In this multi-part series, I’ll be covering how to box-model a stylized dragon, making heavy use of the various sculpt tools. The texturing will cover creating tangent normal maps and using the “toon shader” to get a nice cel-shaded look. I’ll also go into some intermediate rigging with some nice animations; from walking to pouncing to flying. and finally we’ll look into setting up a good composition with props and lighting.
In this fourth part, I go in and add one more toe/finger to each foot/hand, and then jump in and finish up the wings, followed by a little cleanup of the overall model.
View Part 02: (expand to watch full-screen)
You used a lot of techniques in the modelling part of this tutorial, which is good.
I think, you should use hide a bit more often (especially in the first of the two vids of part 4, that could have been faster by not connecting the wrong faces all the time
) – It’s good though, that you show us your mistakes aswell, as they can be an excellent place to learn…
)
Also it might be a good idea to use Numpad-, (the key between 0 and Enter) from time to time, so you recenter the view at your selection. (Or make use of the recent CG cookie tip which adresses the same problem
You did a great job on the wings, I guess. I’m not sure if it’s the optimal solution but it must be a complex task – especially for the last wing section, it’s probably very difficult to get that right.
Why did you do two vids?
At the style: I’m still not perfectly satisfied but it’s way better than it already was.
In my opinion, you should have left the tale tip alone with the upscaling and even change it to proper wings that can be controlled: This extruded something might somehow improve the flow a bit but I’m pretty sure, it’s too “heavy” to work. (I know it’s a dragon which doesn’t exist anyway and even a stylized one, which strengthens that even more but still… It somehow looks out of place, especially now that the dragon’s wings are done.)
You might want to improve the topology a bit here and there and get rid of some unnecessary stretch… Especially around the feet it looks a little odd to me. (Also way better than it already was, though)
Not sure how far you’ll go with this dragon but I’d like to see a tutorial on how to make those wings work with animation + cloth sim
thanks for the in-depth critique
the reason for the 2 vids this time is that we’re trying to make things a bit easier for you users to download this in places that don’t have high-speed internet. since the full video is nearly an hour long (52 mins?), two parts makes it possible to download without such a high risk of interrupted downloads.
since i’ve already called it “done” as far as the modeling goes, i probably won’t be editing the mesh any more, but i do understand what you’re saying. the tail seems to have ended up a little flatter than i might have wanted, but i think it will work okay. the wings also were a little bit smaller than i had planned, but overall, i’m satisfied with the final version.
stay tuned; as soon as we can decide on which direction we want to go with the texturing, we’ll jump into that, and then on into rigging and animation. i hadn’t considered the cloth sim, but that might be something i’ll look at.
-dave
Yeah, I thought so
Modelling: Done.
Texturing surely will bring that dragon to the next level.
@ cloth sim: Did you see the latest durian blog post? http://durian.blender.org/production/wing-simulation-or-gaaaaaah/ Haha, if you really do cloth sim, I’m already curious how you will cope with those issues
David, I know it’s been quite a while since you made these videos but something is driving me insane now, and I hope you’re still around to respond. As mentioned above, I know there are two videos for part 4, however, I can’t find a link to the second video anywhere. The first part literally when you’re in the middle of a sentence and then the beginning of part 5 you have the modelling completed and you’re ready to apply textures.
I’m “new” to Blender (new in the sense that I used it fairly extensively 5-6 years ago and 2.x is apparently a whole new ballgame) and I’m learning a lot from your tuts, but I REALLY want to see the end of the modelling process before I start watching your texture artistry.
Wow, this reply went a lot longer than intended… But anyway if you’re still around PLEASE tell me how to find part 4.2!
Like the series but…why is the video set to private? I always like to watch it in higher quality on Vimeo.
thanks for the heads up, i’ve notified mr. burke, it should be public soon.
See the link above the videos to get access to the high definition videos.
Again, I learn a lot. Very interesting to watch.
Cant’ wait for part 5!
It was interesting to see your thinking process. I learned a lot!
And don’t worry, the dragon looks awesome.
The video is still set to ‘private’ on Vimeo.
Why video is private on Vimeo?
videos are now public on vimeo. thanks jonathan!
Hey guys – sorry about the private lingering… The reasoning is that sometimes we are able to upload and prep these a few days in advance and try to match up the launch on both sites. It is Holiday here, and after this went live forgot to switch Vimeo over. Apologize for that and hugs all around.
W
Great! Thanks!
I think you’re trying to accomplish to much. Please bare with me, this will take a bit to explain.
Are you shooting for beginning users who need to learn hot keys and tools? Or advanced users who need to learn workflow and style? Pick one, not both. If you’re going for beginners, just make simple test scenes that display the use of a basic feature, and don’t try to accomplish anything. Hey, wait – you already do, it’s your “Quick Tip” series. If you’re going towards advanced users, which I think you are, then record everything you do without sound first, second, edit the whole thing into a quick, time-lapsed variation, (where mistakes AND the fixing of mistakes are edited out) and finally, voice over the finished cut.
Just some thoughts, I think these have good content, but they could use some more care in presentation.
Thank you for your time,
MTracer.
I actually like the way, those tutorials are presented for both beginners and advanced users. It doesn’t take up too much time to explain the hot keys over and over again, anyway. Also, a beginner can learn a lot more from a complex example, showing off a lot of features so they can better judge the usefulness of the features than it would come from a single short instruction.
Showing not only what the tool basically can do in theory but also when you could/should use it in practice will help way more in learning.
However I agree that from time to time, timelaps could be used (especially in longer processes, like doing the faces on the wings), just showing the beginning of the action. (The second side was skipped all together, except for showing off the mistakes. Showing mistakes is fine, as you learn from them as well.)
I definitely don’t agree with you MTracer.
Between beginners and advanced users, you have intermediate users. Here I am !!
I can’t say I’m an advanced users, since I’m using Blender for about a year. But I’m not a beginner, I know the basics, tools etc. But I sometimes forget some shortcuts.
I think this series is fairly perfect for users like me.
If you don’t want beginner notes, just put your fingers in your ears !
I totally disagree with MTracer. I think the way that the tutorials are structured is perfect, and have always found the over-edited tutorials unhelpful and a bit self promotional.
The best way anybody learns (advanced or novice), is in the company of active production, avoiding mistakes before making them.
Internship is not just for those starting out, in the field of 3D, your entire career is an internship.
The dragon is comming out great.
The topology could be quite better then it is. But this being a tutorial, I understand it would be too much for recordings.
@MTracer @Slyporkie,
I kind of see what you mean, MTracer, it does seem kind of weird for an advanced tutorial to have indications on how to do this and that basic function. But I gotta say, some little tips here and there have really been useful to me. So I also have to agree with Slyporkie in that it is good to see the mistakes and fixes.
I also have a little of a preference for the less edited tutorials, just more to my liking.
Thanks for the tutorial once again Dave, I like how the Dragon turned out.
Just a thought, I have found that stitching faces in goes a bit quicker using edge select mode – just select the two opposing edges and F – those vertices can be fiddly sometimes!
Thanks again for all the effort.
O
*slaps forehead* jeez. why didn’t i know that already???
thanks 
You can shift + click on another selection mode button on the header to be in two (or more) modes at the same time. So you could be in vertex + edge mode to push verts around and then select two edges to make a face. I got that trick from Andy’s Creature Factory DVD – I don’t think it is that well known of a trick. Hope that helps!
Nice dragon! maybe he’s the stage two boss for the potato sack man game you started =D.
Stage 3 boss could be my personal fave, the MECHA.
Oh and since you asked, stage one would be a giant Venus fly trap.
lol. Interesting ideas
Though I guess, for a serious BGE game, you should somehow reduce the polycount then.
(Considering the world to take up a lot of polys if it’s fairly more decent than a simple plane, lol)
Doing a great job, Dave.
I like hearing the key commands.
It just makes for a more thorough tutorial.
I wouldn’t mind if said when you are taking a sip of coffee.
I don’t mind the “mistakes” at all.
After all, knowing how to fix mistakes is essential to any workflow.
I don’t like those slick tutorials that have been heavily scripted.
They just seem very fake and impersonal to me.
There’s little empathy in those.
Thanks for being real.
I’d like to see sim cloth for the wings too, or whatever means to automatically show realistic membrane motion without having to do keyframes.
i think you should do an advanced hair tutorial next because I’ve been looking FOREVER to find one that isn’t for the newcomers.
Check out hair tuts @ http://cg.tutsplus.com/category/tutorials/blender
This is a great tutorial series, and has been a real help to me.
I totally agree with bebR and Slyporkie
@MTracer With respect, I think you have an oversimplified view of what an audience is and needs. I personally find that seeing a tutorial ‘warts and all’ assists in the learning process. Seeing that mistakes and wrong turns don’t just happen to me, and to see how they are corrected has, for me, helps the learning experience.
To me this is perfectly pitched for those who have already played with the modeling process, but are not expert users. To be taken through a project like this is a superb experience for me.
Awesome tutorial series.
Excelente calidad de video!, excelente los tutoriales!, me refiero en cuanto a que contemplan todos los aspectos de lo que es el ámbito 3d.
Encuentro que están muy bien explicados, dado que no hablo nada de ingles y los sigo muy bien, tanto como si entendiera el idioma.
La vedad es que estoy muy pero muy agradecido por su sitio web y que hagan de el un lugar publico.
Sigan adelante con este sitio web, de seguro blender.cookie es el mejor lugar que hay en la red para aprender.
Voy a tener que ver como se hace para donar sin paypal, dado que no cuento con tarjeta de crédito =(
Un cordial saludo desde Uruguay