though if you do that you would need to use a lot more white than you'd expect. 

I might have needed to add a little more black to the second lightest color. Or it could have needed less blue in the first dot.

This was done as a project for myself. This LP640 was made in 3DS Max. I dont know how to change the order of my images, maybe someone can tell me how to do that. Though if you scroll down you can see the wire frame of this model. The poly count could be included in the render. I did not texture this model I left it as is.

I would have liked to added textures to the model, showing the interior would be a nice touch too.

While looking through a magazine I saw this living room setup. I then decided that I wanted to recreate it. I did just that adding a Mental ray lighting from 3DS Max. I love this feature in 3DS max. It gives you real time lighting and casts real time shadows. All textures applied were materials provided with 3DS Max. I love the color on the walls. The light cream color really contrast with the dark of the couch. Also I made a render where the walls were red and it changed the entire feel of the render. With the walls as they are now the room appears to be much brighter.

Some artifacts in the reflection on the wood is something that I noticed. I cant remember if it was the quality of the render that caused it or not. I do remember making another render and it was gone but I couldn't seem to find it.

Ahh pew pew pew. hahaha. Here I made a model of each individual lego piece. Once I completed each piece I went on line and put them together per the instructions. It resulted in this master piece known as the A-Wing. My plastic material I think was too shiny, the sheen was higher than I wanted it to be. You can notice it in the yellow piece serving as the cockpit. I really enjoyed modeling this out in 3DS max.

Plastic is too glossy, in the cockpit there is a piece of geometry sticking out. The white ground plane might be washing out the left wing.

The wire frame of the LP640 from above. You can really see the flow of my poly's on this render. Making good use of my quads. 

This was posted showing the workflow. Not really sure how I can critique it.  Maybe I could have rendered the wireframe over the solid model. That would give the viewer a better understanding of the flow.

This painting was for monochromatic color scheme. Just to better familiarize myself with how to mute and tint colors. My swatches and presentation were a little sloppy and not straight. You can see some white "lines" from under the swatches.

Low poly tree, I think I am going to add another image with the completed tree trunk on it before this assignment is due. I used a technique of plane modeling for the leaves on top and applied an alpha image to the plane to have the leaves appear. The model was done in Maya and I think we took it into ZBrush to add more detail to the trunks.

In the render its not completed. I don't have the trunk textured.

Oct 13th 2012 - Update.. Here is something I just worked on.

Wooden Crates made textures in Photoshop and placed them in UDK. Composition doesn't show a close enough render showing the details in the crates. I could show the Normal maps along with the Spec and diffuse.