Hello and welcome to the first of what may be many free modeling exercises! This is a new thing we are trying here on CG Cookie as a way to pave the way towards our upcoming workshops! These exercises have a single goal and purpose, to give everyone the opportunity to improve and fine tune their skill sets.
Modeling Exercise 01 – High Poly Flashlight
This exercise assignment is to model a high poly flashlight based on the references provided. The exercise is focused exclusively on modeling and so there is no need to texture the model, the goal is to create a highly-detailed model with clean topology. During the instructor review process, your model will be judged on accuracy and topology.
Reference Material
All reference material for this exercise is found on CGTextures.com.
How does it work?
This modeling exercise works by taking the above topic, along with the linked references from CGTextures and modeling said reference as best you can. Once you have completed your model, you can submit a render, wireframe and .blend file to us for review. The exercise will run until next Wednesday, at which point we will take all your submitted models, review them and then produce a tutorial showcasing how we recommend approaching the subject matter, along with a few video highlights of strong points in some of the submitted models. We do ask that you use the reference material provided so as to make the review process more streamlined and focused. This allows us to focus on the technical quality of the model rather than the design.
Why are you doing this?
In our continual efforts to provide Blender and general 3D education, we are always looking for new ways in which we can help people excel. This is just one more of those efforts. The idea is to provide you with a exercise in which you do not need to worry about choosing a topic or trying to master all aspects of the 3D process in a single image. We think these will be a lot of fun and we hope you like them!
How can I participate?
Take the above reference material, make something awesome and submit your file via the upload form above! Simple as that. Any renders or wireframes can be submitted via the “Submit Image” button below.
looks like projection paint, would come in handy on this one.
The first paragraph says the focus is on modeling and there is no need to texture it. I think just simple materials to separate the pieces out is the most you would need to do – similar to the preview image above. I was curious myself if we needed to texture it and was going to ask before rereading the post.
Jeff, you’re exactly right. Honestly, if you do choose to texture I’ll remove the textures before reviewing the model. The basic material separation, just like I did in the featured image, is encouraged, though, as it makes it easier to visually separate the model into it’s relavant parts.
here ya go, if someone wanted to know how to do it..
http://www.blendtuts.com/quick_projection
I am not good enough to take part in this competition, but i would like to see more of these in the future, that encourages me.
This is not a competition at all. The fact that you feel you’re not good enough is the very reason why we’re posting this. The idea is give everyone a guided task of modeling to improve the modeling skills. Please do participate
I like this idea! I shall give it a go
Thank you so much! This is just what we need! You guys are amazing. I cant wait to start improving my skills.
I’ll give it a try a guess
Thanks alot for reaching out and helping like you do so well! 
and whats the deadline?
It says Wednesday so I’m guessing a week from now.
never mind got it haha WEDNESDAY!
This is a great idea! I know what I’ll be modeling this weekend.
This is really exciting! I haven’t used Blender in a few months, so hopefully this can be a fun project.
i made a lowpoly,type one..
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/1581/flashlightg.jpg
Blend file
http://www.mediafire.com/?338873dw8ond9w4
Cycles 500 Samples
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/3650/flashlightcycles1.jpg
just show the steps plz…
Love this Idea; great work guys! I can hardly wait to start!
excelente inciativa por supuesto que voy a participar
All of this coolness kind of scares me
everything is so professional… and mine … haha! i got stuck 
Are you the only judge for this Jonathan? Because I don’t know any other topologist on BC.
And another question:
If I have any modifiers to the model should I apply them or leave for your overview?
Please leave modifiers on the model. I can adjust them as needed when looking at the model.
Currently I am the only judge, but I will likely pull Wes in to take a look as well!
-Jonathan
This is a really great idea. Thanks!
Hi guys, what do you think about extending this to MaxCookie and ModoCookie as well?
Think that is a great idea.
Another one, hipoly this time..
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/7281/flashlightshipoly1.jpg
Depending how well this first exercise goes, extending it to Max and Modo Cookie is a possibility for sure!
-Jonathan
opps, i forgot to post a link to the blend file so everyone could see..
http://www.mediafire.com/?j48jfrrt1qqk52w
Its setup with “Cycles Materials”
(i have a slow computer so the i’m sure the materials aren’t the best)
Also, in the rendered image i had the “uffizi_probe” HDRi environment map attached to to the world..
i changed curves a little in post..
Thank you “JO” for this creative thought. I think assignment like this will help people like me, who is learning Blender seriously.
This is a very good idea! I look forward to the result.
I like the Idea! I’ll make one!
i made a alternate style flashlight, for everyone.
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5782/altflashlightblenderint.jpg
picture
——
Blend file, inside the zip is 2 blend files one setup for blender internal,
one setup for cycles with materials.
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?xgw2siv9qabl8s2
enjoy.
Changing the Camera default, Focal Length from 35 to 60 or 90 gives better results..
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7718/altflashrwbflgnth90.jpg
this one is with 90 focal length,
the above(orange) ones were with the default 35.
——-
it would be nice to see a tutorial on focal length,(camera sensor) and how it works, and what it means to the artist etc..
Are normal maps okay to use?
The focus of this exercise is to use strictly poly modeling (modifiers are fine) to create the flashlight. This no sculpting, no normal maps, etc.
You can include them if you want, but I will turn them off before reviewing the model.
Johnathan, This is a great idea. I’m relatively new to Blender and this will push me to improve. I already started and spent a few hours tying to make the front screw cap but have run into so issues.
Will there be any hints along the way? (Like for instance, should I make the front screw cap all one mesh or are the round things separate meshes from that of the main body?
Will you post a tutorial video of how to model this after the contest is over?
Thanks again, great idea!
I would also be interested in an in person class if it did not cost too much.
Yep! I will be producing a tutorial after the end of the exercise. That tutorial will include many hints and tips.
As for the one-on-one training, it is $60/hour. You can book some time through http://mavenseed.com
Wait, it says that we’re supposed to supply renders and wireframes of the model, but there’s nowhere on the submission form to add that!
I think they mean just submit the .blend file so they can review the results themselves. It should be clarified, but this is the first time they’ve done this!
Wait, it says to submit the renders and wireframes in the last sentence.
I guess this is for Citizens only?
Nope it is for everyone!
I’ve just started modelling things on my own in blender so I think I shall try this. Would be nice to get feedback on what I can do to improve in that stage to make thing easier for me.
Just added mine. Hope it’s alright. I am horrible rusty.
Must the individual components be continuous meshes? For instance if the piece is continuous in real life (Such as the switch guards and the flashlight body, or the 8 thingies on the front and the front piece itself) would you like the mesh itself to be continuous itself? I understand this would present a significantly larger topological challenge. I’m just curious as to what is considered good practice and what’s unnecessary.
Jonathan,
Great idea. I didn’t have the time to read all the other comments, so here is my question, even though it may have already been asked.
For the “ribbing” on the top housing of the flashlight, does it follow best practices to add extra meshes to accomplish this effect, or are they best handled by extrusion? If this were to be a true master class, maybe you could offer your insight into the best way to accomplish these types of things under different scenarios.
Thanks,
Mike
Sorry, looks like jedilink just asked that very same question.
My apologies.
But is it important? I think that many of us that have been using blender for several years or more have been taught that “discontinuous” topology by way of adding extra primitive meshes, is a bad thing. Your thoughts?
Mike
It’s not always a bad thing!
Tachticool.
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2554/minitac.jpg
mini-tac flashligt .blend
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?codjsq6s6ju1v4r
Hey, that was fun! Now to see how we should have done it!
Great idea guys. Looking forward to more in the future.
Jonathan are you going to review this models with video tutorial? Like Andrew Price Focused Critique.
its good if you give video review of our models means its easy to improve our modelling skills, reviewing all models is not possible you can pick at-least 10 models.
Well I’m completly stuck on the bottom and how to do the side of the body of the flashlight. So since I can’t finish it or figure out how to finish it I’ll just wait and watch. I knew I was going to have problems with the bottom but I thought I could figure out the sides but everything I’ve tried looks terrible.
So I think I’ll sit this one out.
I thought the bottom was going to be a pain too but it was easier than I thought. After I did the round part I ended up with a grid of polygons on the bottom that I kept flat and I drew the “H” and other pieces with my selection then I just extruded those polygons. I added edge loops afterwards to sharpen the edges and used crease as well. It’s actually the part of the model I’m happiest with. I’ll be interested to see how they do it in the tutorial.
Apparently I’m too much of a noooob to get it right. I shall sit back and wait then watch. Maybe I’ll have the right skill set to do the next one.
Well this is mine (don’t know why the round thingies at the rear don’t appear on the render (they show up in the viewport and in the render priview).
Renderd with Cycles 1000 samples.
http://www.mediafire.com/?bhj8bkzswoiywj0
If something doesnt show up in the render go to the outliner and check that the object is not restricted from being rendered i have accidentally changed that somehow and was wondering why isnt my object rendering but its a easy fix
This exercise was amazing! I hope there are many many many more to come in the near future
‘Kay, i uploaded it. Waiting for aproval. I’ve tried my best, but i’m still fairly new to Blender. Been using it for 6 weeks or so …
I couldn’t put in the metal ring at the bottom, curves were driving me crazy, and i couldn’t figure out how to put that U-shaped hole in the switch.
Any, i hope to learn from my mistakes…
Well I uploaded mine at about 4am CST. No subsurf was used at all during the modeling or rendering. End result was just over 100k polys. A bit of python and clever replication of mesh parts sped the work up. Still… I may have gone overkill on the detail a bit…
http://cgcookie.com/blender/images/star-bright-k-1826/
http://cgcookie.com/blender/images/flashlight-parts/
Nice work! Can I ask what you used the python for? I’d love to incorporate it more into my work but I don’t think I’m that talented yet. lol
Well one example would be the body of the flashlight. There were 14 ridges total, so I made 1 section and made linked clones rotates around the common axis. Then modeled it, joined, and removed doubles. Another use would be to extrude a NURBS curve into an arbitrary spiral, for the bulb filament and the battery spring. Most of these you can just grab out of the info panel at the top, and paste into a text editor. Then either hit the run button at the bottom or toss them into a loop.
Hope this helps =)
Here’s mine.
http://www.pasteall.org/pic/show.php?id=21334
Oops, I made a mistake. A few hours ago I uploaded my image via the submission form, now I realized that there’s a ‘submit image’ button for it. So I uploaded the image again this way for the second time. Sorry, I don’t want to bother you!
btw this modeling excercise is a great idea. Often, I ask myself what I could model for practice and mostly I don’t have an idea or I quit when the first problems in modelling process occur. If I get a specific task/goal, it makes the whole thing much easier and keeps me motivated.