3D Modeling--Compilation & Reflection

3D MODELING

Friday,July. 25 .2025

21.04.2025 - 27.07.2025 | Week 1 - Week 14

Jia Wenbing /0365436/

Design principles/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

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INSTRUCTIONS

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EXERCISE 1- Foundations of 3D Modeling - Primitive Object Construction

This week we need to do a simple basic shape exercise. Since we are just starting to learn the software, Mr. Luqman uses video tutorials and we follow the steps to learn how to use it to make models.

Fig 1.1 Basic Model

After the basic shapes, we started to learn how to make simple objects. This exercise required us to make only a chair, a table, a mug and a chess. The most difficult one was the mug because it needed to bridge the hole.

Fig 1.2 Make a chair

Fig 1.3 Make a table

Fig 1.4 Make a mug

Fig 1.5 Make a chess

Final renders 

Rendering the Basic Model

Rendering the Mug

Rendering the Chair

Rendering the table

Rendering the chess

Video Demonstration

EXERCISE 2-Design Your Own Chess Set - A 3D Modeling Exploration

This exercise is to make a complete chess set. I chose a set of chess that was originally made of wood. I started to make it using Maya.

Fig 2.1  Making a chessboard

I used the Create Polygon tool to make the knight-shaped chess piece. This was a bit difficult, as the face was still black at first, but after checking, I found that my normal line was reversed, so I adjusted it back.

Fig 2.2 Making a Horse Chess Piece

After the chessboard is made, I use UV texture to make it look more realistic. Then I arrange the chess pieces in order.

Fig 2.3 Paste material

Fig 2.4 Layout Copy Piece

Final renders 

Rendered chess

ASSIGNMENT 1 Brief: Washroom/Toilet 3D Modeling

This week our task is to create a washroom design. I looked for a lot of references to design my washroom.

Fig 3.1  Moodboard

After I had a basic idea of my design, I started making models. At first I didn’t know how to make them, so I followed Mr. Luqman to make the initial walls and floors.

Fig 3.2  Making the wall

After I created the base, I started adjusting the floor slope, which required me to do it very carefully.

Fig 3.3  Making the Floor Slope

After the overall framework was completed, I started to make the shower room, dry and wet separation and wash basin in the bathroom.

Fig 3.4  Make a shower space

Fig 3.5  Making a wash basin

The toilet was the hardest part. I found a tutorial online and followed it to learn how to make it, but the process was very messy. Fortunately, the model looks pretty good overall.

Fig 3.6  Making a wash basin

Fig 3.7  Making toilet lids

After making the most difficult toilet, I started to make the shower. The most troublesome part here was the water pipe. I asked Mr. Luqman, and he solved the problem of movement and deformation by duplicating the model into a whole.

Fig 3.8  Making a Shower

I started adding lights to make the rendering look more realistic and beautiful.

Fig 3.9  Adding Lights

After Mr. Luqman’s feedback, I felt that the original layout was too empty and not particularly attractive, so I redesigned the placement based on my own mood board.

Fig 3.10  Overall position adjustment

After I changed the layout, I started adding bathing tools and skin care products to the bathroom to make the whole space less empty.

Fig 3.11  Detail production

Finally I found a lot of noise when rendering, so I lowered the light sampling value and reduced the number of lights. I learned how to make cloth and towels in the middle to increase the variety of objects in the scene.

Fig 3.12  Overall adjustment effect

Final renders 

ASSIGNMENT 2 Brief: Hard Surface Modeling-Sci-Fi Prop or Machine Design

The task was to create high-quality hard-surface models of sci-fi style props or machines, such as:

Weapons (e.g., blasters, swords, robotic arms)

Equipment (e.g., scanners, drones, communicators)

Vehicles (e.g., bikes, pods, mini-mechs, robots)

I wanted to challenge myself, so I chose to make a spaceship. I think the challenging process is very interesting. I looked at a lot of reference pictures to conceive my spaceship. Of course, during the production process, I also consulted a lot of learning materials.

Fig 4.1  Moodboard

I followed the tutorial to learn how to make the general framework of Feichuang, because as long as the general framework is completed, other details can be changed and the design can be added.

Fig 4.2  Start making a rough model

After I finished making all the general frameworks, I added some changes to the details. I wanted to make the head of the spacecraft more slender, so that the whole spacecraft would look very handsome.

Fig 4.3  Change details

To make the spaceship look better, a lot more needs to be added. I mostly added models and used Boolean operations on some of them to achieve the model I wanted.

Fig 4.4  Basically completed the card line

After all the models were fixed, I started to change the material of the spacecraft. Because I wanted to do UV mapping of the picture, I did not change the color, but just changed the material to show a hard metal feeling.

Fig 4.5  Paste material

After that, I started to work on UV mapping and light settings. But the UV needed to be adjusted slowly so that the pattern of the picture would be placed in the right place.

Fig 4.6  UV Mapping

This task requires UV cutting models to be laid out, but because of some problems in the construction process of my model, not all models can be laid out, so I tried to adjust the models I made.

Fig 4.7  UV Screenshot

Final renders 

Final Project:3D Robot Design (Human Like Robot)

This mission requires us to make a humanoid robot, which is very difficult. I originally saw a picture of a battleship transformed into a robot, and I thought I could also challenge myself to make a mechanical robot.

 

Fig 5.1  Moodboard

This time I made the model completely independently. I first made the overall shape according to a picture, but when I only made the legs, I found that the shape of the model I wanted was different from the reference given in the picture, so I deleted the body part and remade the arms and legs.

Fig 5.2  Made according to pictures

I found that the model in this picture was more in line with the robot I wanted to make, so I started to make it according to the model in this picture.

Fig 5.3  Picture Model

When making the leg model, I was very confused. I didn't know how to make the model look like the picture. I fumbled around for a long time and tried two or three times before I made what I wanted.

Fig 5.4  Modeling the Legs

I learned how to make the hands and head by following the instructional video, but the video didn't teach me how to make the hands, so I made the hands by myself by watching the instructional video pictures. Fortunately, the final result was good.

Fig 5.5  Hand production

Finally, I adjusted the overall angle and started to make detailed decorations and apply materials.

Fig 5.6  The final model

Fig 5.7  Creating lights and planes

Final renders 

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FEEDBACK

WEEK 7

• Mr. Luqman asked me why the layout of my design was very similar to his design. I did it because I watched his teaching video and followed his layout. He suggested that I should innovate the design and the layout should not be too empty.

WEEK 10

• Mr. Luqman looked at my model and thought I did a good job. He suggested that I put a plane under the model with object shadows to make it look more like a floating spaceship.

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REFLECTION

Before learning 3D modeling, I thought it was a very difficult module for me, but I didn't expect that after getting in touch with it, I began to like modeling. At first, I just thought from the perspective of visual design, but when I really operated Maya for modeling, I realized that how to accurately control the proportion, position and details is the key to the overall effect.

In the process of learning, I gradually mastered a more systematic modeling process. At the same time, I also encountered many challenges, such as symmetrical modeling, which is easy to cause structural offset due to improper origin setting, or some panels have interlaced errors when switching perspectives. Through continuous trial and error and correction, I deepened my proficiency in Maya tools and began to pay attention to the "engineering" of modeling-not only to look good, but also to have a clear structure, adjustable, and easy to integrate later.

Although the production process is a bit hard, I will even challenge myself and increase the difficulty, but after completion, I will feel very fulfilled when I make the model I want. I think this is the charm of modeling. In the future, I will learn more about how to create models quickly, make more models I want to create, and add creativity to my designs.